![Breville Fresh & Furious Blender used to blend juice](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.allrecipes.com/thmb/VmioznJ91iP4P-fRSBymyGQv980=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/alr-product-5-breville-fresh-furious-blender-rkilgore-1171-b9abe1afd3f6472fa144bff278611b9b.jpeg)
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Looking to turn your favorite fruits and veggies into healthy and delicious smoothies? You need a high-powered, reliable blender to get the job done. Whether you're looking to make big batches of smoothies for the whole family, a single serving for yourself, or want a model that can also double as a juicer, your blender should require little to no effort from you.
To help find the best blenders for smoothies, we tested 24 different models based on their functionality, durability, power, and ease of use and cleaning. We went through loads of frozen blueberries, chopped kale, almond milk, and peanut butter to bring you our top picks.
Our Top Pick
Breville Fresh & Furious Blender
Why It’s Great: Well-constructed; intuitive display; rounded sides; two dedicated smoothie settings; easy to clean
Grain of Salt: Smaller pour spout than others
From convenient controls and stainless steel construction to a lightweight, rounded jar design—this blender was developed for the ideal smoothie-making experience. It earned the highest ratings in all testing categories and impressed us with its performance, whether we were making fresh mayonnaise, frozen drinks, soups, or smoothies.
We love the LCD display that counts down speed settings and preset programs, two of which are specially designed for smoothies. In the green smoothie setting, our kale blueberry recipe was ready in about 45 seconds with very little pulp left behind. There are also pre-programmed buttons for regular smoothies and ice crush, along with five speed settings designed to mix, chop, blend, puree, and liquefy. When it comes to getting your smoothie from blender to glass, the lightweight, rounded jar makes it easy to pour and scrape down the sides if necessary. The jar design also makes this blender super easy to clean since there are fewer nooks and crannies for food to stick, and the angled blades are shaped to fit a sponge underneath while washing by hand. However, there’s also an auto-clean feature to help speed up the process.
The Details: 6.9 x 8.3 x 17.7 inches; 8.5 pounds; 50-ounce capacity; 5 speeds, 3 pre-programmed settings
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Best Budget
KitchenAid Blender
Why It’s Great: Several colors available; compact; lightweight
Grain of Salt: No cord storage; single-knob operation
If you’re looking for a well-made, compact blender that won’t break the bank, the KitchenAid K150 is a no-brainer. The blender design is similar to other KitchenAid products, streamlined and minimalist, with a simple single-knob control and three speed settings plus a separate pulse setting. Also, like other KitchenAid products, it comes in several stylish colors ranging from bright red to matte black. The base weighs about 5 pounds and has a small footprint, so you won’t mind leaving it out on the counter or storing it in a nearby cabinet while not in use.
In tests, smoothies were well incorporated after less than 1 minute, with only small specs of blueberry skin visible at the end. The jar is lightweight and super easy to lift, pour from, and scrape down the sides—even when filled to the very top. The wide spout is well-defined and perfect for pouring thick smoothies. Although there’s no auto-clean function, we found it very simple to clean by hand, and the jar is even dishwasher safe.
The Details: 8.5 x 7.1 x 14.8 inches; 5.67 pounds; 48-ounce capacity; 3 speed settings, 1 pulse setting
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Best for Thick Smoothies
Vitamix Propel 510
Why It’s Great: High-quality materials; narrow jar; smoothie preset; powerful motor
Grain of Salt: Expensive
The Vitamix Propel 510 has speed settings that go from 1 to 10, a pulse setting, and pre-programmed settings for smoothies, frozen desserts, and hot soups. We love the smoothie setting that runs an automatic pattern of low for 10 seconds and high for 45 seconds. In tests, the setting was super efficient in blending all of the ingredients, and there was not much pulp left over afterward. Impressively, there were absolutely no unincorporated ingredients in the resulting smoothie, even the kale blended seamlessly. When it came time to pour, the rounded jar with a raised funnel and spout helped encourage mess-free pouring.
This blender doesn’t stop with smoothies, however, as even the frozen margarita came out beautifully light and fluffy in just 16 seconds. It cranked out silky smooth fresh mayonnaise and was one of the best-performing blenders in the soup test. While the blender’s base it on the hefty side, the jar is lighter and narrower than other Vitamix models. There’s also cord storage to help keep everything organized.
The Details: 9 x 7.5 x 17.5 inches; 9.6 pounds; 48-ounce capacity; 10 speeds, pulse, 3 pre-programmed settings
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Best for Large Batches
KitchenAid K400 Blender
Why It’s Great: Versatile; works fast; auto-clean function
Grain of Salt: Heavy
Another blender that earned full marks across the board during tests, the KitchenAid K400 combines a powerful motor with a well-designed pour spout and generous 56-ounce capacity. What sets this blender apart from other KitchenAid models is the deeper angle of the downward-facing blades, which helped it shine whether we were making margaritas, soups, smoothies, almond milk, or mayonnaise. The smoothie setting automatically shuts off after 45 seconds, and we found no unincorporated ingredients after pushing it through a mesh strainer during tests.
It has a single-knob control panel with five standard settings, a pulse setting, and pre-programmed settings for ice crush, icy drinks, and smoothie, as well as an auto-clean function. While this blender is a bit heavier than others, its footprint isn’t huge, and it’s attractive enough that you won’t mind leaving it out on the counter—and with eight colors available, you’re bound to find at least one that fits in with the rest of your kitchen decor.
The Details: 9.02 x 7.59 x 15.8 inches; 12 pounds; 56-ounce capacity; 5 speeds, auto-clean, 3 pre-programmed settings
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Best for Personal
Ninja Nutri-Blender Plus Compact Personal Blender
Why It’s Great: Includes three to-go cups; easy to use; powerful enough to crush frozen ingredients
Grain of Salt: Can be difficult to clean by hand
This single-serving blender also earned a spot on our roundup for best blenders overall, beating out over 50 other designs. In tests, it mixed smoothies quickly within about 30 seconds, and the blades were powerful enough to blend some impressive sauces and dips as well. Personal blenders are perfect for singles or families who each like to make their own smoothies—rather than potentially wasting ingredients by making large batches in a full-sized blender.
We love this Ninja's intuitive operation, which consists of simply locking the cup onto the base and pressing down to blend. Although the to-go cups—the blender comes with three of them—are more difficult to clean by hand because of the shape, they’re safe to put in the dishwasher. Each piece is made of very sturdy, thick plastic that feels like it will last a long time even with regular use. The compact design and two included spout lids make it easy to take your smoothie on the go, plus it is small enough to fit in a car’s cupholder.
The Details: 4.7 x 4.7 x 13.8 inches; 5.34 pounds; 20-ounce capacity; 1 setting
Allrecipes / Hildara Araya-Gonzalez
Allrecipes / Hildara Araya-Gonzalez
Allrecipes / Hildara Araya-Gonzalez
Allrecipes / Hildara Araya-Gonzalez
Most Versatile
Cuisinart Hurricane 2.25 Peak HP Blender
Why It’s Great: Quiet operation; powerful motor; soft-grip handle; large capacity
Grain of Salt: Bulky
When it comes to early morning smoothies, choosing a quiet blender can mean the difference between a relaxing start to the day and accidentally waking up the entire household. We measured the average decibel levels of all 24 blenders, and found the Cuisinart Hurricane 2.25 to be the fifth quietest one—as well as one of the best performing.
This blender is lightweight at around 7.5 pounds, considering the large footprint, making it easy to move around the kitchen as needed. It features touchpad controls, low and high speed settings, presets for smoothie and ice crush, and an LCD screen with a timer. There’s also a soft-touch handle, which is a thoughtful extra. In smoothie tests, the kale disappeared after about 10 seconds, and the consistency came out perfectly smooth with medium thickness. The 60-ounce blending jar means that it will also come in handy for larger batches of soup or multiple servings of margaritas.
The Details: 9.47 x 7.68 x 17.08 inches; 7.5 pounds; 60-ounce capacity; 2 speed settings, 2 pre-programmed settings
![Cuisinart Hurricane 2.25](https://www.allrecipes.com/thmb/o2JYciIsxPjkg_nWAuX60tx7tSI=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/alr-blenders-test-cuisinart-hurricane-2-25-peak-hp-rkilgore-1937-7a0f5c5e73854ec1942abb0c1bfe1b9f.jpeg)
Allrecipes / Russell Kilgore
Our Takeaway
We love the Breville Fresh and Furious Blender for its high-tech LCD controls and stainless steel construction. It’s especially great for smoothies because of its lightweight, rounded jar design and multiple smoothie-specific settings. For a less expensive option, the compact yet stylish KitchenAid K150 3-Speed Ice Crushing Blender also performed very well in our tests.
How to Pick the Right Blender for Smoothies
Size
When determining which size of blender is right for you, consider how many servings you'll want to prepare at one time. If you live alone, a single-serving blender is perfect. For those who are usually blending batches for themselves and their family, a blender with a 64-ounce or larger pitcher is a solid choice. If you want the best of both worlds, go for a blender set that comes with a big pitcher as well as individual blending cups.
As for the size of the actual appliance–if storage space is a concern, you might want to go for a compact model. If you have more cabinet space to spare or will be leaving it out on your counter, a larger option could work well.
Settings
Blenders can range from basic to decked out with bells and whistles. Models with more features, like higher speed settings or the option to liquefy and grind instead of just blend, will typically have a higher price tag. In addition to settings, there might be other add-ons that could raise the price, such as personal cups or additional blades.
Wattage
Most blenders have a wattage between 400 and 750, though there are professional and high-end models that can go as high as 1500 watts. If you want your blender to be able to crush ice for frozen cocktails, go for a blender with 1000 watts or more.
About Our Tests
We tested 24 different blenders by making smoothies, frozen margaritas, fresh mayonnaise, and soup in our dedicated testing kitchen. For the smoothies, we combined almond milk, frozen blueberries, chopped kale leaves, and peanut butter, and processed the blender on high for 1 minute to observe how quickly the ingredients incorporated. We then poured the smoothie into a plastic container through a fine mesh strainer to see how well it integrated ingredients of different textures.
Each blender was rated on the following attributes:
- Design: Are the materials high-quality and durable? Does the blender’s jar fit onto the base securely? While blending, does any leakage occur around the lid? Is the control panel (buttons, knobs, display, etc.) intuitive to use?
- Ease of Use: Is it easy to lift and pour from the blender? Does the shape of the jar allow for scraping down the sides?
- Performance: Does the blender incorporate ingredients of different textures? With denser ingredients, does the motor struggle?
- Convenience: Does the blender feel lightweight or heavy? Is it easy to move from shelves or cabinets? Are there any additional features or settings that make it more convenient to use?
The Leftovers: Other Blenders for Smoothies We Tested
We had high hopes for the Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ because of its budget-conscious price tag and sleek design, but the smoothie function ultimately fell flat with results that were chunky and fibrous, with nearly a cup of pulp left over after straining. It did perform well in both the mayonnaise test and the almond milk test, however, but was also one of the loudest blenders we tested.
Similarly, the Ninja Professional Compact Smoothie & Food Processing Blender boasted a very large 72-ounce capacity with a surprisingly lightweight jar, but the limited control panel left us with an unappealing smoothie that had plenty of unincorporated kale and blueberry bits throughout. After pouring and straining the smoothie, we also noted a good amount of peanut butter left behind on the walls of the jar.
Common Questions
How long should you blend a smoothie?
Start off on a lower power setting and increase your speed for the ideal consistency and texture. On average, it usually takes about one minute of blending to nail a lump-free consistency. How long your smoothie should be blended also depends on how many servings you're making and how bulky the ingredients are. The more ingredients, the more blending time.
What is the best blender for smoothie bowls?
Smoothie bowls are typically on the thicker side, so we recommend using the Vitamix Propel 510 to blend things up into a creamy consistency and add the toppings of your choice!
Can a blender be used for juicing?
Yes, some blenders can be used for juicing and there are models which may even offer it as a dedicated setting. With high-power models, you might be able to skip the straining altogether depending on what's in your juice recipe, but smaller or lower-power models might need to have the pulp strained through cheesecloth for a smoother drinking experience. Similarly, you can even try making your own nut milk at home!
Why Take Our Word For It?
Allrecipes is a community-driven brand for home cooks to find kitchen products, crowd-pleasing recipes, and cooking tips. Contributor Jacqueline Weiss is a professional food writer with over five years of experience and a lifelong lover of working in the kitchen. Her writing has appeared in Eat This Not That, EatingWell, Taste Of Home, Simply Recipes, and more. Katherine Gallagher, an associate commerce editor at Allrecipes, updated this article with insights from our test kitchen.