If you're a fitness enthusiast, student on the go, busy professional, or a frequent traveler, the best personal 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.
So far, as a team of product testers, we've trialed over 20 personal 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 leafy green smoothies, frozen fruit, ice, and protein powders. We also tested how easy they were to clean afterwards, and carry around without leaking.
You can read all about our rigorous testing criteria below. We’ve narrowed the list down to the top six personal blenders. The standout? The Ninja Blast – a perfect mix of power, cute design, and portability. Travel blenders like this often see summer discounts ahead of the 4th of July and Amazon Prime Day, so I'll keep this page updated with the best deals
The quick list
This is the best portable blender for protein powder, whizzing it into a silky smoothie without lumps. The battery life is excellent, it's lightweight, and it never leaked in our bags on the way to the gym.
With 1200 watts of power, this personal blender is the speediest option on this list. It can crush ice and make hummus. However, it isn't cordless and can get a little noisy in the kitchen.
A robust, cordless option. It's on the chunky side, but the battery lasts for ages. Best of all, the stainless steel keeps your smoothies cold and refreshing for up to 24 hours.
Excellent for dips and salsas, but not great for frozen bananas. You can bring it to the outdoor grill or your friend's dinner parties to make fresh sauces.
Blending in public can be embarrassing, so we love a quiet blender. At 64 decibels, it's the quietest blender we've ever tested, as well as being ultra-lightweight, portable, and inexpensive.
The Beast Blender has small, medium and large cups with straws and interchangeable lids, which are perfect for on-the-go use. If you don’t specifically need a cordless model, this is a powerful and practical option.
Best personal blenders 2025
Quickest / most powerful personal blender
What we liked: We were quite blown away by the NutriBullet Ultra's performance. At 1200 watts, it’s the most powerful bullet blender we’ve tested so far. In the kitchen, we blended frozen berry breakfast smoothies and protein shakes, packed with chunky seeds and oats – they were flawless in 30 seconds. The Nutribullet Ultra even managed to crush ice (although not super finely) and effortlessly whiz up chickpeas into a velvety hummus.
Personally, I'm very sleepy when making my morning smoothies, so I loved the simple touchscreen and the fact that the cup and blades are dishwasher safe, so it's a cinch to clean up afterwards.
What we didn’t like: This isn't a cordless portable blender – the base needs to stay on your countertop, but the cups arrive with travel lids for sipping on the go.
The other slight problem we noted was the noise. The Ultra measured up to 90 dBa in the kitchen, which is a full 15 dBa more than the predecessor in the Nutribullet range – the NutriBullet Pro 900. As our small appliance expert, Laura, put it: 'If you want to save money and you don’t need immense amounts of power, the 900 is better. If you want power and speed, the Ultra is the best option.'
Who would it suit: Anyone with a busy lifestyle looking to make quick, single servings of smoothies or iced drinks (I think that is probably most people reading this page). It won't suit early risers who don't want to wake their family up with blending noise – you'll want the BlendJet2 for that.
Our full NutriBullet Ultra Blender review has more details.
Best personal blender for protein shakes
What we liked: The Ninja Blast is ideal for protein shakes. Our expert, Alex, has tested dozens of appliances in our lab over the years, and he first trialed the Ninja Blast in 2023. Two years later, he still uses it every day. 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.'
As a team, we also liked the liquid measures on the pitcher, the fact that it was slim enough to sit in our water bottle holders (both in backpacks and car cup holders) and the range of fun colors to choose from. Personally, I have a sweet tooth and am not a protein shake drinker, so I was most excited by the ice-crushing capacity; it can make frozen margaritas or desserts on the go, which puts it high in my estimations.
What we didn't like: Like most of the best 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? Daily protein shakers or smoothie drinkers who want the best portable blender for taking to the gym. It is a lightweight, excellent travel blender.
There's more detail in our Ninja Blast review.
Best personal blender for cold drinks
What we liked: I loved the cool, creamy smoothies I made in the Nutribullet Flip. 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, I wouldn't expect a portable blender to make soup – but the insulated design got me 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. I struggled to carry it with my small hands and it didn't fit into the cup holders on my backpack or in my car.
At over 3lbs, it's not as lightweight as the best travel blenders, like the Ninja Blast (which weighs 1.7lbs). The Ninja Blast also excels on crushing ice, so if that's a dealbreaker, Ninja could be your winner – it is also a bit cheaper, but that's reflected in the more plasticy materials.
Who would it suit? If you're someone 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.
You can read all the details in this Nutribullet Flip review.
Best portable blender for dips
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, mostly making fresh smoothies, protein shakes and amazing dips: think creamy hummus and zingy salsas. We found the travel lid is airtight and leak-proof. Even in a handbag, jostled around on the way to a picnic, a pesto dip 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. Once your ingredients are in the blender, it's brilliant – especially for fresh dips like guacamole and hummus.
Who would it suit: People who want to blend dips, dressings, or salsas outside at the BBQ or cookout. Our small appliance expert and keen baker, Laura, said: 'I found the lid especially useful for portable pancake batter. 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 personal blender
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.
Our tester Millie, who has been reviewing blenders for over 5 years, 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.'
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. Plus, the BlendJet2 is often discounted by up to 50% Amazon. A great choice for students, since it doesn't break the bank.
Our BlendJet 2 review has more information.
Best personal blender accessories
What we liked: I’m still testing the Beast Mighty 850 Plus Blender, but I like the accessories so much I had to tell you about it. It comes with three cups – extra large, medium, and small – and three interchangeable lids with carry handles and built-in straws. It's been really useful to me in the last few weeks, allowing me to be flexible with my recipes and take different drinks to the office – and even small dressings that I can put in the fridge for my lunch.
The blender handles softer ingredients beautifully – my frozen banana, date, and maca powder smoothie came out ultra-smooth with just a few flecks of date. I also tested it with a green goddess salad dressing, mischievously throwing in a whole clove of raw garlic and curly kale. I was impressed by the velvety result – no visible strands or chunks in sight.
While it's not cordless, the motor base is tiny and discreet on the counter. Beast has recently released a cordless model too, which I am keen to test for comparison.
What we didn’t like: The blender operates at a low decibel level, but it has a piercing, high-pitch sound that I found quite irritating. It also struggled with crushing ice – bits got stuck between the blades, which stalled the blending process.
Who would it suit? This is a great option for someone who doesn’t specifically need a cordless model and is looking for a powerful, practical blender with plenty of flexibility. It’s ideal for people who like to prep and transport different types of drinks or sauces, especially for work or travel.
Full review coming soon.
Other options that missed the list
This is less powerful and versatile than the Nutribullet Ultra (it can't hack ice), so it didn't make the list. However, I still think it's a fantastic buy for smoothie lovers. Zwilling is famous for German-engineered, stainless steel knives. These are very effective in the blender; I marvelled at my vibrant smoothies, and I took them outside with the travel cups and lids. The blender itself is equally stunning.
The Nutribullet is quite similar to the Ninja Blast, but slightly smaller and lighter, weighing 1.56 lbs and containing 16.7 oz. In my tests, I realized that it is nowhere near as powerful. The Ninja is much more effective on frozen fruit. However, I quite like the ergonomics of the Nutribullet. It's nicer to hold and easier to fit in a handbag. Also, it is much cheaper.
We used to think the Nutribullet Pro 900 was the best ever personal blender, but it's recently been surpassed by the Nutribullet Ultra. We still love the older version (we rated it 5-stars in 2022) but it's not quite as quick, powerful, and high tech as the new model. If you want to save some money, this could be a great option.
How we test personal blenders
We're proud of how we test blenders. As Homes & Gardens' kitchen appliances editor, I test blenders in my home kitchen and fit them into my daily routine, so I can see how they function in real life. When it comes to portable blenders, it's all about ease, portability, and reliability.
We have a series of standardized tests that we carry out to help us gauge which kind of user each portable blender would suit. We'll keep making these tests harder and harder until the blender can't cope. It's important to know the limits of your model, even if they're extremely high.
Smoothies: We blend a tough mix of frozen and fresh fruits, leafy greens like spinach or kale, and nut milk. We'd note down how well each ingredient was blended, how quickly it was done, and how loud it was in the process. If the blender has an automatic shutoff, we made a note of how many tries it took to get the smoothie to the perfect consistency.
Protein powders: We also try blending popular protein powders that add nutritional value to your smoothies, as well as extras like collagen, flax seeds, chia seeds, and nutritional blends. This is a good measure of the blender's vortex system, which should blitz evenly to create a smooth blend. If a powder clumps, the blender won't pass this test.
Crushed ice: Finally, we try crushed ice to see if the blenders can handle a few ice cubes. This is a big challenge for a portable blender since, it's not shaped very well for blending ice cubes. You generally need a lot of space and a wider blending pitcher if you want properly crushed ice but some surprise us with how well they do.
Speed & noise: It's pretty embarrassing to use a loud blender in the office, so we measure the decibels on our performance tests, too. We also measure the speed so you can see how efficient the motor is.
Clean-up: Clean-up is just as important as the blending. If it's tricky and inefficient, we'll be the first to let you know.
Reliability & design: After these tests, we'll group together to think about how the model compares to other similar blenders in the market, and we'll consider who it suits. Here, we'll let you how well-built it is, whether it's well-designed for small bags, car cup holders, whether it leaks and how easy it is to use. We also read up on customer reviews to see how it fares over a long period of time and what unique insights real-life users can bring to our reviews.
Often, we are able to keep the products ourselves, which means we can continually update our buying guides with comments about longevity, including whether they leaked in our bags!
Our review and testing guidelines provide more insight into our processes, and our testers for this guide are listed below.
Meet the testing team
Lydia is the Kitchen Appliances Editor for Homes & Gardens, testing everything from blenders and juicers to air fryers and frying pans. Lydia trained in cookery at Leiths School of Food & Wine and was previously Recipe Editor for Mindful Chef. She’s also worked for healthy food brands, like Deliciously Ella. Her favorite blender recipe is a blueberry muffin smoothie or frozen margaritas. Lydia tests all products in her home kitchen, making sure they're perfect for real home cooks.
As a reviews editor, Alex makes sure readers find the right information to help them make the best purchase. Alex got his start in reviewing at the iconic Good Housekeeping Institute, testing a wide range of household products and appliances, like blenders and juicers. He then moved to BBC Gardeners’ World Magazine, assessing gardening tools, machinery, and wildlife products. These days, he tests and reviews outdoor appliances like pizza ovens and grills.
Millie specializes in reviewing blenders and mixers, and has built up a deep knowledge of the best brands. She has tested budget-friendly portable models and the largest, best Vitamixes that money can buy. All of Millie's reviews are conducted at home, meaning she uses these products in her own kitchen, the way they're designed to be used.
How to choose a personal blender
There are a few things to consider before choosing the ideal model for you.
Countertop or cordless: Some of the models in this list are countertop models that need to be plugged in, but they come with travel-sized blending vessels, so you can twist them out and take them with you. This is best suited to morning smoothies; you blend at home, then take on the go. However, if you’re out all day, hiking, or camping a lot, you'll want a cordless, battery-powered model that you can charge and use when you’re out.
Size: If you travel a lot and want a compact blender that you can throw in your luggage, then size is all-important. Look for a cordless, lightweight and portable blender that has travel handles and fits into your baggage easily.
Smoothies or dips? Many cordless blenders have lower-powered motors, so will work well with soft fruits and protein mixtures, but you’ll find they struggle with nuts, legumes, or frozen ingredients. Countertop models with large motors, like The Beast Blender and Nutribullet Ultra are more competent across the board, handling both smoothies and dips with ease.
Included accessories: It will be more affordable to choose a personal blender with added accessories, so you get more bang for your buck. However, make sure you have enough storage space for all those lids and straws.
Personal blender FAQs
What's the difference between a portable and personal blender?
The difference between a portable and personal blender is that a portable blender is a cordless appliance powered by a battery and personal blenders are plug-in counter-top appliances designed to make one portion of drink.
You can charge portable blenders with a micro USB or USB-C. They are typically light and compact, so you can fit in a handbag, backpack or gym bag. I use mine for blending on the go, whether at the gym (a very rare occasion for me) or on my way to work in the morning.
Personal blenders typically make around 24-32oz, which is only enough for one person, hence the name 'personal' blender. The best personal blenders come with travel lids for the blending cup, so you can take your ready-made smoothie on the go with you.
Also, the best personal blenders can usually handle a tougher range of ingredients than portable blenders can (think: ice, nuts and seeds). However, the portable blenders of recent years have really surprised us. Hopefully, this guide will have a good option for your blending needs and tastes.
When is the best time to get personal blender deals?
The July sales and Black Friday are the best times to get the best personal blender deals. The 4th of July sales and Amazon Prime Day (usually mid-July) tend to bring serious discounts on warm-weather and travel essentials – including personal blenders, smoothie bowl makers, and ice gadgets.
For example. Nutribullet's personal blenders typically range from $90–$200, but you can expect 20–40% off during these major sale events. Prices often start dropping early, especially the week leading into big sale days, so I’ll keep the top of this page updated with the best deals as they go live.
After that, Black Friday (the last weekend of November ) is your next big opportunity for deals. It's a nice chance to score lower prices on personal blenders for gifting season or getting a head start on your New Year health goals.
Who (and what) is a portable travel blender for?
A portable travel blender is for a wide range of people and lifestyles:
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.
Do I need a portable blender for protein shakes? Could I just use a shaker bottle?
A personal blender designed for protein shakes will always be a better option than a shaker bottle..
We don't tend to recommend protein shaker bottles, since they're difficult to clean, often leave you with clumpy masses of powder, and they do a particularly bad job with plant-based proteins.
We recommend a portable blender that is powerful enough to tackle optional extras like spinach and peanut butter, and that fits in pretty much any cup holder and has a good carry handle for taking to the gym.
Of course, while we think these personal blenders are great, they simply can't match bigger blenders for power, speed, versatility or capacity. If you're looking to make family-sized smoothies, homemade nut butter, or batches of soup, take a look at our guide to the best blenders.
