The 6 Βest Protein Shake Βlenders - Fall 2024

The best blender for protein shakes we've tested is the Ninja Foodi Power Nutri DUO. This personal blender comes with a pair of 24oz jars with resealable lids, so you don't have to pour your shake into a separate cup before heading out the door. It has no problem with recipes that involve ice, liquid, or protein powder, and it easily blends stubborn fibrous elements like kale into a virtually perfectly smooth mix.

This blender also comes with a 'Smoothie Bowl Maker' jar that has rotating arms inside of it that rotate with a knob on top. These arms help stir your ingredients without stopping the machine, which usually isn't possible with personal blenders. This feature helps a lot with thicker recipes like nut butter, which is nice if you want to make your own and add it to shakes. However, it's a very loud blender. The noise will be annoying if you use it for more than a few minutes. If you want a quieter machine, the Beast Health Blender performs similarly. It's quiet for a blender, so it's less likely to wake up the whole house, and it also performs similarly. However, it's significantly pricier.

If you want something a bit cheaper, consider the Ninja Fit instead. It has fewer features than the Ninja Foodi Power Nutri DUO, making it less versatile and convenient to use. However, it has the essential: it comes with a pair of 16oz jars with resealable lids and makes a smooth blend with a variety of recipes, whether your usual shake is limited to ice, liquid, and powder or includes additions like fruit and leafy greens. It's easy to clean by hand, and all of its components are dishwasher-safe. It's also much quieter than the DUO. However, it doesn't come with a 'Smoothie Bowl Maker' and isn't as easy to use for thicker recipes like nut butter.

Unlike the DUO, it doesn't have buttons or blending programs and is operated by pressing down on the jar. You need to constantly keep your hand on the blender when using it, which can be annoying. If you want a blender with a more convenient design, the Magic Bullet Blender is a cheaper option with better controls. It's not as well-built or easy to clean by hand, and it only comes with one resealable lid for three jars. However, the jars lock into place on the base, so you can do something else while blending.

The best budget-friendly blender for protein shakes we've tested is the Magic Bullet Mini. This simple blender is a good option if you don't have a lot of space in your kitchen. Its main drawback is it can't process ice without liquid in the jar, and while that's an annoying limitation, you can add ice cubes as part of a protein shake recipe. Despite being around half the price, it can blend fibrous ingredients like fruit, seeds, and leafy greens almost as well as the Ninja Fit, meaning it can make a well-blended shake with most recipes. The jar locks into place on the motor base, so you don't need to keep your hand on the jar constantly.

However, its jar has a smaller 14oz capacity and lacks a resealable lid, so if you want to enjoy your shake on the go or at the gym, you'll need to transfer it into another container. It does include a flat storage lid to seal the jar (but not drink from it easily). If you'd prefer the convenience of a resealable lid, you might prefer the Oster MyBlend. This personal blender takes much longer to process ingredients, especially fibrous ingredients like kale, but can still produce a good result with most shake recipes. It's especially well-suited for shakes with just ice and liquid and has a resealable lid for its bottle-shaped jar.

Consider a battery-powered blender if you want to blend a quick shake at the gym after a workout or during your lunch break. The best one we've tested is the Ninja Blast, a lightweight, portable blender with an 18oz jar. It's small enough to carry around like a water bottle, and unlike similar blenders, the jar comes with a to-go lid that opens with a push of a button, so you can easily open it with one hand to take a sip.

The portable blenders we've tested don't perform as well as conventional plug-in blenders and can't smoothly blend fibrous ingredients like leafy greens and fruits. However, the Blast does a good job for a battery-powered blender, so drinks with kale or blueberries have a decently smooth texture. It's not an ideal ice crusher, but it can handle an ice cube or two in a smoothie or protein shake recipe. This blender is very well-built and quiet when running, but it's not the easiest to clean since the motor base and blades have some tough-to-reach spots that can trap food.

If you want the flexibility to make either a personal smoothie or a bigger batch for you and some friends, the nutribullet Blender Combo is a convenient choice. This relatively inexpensive blender isn't as versatile as our best blender for smoothies. However, if you're just looking for a blender for protein shakes, it makes up for it in convenience and affordability. It comes with a 64oz jar and a pair of 32oz personal jars. It makes a smooth blend with fibrous ingredients in any of its jars, which is nice if you like adding fruit or vegetables into the mix.

The personal jars come with resealable lids, so you can easily bring your drink on the go. It controls include a blending program for recipes like smoothies and shakes, so you don't have to stop the machine manually. However, it can't crush ice without liquid in the jar. It also offers limited speed adjustment; even the lowest blending speed is quite fast, which doesn't help when you want to blend thicker recipes like nut butter. Still, if you're looking for a blender for protein shakes and other beverages, it's a good option that bundles full-size and personal jars together at a budget-friendly price.