Kitchens

Best portable blenders 2025 – lightweight and travel-friendly buys

The top 5 expert-tested blenders for staying nourished on-the-go

Ninja BC155PS Blast Portable Blender, creating a tropical smoothie at home
(Image credit: Amazon / Ninja)

If you're a fitness enthusiast, student on the go, busy professional, or a frequent traveler, a portable blender is a must-have for a healthy lifestyle.

As a kitchen product tester and health-conscious person, I love starting my day with a fresh smoothie – especially one I can whip up quickly and take to work. It’s just as essential as the best portable coffee cup.

So far, as a team of product testers, we've trialed 12 portable blenders. We tested cordless, battery-operated models, so you can blend on the go. Then, we tested more powerful countertop models with portable blending pitchers that you can slot into your bag. Just like when testing the best blenders, we blended fiber-rich smoothies, crushed ice, dips and dressings. We also tested how easy they were to pop into your bag without leaking.

We’ve narrowed the list down to the top five portable picks from brands like Nutribullet, KitchenAid, and Cuisinart. The standout? The Ninja Blast – a perfect blend of power, cute design, and portability.

The quick list

Best portable blenders 2025

You can trust Homes & Gardens. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing the latest products, helping you choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

Who (and what) is a portable blender for?

Fitness enthusiasts & gym-goers: You can quickly make protein shakes or smoothies before/after workouts. No kitchen required.

Busy professionals: I know first hand, it can be hard to prioritise health when you're busy. A portable blender helps out with healthy drinks during commutes or office breaks, so you don't reach for unhealthy snacks.

Hikers & campers: Cordless models are compact and lightweight, so you can make fresh drinks away from a plug.

College students: Very convenient for small dorm rooms. My sister uses the Ninja Blast for easy, healthy breakfast on the way to early classes.

Parents with young children: You can easily blend baby food or smoothies while out and about with a cordless model.

Small space dwellers: Ideal for small kitchens, apartments, or dorm rooms. You can tuck them away in a drawer when needed.

Frequent travelers: If you travel a lot, you don't have to leave your healthy routine behind. You can add a cordless model to your luggage.

Best portable blender overall

1. Ninja Blast

An all-round, brilliant portable blender

Specifications

Capacity : 18oz
Pitcher: Plastic
Dimensions: 9 x 3 inches
Power: 7.4V

Reasons to buy

+
Great at crushing ice
+
Great with leafy greens
+
Excellent with protein powder and creatine
+
Good capacity

Reasons to avoid

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Struggles with larger frozen chunks
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Not ideal for seeds
-
Good for backpacks but not handbags

What we liked: The Ninja Blast has recently taken the crown from Cuisinart's Evolution X at the top of this guide. Why? It has a bigger capacity, liquid measures on the pitcher, it's lighter, smaller, and better value. It's slim enough to sit in any water bottle holder (both in backpacks and car cup holders), available in a range of fun colors, and has a useful flip-top lid that doesn't drip, dribble or leak. We were most excited by the ice-crushing capacity. This is the only portable blender that can make frozen margaritas or desserts on the go, which sent it straight to the top of our books.

What we didn't like: Like most portable blenders, it struggles to process seeds. It's also not as good as a countertop blender for making dips; it made a serviceable hummus, but not a great one. It's also fairly tall, so it's more suited to a backpack than a handbag.

Who would it suit: Everyday smoothie drinkers who want a lightweight but powerful, portable blender that can handle anything from protein shakes to frappuccinos.

Notes from the test kitchen: Our expert, Alex, trialed the Ninja Blast in the test kitchen in 2023 and has been using it ever since. He says, 'It's remained consistent and impressive. I regularly add a scoop of protein powder and creatine to my frozen smoothie mix and the Ninja doesn't struggle to keep the mixture silky rather than lumpy. It has never leaked and it's pretty easy to clean for everyday use.'

There's more detail in our Ninja Blast review.

Best portable blender for cold drinks

A robust, reliable blender that keeps your drinks cold all day long

Specifications

Dimensions: 3.87 L x 4.25W x 9.12 H inches
Colors: Black, Brushed Stainless Steel, Indigo, Lavender, Linen, White
Battery life: 14 x 30 second blend cycles
Weight: 3.45 lbs
Power: 11.1 volts

Reasons to buy

+
Keeps your drinks cold all day
+
High quality & durable
+
Doesn't leak
+
Long battery-life

Reasons to avoid

-
Can't crush ice
-
Chunky, large design
-
Can't blend soup

What we liked: For cold, fresh smoothies, the Nutribullet Flip is the best portable blender I’ve tried so far. It’s a battery-operated machine with a stainless steel lining that keeps your drinks cool for up to 24 hours – a unique feature in the market. The motor is powerful, the design feels trustworthy, and the lid never leaked during my week of testing. I love the fun range of new colors, too.

What we didn't like: Normally, we wouldn't expect a portable blender to make soup – but the insulated design got us excited. It actually can’t handle hot ingredients and it also struggles on crushed ice, so sadly, soup and frozen margaritas are off the menu. It's also quite chunky, so if you have small hands or a small backpack, that's something to consider.

Who would it suit: If you're something who travels a lot or works long hours, you'll love the cold-insulation technology and long battery life. I personally carried this around all week long, I enjoyed morning and afternoon smoothies that were fresh, full of fiber and packed with healthy fruit – with very little planning or effort. That's a winner for me.'

Notes from the test kitchen: I loved the cool, creamy smoothies and protein shakes I made in the Nutribullet Flip. In many ways, this is the best portable blender I've ever tested. In terms of power, the 11 volts blows the competitors out the water. However, at over 3lbs, it's not as compact, slender or lightweight as other models, like the Ninja Blast (which weighs 1.7lbs). The Ninja Blast also excels on crushing ice, so if you're a slushie or frozen cocktail fan, that could be your winner. The Ninja is also a bit cheaper, but that's reflected in the more plastic materials.

You can read all the details in my Nutribullet Flip review.

Best portable blender for dips

3. Cuisinart EvolutionX Cordless Blender

Ideal for dips and outdoor cooking

Specifications

Capacity : 16oz
Dimensions: 3.9 x 3.5 x 11.69 inches
Power: 2 lithium ion batteries

Reasons to buy

+
Compact and lightweight
+
Powerful enough for dips and even frozen cocktails
+
Good battery life

Reasons to avoid

-
Some prep involved to get frozen items to a suitable size
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Doesn't work plugged in

What we liked: This Cuisinart sat in the top spot for our buying guide for a long time. It's completely cordless, looks really premium, and tackles tough ingredients without breaking a sweat. We gave it weeks of testing, making smoothies, frappés, frozen cocktails, and even hummus and salsas. It's arguably the most versatile of the selection, so if you want a portable option to replace your standard blender in the kitchen, this is perfect for you. Plus, the travel lid is airtight and leak-proof. Even in a handbag, jostled around on the subway, our protein shake didn't leak or spill.

What we didn't like: We quickly learned that, whilst this is thorough, it does require a little more prep than all the other models. We tried blending half a frozen banana in our smoothie test and it just got stuck. You'll need to chop some of your fruits into inch-sized chunks before throwing them in. Once your ingredients are in the blender, it's brilliant – especially for more complex, ingredient-rich recipes like dips.

Who would it suit: People who would to blend dips, dressings, or even pancake batter outside at the BBQ or cookout.

Notes from the test kitchen: Our expert tester, Laura said: 'I found the lid especially useful for making pancakes. The lid sits back and out of the way, ensuring a steady, even pour into the saucepan. It gets a proper chef's kiss.

Our Cuisinart EvolutionX Cordless Blender review has more information

Quietest portable blender

4. BlendJet 2

Lightweight, quiet and very affordable

Specifications

Capacity : 16oz
Dimensions: 9 x 3 inches
Power: 5V

Reasons to buy

+
A great range of colors
+
The price is reasonable
+
Easy to clean
+
Very portable
+
Can handle fresh fruit as well as protein powder

Reasons to avoid

-
The charging port could use a cover
-
It won't blend tougher ingredients

What we liked: The BlendJet 2 is the quietest and lightest blender we've ever tested. BlendJet markets it as ‘whisper quiet’, and whilst it’s not silent, it’s certainly much quieter than many other blenders on the market. Reviewers compared the noise levels to a normal conversation (64 decibels), and we found the same on test. It's perfect for blending smoothies in the office, or even making midnight snacks without waking a soul.

What we didn't like: It did struggle a little with tough frozen fruits and blueberry skins, and it might need a little shake as it blends to make sure that all the drink reaches the blades. Having said that, it excelled on the pesto test – turning chunky ingredients into a great dressing.

Who would it suit: It's a great for gym bunnies and commuters. It's smaller and slimmer that the other models on this list, which makes it easier to fit into your gym bag or car cup holders. It just happens to be light on your wallet, too. It's often up to 50% off in sales; the BlendJet2 is now $26.70 at Amazon. A great choice for students, since it doesn't break the bank.

Notes from the test kichen: Our tester Millie was pleased with the results of her smoothies. She says, 'The BlendJet 2 was surprisingly powerful, especially considering this is a cordless and quiet option... I made delicious smoothies and it was brilliant at blending protein powder into a milkshake consistency.'

Our BlendJet 2 review has more information.

Best portable blender for large batches