Whether you need a post-workout protein shake or a frozen margarita for an evening with friends, the best blender can do it all.
A big saving for this Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender. Providing consistent results for smoothies, soups, and purée recipes, featuring automated blending and variable speed control, the 64-ounce container can fit snuggly under and in most kitchen cabinets, but is still the perfect size for family meals and entertaining.
The type of blender you buy really depends on how often you want to use it and what you mostly want to use it for. All blenders are capable of making smoothies, particularly blending softer fruits.
Motor If you want to make frozen fruits or desserts or deal with harder fruits or vegetables, then you may need a machine with a more powerful motor, so that it can crush ice into fine snow.
Programs Look out for a blender that has automatic programs for the kinds of drink or action that you want, as this takes the guesswork out of using a blender.
That said, manual controls are important if you want finer control over the results, say blending a soup that still has some chunks in it.
A pulse function is a great way to get fine control: the blender runs while you press the button but stops the second that you release it.
Features Move up the price scale and you’ll find that you get additional features. Some of the most powerful blenders, for example, can use friction to heat raw ingredients, delivering hot soup in just a few minutes.
Capacity Look out for the total capacity of the blender: go for a larger one if you’ve got a big family to feed. Accessories can also be important, either in the box or as additional extras: self-serve cups let you take a drink on the move, and grinding cups can be a handy way of dealing with herbs and spices in smaller volumes.
If you want something that can blend directly into a pot or pan, one of the best immersion blenders we’ve reviewed will be more appropriate.
If you use a blender every day, then you need to move up the scale. Spend over $200 and you’re likely to get more accessories and programs.
If you want the best results then you’re looking at spending $400 or more. At this price, you’ll get the fastest motors, more control, and, often, a wider range of automatic programs to make your job easier.
For those who just want a personal-sized blender, one of the best portable blenders we have reviewed will suit you better.
Ninja products tend to be cheaper, and may not produce quite as smooth results. However, you’ll generally get more automatic programs and the overall value is usually very good, with many sets coming with a lot of accessories to expand what the blender is capable of. We have a complete Vitamix vs Ninja guide that goes into more detail, and you can also take a look at Ninja vs NutriBullet and Vitamix vs Blendtec for more comparisons.
The downside of glass is that it’s much heavier and if you drop it, you’re likely to end up cracking or breaking the pitcher.
Modern plastics are much better, particularly on high-end machines, so you shouldn’t notice scratching. And, plastic is lighter and less likely to break if you drop it.
