There are few breakfasts that really feel as wholesome and refreshing because the ever-mutable smoothie. You can also make them virtuous, with plenty of greens and nut milk, or luscious, with full-fat dairy and cocoa powder – however with a view to make a great one, you want a extremely good blender.The Guardian’s journalism is unbiased. We are going to earn a fee should you purchase one thing by means of an affiliate hyperlink. Be taught extra.And whereas smoothies are the traditional use for a blender, these home equipment can accomplish that far more; a very nice blender is a kitchen workhorse that may make your morning smoothie, your afternoon dip, your night soup and even a frozen drink should you’re feeling frisky.Whereas blender know-how has undoubtedly improved in the previous few many years – we now have high-speed contraptions that may make peanut butter in lower than a minute – they’re all principally trying to show giant items of meals right into a smoother end result. For those who’re on the lookout for a brand new one, we’ve examined the very best within the enterprise.At a glanceAll costs present at time of publication.Why you need to belief meI’ve been writing about meals for greater than a decade, whether or not that’s writing recipes, enhancing cookbooks or reviewing eating places. I’m an obsessive house prepare dinner with a small kitchen: I like an environment friendly kitchen software and don’t have endurance for ineffective fine details. I’m additionally a ordinary smoothie maker, which means that I’ve made a whole bunch of morning drinks, in addition to loads of pesto and limitless sauces, in my very own refurbished Vitamix – and cleaned it by hand every time.How I examined all these blendersAfter spending just a few weeks researching the vast world of blender choices, I chosen 9 blenders to check: six full-sized blenders and three private blenders. (I skipped immersion blenders, as a result of evaluating them to high-powered blenders felt like evaluating a motorcycle to a Hummer: they’ve totally different makes use of and vastly totally different energy ranges.) {Photograph}: Marion Bull/The GuardianI examined every blender’s means to make the next: crushed ice (to copy frozen drinks), peanut butter, pesto, smoothies and a broccoli-potato-white bean soup. After every check, I washed the blenders by hand, making word of how annoying they had been to scrub with out the posh of a dishwasher. I additionally made word of what “extras” they got here with, how they had been packaged and what they had been made from. {Photograph}: The GuardianI’m donating the blenders I examined to St Mary’s Clothes Drive in Brooklyn, a beautiful charity close to my condominium.Finest general: Vitamix 5200 {Photograph}: The Guardian$464.99 at Amazon$499.95 at VitamixWhy we love itAcross all my rounds of testing, the 2 Vitamix blenders I examined constantly produced the smoothest product, although this one – the 5200 – had the sting. Whether or not I used to be sipping a smoothie, spooning a soup or (let’s be actual) dipping a finger right into a batch of pesto, this blender produced luscious, vibrant outcomes, even maintaining inexperienced and purple smoothies from turning muddy in coloration. It additionally labored shortly, turning a chunky soup right into a puree in lower than a minute, whereas different rivals took 90 seconds or extra to create a mulchier end result.After just a few rounds of testing, the touchscreen of the dearer Ascent ($750 in comparison with the 5200’s $470) stopped working, and the blender was unusable. Even when the Ascent had saved working all through my testing, the outcomes had been principally the identical as these of the 5200.I additionally appreciated that the 5200 supplied an array of speeds, with out an extra of settings. There’s an on/off change and a change that allows you to select excessive pace or variable pace; should you select variable, a dial on the heart of the management panel allows you to go from zero to 10 as you want. The machine may also “pulse” in case you wish to make one thing chunkier, similar to salsa. And it comes with a tamper, to assist break down something tremendous thick like peanut butter. Lastly, it has a seven-year guarantee.It’s a disgrace that … It’s undoubtedly loud. At simply over 20in tall, it’s additionally too giant to suit beneath some individuals’s cabinets.Capability: 64 ouncesPower: 1,380 watts / 120 voltsSpeeds: 10Best finances blender: Breville Recent & Livid {Photograph}: The Guardian$198.99 at Goal$186 at AmazonWhy we love itOut of the gate, I used to be impressed by the Breville as a result of it was one in all solely two blenders that might crush ice with out the help of a tamper or a splash of water. For those who’re trying to make frozen margaritas on a budget, this blender is for you. The Breville web site claims that the blades provide a mixture of mixing and meals processing performance; I attempted chopping some carrots, and it was extra of a shred. Nonetheless, it’s a helpful choice. It additionally whipped up a bright-green pesto shortly. Whereas it wasn’t as silky clean because the Vitamix pesto, it bought fairly shut. The smoothie, too, had a bit extra texture than the Vitamix smoothie, however at almost a 3rd of the worth, it appears like a suitable tradeoff.I additionally preferred the lid design: it suits very tightly and securely into the jug and includes a loop that helps you pull it off simply.It’s a disgrace that … Though it is available in seven totally different colours, from “crimson velvet cake” to “olive tapenada”, this isn’t the sleekest-looking blender of the bunch. And should you’re obsessive about texture, chances are you’ll discover that your smoothies and soups aren’t completely clean.Capability: 50 ouncesPower: 1,100 wattsSpeeds: 5, plus different options similar to crushed ice and pulseBest private blender: The Beast Mega 1200 Plus {Photograph}: The Guardian$219 at Macys$219 at BeastWhy we love itThe Beast is the latest model on this checklist. Their private blenders have a really sturdy motor at 1,200 watts, and this selection, the Mega Plus, comes with three jars, for XL smoothies, little batches of sauce and every little thing in between. The Mega Plus got here with extra fine details than every other blender I attempted: along with the jars there are a ingesting lid, two straws, a straw cleaner and a blade cleaner. For those who like gear, that is possible the blender for you.Of the three private blenders I examined, the Beast constantly produced the very best outcomes, mixing every little thing evenly from pesto to soup. Whereas it couldn’t mix nut butter or crush ice, I’m undecided that there’s a private blender in the marketplace that may, and it was undoubtedly the very best for thick smoothies. I additionally preferred the colour choices – I examined a darkish blue mannequin. It presents two speeds: “pulse” and “mix”.It’s a disgrace that … Whereas the Beast’s jars are made from plastic – the identical BPA-free materials that the Vitamix makes use of – they’re so heavy I briefly thought they is likely to be comprised of very thick glass. I just lately deadlifted almost 240lbs, however even I wouldn’t wish to carry a smoothie this heavy to the gymnasium.Capability: 28.75 ouncesPower: 1,200 watts / 120 voltsSpeeds: two (pulse and mix)The very best of the restBest blender for smoothies on the go:Nutribullet Professional 900 {Photograph}: Marion Bull/The Guardian$89.19 at Amazon$79.99 at Kohl’sIf you desire a private blender that can make good smoothies and shakes you possibly can take to the gymnasium – otherwise you balked on the Beast’s $219 price ticket – the Nutribullet is your good friend. At simply $88, the Nutribullet blended smoothies that had been solely barely extra textured than these of its dearer counterpart, and it handily blended soup and pesto with none drawback. It additionally comes with a second jar, a lid for ingesting and a clunky-looking however completely efficient removable deal with. This jar was principally designed to be thrown in a gymnasium bag.It didn’t make the ultimate minimize as a result of … Its smoothies weren’t the smoothest, however they nonetheless did the trick.Capability: 32 ouncesPower: 900 wattsSpeeds: oneBest blender for the plastic-averse:Oster Basic Collection Heritage Blender with 6-Cup Glass Jar {Photograph}: Marion Bull/The Guardian$99.99 at WalmartThe Oster felt decidedly nostalgic – I’m fairly positive that my dad and mom had the identical one within the 90s, with its flip-on change and tapered glass jug. It’s additionally the one blender that arrived with zero plastic packaging: all cardboard, no ineffective baggies. For those who’re on the lookout for a blender that can decrease potential publicity to microplastics, this can be a nice choice, due to its glass jug. The lid continues to be plastic, however has much less contact along with your meals. It additionally presents a 10-year guarantee – even longer than the Vitamix’s.It didn’t make the ultimate minimize as a result of … Its mixing capabilities left one thing to be desired: it produced a decidedly mulchy inexperienced smoothie, and it by no means bought soup as clean as its rivals. As a result of the bottom is so slender, it’s tough to wash by hand, as the realm beneath the blades is a problem to achieve.Capability: 48 ouncesPower: 1,000 energy watts/600 mixing wattsSpeeds: twoWhat key options ought to I look out for?Selecting your blender may have so much to do with the way you wish to use it. Do you simply wish to make shakes for the gymnasium, or are you an obsessive house prepare dinner who has all the time needed to make hummus? In relation to jug blenders, the motor’s energy is the issue that almost all contributes to the blender’s means to do its job, however jug form additionally comes into play. A extra slender, spherical base will mix small portions higher than a wider, sq. base.For those who’re simply on the lookout for a smoothie-making machine, or you have got very restricted counter house or finances, a private blender is probably going your greatest guess, due to its small footprint and since the jar turns right into a to-go vessel to your drink. Jug blenders are higher for bigger jobs, or thicker mixtures, similar to thick smoothies, nut butters, spreads and soups. The next-power blender goes to supply a smoother consistency and quicker outcomes.How do I clear my blender? {Photograph}: Marion Bull/The GuardianMost high-speed blenders can clear themselves with a little bit assist. Rinse out your blender as greatest you possibly can, add a squeeze of dish cleaning soap and fill midway with water. Then mix on excessive for a minute. Until you had been mixing one thing significantly sticky, this could clear out your blender, and all you need to do is rinse it. You will have to scrub the lid by hand.Private blenders are a little bit totally different. Cleansing the jars is identical as cleansing a water glass. Watch out when cleansing the blades. I prefer to soak them in sizzling soapy water for about 20 minutes, which is able to loosen any bits of soup which have lodged in crevices.What else did you check?These are the blenders that I examined, in alphabetical order:
The Beast Mega 1200 Plus
Blendtec Whole Blender Basic
Breville Recent & Livid
Cuisinart Hurricane
Nutribullet Professional 900
Basic Collection Heritage Blender with 6-Cup Glass Jar
Vitamix 5200
Vitamix Ascent X5
Zwilling Enfinigy Private Blender
Marian Bull has 10 years’ expertise in recipe reviewing – and in cleansing her blender. She has written about meals for publications together with Bon Appétit, the New York Instances and the Los Angeles Instances. This text was initially revealed on 7 August 2025. Critiques revealed within the Filter could also be periodically up to date to mirror new merchandise and on the editor’s discretion. The date of an article’s most up-to-date replace might be discovered within the timestamp on the high of the web page.
