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T<\/span>here are few breakfasts that feel as healthy and refreshing as the ever-mutable smoothie. You can make them virtuous, with lots of greens and nut milk, or luscious, with full-fat dairy and cocoa powder \u2013 but in order to make a good one, you need a really good blender.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Guardian\u2019s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link.\u00a0Learn more.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n And while smoothies are the classic use for a blender, these appliances can do so<\/em> much more; a truly great blender is a kitchen workhorse that can make your morning smoothie, your afternoon dip, your evening soup and even a frozen drink if you\u2019re feeling frisky.<\/p>\n While blender technology has definitely improved in the last few decades \u2013 we now have high-speed contraptions that can make peanut butter in less than a minute \u2013 they\u2019re all basically attempting to turn large pieces of food into a smoother result. If you\u2019re looking for a new one, we\u2019ve tested the best in the business.<\/p>\n All prices current at time of publication.<\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019ve been writing about food for more than a decade, whether that\u2019s writing recipes, editing cookbooks or reviewing restaurants. I\u2019m an obsessive home cook with a small kitchen: I love an efficient kitchen tool and don\u2019t have patience for useless bits and bobs. I\u2019m also a habitual smoothie maker, meaning that I\u2019ve made hundreds of morning drinks, as well as plenty of pesto and endless sauces, in my own refurbished Vitamix \u2013 and cleaned it by hand each time.<\/p>\n After spending a few weeks researching the wide world of blender options, I selected nine blenders to test: six full-sized blenders and three personal blenders. (I skipped immersion blenders, because comparing them to high-powered blenders felt like comparing a bike to a Hummer: they have different uses and vastly different power levels.)<\/p>\n <\/span> Photograph: Marion Bull\/The Guardian<\/p>\n I tested each blender\u2019s ability to make the following: crushed ice (to replicate frozen drinks), peanut butter, pesto, smoothies and a broccoli-potato-white bean soup. After each test, I washed the blenders by hand, making note of how annoying they were to wash without the luxury of a dishwasher. I also made note of what \u201cextras\u201d they came with, how they were packaged and what they were made of.<\/p>\n <\/span> Photograph: The Guardian<\/p>\n I\u2019m donating the blenders I tested to St Mary\u2019s Clothing Drive in Brooklyn, a wonderful charity near my apartment.<\/p>\n <\/span> Photograph: The Guardian<\/p>\n $464.99 at Amazon Why we love it After a few rounds of testing, the touchscreen of the more expensive Ascent ($750 compared to the 5200\u2019s $470) stopped working, and the blender was unusable. Even if the Ascent had kept working throughout my testing, the results were basically the same as those of the 5200.<\/p>\n I also appreciated that the 5200 offered an array of speeds, without an excess of settings. There\u2019s an on\/off switch and a switch that lets you choose high speed or variable speed; if you choose variable, a dial at the center of the control panel lets you go from zero to 10 as you like. The device will also \u201cpulse\u201d in case you want to make something chunkier, such as salsa. And it comes with a tamper, to help break down anything super thick like peanut butter. Finally, it has a seven-year warranty.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that \u2026 <\/strong>It\u2019s definitely loud. At just over 20in tall, it\u2019s also too large to fit under some people\u2019s cupboards.<\/p>\n Capacity:<\/strong> 64 ounces <\/span> Photograph: The Guardian<\/p>\n $198.99 at Target Why we love it I also liked the lid design: it fits very tightly and securely into the jug and features a loop that helps you pull it off easily.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that \u2026 <\/strong>Although it comes in seven different colors, from \u201cred velvet cake\u201d to \u201colive tapenada\u201d, this isn\u2019t the sleekest-looking blender of the bunch. And if you\u2019re obsessive about texture, you may find that your smoothies and soups aren\u2019t perfectly smooth.<\/p>\n Capacity:<\/strong> 50 ounces <\/span> Photograph: The Guardian<\/p>\n $219 at Macys Why we love it Of the three personal blenders I tested, the Beast consistently produced the best results, blending everything evenly from pesto to soup. While it couldn\u2019t blend nut butter or crush ice, I\u2019m not sure that there\u2019s a personal blender on the market that can, and it was definitely the best for thick smoothies. I also liked the color options \u2013 I tested a dark blue model. It offers two speeds: \u201cpulse\u201d and \u201cblend\u201d.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a shame that \u2026 <\/strong>While the Beast\u2019s jars are made of plastic \u2013 the same BPA-free material that the Vitamix uses \u2013 they\u2019re so heavy I briefly thought they might be made from very thick glass. I recently deadlifted nearly 240lbs, but even I wouldn\u2019t want to carry a smoothie this heavy to the gym.<\/p>\n Capacity:<\/strong> 28.75 ounces <\/span> Photograph: Marion Bull\/The Guardian<\/p>\n $89.19 at Amazon If you want a personal blender that will make good smoothies and shakes you can take to the gym \u2013 or you balked at the Beast\u2019s $219 price tag \u2013 the Nutribullet is your friend. At just $88, the Nutribullet blended smoothies that were only slightly more textured than those of its more expensive counterpart, and it handily blended soup and pesto without any problem. It also comes with a second jar, a lid for drinking and a clunky-looking but totally effective detachable handle. This jar was basically designed to be thrown in a gym bag.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t make the final cut because \u2026 <\/strong>Its smoothies weren\u2019t the smoothest, but they still did the trick.<\/p>\n Capacity: <\/strong>32 ounces <\/span> Photograph: Marion Bull\/The Guardian<\/p>\n $99.99 at Walmart<\/p>\n The Oster felt decidedly nostalgic \u2013 I\u2019m pretty sure that my parents had the same one in the 90s, with its flip-on switch and tapered glass jug. It\u2019s also the only blender that arrived with zero plastic packaging: all cardboard, no useless baggies. If you\u2019re looking for a blender that will minimize potential exposure to microplastics, this is a great option, thanks to its glass jug. The lid is still plastic, but has less contact with your food. It also offers a 10-year warranty \u2013 even longer than the Vitamix\u2019s.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t make the final cut because \u2026 <\/strong>Its blending capabilities left something to be desired: it produced a decidedly mulchy green smoothie, and it never got soup as smooth as its competitors. Because the base is so narrow, it\u2019s difficult to clean by hand, as the area beneath the blades is a challenge to reach.<\/p>\n Capacity: <\/strong>48 ounces Choosing your blender will have a lot to do with how you want to use it. Do you just want to make shakes for the gym, or are you an obsessive home cook who has always wanted to make hummus? When it comes to jug blenders, the motor\u2019s power is the factor that most contributes to the blender\u2019s ability to do its job, but jug shape also comes into play. A more narrow, round base will blend small quantities better than a wider, square base.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re just looking for a smoothie-making machine, or you have very limited counter space or budget, a personal blender is likely your best bet, thanks to its small footprint and because the jar turns into a to-go vessel for your drink. Jug blenders are better for larger jobs, or thicker mixtures, such as thick smoothies, nut butters, spreads and soups. A higher-power blender is going to offer a smoother consistency and faster results.<\/p>\n <\/span> Photograph: Marion Bull\/The Guardian<\/p>\n Most high-speed blenders can clean themselves with a little help. Rinse out your blender as best you can, add a squeeze of dish soap and fill halfway with water. Then blend on high for a minute. Unless you were blending something particularly sticky, this should clean out your blender, and all you have to do is rinse it. You may have to wash the lid by hand.<\/p>\n Personal blenders are a little different. Cleaning the jars is the same as cleaning a water glass. Be careful when cleaning the blades. I like to soak them in hot soapy water for about 20 minutes, which will loosen any bits of soup that have lodged in crevices.<\/p>\n These are the blenders that I tested, in alphabetical order:<\/p>\n The Beast Mega 1200 Plus<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Blendtec Total Blender Classic<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Breville Fresh & Furious<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Cuisinart Hurricane<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Nutribullet Pro 900<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Classic Series Heritage Blender with 6-Cup Glass Jar<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Vitamix 5200<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Vitamix Ascent X5<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Zwilling Enfinigy Personal Blender<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Marian Bull has 10 years\u2019 experience in recipe reviewing \u2013<\/em> and in cleaning her blender. She has written about food for publications including Bon App\u00e9<\/em>tit, the New York Times<\/em> <\/em>and the Los Angeles Times.<\/em><\/p>\n This article was originally published on 7 August 2025. Reviews published in the Filter may be periodically updated to reflect new products and at the editor\u2019s discretion. The date of an article\u2019s most recent update can be found in the timestamp at the top of the page.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" There are few breakfasts that feel as healthy and refreshing as the ever-mutable smoothie. You can make them virtuous, with lots of greens and nut milk, or luscious, with full-fat dairy and cocoa powder \u2013 but in order to make a good one, you need a really good blender. The Guardian\u2019s journalism is independent. We<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":14577,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[51],"tags":[8198,8202,8199,1725,4906,8200,8201],"class_list":{"0":"post-14576","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-blenders","9":"tag-drinks","10":"tag-favorites","11":"tag-food","12":"tag-frozen","13":"tag-smoothies","14":"tag-soups"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14576","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=14576"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14576\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/14577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=14576"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=14576"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/naijaglobalnews.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=14576"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}At a glance<\/h2>\n
Why you should trust me<\/h2>\n
How I tested all these blenders<\/h2>\n
Best overall:<\/em>
Vitamix 5200<\/h2>\n
$499.95 at Vitamix<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Across all my rounds of testing, the two Vitamix blenders I tested consistently produced the smoothest product, though this one \u2013 the 5200 \u2013 had the edge. Whether I was sipping a smoothie, spooning a soup or (let\u2019s be real) dipping a finger into a batch of pesto, this blender produced luscious, vibrant results, even keeping green and purple smoothies from turning muddy in color. It also worked quickly<\/em>, turning a chunky soup into a puree in less than a minute, while other competitors took 90 seconds or more to create a mulchier result.<\/p>\n
Power:<\/strong> 1,380 watts \/ 120 volts
Speeds: <\/strong>10<\/p>\nBest b<\/em>udget <\/em>blender:<\/em>
Breville Fresh & Furious<\/h2>\n
$186 at Amazon<\/p>\n
<\/strong>Out of the gate, I was impressed by the Breville because it was one of only two blenders that could crush ice without the assistance of a tamper or a splash of water. If you\u2019re looking to make frozen margaritas on the cheap, this blender is for you. The Breville website claims that the blades offer a mix of blending and food processing functionality; I tried chopping some carrots, and it was more of a shred. Still, it\u2019s a useful option. It also whipped up a bright-green pesto quickly. While it wasn\u2019t as silky smooth as the Vitamix pesto, it got pretty close. The smoothie, too, had a bit more texture than the Vitamix smoothie, but at nearly a third of the price, it feels like an acceptable tradeoff.<\/p>\n
Power:<\/strong> 1,100 watts
Speeds: <\/strong>five, plus other features such as crushed ice and pulse<\/p>\nBest <\/em>personal <\/em>blender:<\/em>
The Beast Mega 1200 Plus<\/h2>\n
$219 at Beast<\/p>\n
<\/strong>The Beast is the newest brand on this list. Their personal blenders have a very strong motor at 1,200 watts, and this option, the Mega Plus, comes with three jars, for XL smoothies, little batches of sauce and everything in between. The Mega Plus came with more bits and bobs than any other blender I tried: in addition to the jars there are a drinking lid, two straws, a straw cleaner and a blade cleaner. If you like gear, this is likely the blender for you.<\/p>\n
Power:<\/strong> 1,200 watts \/ 120 volts
Speeds: <\/strong>two (pulse and blend)<\/p>\nThe best of the rest<\/h2>\n
Best <\/strong><\/em>blender for <\/strong><\/em>smoothies <\/strong><\/em>on the <\/strong><\/em>go:
<\/strong><\/em>Nutribullet Pro 900<\/strong><\/h2>\n
<\/strong>$79.99 at Kohl\u2019s<\/p>\n
Power:<\/strong> 900 watts
Speeds:<\/strong> one<\/p>\nBest <\/strong><\/em>blender for the <\/strong><\/em>plastic-<\/strong><\/em>averse:
<\/strong><\/em>Oster Classic Series Heritage Blender with 6-Cup Glass Jar<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Power:<\/strong> 1,000 power watts\/600 blending watts
Speeds:<\/strong> two<\/p>\nWhat key features should I look out for?<\/h2>\n
How do I clean my blender?<\/h2>\n
What else did you test?<\/h2>\n
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