Best Blenders for $100 or Less
You don't have to spend a fortune to get a blender that works well and is durable enough to last for years
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There’s no getting around it: Full-sized blenders that cost hundreds of dollars top our ratings. But our tests have also found that several blenders costing less than $100 perform just as well—if not better—at some tasks than more expensive models.
The trade-off? These lower-priced models usually don’t have the powerful motors and versatility of high-end blenders, so they may not be great at making nut butter or pulverizing seeds for smoothies. And they tend to come with fewer accessories, like a tamper, attachments, or a recipe book.
Below are four full-sized blenders, listed in alphabetical order, that typically cost $100 or less and perform well in CR’s lab tests. We also focused on models that have solid scores for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction and were durable enough to ace CR’s tough durability tests.
CR members can check out our full blender ratings for complete results and more options, including personal blenders and immersion blenders. And check our blender buying guide for the features you’ll want to look for as you shop.
As its name suggests, the Chefman Obliterator RJ27-T1-TJ can power through ice and frozen ingredients, acing our tests for icy drinks and puréeing. It’s also exceptionally durable. We also found it convenient to use, meaning it’s easy to pour from, clean, and read controls and jar markings. Like many other blenders, this model scores middling for noise, but because blenders are used in short bursts, you might not mind. It comes with a tamper and scraper, and has a five-year warranty.
Based on Consumer Reports’ member surveys, Hamilton Beach blenders have very good predicted reliability, meaning they’re less likely than many other brands to experience a problem within the first four years of ownership. And because the Hamilton Beach 58600 aces our purée tests, it’s a great option for making smoothies. It also receives very good scores in our icy drinks and ice crush tests, but you might find it on the noisy side. The blender jar is made of glass, making it a good choice for those trying to eliminate plastic in their household. But as a result, it’s on the heavy side, at 9 pounds for the jar, lid, and base, while some plastic models weigh just 4 pounds.
The powerful 1,400-watt Ninja BN701 Professional Plus With Auto iQ offers excellent durability and convenience. It also earns a top-level rating in our puréeing test, meaning it can serve up very smooth soups. But it earns only a so-so rating in our icy drinks and noise tests. This Ninja comes with seven speeds and a removable blade, and its 9-cup capacity means it can handle twice as many margaritas or milkshakes as some of the other blenders in our ratings. Ninja’s full-sized blenders receive a very good score for owner satisfaction in CR’s member surveys, meaning owners are very likely to recommend them to friends and family.
The Oster 2127004 One Touch is a budget-friendly option with a glass jar that aces our icy drink and durability tests, powering through piña coladas with ease. Its performance in our purée tests is mediocre, however, meaning purées made in this blender may have a slightly chunky texture. It also earns a middling score in our ice crush tests, in which we crush seven ice cubes without water for a specific amount of time. This Oster comes with a removable blade for easier cleaning, though, and our testers found it very easy to use.
The PowerXL Smart Pro BL6018-1BP blender powered through the raw ingredients we use in our purée tests, and is exceptionally durable. We also saw impressive results when making icy drinks with this model. It doesn’t crush ice cubes as well without water, though, which is how we conduct the ice crush tests in our labs. It’s a 1800-watt blender with variable speeds and a pulse mode. It’s on the noisy side, however, when operating at its maximum speed.
How CR Tests Blenders
In our lab, we make batches of nonalcoholic piña coladas and use sieves (with diminishing mesh sizes) to evaluate smoothness and thickness. When a blender earns an excellent score in our icy drink tests, the drinks have a smooth, consistent texture.
Consumer Reports also tests blenders on the following criteria to see how well each one holds up:
Ice crushing: For our ice-crushing tests, we use a separate set of sieves to separate the large chips from the finer particles. A blender that garners a top-level score serves up ice that looks uniformly like snow, while a very good score tells you the ice is more like a snow cone. (The lower the score, the bigger—and more irregular—the ice chips.)
Puréeing: In this test, we blend veggies and other ingredients in water three times for each model, operating on the manufacturer’s recommended speed (or high) for 15 seconds.
Convenience: We measure a machine’s convenience by how easy it is to use its controls, clean its base, and remove and replace the blade, among other factors.
Durability: Our durability test involves crushing seven ice cubes (four for personal blenders) without liquid for 1 minute on the highest setting.
Noise: To gauge a blender’s noise level, CR blends 1 cup of water and takes an average decibel reading over 30 seconds.
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