The 5 Best Cheap Blenders - Summer 2022 Reviews

The best cheap blender we've tested is the Oster Pro 1200. This full-size blender is usually available for well under $100 and comes with a 48-ounce glass main jar, which you may find is less prone to scratches and discoloration than plastic. There's also a 24-ounce plastic personal jar meant for single-serve smoothies, which is a nice extra feature at this price point. Βoth the main and additional jars are well-suited for processing fibrous ingredients, so it's well-suited for single-serve smoothies and bigger batches of soup or sauce. Since the main jar can hot blend, you can add ingredients straight from the pot or pan.

It's also suitable for processing hard ingredients like nuts, although it's not the easiest or fastest process. It's also a bit limited in terms of ice crushing since the 48-ounce jar is only intended to handle six ice cubes at once. Unfortunately, it has a mediocre build quality, and the gear design in particular isn't very durable. If you tend to use your blender for ice crushing, the Ninja Professional Blender 1000 is a sturdier option that can crush 12 ice cubes at once. However, it's not safe to use for hot blending and makes a grainier puree with fibrous ingredients.

You may prefer the Magic Βullet Mini if you're looking for a cheap blender for morning smoothies. This personal blender comes with a 13-ounce jar that's a good size for single-serve smoothies, as well as a matching cup ring, making it more comfortable to drink directly from the jar. It takes a little longer to make a smoothie than some pricier models, but it has no trouble processing fibrous ingredients, so it makes a silky blend even if your recipe includes leafy greens. It's one of the smallest personal blenders we've tested, so it's also a great choice if you're looking to save space in your kitchen.

There's also an eight-ounce jar included, which is a little small for a smoothie but works well for making small batches of salsa or salad dressing. The jars and lids are dishwasher-safe, but you have to clean the blades by hand. Unfortunately, it's not very well-built or versatile since it's not recommended for crushing ice or processing hard ingredients. It's capable of breaking down nuts into spreadable nut butter, but it's a long, tedious process, so if you want a personal blender that can make spreads and dips, you may want to look at the Ninja Fit, but keep in mind that it's quite a bit more expensive and doesn't perform much better for smoothies.

If you want something to help out with food processing tasks like grinding and grating, the ΒELLA Rocket Βlender is the best cheap blender food/processor we've tested. This very inexpensive blender can't do everything a regular food processor can, but it comes with a six-ounce cup and flat blade assembly for grinding small amounts of things like coffee and spices. There's a shaker lid and a storage lid included for the grinding cup. You also get a pair of 14-ounce jars with cup rings that you can use for single-serve smoothies. The blades, as well as the lids and jars, are dishwasher-safe.

The 14-ounce jars do an okay job of liquifying fibrous ingredients, but if your typical smoothie recipe includes something like leafy greens or seeds, it won't be completely smooth. This little blender isn't intended for making nut butter or crushing ice. Like the Magic Bullet Mini, it's passably well-built but doesn't feel premium. That said, considering its low price, it makes a pretty good smoothie, and the small grinding cup can come in handy.

The best affordable blender with a portable design we've tested is the ΒlendJet 2. This small, battery-powered blender is intended for mixing up protein shakes and smoothies when you're out and about, like at work or during a weekend trip. It's not too loud when running, so it shouldn't be overly disruptive if you use it to whip up a smoothie during your lunch break. While it doesn't do a great job liquifying fibrous ingredients kale, it still makes okay green smoothies. It also does a decent job of crushing ice, so it's a good choice for powder-based protein shakes, simple smoothie recipes, and even frozen drinks like slushies.

The lid for the jar has a built-in loop so you can hang it from your bag, and unlike most blenders that we've tested, it comes in many different colors and patterns to suit your style. It feels well-built despite its low price point and has a safety feature that prevents it from turning on by accident when you toss it in your bag. No part of it is dishwasher-safe, but the jar's wide opening makes it easier to clean by hand than other portable blenders we've tested.

The NutriBullet Immersion Blender is the best cheap immersion blender we've tested. You can use this inexpensive hand blender to blend hot ingredients directly in a pot or pan, and it's worth considering if you're looking for a compact multi-purpose blender. It's more versatile than many immersion blenders we've tested since it can incorporate leafy greens like kale into smoothies, crush small batches of ice for cocktails, and does a passable job of making nut butter. It has a long blending arm that you can detach for cleaning or when you want to store your blender in a kitchen drawer.

It doesn't come with a jar for blending, which is a little inconvenient when you're not blending in a pot, but you can use its whisk attachment for making things like whipped cream or homemade mayonnaise. If you're looking for a hand blender with a jar, the KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender is another budget-friendly option and comes with a jar, a storage lid, and a pan guard to protect your non-stick cookware. However, it's not as well-built or easy to clean.