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Why we love Vitamix, Ninja, and more

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5 years ago

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Your blender should be able to crush ice and smooth out any lumps. If it’s falling short, then we suggest investing in a new one — these are the best.

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By Miller Kern

You can use a blender for all sorts of stuff, but the first thing that comes to many of our minds when thinking of a blender is smoothies. If a blender isn’t good at making smoothies, what’s the point? There are a couple things to look for in a blender, whether it’s full sized or personal sized, if you want to make a good smoothie.

Here’s what makes a blender good for smoothies

If you want to make a smoothie, your blender has to be able to handle ice and frozen fruit. Full stop. Unless you like your smoothies mushy and lukewarm, which frankly sounds pretty gross. We’ll stick with a smooth, icy texture.

Blenders typically need a decent amount of power in order to be successful at pulverizing ingredients that are frozen solid. A model with multiple speed or preset options is generally going to be better at achieving that consistency than a blender with only one speed setting.

One thing to note is that you probably won’t find too many quiet blenders — they are chopping chunks of ice after all. 

What is the best blender to make smoothies?

Our favorite blender for making smoothies is the Vitamix A2300 — at almost $500 it better be darn good at mixing up some fruit and yogurt. This blender features presets and speed control that you don’t see in every blender, plus it’s WiFi enabled if you want to connect your phone for even more presets and recipes.

What is the best blender for making smoothies with ice?

Without forking over a chunk of your life savings, our top choice for the blender that handles ice the best is the Ninja Professional blender. Its sharp blades pulverize ice and frozen ingredients in seconds. This blender puts the “smooth” in smoothie.

Other features to consider

Some other general features to look for are the pitcher material (glass is more durable than plastic) and lid design (is there an easy-pour spout?). Also, some blenders come with personal-sized blending cups so you won’t have to transfer your smoothie to another cup, which is a really great bonus.

Here are the best blenders for making smoothies.


App connected • Preset programs and adjustable speed • Powerful motor

If it’s within your budget, the Vitamix A2300 will give you tons of great features.

Vitamix A2300 Ascent series

With app connectivity and tons of settings, this is a stellar blender.

  • Power:
    1,500 watts
  • Capacity:
    64 ounces
Vitamix is a top name in blenders, and as such, its models are usually pretty pricey. The Vitamix A2300 from the Ascent series clocks in at $469.95, but keep in mind it has more features than cheaper blenders and it connects to a mobile app via WiFi.
The Vitamix blender features pulse and variable speed controls, and when connected to the app, you gain access to 17 preset programs and more than 500 recipes. It also has a digital timer to avoid over- and under-blending.
The motor stays cool while the blades work hard and spin fast to totally pulverize ingredients. This blender handles ice and frozen fruit like a champ.

Crushes ice • Smoothie won’t be foamy

Blades dull over time • Plastic pitcher not as sturdy as glass

This blender doesn’t have the sturdiest pitcher, but the sharp blades slice through ice and frozen fruit with ease.

Ninja Professional

With super sharp blades, this blender crushes ice and frozen fruit with ease.

  • Power:
    1,000 watts
  • Capacity:
    72 ounces
This 72-ounce Ninja blender crushes ice with ease, giving you the perfect frozen smoothie and you’ll get great consistency whether you blend ice or frozen fruits. It features six blades that slice and puree ingredients in a matter of seconds.
An opening in the blender’s lid makes it for easy pouring, meaning you won’t spill your smoothie as you transfer it to a drinking cup. One drawback of this blender is that the pitcher is made of plastic rather than glass, which can lead to cracking with extended use.
The blender features low, medium, high, and pulse settings to get you to your desired consistency.

Includes personal blending jar • 12 blending functions • Sturdy glass pitcher

Might have to stir while blending

This is not the most powerful blender, but it does a nice job making smoothies.

Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher

With two blending cups, this Hamilton Beach doubles as a full-sized and personal blender.

  • Power:
    700 watts
  • Capacity:
    40 ounces
With a 40-ounce pitcher and 20-ounce blending jar, the Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher doubles as a full-sized and personal blender. Its 700-watt motor is not the strongest we’ve seen, but it’s still powerful enough to blend ice and frozen fruit.
This blender has 12 blending functions, including a setting for smoothies so you can take the guesswork out of blending the ideal consistency. Note that some reviewers complained about having to reach in the pitcher and stir while blending to make sure everything got chopped evenly.
The blending pitcher’s lid has an easy-pour spout to avoid messes and the smaller blending jar comes with a travel lid so you can take your smoothie on the go. 

Includes three blending jars • Good for single portions

Loud • Takes longer to blend

It may take longer than a full-sized blender, but the Magic Bullet creates perfectly smooth personal smoothies.

Our top choice for personal blenders is the Magic Bullet. (See more of our favorite personal blenders here.) This thing is small and compact, but does a really nice job blending smoothies. The motor is only 250 watts, so it does take a bit longer than a more powerful, full-sized blender.
The Magic Bullet is great for portioning out a single smoothie, and it comes with different lids so you don’t have to transfer your smoothie to another cup before leaving the house. It comes with two 18-ounce blending cups and a smaller blending jar, but we’d recommend buying extras to keep on hand.
One drawback of the Magic Bullet is the noise — this baby is loud if you’re blending ice or frozen fruits, which you probably will be if you’re making a smoothie.

Includes personal blending cup • 10 settings • Automatically adjusts speed

Might have to stir while blending

Automatic speed adjustments and a variety of settings makes this a great option for more than just smoothies.

Calphalon auto-speed blender

This blender automatically adjusts its speed to deliver the perfect consistency.

  • Power:
    1,100 watts
  • Capacity:
    2 liters
The Calphalon auto-speed blender combines high quality with affordability. Its six-point stainless steel blades pulverize ingredients in seconds, and the blender features 10 speed settings, including special settings for smoothies, milkshakes, frozen drinks, and dips.
The blender automatically adjusts its power to maintain blade speed for perfectly blended results, giving you a smoothie free of lumps or ice chunks. It also has a digital interface with a built-in timer.
In addition to the 2-liter blending pitcher, this blender comes with a 25-ounce smoothie cup so you can make personal smoothies or share with the whole family.

Affordable • Includes smoothie cup

Might have difficulties attaching pitcher to base • Loud

This isn’t the fanciest blender, but it’s affordable and will get the job done.

Oster Pro blender

This blender’s affordable price and desirable features make it a great choice for the money.

  • Power:
    1,200 watts
  • Capacity:
    48 ounces
At a more budget-friendly price, the Oster Pro blender features seven speeds and three presets, including one for smoothies. The blades rotate in both directions to ensure even blending with extra power to chop and grind.
With a large 6-cup pitcher and a smaller 24-ounce smoothie cup, you have the ability to make personal blends or enough to share. The powerful motor will crush ice and pulverize ingredients quickly.
For less than $100, you get tons of great features and really nice power. This earns the Oster Pro the title of best bang for your buck.

Includes smoothie blending cup • Quieter

Tall, might not fit under counters • Motor not as powerful as some competition

This blender won’t be silent, but it is quieter than most standard blenders without compromising crushing power.

The Black+Decker PowerCrush blender is equipped with quiet technology to ease the noise while blending. Keep in mind it is still a blender and you’ll be using metal blades to cut through frozen solid matter, so it won’t be completely silent, but as one reviewer wrote, the blender will muffle sound, almost like it’s working in the next room over.
This is a great countertop blender for anyone with roommates or family members they don’t want to wake up with their morning smoothie. It has a 900-watt motor, which is not as powerful as some of the others on this list, but it will still do a good job crushing ice.
The PowerCrush has three speeds and a pulse function, and it comes with an 18-ounce smoothie blending cup. The main blending pitcher is made from a durable glass, so you don’t have to worry about it cracking like you would with plastic.

Speed controls • Multiple blending cups and travel lids

Not great for large ice cubes • Loud

Though the brand isn’t as well-known as Magic Bullet, this Cosori personal blender can hold its own.

Cosori personal blender

With a powerful motor and speed controls this is a great personal blender.

  • Power:
    800 watts
  • Capacity:
    24 ounces
Cosori might not be as recognizable a brand as Magic Bullet, but its personal blender is definitely a tough competitor. It has a stronger motor than the Magic Bullet and is able to chop and crush ingredients.
This personal blender comes with two 24-ounce blending cups and a 12-ounce travel mug. It also has some travel lids, so you can blend your smoothie and take it with you in the blending cups.
A nice feature of this blender is that it has a couple different speeds — you can press to start and stop and choose between autospeed and pulse.

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