We have reviewed dozens of the best blenders, but below are our top ten picks. A blender is the one appliance in your kitchen that can make speedy soups and velvety smoothies with just the touch of a button. However, they're not all made equal. When testing the best blenders we put top brands like NutriBullet, Vitamix, Breville, Zwilling, Ninja, and Smeg to the test to compare how well they handle frozen ingredients, seeds, and fibrous vegetables. We also took into account the feel and user experience of each product.
Some will prefer a bullet blender to make single-serve drinks in the morning, but others may prefer a pitcher-style multi-serve blender that can be used to make large soups and generous portions of milkshakes or dips. We have included a mix of both in this guide, so you can find the perfect choice for your kitchen size and lifestyle.
We have also reviewed some of the best food processors on the market, which are perfect for slicing and shredding fresh ingredients in an instant. However, if you like making fresh dips and even pancake batter in a machine, a blender will be more than suitable. In this guide we have even included kitchen systems with blender pitchers and food chopper bowls to multi-task in your home.
The best blenders 2022
We took the Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender for a spin and it completely blew us away. It comes with a plastic pitcher that can handle both hot and cold ingredients, and very sharp stainless steel blades that blended anything we threw at them!
What we love
With five presets to choose from, the Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender is as high-tech as a blender can be. It also has a manual dial that can go up to ten different (noisy) speeds, and we love that the pitcher simply lifts away from the base with no twisting, meaning it can favor both left and right-handed users.
The powerful blades can not only blend but also cook out soups and sauces. We made an incredible tomato soup completely from scratch, just using the ten-minute preset soup mode. You should be aware that it can't cook firmer ingredients like potato or carrot, but it's still a suitable substitute to the best immersion blenders if you're willing to cook your ingredients before adding to the jug.
Features
Included with the blender is an excellent recipe book, a quick start guide, and a tamper to reach down and make sure that more solid ingredients like dips are incorporated fully into the blades while the Vitamix works.
The jug isn't dishwasher-safe, but it does have a self-clean mode that can finish the job in just 30 second.
Homes & Gardens rated 5 out of 5 stars: Our full Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender review has more details
Available in a range of colors and with various attachments for drinking on the go and taking your smoothie around the home, the NutriBullet Pro 900 Series Blender is perfect for smaller servings. It's a brilliant personal blender that impressed us when we tried it for ourselves.
What we love
We found that the NutriBullet Pro 900 Series Blender made fantastic smoothies and shakes. They came out very green with no seeds or fibers left un-blended. Even kale and berries were pulverized.
Although simple to operate, the bullet-style blender shape is perfect for reaching everything inside the cup. Simply twist on the lid and lock it into the powerful blending base to start your smoothie.
Features
The blender comes with a screw-on handle and lids for sipping. Everything but the blades themselves can go through the dishwasher, and it's easy enough to clean the blades under running water after your drink is finished.
Homes & Gardens rated 5 out of 5 stars: our full NutriBullet Pro 900 Series Blender review has more details
Tried and enjoyed by us, the Zwilling Enfinigy 64-oz. Countertop Power Blender has a very attractive design that's modern but still classic. Lock the tritan pitcher onto the smart backlit base to choose from five presets or manual blending settings of 12 very powerful speeds.
What we love
Zwilling makes some of the top kitchen knives you can buy. Its winglet blades are incredibly sharp and made in Germany, and the tritan pitcher is ribbed for an elevated finish.
You do not need to lock the Efinigy Countertop Power Blender onto the base, simply slot it in and press down the lid to light up the control panel. It won't blend unless the lid is attached, and it does so firmly. This is because you can buy a vacuum-sealing insert to keep smoothies and soups fresh in the refrigerator.
Features
The five modes are Pulse, Smoothie, Cocktail, Ice Cream, Ice Crushing, and Cleaning. It is very powerful, with preset speeds and pulsing modes for making drinks and even sauces and dips.
Should you struggle to blend everything, you can use the pusher insert that goes into the top of the lid to stir safely.
Homes & Gardens rated 5 out of 5 stars: Our full Zwilling Enfinigy Countertop Power Blender review has more details
With its fluted inside and sleek black or silver design, the Beast Blender has the same stylistic flair we enjoyed in the Zwilling Enfinigy 64-oz. Countertop Power Blender. It's powerful, too, with a corded design and two blending cup sizes for making a variety of drinks and dishes.
What we love
With both a half and full liter capacity, the Beast Blender comes full equipped for making drinks to go or home blending. There's a carry lid, a removable blending lid (like that of the NutriBullet) and a diffuser insert that can be used to make fruit or cucumber-infused drinks, or even iced teas.
Our smoothies were faultless, but we also made impressive crushed ice and delicious dips with this versatile blender. The removable parts are also dishwasher-safe.
Designed for complete hydration, the Beast Blender + Hydration System has a secure seal that keeps drinks fresh for up to a week. We tried this out on pancake batter and it really impressed us. No skin formed on the top of our batter and we were able to get the same results for breakfast two days after we blended the mix.
Features
The blender claims to have a brain, meaning it takes note of blade speed, internal temperatures (to prevent overheating) and the torque.
We liked the ribbed vessel, which looks lovely when not in use. However, it can make scraping dips and thicker liquids away from the inside tricky. The controls are very minimal, with one button that automatically adjusts to achieve the desired consistency. Of course, you may want a specific consistency if you're making a chunky dip or crushed ice, so a manual mode may have been useful. We did enjoy the monitoring of internal temperature, which came in very helpful when it came to warm mixtures and soups.
Homes & Gardens rated 5 out of 5 stars: Our full Beast Blender review has more details
Available in a smart range of colors to match the company’s best stand mixers, the KitchenAid K400 Variable Speed Blender makes a statement. However, it also has a very powerful blender that doesn't shy away from tough ingredients.
What we love
It comes with a large 56 oz. jar, made out of robust and extremely thick glass. It may be a touch on the heavy side, but this gives you an impression of how long this blender will last.
A single dial on the front lets you choose from the five-speed settings and pulse, plus the special modes: smoothie, ice crush, frozen drink, and clean. In testing we found that this was almost too smooth to turn, and it was easy to knock your setting out of place and accidentally set the blender off.
The weight of the pitcher means that there’s no need for a locking mechanism: drop the pitcher and integrated blades onto the base and you’re ready to go. The pitcher is also dishwasher-safe, and so is the lid. However, the lid does stick so firmly into place that we felt it needed some muscle to remove.
Features
Nothing is a problem for this blender: ice is crushed into fine snow, hard fruits and vegetables are blended into smooth drinks, and you can whizz through dry ingredients thanks to the powerful 1200W motor.
The automated cleaning mode gets the pitcher ready for the dishwasher, and the base can be wiped clean.
The KitchenAid K400 pulls no punches in terms of quality design, but it could offer a smoother user experience. The user experience may not be smooth, but the recipes we tested were. Even tricky ginger or tough kale was no trouble. You only get a pitcher and no other accessories, but extras are available at a charge.
Homes & Gardens rated 4.5 out of 5 stars. Our KitchenAid K400 blender review has more details
We love the Breville The 3x Bluicer for its blending and juicing attachments, which double up to make a very capable machine for just about any drink you could wish for.
What we love
The blender has three modes: Smoothie, Ice Crush, and Cocktail. It also has a self-clean setting that allows you to simply add water and dish soap for it to automatically clean in under one minute.
We found that it makes a delicious smoothie bowl and could power through soup and sauces too. It's got a large capacity and the lid clamps on with a twist-out top to add more ingredients as you blend.
Features
The blender clamps right onto the powerful blending base, and this can be un-hooked to switch out to the centrifugal juicer attachment.
The idea is that you can then use the blender pitcher to catch the juice that comes out of your juicer and even add in strawberry or milk to then blend up fresh ingredients with your juice for an added kick of flavor.
While it's expensive it's actually an efficient way to double down on the combined power of the best juicer and an excellent blender.
Homes & Gardens rated 5 out of 5 stars: our full Breville The 3x Bluicer review has more details
Many blenders just come with a standard pitcher, with accessories costing extra. If you want to expand the repertoire of what you can do, then the Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-IQ makes sense.
What we love
As well as the 72 oz. pitcher, you get a 64 oz. food processor bowl (this has chopping and dough) and two 24 oz. blending cups for single-serve drinks to take away.
That’s a big arsenal at your disposal and makes this blender an all-round friend for your kitchen. Of course, the downside is that you have to find space to store all of the extra bits, so of which you may not even use.
There are five Auto-IQ programs: smoothie, ice crush, extract, chop and dough, but which ones are available depends on the accessory attached: you can’t crush ice, for example, when the food processor is connected, but you can with the single-serve cup and the pitcher.
Features
Outside of the Auto-IQ programs, there are just Low, Medium, High and Pulse settings. With a powerful motor, the Ninja Professional can easily crush ice and blend smooth smoothies. It is quite loud, though.
Safety features are neat, and the accessories and lids have to be in place for the blender to operate. Every part is dishwasher safe, for easy cleaning.
Other blenders on this list may give better individual results, but if you need multiple tools at a great price, this is a great choice.
Homes & Gardens rated 4.5 out of 5 stars. Our Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System with Auto-IQ review has more details
The maker behind the notable Instant Pot pressure cooker also makes a blender at a consumer friendly price. And bonus, it can cook too.
What we love
Like the Instant Pot, the Instant Ace Nova Cooking Blender is truly a multi-tasking tool, with nine programs that can conquer everything from smoothies to nut milks.
Unlike most blenders at this price point, the Instant Ace Nova has a sturdy glass pitcher, as plastic is not suitable for cooking foods at high temperatures.
Features
It has multiple settings including one-touch pre-sets for smoothies, soy milk, rice milk, nut/oat milk, soup, and frozen desserts, as well as standard puree, crushed ice,, blend and pulse functions. And you also have the choice of 10-speed customizable speeds up to 25,000 RPM for true control over your blended beverages and foods.
After use, it features a self-cleaning mode to loosen and remove any residue, that can then be scrubbed away with the included cleaning brush.
Additionally, the blender comes with a 3-in-1 food tamper, measuring cup, cleaning brush, and a food-safe strainer bag for filtering soy, rice, oats, nuts, or seeds.
Overall, the Instant Ace Nova Cooking Blender is an incredible value cooking companion. It's really exciting to see all the capabilities in one device.
Homes & Gardens rated 4.5 out of 5 stars. Our Instant Ace Nova Blender review has more details
The KitchenAid K150 3 Speed Ice Crushing Blender is seriously good value. It has three speeds, a pulse setting, and a generous 48oz plastic pitcher.
What we love
The price is great for the value-for-money with this blender. It's got three speeds, which are surprisingly powerful for the motor size, and a pulse mode that's designed to crush ice and offer complete control.
We were able to make a thick and creamy smoothie bowl in the KitchenAid K150, with even frozen chunks of spinach and frozen strawberries. It worked through slices of lemon (skin, seeds and all) with no trouble, although it took some pulsing and stirring to get every little piece of fruit.
Features
While it comes with only one pitcher, you can buy add-on personal blender cups, and even citrus juicers to expand the functions of your KitchenAid K150.
There is a removable insert in the lid that can allow you to add a stream of liquid or some extra ingredients to your smoothie or soup, and the pitcher slots in and out of the base with no need to screw it in.
Homes & Gardens rated 4.5 out of 5 stars: our full KitchenAid K150 3 Speed Ice Crushing Blender review has more details
We've been able to get hands-on with the Smeg BLF01 50s blender and we can attest that it's not only a joy to look at, it's also lovely to use. For a start, there are a range of colors available, from red to baby blue, and all come with the same high quality tritan jug and die-cast aluminum base.
What we love
While the look may be retro, it's all modern when it comes to how the Smeg BLF01 50s Blender works. We used it to make a light and lump-free smoothie using frozen ingredients, where the frozen setting came in very helpful.
The pitcher is not advised for use with hot ingredients so we had to wait for our soup to cool before use, but we were impressed with just how creamy the result was. It was also easy to pour in cream while the blender worked thanks to the lid, which has a stopper for measuring and adding as you blend.
Features
Not all parts can be placed in the dishwasher, but the pitcher can. It cleans a treat and doesn't require screwing into the base, instead just slotting into place. Not the best blender for versatility, but it certainly delivers on aesthetics and delicious results.
Homes & Gardens rated 4 out of 5 stars: our full Smeg Blender review has more details
How did we choose the best blenders?
Every blender in our best blender guide has been tested hands-on and reviewed right here on the Homes & Gardens site. When reviewing we crushed ice, blended frozen fruit into thick smoothie bowls, and made green smoothies from fibrous kale and spinach.
Where a blender claims to be safe for use with hot ingredients, we also made soups to put this to the test. When making soups we typically include ingredients which are prone to staining such as turmeric, taking into account if the pitcher was left stained by this.
Cleaning a blender is a very important part of the user process, so we give props to blenders that can be cleaned in a dishwasher. However, some also come with self-cleaning settings that can prevent ingredients from sticking to the blades of the pitcher. We cleaned every blender by hand to see how easy this was, and if it felt safe.
How do I choose a blender?
A blender is a great tool for cooking and making drinks, such as smoothies, keeping the pulp of fruit and vegetables as well as the juice.
The type of blender you buy really depends on how often you want to use it and what you mostly want to use it for. All blenders are capable of making smoothies, particularly blending softer fruits.
Motor
If you want to make frozen fruits or desserts or deal with harder fruits or vegetables, then you may need a machine with a more powerful motor, so that it can crush ice into fine snow.
Programs
Look out for a blender that has automatic programs for the kinds of drink or action that you want, as this takes the guesswork out of using a blender.
That said, manual controls are important if you want finer control over the results, say blending a soup that still has some chunks in it.
A pulse function is a great way to get fine control: the blender runs while you press the button but stops the second that you release it.
Features
Move up the price scale and you’ll find that you get additional features. Some of the most powerful blenders, for example, can use friction to heat raw ingredients, delivering hot soup in just a few minutes.
Capacity
Look out for the total capacity of the blender: go for a larger one if you’ve got a big family to feed. Accessories can also be important, either in the box or as additional extras: self-serve cups let you take a drink on the move, and grinding cups can be a handy way of dealing with herbs and spices in smaller volumes.
If you want something that can blend directly into a pot or pan, one of the best immersion blenders we've reviewed will be more appropriate.
How much should I spend on a blender?
Budget really comes down to how much you’ll use the blender. If you’re only an occasional user, then a budget model ($100 to $150) makes sense. At this price, you’ll get decent controls but you may find that your results aren’t quite as smooth.
If you use a blender every day, then you need to move up the scale. Spend over $200 and you’re likely to get more accessories and programs.
If you want the best results then you’re looking at spending $400 or more. At this price, you’ll get the fastest motors, more control, and, often, a wider range of automatic programs to make your job easier.
For those who just want a personal-sized blender, one of the best portable blenders we have reviewed will suit you better.
What's better, Vitamix or Ninja?
Vitamix is well known for its high-end, powerful blenders. These machines are a great choice for those that blend daily and that want the absolute best results. Controls can be rather basic on some models, so these choices are ideal for experienced users.
Ninja products tend to be cheaper, and may not produce quite as smooth results. However, you’ll generally get more automatic programs and value is usually very good, with many sets coming with a lot of accessories to expand what the blender is capable of. We have a complete Vitamix vs Ninja guide that goes into more detail, and you can also take a look at Ninja vs NutriBullet and Vitamix vs Blendtec for more comparisons.
Are glass blenders better than plastic?
Most blenders come with a hardened plastic pitcher, but you’ll find the odd model that has a glass one. Strictly speaking, glass is harder wearing and won’t scratch as easily as plastic. This can make a difference if you regularly crush ice, as the sharp edges can scratch cheaper plastics. Plastic can also get tainted by ingredients, staining.
The downside of glass is that it’s much heavier and if you drop it, you’re likely to end up cracking or breaking thepitcher.
Modern plastics are much better, particularly on the high-end machine, so you shouldn’t notice scratching. And, plastic is lighter and less likely to break if you drop it.
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