x 7.8 x 17 in. Best Emulsifying Blender?
Includes multiple cups and a tamper.
What you don’t want is a clunky ice crusher. Instead, what you deserve is an appliance to help cool you down in the summer with a lemonade slushie and fuel you through the early morning cold in the winter by blending a hearty soup or filling protein shake.
If you haven’t bought a new blender in a few years (and, by the way, a good one should last you several years), you might be surprised to learn how many different types of blenders now exist. The easiest place to start is with what you’ll be making most often—maybe it’s nut milks, creamy hummus, or leafy green smoothies—and then find an appliance that’s designed for your intended needs.
Wattage gives you a rough indication of power, although all of the blenders we’re recommending can crush ice, and it’s more important that you consider the number of speed settings (more settings offer finer control), as well as pre-set buttons for smoothies or pureeing ingredients.
Keep in mind where your blender will be stored, as models with more powerful motors tend to have larger bases and bigger blending jars (think 6 to 8 cups) that take up more space and are heavier to lift on and off a counter. While a personal blender might be effective for a morning smoothie, you may require a larger blending jar (typically made of hard plastic or glass) if you’re looking to make a big batch of tomato soup or apple cider slushies. If you decide your blender is never leaving the counter, there are sleek models in an array of colors to match your kitchen aesthetic.
Find the best fit for your kitchen with one of these best blenders.
Best Blenders
The Expert: I’m a cookbook author and food writer with more than a decade of experience developing recipes and testing appliances. I’ve used blenders to smooth soup and sauce and to find the right consistency for apple cider slushies. I’ve owned blenders with lots of different price tags and discovered that it’s best to try and match your appliance to what you make most often. Case in point: the three months I spent perfecting a beer milkshake in a vintage Oster blender for my book Cookies & Beer.
What to Look for in Your Perfect Blender
Capacity: Blenders can hold vastly different amounts of liquid. Will you be relying on your blender for a big batch of tomato soup? Then you’ll want a blender jar that holds at least 64 ounces (8 cups). On the other hand, if it'll be your personal smoothie machine in the morning, you might want a unit with a detachable blending mug that is 16 or 24 ounces (2 or 3 cups).
Size: More-powerful blenders (over 1,000 watts) often come with larger bases—to house a bigger motor—and a taller jar to hold more greens for pesto. Even so, nearly every blender on the market should still fit under a standard cabinet. Measure the space on your counter or in a cabinet before you buy.
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Power: The easiest way to compare the motor in blenders is wattage, which is the rate of power flow. A higher wattage means more power, which is critical when the blades are trying to grind hard cheese or ice cubes (start your search in the 650- to 700-watt range).
Settings: Blenders have evolved to include various settings for different tasks in addition to, or instead of, different speeds. Some blenders, like personal blenders designed for individual smoothies, have only a single speed setting. Keep that in mind if you don’t want the same level of blend for everything you make.
How We Evaluated These Blenders
As an appliance tester and recipe developer, I’ve owned and used several brands of blenders. I combined my first-hand experience with a thorough examination of online customer reviews and review websites to understand how effective blenders were at chopping ice and mixing smoothies. I also watched user review videos—particularly listening to the volume of blenders in action, as well as the ease of use—and considered recommendations from chefs and fellow food writers.
Pros
- What Is a Shoey
- Strong motor at a lower price point
Cons
- Noisy
Fans of Nutribullet feel as strongly about this powerful blender–which offers a rare 1,200 watts at this price point–as they do about their running shoes. With an extract setting for smoothies and three different vessels (a 64-ounce pitcher, along with 32- and 24-ounce cups) that all pop onto the base, you can quickly whip up juice for yourself or a group. The included tamper is a nice option to help mash frozen fruit or greens toward the blade in the base.
Key Specs
| Capacity | 64 oz. |
|---|---|
| Watts | 1,200 |
| Dimensions | 8.1 and its 64-ounce blending jar. |
Pros
- Large capacity
- Affordable
- Dishwasher-safe
Cons
- Limited settings
It’s rare to find a full-sized blender with a 1,000 watt motor that’s under $100, and the Ninja holds a whopping 9 cups. The blades are on a removable central column, rather than at the base, so ingredients are chopped throughout the pitcher as soon as you turn the machine on. The sides also have a host of measurements (ounces, cups, milliliters, and liters), which helps you to be precise with recipes. Bonus points as the blades, lid, and jar are all dishwasher-safe.
Key Specs
| Capacity | 72 oz. |
|---|---|
| Watts | 1,000 |
| Dimensions | 9.5 x 7.5 x 17 in. |
Vitamix Explorian VM0197 Blender
Pros
- Slow start with variable speed dial
- Powerful motor to break down tough skins and seeds
Cons
- All About 75 Hard
This is an appliance you’ll reach for multiple times in a day after a bit of trial and error with the speed dial. The 10 speeds and a pulse feature let you decide whether your nut butter will be smooth or chunky. More importantly, the versatile blender won’t rock on the counter as it purees soups or blends up creamy hummus. If you’re cooking for a crowd you might find the 48-ounce pitcher cramped. If you're up for spending a bit more, consider the Vitamix Pro Series 750 x 8.5 x 17.5 in.
Key Specs
| Capacity | 48 oz. |
|---|---|
| Watts | 1,400 |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 11 x 8 x 17 in. |
KitchenAid KitchenAid K150 3 Speed Ice Crushing Blender
Pros
- Designed to crush ice
- Multiple color options
Cons
- Small capacity
- No presets
You’ll likely own a blender before you know what you’ll be blending every week, but you’ll definitely want a machine that can crush ice for drinks. This KitchenAid model is a slight upgrade and blissfully analog, which means you’re not committed to it forever and you get to learn exactly what you need. It’s simple to operate with three manual speed settings and a pulse option for crushing ice. It will also easily match your style with 6 color options.
| Capacity | 48 oz. |
|---|---|
| Watts | 650 |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 8.5 Slow start with variable speed dial. |
Pros
- Powerful motor
- 7-year warranty
Cons
Vitamix blenders are beloved by chefs and juice shops because of their performance and the company’s customer service. The 750 deftly breaks down fibrous fruits and vegetables. A hefty price tag comes with a fair bit of automation: five built-in settings designed for frozen desserts, smoothies, soups, and self-cleaning.
With 10 additional speeds, you can get the exact texture you desire in a smoothie, and add ingredients while you’re blending, without whirling your breakfast all over your kitchen counter. It’s thoughtfully designed with small touches like a lid plug that doubles as a one-ounce measuring cup (ahem: whiskey in slushies).
Key Specs
| Capacity | 64 oz. |
|---|---|
| Watts | 1,440 |
| Dimensions | 8.5 x 12.0 x 15.9 in. |
Pros
- Powerful motor to break down tough skins and seeds
- Included tamper helps keep ingredients in contact with the blades
Cons
- No preset programs
Make silky smooth salad dressings with the Cleanblend Commercial Blender. With a powerful motor and variable speeds that adjust via the dial on the base, the Cleanblend slowly combines herbs and vinegar together until you’re ready to drizzle in olive oil. It’s also got a large 64-ounce plastic jar, a handle with a rubber grip, and a tamper to safely push greens toward the blade while it is in operation. A five-year warranty is a nice bonus.
Key Specs
| Capacity | 64 oz. |
|---|---|
| Watts | 1,800 |
| Dimensions | 15 Dimensions L x W x H. |
Pros
- Fits in small spaces
- Modern design
Cons
- Can’t add ingredients as you blend
The Beast has a surprisingly delicate shape and size for its intense name. The variable speed motor is self-adjusting, meaning it channels its aggression depending on what you’re pulverizing in a 1-minute blend cycle. The appliance, which would be at home in a sci-fi series, comes with a cap featuring a screw-on handle so you can blend your smoothie in the glass jar and then immediately take it to go.
| Capacity | 1,000 mL (34 oz.) |
|---|---|
| Watts | 1,000 |
| Dimensions | 4.9 x 4.9 x 15.8 in. |
Nutribullet Magic Bullet Blender, 11-Piece Set
Pros
- Portable cups
- The Best 6 Juicers to Add to Your Kitchen Lineup
Cons
- Undersized motor
- What Is a Shoey
If you’re tight on space and looking for an inexpensive option for protein shakes, the Magic Bullet is a tiny helpful blender to have on hand. I’ve used it to grind coffee and pulse oats for cookies in a pinch, but I wouldn’t rely on it to crush ice. With a pair of blending jars (12 and 16 ounces) that double as to-go cups with the included set of lids, you can treat this compact blender like a personal milkshake machine.
| Capacity | 16 oz. |
|---|---|
| Watts | 250 |
| Dimensions | 13.2 x 6.9 x 10.6 in. |
Pros
- Slow start with variable speed dial
- Best Running Shoes 2025
Cons
Your relationship with your smoothie maker should be uncomplicated. The Nutribullet Pro 900 is straightforward to use and all of its parts and accessories are dishwasher safe. The compact blender starts when you twist on the 32-ounce cup. It actually comes with a pair of cups and travel lids for you and your smoothie buddy. There’s also a recipe book if you don’t have a go-to recipe for smoothies. As a bonus, the NutriBullet comes in 14 different colors.
Key Specs
| Capacity | 32 oz. |
|---|---|
| Watts | 900 |
| Dimensions | 7.7 x 7.5 x 17 in. |
Pros
- Best Smoothie Maker
- 5 High-Protein Snacks for Runners
Cons
- Noisy
If the movie franchise based on sports cars put together a blender, it would likely look like the sleek silver (or black) Best Soup Blender. The slim design makes it easy to keep on your counter or store in a cabinet, and the 1,100-watt motor is strong enough to break down fibrous vegetables for creamy soups. Five speed options give you enough control to fold a dash of cream into tomato soup, and the ring pull is a nice touch for taking off the silicone lid.
Key Specs
| Capacity | 50 oz. |
|---|---|
| Watts | 1,100 |
| Dimensions | 7 x 7.8 x 17 in. |
Our Expert, Jonathan Bender, on Cleaning Techniques, the Joy of Apple Cider Slushies, and When to Invest More Than $250 in a Blender
RW: What’s the best way to wash a blender?
J.B.: Blenders can be blessedly easy to clean. Fill the jar about halfway with warm water. Add a few drops of dish soap. Run the clean setting or pick a speed where the water is agitated enough to reach the bottom of the lid for 30 to 60 seconds. Then, rinse the jar, lid, and blade with hot water. Dry on a towel or dish rack.
I’d also give the exterior of the blender a quick wipe with a wet dishcloth, making sure that all the pieces are completely dry before storing it away.
RW: What’s your favorite thing to make with your blender?
J.B.: I love making slushies in a blender. They’re a cool, refreshing drink that's perfect for sipping on a porch. I’ll freeze apple cider in a loaf pan for a few hours until it hardens but doesn’t fully freeze, then add it, lemon juice, a pinch of cinnamon and occasionally whiskey into a blender to make an apple cider slushie.
RW: We all like a deal, but when is it worth it to invest in a blender that’s over $250?
J.B.: Although you can get serviceable blenders for significantly less than $250, if you’re using your blender every day to crush ice, you should try and make room in your budget for a more expensive model. Likewise, when multiple people in your house drink smoothies, a stronger motor can handle larger amounts of ingredients and is less likely to wear down quickly.
Jonathan Bender is a food writer who lives in Kansas City, Missouri. He regularly tests kitchen appliances for national publications and recipes on his children. He's also the author of a pair of cookbooks: Stock, Broth & Bowland Cookies & Beer.
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