The 4 Best Blender Brands - Spring 2023 Reviews

Vitamix may be the best-known brand in blenders, for good reason. Their high-end blenders offer a sturdy build, long warranties, and versatile performance. Compared to other high-end brands like Blendtec and Wolf Gourmet, they have speed dials that offer a wide range of speed settings. While classic-style Vitamix models with analog controls remain popular, they also make models with all the bells and whistles, including some Bluetooth-connected blenders. That said, Vitamix's forays into different types of blenders, like the Vitamix Immersion Blender and the cheaper, less versatile Vitamix ONE, haven't been as impressive as the full-size blenders the brand is known for.

The best Vitamix blender we've tested is the Vitamix A3500. Since it's part of the 'Ascent' line of blenders, it's compatible with a wide range of extra jars and accessories (sold separately), has a blending program and a digital display, and works with Vitamix's companion app. More importantly, it has a fantastic blending performance for different recipes. If you prefer simpler controls or don't care about blending programs, the Vitamix 5200 is another great option, especially for smoothies, since its narrow jar makes it well-suited for single-serves. However, its jar isn't dishwasher-safe, and you need to stop the blender manually when done.

While KitchenAid isn't as synonymous with blenders as Vitamix—they make a variety of appliances, including stand mixers—they make more affordable products. Full-size blenders from KitchenAid are very well-built and suitable for different recipes, including hot blending. Like many of the brand's products, they come in a variety of bright colors, which is unusual for blenders. The brand also makes immersion blenders, including some with pressure-sensitive buttons that allow you to easily control the blending speed with one hand. Their hand blenders aren't as well-built as the brand's full-size blenders.

The KitchenAid K400 is an excellent upper mid-range blender with a 56-ounce jar and a 2-part lid. For the price, it's exceptionally good at blending fibrous ingredients like kale and blueberries, whether you're making a single-serve or a big batch. It's a fantastic ice crusher, making it particularly good for smoothies with frozen fruit. Unfortunately, it's not easy to use for recipes like hummus or nut butter, partly because it doesn't come with a tamper (although you can buy one separately). The KitchenAid K150 is a cheaper, smaller, but otherwise similar option. It's very quiet for a full-size blender and offers a versatile blending performance, especially for a relatively cheap model.

Breville is a kitchen appliance manufacturer that has a selection of blenders in its product line. They don't make as big a variety of blenders as Ninja or Vitamix; however, they offer well-built products with good performances, including full-size blenders, a couple of immersion blenders, and a personal blender. Unlike KitchenAid, they specialize in immersion blenders with food processing accessories for food prep, like slicing, chopping, and grating.

The best Breville blender for most people is the Breville the Fresh & Furious. This creatively-named full-size blender is meant for smoothies and easily liquifies ingredients like kale and berries. It has blending programs and a digital display that shows how long you've been blending. Considering its price, which falls in the mid-range, it's a fantastic choice for smoothies. On the other hand, if you're in the market for an immersion blender, the Breville Control Grip is the best combo food processor/hand blender we've tested. It comes with a chopping bowl and offers a good blending performance since it can make smooth soups and handle tough blends like nut butter, which isn't common for immersion blenders.

The Ninja brand is part of SharkNinja, the company that also makes Shark vacuums, and they have a diverse product line, including full-size, personal, and immersion blenders. Their full-size blenders usually fall into mid-range or budget categories, and they stand out as ice-crushing blenders, which is great for fans of blended margaritas or smoothies with frozen fruits. Some full-size models don't perform very well for blends like nut butter or smoothies with fibrous ingredients, but included jars and accessories can sometimes make up for the main pitcher's weaknesses, like personal jars for smoothies or a 'Smoothie Bowl Maker' jar for thick recipes. This brand also sells many combo products and blenders with pretty unique features, like the Ninja Mega Kitchen System, which comes with a food processing bowl, or the Ninja Foodi Power Mixer System, which converts into a hand mixer.

Speaking of unusual features, the Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender is the best option from Ninja if you're looking for a versatile blender. It's one of the only full-size Ninja blenders that can hot blend. Thanks to a heating element built into its base, it can heat up and cook ingredients. It performs well for most recipes and has plenty of automatic blending programs. The Ninja Foodi Power Nutri DUO is another standout option from Ninja. This personal blender easily liquefies stubborn smoothie ingredients like kale and blueberries. It's also fantastic for nut butter, unlike a lot of personal blenders, because with a 'Smoothie Bowl Maker' jar. However, both blenders are loud. Ninja's blenders also come with super-sharp blades, so you have to be careful when cleaning, especially with full-size blenders.