The 4 Greatest Blenders for Smoothies of 2024, Examined & Reviewed

For creamy smoothies, you want a powerhouse blender. You’ll need one which retains the tempo while you crank up the pace, leaving you with clean drinks with none fibrous bits which can be exhausting to get via a straw.

Over time, we have examined almost 40 blenders (sure, 40!) and put collectively a listing that can assist you select the perfect one for smoothies and any and all blended drinks. You’ll discover winners from our evaluations of high-speed, private, and budget-friendly blenders. We’ll additionally reply questions you won’t have thought to ask, like whether or not smoothie buttons and presets really make a distinction.

The Winners, at a Look 

Issues to Think about

What Makes a Blender Good for Smoothies?

There are a couple of options you need to search for in a good blender for smoothies: blunt blades, a tapered jar, and easy controls. It could sound counterintuitive, however you don’t wish to put money into a blender with sharp blades. The perimeters are sure to decrease from processing exhausting elements like frozen fruit. Plus, you threat chopping your self throughout cleanup when you encounter knife-like factors within the jar. As an alternative, search for boring blades with 4 or 5 factors that mix elements with out getting caught.

Scope out your blender’s design specs, too. By way of digital options, pre-programmed settings are good to have however not fully essential (extra on that later!). You’ll desire a blender with a tapered jar. This form helps create a vortex, which pulls elements down, maintaining them near the blades. That is the method that turns fibrous produce into silky, clean drinks. The tapered form additionally helps emulsify elements, do you have to use your blender to make a sauce or mayonnaise. And do not low cost the spout! Slender pour spouts maintain spills at bay.

Are Smoothie Buttons and Pre-Programmed Settings Actually Essential?

The thought of urgent a button and letting it do all of the give you the results you want sounds good, however having autonomy over the pace issues much more. After testing blenders at numerous worth factors, we found that pre-programmed settings limit your capability to tinker together with your beverage consistency. When you may slowly ramp as much as a fast tempo, you’re extra prone to finish with totally blended, chunk-free smoothies.

Are Excessive-Pace Blenders Higher for Smoothies?

The reply is extra difficult than a easy sure or no. Horsepower (or greater wattage) determines the pace of the blender. In idea, a powerful motor means fast pulverizing. Nonetheless, based mostly on our assessments, fashions with decrease wattage can nonetheless carry out equally. That’s as a result of the components we listed above—dullness of blades, variable speeds, jar form, and speel management—contribute to the total efficiency and consequence. 

Do I Want an Costly Blender If All I Use It for Is Smoothies?

If you’d like a blender that’ll final years, get a mannequin with the above-mentioned specs. These typically cost more. Budget-friendly options exist, however many battle to course of fibrous elements, leaving you with pulpy smoothies. When you determine to snag a more cost effective choose, select one with essentially the most variability in pace controls and a serrated blade (in assessments, these carried out the perfect, however take note over time, they’ll get boring). It additionally helps to go for one with an honest guarantee. 

The Standards: What to Search for in a Smoothie Blender

Make a variety of smoothies? You’ll desire a powerhouse blender with variable pace settings, permitting you to ramp up slowly. Blenders are available in many designs, however the perfect have tapered jars. This form excels in creating vortexes essential for pulling rock-solid elements down towards the blades. Whereas it sounds a bit backward, select a mannequin with boring, blunt blades to protect the longevity of your machine. As soon as you discover one with all these qualities, you will get choosy about these nice-to-have add-ons like colours that match your kitchen decor. Choices on the quieter finish—usually something below 88 decibels—protect the peace of your morning routine. 

Our Favourite Smoothie Blenders

What we favored: It’s value noting: For the previous decade, the Vitamix 5200 has been our favourite blender for each job. It will possibly make a pulp-free smoothie in 30 seconds, even when fibrous kale and blueberries are within the combine. It’s geared up with a 10-speed dial, permitting you to slowly ramp up peacefully (it was the second quietest mannequin in our decibel check). It’s thoughtfully designed with a tall, slim, tapered jar and four-blade configuration: This mixture creates a vortex. Plus, it’s versatile, so it’s also possible to use it for different cooking initiatives like soups, pureés, and nut milks. It’s accessible in three shades: cherry purple, glossy black, and glossy white. 

What we didn’t like: This blender weighs 10 kilos, so it may turn into annoying to lug again into a cupboard each day. Its rubber lid doesn’t have the locking mechanism discovered on Vitamix’s newer fashions, however in assessments, we by no means had points with it remaining snugly in place. Whereas it excels in smoothies, it didn’t have the greatest efficiency for frozen margs (it left behind a couple of chunks of ice throughout a latest re-test). 

Key Specs

• Jar capability: 64 ounces
• Weight: 10.9 kilos
• Sort of interface: Analog
• Pace settings: 10
• Guarantee: 7 years

What we favored: The Blendtec performs similarly to the Vitamix, with a couple of distinctions. The largest is its design. Whereas we’ve decided that the 5200 is a powerhouse, it takes up a variety of area because it’s tall. The Blendtec is considerably smaller and lighter, making it simple to hold and retailer in tinier kitchens. Plus, it carried out the perfect when crushing ice right into a snow-like texture (excellent for these glad hour margaritas!).

What we didn’t like: The broad, sq. jar brought on the liquid to bounce round an excessive amount of and splash when mixing. Whereas this doesn’t matter for making smoothies, it turns into virtually not possible to execute emulsified initiatives (assume home made mayo or hollandaise sauce) the place a powerful vortex is required. The jar design makes it troublesome to pour with out it dripping. 

Key Specs

• Jar capability: 32 ounces
• Weight: 7.5 kilos
• Sort of interface: Analog, with digital timer
• Pace settings: 10, with pulse function and 6 presets
• Guarantee: 2 years 

What we favored: Typically, automated smoothie features don’t work in addition to they promise, however the Zwilling stood out. Its pre-programmed setting delivered creamy, well-mixed smoothies throughout our assessments in solely 40 seconds. It’s developed with a user-friendly interface permitting you to pulse manually, supplying you with extra management. It’s simple to wash as a result of there’s no cross-blade. The glossy and compact design makes it an elegant addition to your kitchen you can simply tuck away if wanted.

What we didn’t like: Throughout our assessments, we had problem eradicating the jar from its lid although the grooved plastic seemed that it will be simpler to twist off. 

Key Specs

• Jar capability: 20 ounces
• Weight: 5 kilos
• Sort of interface: Pre-programmed, manual-pulse
• Pace settings: 1
• Guarantee: 3 years 

What we favored: When investing in a blender, you may simply find yourself shelling out $400, however this Breville mannequin is half that. It’s designed with a five-blade configuration, giving frozen elements sufficient area to cycle via with out getting caught. There are 5 speeds to tinker with: excellent for ramping as much as produce emulsified smoothies. It has a pre-programmed auto-clean function, which we favored.

What we didn’t like: For the reason that blade is serrated, the sides will turn into boring over time, making the mixing course of harder. The spout tends to drip when pouring contents out of its jar. Though it left some pulp behind, it nonetheless outperformed opponents inside its worth vary. 

Key Specs

• Jar capability: 50 ounces
• Weight: 8.8 kilos
• Sort of interface: Pre-programmed, analog
• Pace settings: 5
• Guarantee: 3 years 

FAQs

What sort of blender is greatest for smoothies?

When selecting a blender, think about your particular wants. When you get pleasure from making smoothies each day or wish to use it for different recipes, put money into a high-quality one. Search for a well-designed, highly effective, easy-to-control, and sturdy mannequin that can final for years. Alternatively, when you’re searching for a brief resolution, loads of reasonably priced choices (like Breville’s Fresh and Furious Blender) can nonetheless enable you to make creamy drinks.

Are private blenders good?

Personal blenders ship one to 2 servings of smoothie and provide streamlined controls, making them user-friendly. They’re usually cheaper than full-sized fashions and, based mostly on our assessments, can nonetheless produce scrumptious blended drinks. A number of components issue into worth, just like the cup measurement (you’ll need one which holds 20 to 32 ounces), whether it is highly effective and fast, simple to wash and retailer, and whether or not it pours with out making a multitude. Certainly one of our dependable favorites, the Zwilling Enfinigy, passes all of those assessments.

What’s the easiest way to wash a blender?

It’s at all times a good suggestion to learn the care and use directions to your blender. We advocate rinsing the container instantly. Fill the jar midway with heat water, add a couple of drops of dish cleaning soap, and put the lid on. Then, run the blender via a cycle, beginning on the lowest pace and step by step rising to the max. Let it run for about 30-60 seconds, then pour the answer into the sink, rinse it once more, and let it air dry the other way up. Lastly, use a humid fabric to wipe any residue off the bottom of your equipment.

Why We’re the Specialists

• Ashia Aubourg is a contract author with expertise researching cooking home equipment and dealing in kitchens (and farms!).
• Her work with Critical Eats spans present guides and product evaluations. 
• For this story, Ashia combed via our quite a few blender evaluations, evaluating successful fashions in each class.