The 6 Best Blenders - Spring 2022 Reviews

The best full-size blender that we've tested is the Vitamix A2500. This very well-built blender has a dial with 10 speed settings and three preset modes, including 'Smoothie' and 'Ηot Soup'. The 64-ounce main jar has a two-part lid, which allows you to use the tamper or add ingredients mid-blend.

Its very versatile performance makes it a superb choice for multi-purpose use. You can use it to make snow-like crushed ice, smooth, spreadable almond butter, and amazing smoothies. It can also blend hot ingredients for recipes like soups or sauces. Even after making something sticky like almond butter, it's very easy to clean by hand by running it with soap and water in the jar. Its 10-year U.S. warranty is much longer than most blenders we've tested, although it may not apply depending on where you live and where you buy your blender.

Unfortunately, the digital timer acts as a stopwatch and displays how long you've been blending rather than stopping the machine after a set period. Also, unlike many full-size blenders, it doesn't come with any extra attachments like a food processing bowl or personal jars. Ηowever, you can purchase extras like personal jars from Vitamix, and it also works with a companion app that gives you access to more presets.

The Ninja Βlender Duo with Auto-iQ ΒL642 is the best blender for smoothies that we've tested. This full-size blender has a great build quality and comes with three jars that are a good size for single-serve drinks. Each one comes with a resealable lid, so you can easily blend a personal smoothie and take it to go.

Using any of the personal jars, it makes superb, very well-blended smoothies with ingredients like leafy greens and frozen fruits. The motor base automatically detects which jar you're using, which impacts what preset programs are available. When you're using one of the smaller jars, there's an 'Ultra-blend' program meant for tough ingredients like greens or seeds. It can also make an okay smoothie in the main jar, as well as snow-like crushed ice for frozen drinks.

Unfortunately, it's bulky, so it takes up quite a bit of space on your kitchen counter or in a cupboard. Like most Ninja blenders, it has very sharp blades that can be dangerous when cleaning it by hand. Otherwise, it's a very good option for single-serve smoothies that also comes with a 72-ounce jar for when you want to make bigger batches.

The best personal blender we've tested is the Ninja Foodi Power Nutri DUO. This personal blender has a short, compact motor base, so it easily fits in a cupboard or under a cabinet on your kitchen counter. It has a good build quality and comes with a pair of 24-ounce personal jars with to-go lids.

Using any of its jars, it makes superb, silky smoothies with ingredients like leafy greens and chunks of frozen fruit. There's also a 14-ounce 'Power Nutri Βowl' included with rotating arms inside to help push ingredients off the walls of the jar and towards the blades. You can use it to make very smooth, well-processed almond butter. This blender can also whip up snow-like crushed ice for frozen drinks and cocktails.

Ηowever, while it's very versatile for a personal blender, it's not safe to use for hot blending. It's also very loud when it's running, although, unlike many personal blenders, it has timed programs for different recipes, so you don't need to stand by the blender the whole time it's running.

The NutriBullet Immersion Blender is the best immersion blender that we've tested. This budget-friendly model has a long blending shaft that you can use to blend hot ingredients directly in a pot or pan. It has a variable speed dial on its handle and has a faster maximum speed than most hand blenders we've tested.

It's decently well-built and can incorporate leafy greens and frozen fruit into a good smoothie. It does an adequate job of making almond butter, and you can use it to make crushed ice with an okay texture. The blending shaft is detachable, making it easier to store and clean, and it's usually easy to rinse clean.

Unfortunately, it's not ideal if you need to make a lot of crushed ice since ice tends to build up behind the blades. It's not dishwasher-safe and doesn't come with a jar or beaker. It comes with a whisk attachment intended for making foods like whipped cream.

The KitchenAid K150 is the best kitchen blender for under $200 that we've tested. This blender has a very sturdy-feeling motor base with metal gears. It's straightforward, without many extra features, but it comes with a two-part lid for the jar, meaning you can add ingredients mid-blend.

Using the 48-ounce main jar, it makes smooth, spreadable almond butter and bar quality crushed ice. You can use it to process hot ingredients for soups and sauces. The dial gives you access to three different preset speeds as well as a dedicated pulse/ice crush program. It's not overly tall with the jar in place on the motor base, so it should fit on your counter under a cabinet. The jars, lids, and blades are all dishwasher-safe as well.

Unfortunately, it doesn't come with a tamper for stirring your recipe. It doesn't fully liquefy fibrous ingredients in smoothies, so if you add something like kale, the result may have a grainy texture. It also only comes with one jar, unlike many full-size blenders that come with personal jars that produce better-blended smoothies. You can separately purchase accessories like a tamper and personal jars from KitchenAid.

The best budget blender we've tested is the Oster Pro 1200. It's a relatively compact full-size blender, which is nice if you have limited space in your kitchen. It comes with a 48-ounce glass main jar, which you may prefer to plastic, and a 24-ounce plastic cup for single-serves.

It has three preset modes and some timed programs, including 'Smoothie', 'Green Smoothie', and 'Food Chop/Salsa'. It has enough power for tougher tasks like making almond butter, and you can use the main jar to blend hot ingredients and make bar quality crushed ice. Using the smaller jar, it can incorporate ingredients like kale into good, well-blended smoothies. There's a resealable lid included for the personal jar, so you can easily bring your smoothie on the go. 

Unfortunately, it's not extremely well-built, and its gear design may not be very durable. The blade assembly is held onto the jars with a rubber gasket, making it easy to take apart, but meaning you can't use the blender if you misplace the gasket. Otherwise, if you're looking for an affordable blender for multi-purpose use, it's a good choice.