10 Best Blenders For Smoothies To Suit Your Budget (Honest Reviews)

Regardless of budget, you will find a smoothie maker to suit you in this list of the 10 best blenders on the market to date. 

My most frequently asked question is “what are the best blenders for smoothie making?”.

As most of my recipes for Green Thickies (complete meal smoothies) involve blending up harder ingredients such as oats, nuts, and dates it is essential that I have a decent blender as I like my smoothies SMOOTH.

I have owned loads of blenders in the past, and although cheaper blenders will do the job you have to be more careful to add more liquid, add food in certain orders and blend for longer.  And still, the smoothies are often a little bit rough in texture.

Some of these blenders aren’t the cheapest, but they are the best.  You definitely get what you pay for with blenders and although high-speed blenders are much more expensive than some of the cheaper options in this list, you will definitely notice the difference in the quality of your smoothie.

Of course, you can use high powered blenders for much more than just smoothie making such as making peanut butter and coconut butter which you can’t do most of the time with a cheap blender. (there is one exception, see number 5)

Here are my favorite blenders on the market which suit every budget, with my honest opinion of each brand.

If you don’t have time to read the whole article, basically, this is my favorite blender for home use if you want something that is going to last a lifetime.  

However, if you have a low budget, and just need a cheap blender now and one that you can travel with, I recommend this blender. 

If you have more time, please read the full article to get all of my 10 best blender reviews. 

1: Vitamix 5200 Blender, Professional-Grade

This is pretty much the industry standard for being the best blender ever.  I own this blender and it is honestly the best purchase I ever made.  I use it multiple times every day and cheap blenders just do not compare.  If you make a lot of blended food, you absolutely won’t regret buying this blender.  I use this blender for my large batches of green smoothies, soups, and pasta sauces.  You can even do a wet chop of your veggies by adding vegetables to the jug, covering in water and turning on and off quickly about 3 times.  I make cauliflower ‘rice’ like this and it takes seconds.  Then I drain the water off and heat the cauliflower rice in a pan.

Pros of a Vitamix Blender:

• High speed, can pulverise pretty much anything in hardly any time at all.
• The use of a tamper can push ingredients down towards the blade allowing all ingredients to be blended quickly.
• Adjustable speed for blending many different types of foods.
• Very easy and quickly to clean.

Cons of a Vitamix Blender:

• The large container isn’t always suitable for making smaller batches of ingredients such as small quantities of nut butters or ice cream.  There is actually a new cup and adapter you can buy which solves this problem.  But obviously this is an extra cost on top of the price of an already expensive blender.  So, if you’re like me, you might find yourself wanting to buy a Vitamix alongside a personal blender that you can take with you on vacation.  Despite this limitation, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a Vitamix again and I use it more often than all of my other blenders.

One major plus point for me is the fact that I’ve had my Vitamix for over 10 years and it is still going strong.  The warranty lasts for 7 years which is a really long time.  A lot of my cheaper blenders blew up within a couple of months so this blender has stood the test of time.

If you want to read why others also adore this blender too or want to buy one on Amazon,  click here.

2: BlendTec Designer Series WildSide

This is the only other blender that truly compares favourably to the Vitamix.  I also own this blender and I use it almost as often as my Vitamix. 

Pros

Here are some great things about the Blendtec:

• High speed, makes the hardest of ingredients extremely smooth.
• Smaller in height than a Vitamix so it’s easier to fit under counters.
• The unique design means that a tamper isn’t essential
• The wider base makes it easier to get the ingredients out of the blender

Cons 

• The reason why I don’t use it as often as my Vitamix is that the capacity of the jug is a bit smaller and I make humongous batches of smoothie every time I use my blenders.  But sometimes I actually use both my Vitamix and my blendtec at the same time when I’m making a lot of smoothies.

I do prefer this blender over my Vitamix for certain types of food though.  For harder ingredients and thicker recipes I prefer this model because the shorter, wider jug seems to blend food with less water content more easily.  I also adore the twister jar which is a smaller container.  I use this for making small batches of nut butters, ice cream, dips and pretty much anything small in quantity.  Sometimes blades don’t turn in larger jugs if you don’t cover the blades completely with food.

Want to take a walk on the Wildside?  You can read more about the Blendtec on Amazon by clicking here.

Blendtec Twister Jar

You need to buy the Twister jar separately.  You can get that here.

3: Margaritaville DM0500 Bahamas 36-Ounce Frozen-Concoction Maker

This is a frozen smoothie maker.  It shaves ice and frozen fruit to make frozen cocktails and smoothies.  You might find yourself with a cheap blender that doesn’t blend ice and fruit.  So instead of forking out a lot of money for a high speed blender, you might want to get this cheaper alternative and make use of both types of blenders.  It’s great that this smoothie maker does a good job of blending frozen ingredients so you don’t have to worry about blowing up your blender. 

• Shaves ice and fruit perfectly
• Avoids ice chunks and watered down drinks
• Dishwasher safe

If you fancy frozen cocktails you can buy the Margaritaville and read more reviews on Amazon here.

4: Oster Pro 1200 Blender with Glass Jar plus Smoothie Cup & Food Processor Attachment

Finally… A blender to rival Vitamix for a fraction of the price.  This can make nut butters, ice cream, soups and smoothies and has a number of different features.

The unique thing about this blender is that the blends turn one way and then the other, so food never gets stuck in them unlike a lot of other blenders.  Also for a very low price, you also get an individual smoothie cup and a food processor attachment!  I use my food processor every week so this is definitely a plus point and a big space saver for me.

• The Oster Pro 1200 Blender Plus Food Processor starts with 1200 powerful watts, and lets you use the blender and food processor features interchangeably to make everything from smoothies to salsa to soup with ease
• Blender and food chopper feature Smart Settings Technology and 7 speeds, including 3 pre-programmed settings for one-touch salsas, milkshakes, and smoothies, plus pulse for added control and precision
• Dual-Direction Blade Technology blends in forward and reverse, allowing ingredients to flow down into the blade easier for faster and smoother results; the powerful and precise blade system is 50% larger compared to previous Oster blenders
• Comes with an 6-cup Boroclass glass jar; extra-large, BPA-free 5-cup food processing bowl; stainless steel slicing disk and chopping blade; and 24-ounce lidded smoothie to-go cup
• 10-year DURALAST All-Metal Drive limited warranty for longevity. 900 watts of ice crushing power

To read why others think the Oster really does rival the Vitamix or to buy one to find out for yourself, check it out on Amazon by clicking here.

5. Nutri Ninja Personal and Countertop Blender

The Nutri Ninja blender is a more affordable blender that will blend most smoothie ingredients and crush ice.  I love using my Ninja when I’m making single servings of smoothies because it saves me having to wash up a big blender.  If you only want to make a small smoothie, sometimes blades in bigger blenders won’t even turn at all.  So being able to blend directly into the container I am going to be drinking from is a massive time saver for me.

I often take this blender on vacation with me because I don’t want to risk damaging my more expensive blenders.  On holiday I can do pretty much everything that a Blendtec and a Vitamix could do at home.  I can blend up massive batches of smoothie for my family containing hard ingredients like nuts, seeds, oats and frozen fruit.  Or I can just whip up a quick smoothie for myself which I can grab and go when we’re in a hurry to leave the house.

If you don’t have the money for a professional high speed blender like a Vitamix, this would definitely be my recommendation for you.

For a cheaper blender, it certainly does the job very well.  It has a 6 blade technology to draw food downwards which makes blending easier. 

I also love that it has multiple cups so I can blend up different smoothies for me and my family depending on what we want in the smoothie.  This is perfect to get kids to start choosing their own ingredients and getting them involved in meal prep as they are much more likely to drink the smoothies. 

If you’d like my complete guide to the 8 best Ninja blenders including videos, click here to get my Ultimate Guide To Ninja Blenders. 

Want a Ninja? You can get one on Amazon here.

6: Breville Hemisphere Control Blender

This is a medium priced blender with blade technology to push food around the blender which creates an even blend.

• Makes light work of blending frozen fruit
• Less stopping and starting as ingredients are less likely to get stuck in the blender

Looking to buy a Breville?  You can get your hands on one at Amazon by clicking here.

7: Mini Portable Rechargeable USB Electric Fruit Juicer Smoothie Maker/Blender

This portable USB blender allows you to make smoothies or juices wherever you are.

This mini blender is suitable for chopped fruits, soft vegetables and liquid.

Gives you a healthy smoothie snack or juice when you need a quick pick me up.

• Truly portable and convenient, blend and drink from the same bottle.
• Enjoy your fruit juice or smoothie anytime and anywhere.

Want this USB Blender?  This month only, you can get 30% off the price of this blender (and your entire order) by using the discount coupon code: 30OFFBLENDER at the checkout.

Read more reviews and buy one over at the Green Thickies store here.

8: Hamilton Beach 58148 Power Elite Multi-Function Blender, Black

Cheap and cheerful basic smoothie maker.  If you need a blender that won’t break the bank, this one is a great product if you are just experimenting with smoothies.

• 12 Blending funtions
• Dishwasher safe jar
• Crushes ice
• Blends frozen fruit, protein powders and liquids

Just starting with smoothies?  The Hamilton is ideal.  You can check it out on Amazon here.

9: Omega BL630 3-HP Variable Speed Blender, 64-Ounce

A commercial quality blender with a powerful motor, variable speed and timer functions, and automatic shut off for overload protection.

• 10 year warranty
• Great for liquid based smoothies and soups

Want to read what others think of the Omega?  Read more reviews on Amazon here.

10: Magic Bullet Blender

A blender which is perfect for travelling.

• The Magic Bullet chops, mixes, blends, whips, grinds and more.
• Effortlessly create your favorite meals and snacks like smoothies, omelets, sauces and dips. 250 Watts high-torque power base
• Included Recipe Book gets you started making quick, easy, and delicious dishes from appetizers to desserts. Add 1/2 cup water for smooth blend for vegetables

I love to pack this pack this blender when I travel by plane because the Ninja is too heavy and takes up too much space in my suitcase. Plus this blender is a lot cheaper so I don’t worry so much about it being broken while I travel.

I love that I can blend up one smoothie for myself when we’re on holiday.  I’m quite limited to the food I can eat as I have so many food allergies, so I often take a smoothie with me for my lunch, or I whip up my favorite salad sauce with some nuts and spices and pour that on to a plain salad for my dinner in a restaurant.  When my kids were babies I also used to to blend purees for them.

If you need a blender you can travel with you can buy one on Amazon here.

And, while we’re on the subject of travelling, I have also reviewed the 12 Best Smoothie Cups for Travelling here.

Best Smoothie Blender Guide & Blender Tutorial Video

In this video I will show you how to make a perfectly smooth blended fruit or green smoothie with any blender.  

I also explain how long you need to blend your smoothie for and how to cool down your smoothies. 

Conclusion: Which Is The Best Blender For Smoothies?

If you are serious about your smoothie making and getting the right smoothie blender for you, here’s what I suggest…

I would get 2 blenders!

I personally like to have the option to blend a large batch of smoothie in a large blender jug, or to use a personal blender just for one.  I mainly use my personal blenders for sauces and dressings more than smoothies, because I mainly make large batches of smoothies at home because my family drinks so many of them. 

So here’s my suggestion…

If you have a large enough budget, I would get a Vitamix or a Blendtec AND a personal blender like the Magic Bullet. 

You could just get the personal blender attachments for either the Vitamix or the Blendtec so you don’t need to buy 2 blenders, but here’s why I wouldn’t suggest that. 

The personal blender attachments for the Vitamix or the Blendttec will actually cost you more than a cheaper personal blender. AND here’s another reason. 

I think it’s a great idea to have a travel blender that didn’t cost a fortune because you don’t want to risk travelling with such expensive blenders such as the Vitamix or the Blendtec. 

So if you have the budget, I’d recommend a Vitamix and a Magic Bullet. 

If you don’t have a large budget, what I’d recommend is getting yourself an Oster AND a Magic Bullet. 

Even though a lot of these blenders come with the ability to use a personal blender cup with them, I still think it’s a great idea to get yourself a lightweight blender for travelling. 

And if your budget is really low and you can only afford one blender, I’d recommend the Magic Bullet. 

I hope that’s helped you to make the best decision when it comes to choosing the perfect smoothie blender for your needs. 

Smoothie Recipes For Your New Blender

So now that you have your blender sorted (hopefully), you’ll be needing some recipes to make in it. 

So, I also wanted to share my FREE smoothie cleanse with you called ‘Blend Me, Cleanse Me’.  You can lose up to one dress size this week, all by drinking smoothies that taste like dessert!

These smoothies are all healthy, homemade meal replacement shakes that you replace your meals with for one week to really notice the difference. 

Click here to download Blend Me Cleanse Me

And once you have your blender sorted, you’ll be needing some smoothie bottles so you can be healthy on the go and take your smoothies with you to work or school.  I have two great posts that will help you choose the right smoothie bottle:

12 Best Smoothie Cups For Travel

If you’d like my ultimate guide to blenders including my tutorials and over 50 blender recipes, click the link below: 

The Ultimate Smoothie Blender Guide

Which is your favourite blender?

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Katherine Kyle @ Green Thickies

Founder at Green Thickies

Katherine lost 56 pounds and recovered from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with Green Thickies.
Read Katherine's inspiring comeback story, From Fat and Fatigued To Lean and Loving Life In 4 Months.
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