The 6 Best Blenders For Smoothies - Winter 2023 Reviews

The Vitamix 5200 is the best blender for smoothies we've tested. This sturdy, premium blender might be overkill if you want a blender for simple smoothies, but if you're looking for a durable machine and the smoothest blends, it's a great option. It comes with a 64-ounce jar to accommodate big batches and easily makes an incredibly smooth puree with ingredients that some blenders struggle with, like leafy greens or fruit skin. It only comes with one jar, but it's fantastic for blending smaller batches when you want a smoothie for one. If you want a smaller jar for single-serve smoothies, it's possible to purchase a personal-sized blending jar separately from Vitamix.

This blender is extremely well-built and has a long seven-year warranty (depending on where you buy it). Its controls are simple, consisting of a speed dial and a switch for pulsing. That's all you need for any recipe, but it means you stop the blender manually when it's done. If you want features like automatic blending programs, you might prefer the Vitamix A3500. As part of Vitamix's 'Ascent' Series, it's a more expensive option with additional features, including five blending programs and a companion app that you can use to access more. The A3500's jar is also dishwasher-safe, unlike the 5200. Unfortunately, this means you need to clean the 5200 by hand, but running it with soap and water will do most of the work for you after making a smoothie.

The KitchenAid K400 is a cheaper option with a similar performance when blending common smoothie ingredients, like fruit, leafy greens, and ice cubes. It's not as well-built and has a short one-year warranty compared to the Vitamix 5200, but it blends stubborn ingredients like kale efficiently, whether you're working with a big batch or making a smoothie for one. Just like the Vitamix, it only comes with a large-capacity pitcher, but KitchenAid makes personal blending jars that you can buy separately. Unlike the previous pick, its controls include a few automatic blending programs, so you can step away from the blender and have it stop automatically.

It's harder to clean by hand than the Vitamix since the blades require a little more scrubbing. However, it will be most noticeable if you're working with sticky ingredients. It doesn't come with a tamper, and using it for something like nut butter or hummus is difficult since it requires a lot of stopping and stirring. That might not matter if you mainly use your blender for smoothies, but it's worth keeping in mind if you're concerned about overall versatility.

If you're looking for something less expensive and will mainly use your blender for smoothies, you might prefer the Ninja Mega Kitchen System. This sturdy blender comes with at least one 16-ounce personal jar that you can use to blend smoothies, depending on what model you buy. Using one of the personal jars, it quickly blends stubborn smoothie ingredients like leafy greens into a remarkably smooth blend, so your smoothie won't have leafy bits or grains left over. The personal jars come with matching to-go lids, so you can use them as travel cups and take your drink on the go. It's also fantastic for ice-crushing, so ice cubes or frozen strawberries in your recipe aren't an issue.

The main jar has a big 72-ounce capacity, which is great if you're serving a crowd. However, it doesn't blend fibrous elements as smoothly, so if you plan to make multiple servings at once, the previous picks offer better performance. This blender processes ingredients more slowly than the Vitamix 5200 or KitchenAid K400, and it's louder. However, it has blending programs for single-serves and smoothies, so you can step away from the blender while it's running.

The Oster Pro 1200 is the best budget blender for smoothies we've tested. Unlike previous picks, including the Ninja Mega Kitchen System, its design doesn't feel very durable. It also has a smaller 48-ounce capacity in its main pitcher, which you might find limiting if you usually make multiple servings. However, there's also a 24-ounce personal jar included for single-serves. This blender can't match the practically perfectly smooth blend you get with the KitchenAid K400 or Vitamix 5200, but still does a fantastic job of blending fibrous ingredients like blueberries or leafy greens. There's a resealable lid for the personal jar, so you can easily bring your drink on the go.

It easily crushes ice cubes, but the manufacturer says not to add more than six at once to the pitcher, so it can't handle as much ice in one batch as most full-size blenders. You can remove the blade assembly from the jar, which makes it simple to clean by hand. The jars and lids are also dishwasher-safe. Some parts of the blender feel flimsy and not very durable, but it's available with a three-year U.S. warranty (depending on where you buy it), while the Ninja's warranty is only for one year.

If you'd like to see more inexpensive blenders, you might find what you're looking for on our list of the best budget blenders.

Blending up an early-morning smoothie is less appealing if your blender is loud. You can't avoid the fact that blenders make some noise, but you might want to avoid the loudest models if you have roommates or family members who tend to sleep when you're blending. The best quieter blender for smoothies that we've tested is the Hamilton Beach Professional Quiet Blender. It uses a plastic dome to muffle noise when running, making it significantly quieter than most blenders we've tested. It's also very well-built, very easy to clean by hand, and has an automatic program for smoothies as well as a wide range of speed settings.

It has a much smaller capacity than the similarly-priced Ninja Mega Kitchen System since its jar only holds 32 ounces. You can use the noise dome as a pitcher but not for blending, so it's not the best blender for serving a crowd. That said, it's superb for making silky-smooth drinks with ingredients like leafy greens. It can make snow-like crushed ice, so it won't struggle to process frozen fruit or ice cubes. However, if you're concerned with your blender's overall versatility, it's not very well-suited for making thick mixtures like nut butter.

Personal blenders are specifically designed for blending up individual-sized smoothies. If you don't need a big capacity jar and don't care as much about having multiple speed settings, the Ninja Foodi Power Nutri DUO is a fantastic option. Its short, compact motor base makes it easier to bring in and out of a cupboard or store on your counter. The pair of 24-ounce personal jars can create a velvety blend with smoothie ingredients like leafy greens and berries. Just like the Vitamix 5200, it can produce a nearly perfectly smooth blend very quickly. You can take your smoothie with you in the same jar since each one comes with a matching spout lid.

While you're limited by its smaller capacity, it's versatile. The 14-ounce 'Smoothie Bowl Maker' jar has rotating arms that help a lot with thick mixtures, which is nice if you like making spoonable smoothie bowls with frozen fruits. It also easily crushes ice, meaning you can add a few ice cubes to your smoothie with no worries. However, it's very loud. If you're looking for a quiet personal blender for smoothies, the Beast Health Blender makes much less noise and similarly fantastic smoothies. Not all of its components are dishwasher-safe, and it only comes with one jar, but it's better built and has a modern aesthetic you might prefer.

If you're looking for a blender for single-serve smoothies, you can also see more options on our list of the best personal blenders.