How to Choose a Blender
Types of Blenders
If you’re looking to whip up just the occasional milkshake, you won’t need the same blender as someone who’s into juicing whole fruit or making their own almond butter. Here are four categories of blenders, ranging from top-of-the-line premium machines to simple handheld appliances.
Premium
“Premium” (or “high performance”) is a term that manufacturers use to describe high-end blenders. These machines are typically designed to do more than conventional blenders, such as making nut butters or hot soup. The price is the tip-off; they’re the most expensive blenders we test, ranging from $300 to more than $600.
Conventional
These less expensive full-sized blenders are best for lower-intensity tasks, such as making smoothies and milkshakes. You might not be able to power through ice to create the consistency of freshly fallen snow or make the smoothest frozen drinks, but you’ll be able to get basic jobs done. Conventional blenders typically cost $30 to $299.
Personal
This type of blender is ideal for people who like to make smoothies and shakes on the go and those who only need to blend ingredients in small quantities, such as when making gravy or a single serving of soup. Many come with mixing containers that double as travel jars. The most basic personal blender models aren’t intended for tough blending jobs, but some are more powerful. Their performance varies greatly, as does their price. You can find a personal blender for around $30, but more powerful models with additional accessories and longer warranties can cost close to $200.
Immersion
Submerge this handheld cylindrical blender directly into the food or drink you’re preparing—say, vegetables simmering in a pot—to blend it to a smooth consistency. It can’t do everything a traditional blender can, but it can take on many jobs that a conventional blender can’t, like smoothing out gravy from scratch right in a pot on your stovetop. Immersion blenders aren’t as powerful as premium blenders or as quick as personal blenders, but they’re space-savers, and they’re less expensive. The ones we’ve tested range from $30 to $160.
How We Test Blenders
Consumer Reports tests blenders for how well they make smoothies, crush ice, and purée, and we also evaluate how easy they are to assemble, use, and clean, and how much noise they make.
To do this, we make batches of smoothies and evaluate their smoothness and thickness.
In our ice-crushing tests, a blender that earns 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.)
In our purée test, we blend cooked ingredients into a fine, even texture. A top-scoring model turns foods into a smooth, consistent mixture with few noticeable pieces.
We measure a machine’s convenience by how easy it is to assemble, program, use, and clean. To gauge the noise level, CR operates the blender at its maximum setting and takes an average decibel reading.
To see how well premium, full-sized, personal, and immersion blenders perform in our tests, see our blender ratings.
Blender Features
Decide which blender capabilities are most important to you, but keep in mind that paying more for a blender doesn’t necessarily get you more features. Here’s what to consider.
Container
Most of our top-rated blenders feature plastic containers, which are lightweight and less prone to breaking than glass containers. The downside is that plastic can absorb odors and stains, so you’ll want to clean it promptly after each use. Fewer blenders have glass jars, which are heavier than plastic ones. Regardless of the material, look for a container with a wide mouth to facilitate loading and cleaning, as well as easy-to-read measurements.
Controls
No one type of control is best, so the decision is mainly about personal preference:
- Touchpad controls are the easiest to clean, but they can be a little more difficult to operate. (For example, you might have to press the button multiple times to turn the machine on and off.)
- Push buttons switch easily from one speed to the next, but grime can collect in their crevices.
- Dial controls wipe down easily. They may have crevices, too, and you have to navigate through all the settings to reach your desired speed.
- A flip switch is easy to clean, but it limits you to just a few options.
Speed
Though three speeds are generally adequate for a blender, you’ll see that some can have as few as two or as many as 17 speeds. With a dozen or more, it can be difficult to distinguish one speed from the next. A pulse setting, which eliminates the lag time between when you push the button and when the blender starts or stops, helps you achieve the specific texture you’d like, which is especially helpful when blending delicate ingredients. Some high-performance blenders also come with convenient programmed settings, say, for smoothies and hot soup.
Power
Blenders are rated anywhere from 300 to 2,200 watts, or even higher, as more manufacturers claim that higher wattage equates to better performance. But we’ve found that this isn’t necessarily the case because the design of the blade assembly and the shape of the container are also factors.
Warranty
As with any product, a blender’s warranty can indicate how long the manufacturer expects it to last. Some high-performance blenders may come with a 10-year warranty, while budget blenders may offer coverage for only a year.
Ease of Storage
Some blenders are easier to store than others, which could be essential if you have a small kitchen. With their super-compact design, immersion blenders tuck easily into a drawer. Personal blenders are also fairly compact.
If you’re looking for a full-sized blender and plan to keep it on your countertop, a model less than 17 inches tall should fit under kitchen cabinets. The height between countertops and the bottom of cabinets is typically 20 to 22 inches, though it’s a good idea to take a measurement because some cabinets are lower.
Pay attention to the number of attachments and accessories that come with the blender. Some hybrid models feature multiple mixing containers, which may improve their versatility but also take up storage space in your cabinets.
How to Layer Your Ingredients
To achieve a perfectly smooth smoothie every time, layer your ingredients in the order outlined below, starting with liquids and ending with your heavier ingredients. (For easy reference, you can also download and print this PDF and keep it on your fridge.)
- At the bottom of your cup, place your liquids—milk, water, cold-brew coffee, or whatever you’re using as the base of your smoothie. When submerged in liquid, the blender’s blades create a vortex, pulling the solid ingredients that come later into the base.
- Second, layer leafy greens and herbs near the blades so they have more time to be thoroughly liquefied (and to avoid sipping stringy fibers). We recommend tossing in a handful or so.
- Third, nuts and seeds sit atop your herbs and liquids. These hard ingredients need ample time with your blender’s blades to become thoroughly pulverized. Limit them to an ounce or a couple of tablespoons.
- Next, introduce soft foods like yogurt, tofu, or nut butter. You can go up to a half-cup with the yogurt and tofu. (Too much can make for a watery smoothie.)
- Fresh fruits and veggies—or nonstringy produce—come fifth because they liquefy quickly. Add a layer of 1 to 2 cups to prevent your soft foods (below) from clumping with your frozen ingredients (above).
- Frozen foods can be added to further press the previous layers into the blender’s blades. Limit these frozen fruits and veggies to 1 cup to avoid forming air pockets.
- We’re nearing the end: Start blending the previous six layers before you introduce powders like protein powder, fiber, or collagen. Powders are less likely to clump if you add them after the blender has started running.
- Finally, after blending for 1 to 2 minutes, assess the consistency of your smoothie and consider adding a few ice cubes to the mix. Blend until you can’t hear them hitting the sides of the blender.
If you’re using a personal blender cup instead, reverse the order because you’ll be inverting the container onto the motor base. For more on why placing ingredients in the order above is key to a great smoothie every time, see “How to Load Your Blender for the Smoothest Smoothies.”
Illustration: Rodrigo Damati Illustration: Rodrigo Damati
How to Stack a Blender for a Smoother Smoothie
For more, watch our video on the best way to fill a blender while making a smoothie.
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