Buying guide for Best blenders
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If you want to make your own healthy beverages or you have a passion for whirling up soups, dressings, dips, and other recipes from scratch, a blender is what you need. Choose one that can accommodate the amount of food you want to make and has the power needed to blend the types of foods you want to blend, or it may limit the recipes you can make.
Notable features include stainless-steel blades, durable materials, and a blender that is easy to clean. The type of controls—push button, dial, or touchpad—are entirely up to user preference, but having a blender with a number of preprogrammed settings will come in handy.
Before you buy a blender, it helps to review the top concerns surrounding these handy kitchen gadgets, including blender type, features, and price.
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Buying guide for Do you need a blender?
A blender is a must-have for anyone who enjoys smoothies, milkshakes, or frozen drinks.
It also comes in handy for blending pancake batter, sauces, gravies, dips, and soups. You can use a blender to grind cookies, bread, and crackers for crumbs.
If you purchase a high-performance blender, you can even use it to juice fruits and vegetables, grind nuts and other hard items, and make dough.
We compare and contrast different types of blenders, including conventional blenders, high-performance blenders, and personal blenders.
We evaluate the material a blender blade is made of to determine how durable it is and how likely it is to resist rust.
We test how easy a blender’s blade is to clean, comparing removable blades to fixed blades.
When testing, we assess the size of each blender to determine who it would be best for: a large family, a small household, or a single person.
We test a blender’s motor wattage to see how versatile it is. A high-performance blender with a motor of 1,000+ watts will crush even the hardest of ingredients.
Blenders usually come with pre-programmed settings for items like smoothies, frozen cocktails, and shakes. We assess each setting and how well it performs.
We assess the durability of a blender by testing its construction quality. On average, you can expect a good blender to last three to five years.
We look at the different materials a blender is made of to evaluate how lightweight it is, how easily it may break, and whether it absorbs stains and odors.
Blenders cost anywhere from $20 to $700. We research all price points to find the best options for all budgets.
When testing, we look at the different speeds a blender offers and whether it includes a graduated start feature to take it from low to high. This feature reduces mess and protects the motor.
Types of blenders
Conventional blenders
A conventional blender is what most people think of when they think of a blender.
Its motor isn’t as powerful as that of a high-performance blender, and it doesn’t boast as many fancy features. But it can usually crush ice and blend fruit.
A conventional blender is ideal for making smoothies, milkshakes, and frozen cocktails.
High-performance blenders
A high-performance blender is often considered a “commercial-grade” blender. That’s because it features a powerful motor that not only blends smoothies and milkshakes but also grinds nuts, grains, and cheeses.
A high-performance blender can also chop hard fruits and vegetables and generate enough heat to make hot soup.
With a high-performance blender, you usually get plenty of high-tech features, too, such as preset programs and digital timers.
Expert TIp
Manufacturer-made tools designed for scraping down the sides or gently poking ingredients down during blending are a great investment and gift idea. They make blending much easier.
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Personal blenders
A personal blender is a small blender that makes small batches and single servings. They are sometimes referred to as smoothie blenders, as they are commonly used to make these tasty concoctions. They are also great for whipping up protein shakes and healthful green smoothies.
Instead of a traditional blender jar, its container is usually a to-go blending cup. Many of the best personal blenders include accessories like several blending cups, lids, and recipes.
Because its motor is smaller, a personal blender is less powerful than that of a conventional blender. However, it’s a great option for someone who’s blending for one.
While they have the word blender in their name, hand blenders work differently than standard models. Also called immersion blenders, these small kitchen appliances are held in the hand during use instead of being placed on a countertop. They work similarly to hand mixers and are best used for small tasks and mixing and blending soft foods instead of firm items like veggies or ice cubes. While useful, this gadget won’t take the place of a regular blender when a home chef needs a powerful model with multiple functions.
If you are concerned about protecting your investment, be sure to check out the manufacturer protection of the blenders you are considering prior to making your purchase. Different brands come with protection of varying lengths, with pricier models typically being covered by the longest terms.
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What should you look for in a blender?
Blades
When it comes to a blender’s blades, stainless steel is the best option.
Stainless steel is less likely to rust than other materials, and it’s usually the most durable material.
To make cleaning easier, opt for a blender with a removable blade base.
Size and capacity
The first thing to consider when looking at blenders is what size would work best for your household.
High-performance blenders: These blenders tend to have large-capacity containers that hold up to 2.4 liters, so they’re ideal for large families.
Conventional blenders: With containers that hold between 1.65 and 1.9 liters (depending on the model you choose), conventional blenders can work for small families or larger households.
Personal or mini blenders: Personal blenders typically have containers that hold between 0.2 and 0.7 liters. They work best for one or two people, small families, and small kitchens with limited counter and cabinet space.
Motor wattage
In most cases, the higher a blender’s motor wattage, the more powerful and versatile it will be.
300 to 400 watts: If you only plan to lightly mix milkshakes and other soft ingredients, a blender with a wattage between 300 and 400 is usually sufficient.
500 to 700 watts: For an effective blender that can easily handle smoothies and frozen cocktails, look for a motor with between 500 and 700 watts.
1,000+ watts: High-performance blenders often have motors with 1,000+ watts, which is why they’re able to pulverize even the hardest of ingredients.
Pre-programmed settings
In addition to different speed settings, blenders are often equipped with a control panel with a collection of pre-programmed settings.
A blender may have settings for smoothies, shakes, or frozen cocktails. You only have to press a button and then let the blender do its thing. It will start the cycle, choose the right speed, and stop itself when the selected program is done.
You’ll usually pay extra for such pre-programmed settings, but they’re worth it if you’re often multi-tasking in the kitchen.
Expert Tip
Never use a wooden spoon or another wood tool to poke down your ingredients while operating a blender. The spoon can get chipped or worse, dropped into the pitcher onto operating blades and create a dangerous situation.
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Container material and design
Blender containers are usually made of plastic or glass. Plastic blending containers are lightweight and aren’t prone to cracking or breaking. However, plastic tends to absorb stains and odors more easily than glass, so it must be cleaned soon after use.
Glass containers usually don’t soak up stains or odors, but they can be very heavy and may chip, crack, or shatter. Blenders with high-power motors don’t typically use glass containers because of the risk of breakage.
Regardless of the container’s material, make sure it has a tight-fitting lid that’s secure during use. A blender container should also have a wide mouth so it’s easy to add ingredients and clean after use. A blender container with easy-to-read measurement markings is also handy. You’ll know how much of each ingredient you’re adding without using a separate measuring cup.
Expert tip
With a few simple ingredients, you can
make hummus in a blender. If you keep the supplies on hand, you can make a delicious dip for chips, pita bread, and veggies whenever the mood strikes.
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Controls
Blenders come with several different types of controls.
- Push-button controls: The most common type of controls for blenders, push buttons make it easy to switch from one speed to another and to turn the blender on and off. But it can be difficult to keep the buttons clean from spills and drips.
- Digital touchpad controls: Digital touchpad controls are usually the easiest to keep clean, but they’re not always the easiest to use. You may have to press several buttons to turn the blender on and off or switch to another speed.
- Dial controls: Dial controls also offer easy cleaning, but you usually have to dial through all the settings before you reach the speed or setting you want.
Speeds
Blenders typically come with at least three speeds and as many as sixteen. In general, three speeds—low, high, and pulse — are usually sufficient.
However, a graduated start-up feature that slowly brings the blender up to a higher speed can be helpful, as it reduces the chance of the motor burning out or ingredients splashing up.
Expert Tip
Make sure all parts of your blender are completely dry before reassembling and/or storing. It’s easy for water to sit and create bacteria in tiny places within the assembly.
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How much do blenders cost?
You can find blenders at a variety of price points.
High-performance blender
For a high-performance blender that can juice, grind, and blend, you’ll likely pay between $400 and $700. Keep in mind that you’ll get impressive features and performance for the high price tag. And because a high-performance blender is durable, it’s often worth the investment.
Conventional blender
A conventional blender can set you back between $20 and $200. Budget-friendly models tend to have weak motors and aren’t very durable.
For a quality blender that won’t break the bank, expect to spend between $60 and $100.
Personal blender
A personal blender is the most affordable option. Most cost between $20 and $60.
How long will a blender last?
The lifespan of a blender depends on the quality of its construction and how often you use it.
If you purchase a high-performance blender, you can expect to get approximately 10 years of use out of it. Conventional and personal blenders, which have weaker motors and fall at the lower end of the price range, typically last between three and five years.
However, you should also factor in how often you use your blender.
If you’re blending smoothies daily, there’s a chance your motor will wear out more quickly. If you’re only using your blender once or twice a week, the motor will likely hold up longer.
Caution
Extra-hot items should never be placed in a blender. Steam could build up inside, creating enough pressure to blow off the lid and send hot food all over your kitchen.
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Tips and tricks for using your blender
- Not all blenders are designed to prevent overload. So, don’t run your blender any longer than needed. Extended operation could fry the motor.
- Never operate your blender without the lid. And even if the lid for the blender jar fits tightly, hold it down with your hand while you blend to avoid any mess.
- Your blender may get stuck due to cavitation (air bubble formation). If it does, use the pulse mode to disperse the bubble and get the blades moving again. You can also avoid air bubbles by balancing out the amounts of food and liquid.
- Cut food items into manageable chunks before putting them in the blender. This is another way to prevent the blades from getting stuck. It’s also a way to make sure everything gets blended.
- Use your blender’s own blending mechanism to clean the appliance. Simply fill the jar with warm water and add a few drops of liquid dish wash soap. Blend the mixture, and then rinse it out for a squeaky clean jar.
- Always clean the blender thoroughly after use. Take the jar and blade assembly apart for cleaning. Soak the components in warm, soapy water if you don’t have time to clean the blender right after you use it.
- When preparing food, leave a little room for expansion inside the blender jar. Only fill the jar approximately two-thirds full.
FAQ
Q. What features make a blender easier to clean?
A. For the easiest cleanup, look for a blender with removable blades. If the blades are built-in, make sure the jar has a wide base so you can easily remove any chunks that might get caught underneath the blades.
Q. Can I use a blender as a juicer?
A. Technically, yes. But keep in mind that the finished juice will be somewhat thicker than it would be if prepared by a juicer.
You may also want to consider a blender with a dishwasher-safe jar so you don’t have to wash it by hand.
Q. What’s the difference between peak horsepower and rated horsepower when it comes to a blender?
A. Peak horsepower refers only to the horsepower that the blender exhibits when you first turn it on. Rated horsepower is the steady horsepower at which the blender can run. Rated horsepower is a better indicator of the blender’s power.
Q. What’s the best container material for a blender?
A. Blenders usually have glass or plastic jars. Glass jars are preferred by some because they don’t absorb stains and odors as easily as plastic. However, they are heavy and break easily. Plastic jars are chip-proof and won’t break, so high-performance blenders use them for safety reasons.
