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Oster Pro 1200 Blender Review

Tested using Methodology v1.0
Review updated Dec 02, 2022 at 10:56 am
Latest change: Writing modified Sep 27, 2024 at 01:25 pm
Oster Pro 1200 Picture
8.5
Multi-Purpose
8.4
Smoothies (Single Serving)
8.2
Smoothies (Multiple Servings)
7.9
Ice Crushing
8.6
Soups
7.8
Professional Use

The Oster Pro 1200 is a budget-friendly full-size blender with a 48-ounce glass jar. It also comes with a 24-ounce personal jar and a to-go lid for single-serve drinks like smoothies or protein shakes. It's compact, and its components are dishwasher-safe, but it's not very well-built.

Our Verdict

8.5 Multi-Purpose

The Oster Pro 1200 is amazing for multi-purpose use. It comes with a 48-ounce glass jar that you can use for hot blending and a smaller personal jar for single-serve drinks like smoothies. It can also produce bar-quality crushed ice and smooth nut butter. It's easy to clean by hand, and its jars and lids are dishwasher-safe. However, it doesn't feel very well-built, and its gear design isn't very durable.

Pros
  • Can hot blend.
  • Makes good smoothies.
Cons
  • Mediocre build quality.
8.4 Smoothies (Single Serving)

The Oster Pro 1200 is excellent for single-serve smoothies. While it's not the fastest blender, you can use its 24oz personal jar to make a very well-blended single-serve smoothie with ingredients like kale. There's also a to-go lid included for the jar, so you can easily take it on the go. Unfortunately, it's not very well-built. Some parts feel flimsy, including the lid for the personal jar.

Pros
  • Easy to clean by hand.
  • Makes good smoothies.
Cons
8.2 Smoothies (Multiple Servings)

The Oster Pro 1200 is great for multiple servings of smoothies. If you fill the main jar to its full capacity to make a big batch of smoothies, it makes a very smooth blend with fibrous ingredients like fruit and leafy greens. It doesn't have a problem crushing ice, and its removable blades help make it easy to clean. However, some blenders can blend a big batch of smoothies much faster and its 48-ounce capacity is on the small side for a full-size blender.

7.9 Ice Crushing

The Oster Pro 1200 is very good for crushing ice. It doesn't feel very sturdy or durable, and the manufacturer says to only add up to six ice cubes to the jar at once. If you don't mind that limitation, it makes excellent crushed ice.

Pros
  • Makes bar-quality crushed ice.
Cons
  • Maximum six ice cubes at once.
8.6 Soups

The Oster Pro 1200 is excellent for soups. You can use its 48-ounce main jar to process hot ingredients directly from the pot or pan. It makes a smooth blend of fibrous ingredients, meaning it can produce silky, pureed soups and sauces with ingredients like kale and broccoli. It's also very easy to clean. Unfortunately, it's not very sturdy.

Pros
  • Can hot blend.
  • Makes good smoothies.
Cons
  • Mediocre build quality.
7.8 Professional Use

The Oster Pro 1200 is good for professional use. It has a versatile performance and can hot blend. The main jar is made of glass, which some may prefer. Unfortunately, while it can handle tougher tasks like making nut butter, it takes some effort, and you may need to use a tool to push thicker mixtures toward the blades. It's not very well built, and it's on the loud side. The 48-ounce main jar might not be big enough for some uses.

Pros
  • Easy to clean by hand.
  • Can hot blend.
  • Makes good smoothies.
Cons
  • Mediocre build quality.
  • 8.5 Multi-Purpose
  • 8.4 Smoothies (Single Serving)
  • 8.2 Smoothies (Multiple Servings)
  • 7.9 Ice Crushing
  • 8.6 Soups
  • 7.8 Professional Use
  1. Updated Sep 27, 2024: Compared its build quality to the Braun TriForce Power Blender's.
  2. Updated Sep 24, 2024: We've updated the results to more accurately reflect the blender's performance. The score for Fibrous Ingredients (Small Batches) processing from 9.5 to 7.0 because of the blending time and the need to shake the jar. The score for Fibrous Ingredients (Full Capacity) processing changed from 9.0 to 7.0 because of the blending time.
  3. Updated Dec 20, 2023: Compared its noise level with the Ninja Detect Power Blender Pro's.
  4. Updated Dec 02, 2022: Revised text to match results from Test Bench 1.0.
  5. Updated Aug 29, 2022: Added a note that the recently-reviewed Ninja Professional Blender NJ601AMZ is better for ice crushing.
  6. Updated Aug 11, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
  7. Updated Jan 20, 2022: Review published.
  8. Updated Jan 13, 2022: Early access published.
  9. Updated Jan 06, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
  10. Updated Jan 04, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  11. Updated Dec 14, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

There are a few variants of the Oster Pro 1200 with different accessories. Our model comes with a 48-ounce (6-cup) glass jar and a 24-ounce personal jar, and you can see our unit's label here. We expect our results to be valid for the other variants as well, although we haven't tested the performance of the food processing attachment or the '8-cup Tritan Jar', which is made of plastic and has a larger capacity, meaning it can handle bigger batches. If you come across another variant or your blender is different, please let us know in the discussion section below, and we'll update our review.

Name Color Main jar Extra features
Oster Pro 1200 Blender Nickel 6-cup boroclass glass jar 1x 24-ounce jar
Oster Pro 1200 Blender Nickel 6-cup boroclass glass jar 1x 24-ounce jar, 5-cup food processing attachment
Oster Pro 1200 Blender Nickel 6-cup boroclass glass jar 2x 24-ounce jar
Oster Pro 1200 Plus Βlack 6-cup boroclass glass jar 1x 24-ounce jar
Oster Pro 1200 Blender with Professional Tritan Jar Metallica Grey 8-cup Tritan (plastic) jar 5-cup food processing attachment

Compared To Other Blenders

The Oster Pro 1200 is a budget-friendly full-size blender. It stands out for its glass jar, which some may prefer to plastic. It also comes with a personal jar that you can use to make better smoothies than other inexpensive blenders like the KitchenAid K150 or the Hamilton Beach Power Elite Multi-Function. Unfortunately, it's not very well-built compared to other budget-friendly models like the NutriBullet Blender Combo, Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ, or Ninja Professional 1000.

Check out our lists of the best blenders for smoothies, the best blenders under $100, and the best blenders.

Oster Master Series Blender with Texture Select Settings

The Oster Pro 1200 and the Oster Master Series Blender with Texture Select Settings have a similar design since they both come with a 48oz main jar and a 24oz personal jar. The Pro 1200 has a better blending performance, especially when it comes to blending fibrous fruits and vegetables. However, the Master Series blender is much quieter when it's running.

Black+Decker Quiet Blender with Cyclone Glass Jar

The Oster Pro 1200 and the Black+Decker Quiet Blender with Cyclone Glass Jar are similar blenders, and you may prefer either. They each come with a glass main jar and a smaller personal jar for single-serves, and neither model is very well-built. The Oster makes a smoother blend with fibrous ingredients and does a better job of crushing ice. On the other hand, the Black+Decker is significantly quieter.

Ninja Professional Blender 1000

The Oster Pro 1200 is more versatile than the Ninja Professional Blender 1000. The Oster comes with a 48-ounce glass jar and an additional personal jar for single-serve smoothies with a matching to-go lid. It makes a much smoother blend with fibrous ingredients, so it's better for smoothies and soups. On the other hand, the Ninja is better for crushing ice. It has a much better build quality, and its main jar has a bigger capacity.

Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ

The Oster Pro 1200 is a bit better than the Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ. The Oster Pro 1200 does a better job of processing fibrous ingredients like kale, which is important if you want to make silky smoothies and pureed soups. It comes with a 24-ounce personal jar for single-serves, and it's easier to clean by hand. However, the Ninja is sturdier, quieter, and better for crushing ice, so it's the better choice if you often make drinks like slushies and blended cocktails.

Vitamix 5300

The Vitamix 5300 is better than the Oster Pro 1200 for most purposes. It has a much better build quality, a larger capacity in its main jar, and a better performance when processing fibrous ingredients, making nut butter, and crushing ice. On the other hand, the Oster comes with a personal jar for single-serve smoothies. Its main jar is made of glass, and it's easier to clean by hand since the blades are removable.

Ninja Professional Blender NJ601AMZ

The Ninja Professional Blender NJ601AMZ and the Oster Pro 1200 have different strengths. The Ninja is much sturdier and quieter. Its jar has a bigger capacity, and this blender is better suited for crushing ice. The Oster is more versatile since it can hot blend and comes with a 24-ounce jar for single-serve smoothies. It makes a much smoother blend of fibrous ingredients like kale or broccoli, which is important if you like to make recipes like smoothies, soups, and sauces.

KitchenAid K150

The KitchenAid K150 is better for most purposes than the Oster Pro 1200. They offer fairly similar performances, but the KitchenAid is much sturdier and quieter. However, the Oster comes with a 24-ounce personal jar with a to-go lid in addition to its main jar.

NutriBullet Blender Combo

The Oster Pro 1200 and the NutriBullet Blender Combo have different strengths. The Oster is more versatile since it can crush ice and is easier to use for tough tasks like making nut butter. On the other hand, the NutriBullet has a much bigger capacity, comes with a couple of personal jars for smoothies, and makes a smoother blend of fibrous ingredients.

KitchenAid Diamond

The KitchenAid Diamond is better than the Oster Pro 1200. The KitchenAid has a much better build quality, it's quieter when running, and its main jar has a bigger capacity. The Oster comes with a 24-ounce personal jar, but the KitchenAid does a better job of processing small batches of fibrous ingredients for something like a kale smoothie.

Ninja Mega Kitchen System [BL770, BL770AMZ, BL771]

The Ninja Mega Kitchen System is better than the Oster Pro 1200 for most purposes. The Ninja has a significantly better build quality. It comes with a bigger main jar and a pair of personal jars for smoothies instead of just one. It does a better job of making nut butter and crushing ice. However, the Oster can hot blend. Its 48-ounce main jar is made of glass, which some may prefer, and it's easier to clean by hand.

Ninja Foodi Power Pitcher SS201

The Oster Pro 1200 is better than the Ninja Foodi Power Pitcher System. It has a 48-ounce main jar and a 24-ounce personal jar for single-serve smoothies. It's much better at processing fibrous ingredients, meaning it can make a silkier kale smoothie or broccoli soup. It's also easier to clean by hand. The Ninja is quieter and more suitable for making crushed ice for recipes like slushies or margaritas.

Ninja Blender Duo with Auto-iQ BL642

The Ninja Blender Duo with Auto-iQ BL642 and the Oster Pro 1200 have different strengths. The Ninja is sturdier and quieter and comes with three personal jars for single-serves instead of one. However, the Oster does a better job of processing big batches of fibrous ingredients in its main jar. It can also hot blend, making it better for big batches of smoothies or pureed soup. It's easier to clean by hand, and its main jar is made of glass, which is less prone to scratching and discoloration.

Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher Multi-Function

The Oster Pro 1200 is better than the Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher Multi-Function. It performs better for most uses, including smoothly blending fibrous ingredients, crushing ice cubes, and blending thick recipes like nut butter. It comes with a 24oz personal jar in addition to its 48oz main jar. However, the less powerful Hamilton Beach is significantly quieter.

Brentwood 12-Speed Pulse Blender with Glass Jar

The Oster Pro 1200 is better than the Brentwood 12-Speed Pulse Blender with Glass Jar. The Oster is sturdier and has a better overall blending performance. It can hot blend and comes with a personal jar for blending single-serve smoothies. However, the Brentwood is much quieter.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Dimensions
Blender Type
Full Size Blender
Height
14.4" (36.5 cm)
Width 7.0" (17.9 cm)
Depth 7.5" (19.0 cm)
Weight
7.9 lbs (3.6 kg)
Shaft Length (Immersion Blenders)
N/A

It's on the small side for a full-size blender. It's easy to store on your counter or in a cupboard.

6.0
Design
Build Quality

This blender has a mediocre build quality. The buttons on the front of the motor base are clicky and easy to use, and the motor base has vents to allow heat to escape. The main jar is made of thick glass and has a sturdy-feeling handle. The plastic personal jar also feels decently well-built and has a resealable lid. However, the design of the gears and blade assembly may not be very durable. The gear on the motor base is square-shaped but fits into a star-shaped gear on the jar. Since the parts don't fit together perfectly, it's harder to place the jar on the motor base. This design can wear the gears out more quickly because it causes more friction as they slip against each other.

The blade assembly also feels loose and is not very well made. It has a plastic tab that feels like it may break if you put pressure on it. The blades are only held in place by a rubber gasket that has a loose fit when the assembly isn't attached to one of the jars. There's also a small gap between the gasket and the metal plate of the blade assembly, which can trap ingredients and add steps to the clean-up process. However, you can easily remove the blade assembly from the jar by removing the gasket, so it's easy to take the blender apart. It also means you can't use it safely if you lose or damage the gasket.

If you want a better-built blender with similar features, including a large-capacity pitcher and a personal jar, you might prefer the Braun TriForce Power Blender. However, that model's pitcher is made of plastic, not glass.

6.5
Design
Jar Capacity
Main Jar Capacity
48.0 oz (1,420 ml)
Additional Jar Capacity
24.0 oz (710 ml)

The jar has a 48-ounce capacity, which is on the smaller side for a full-size blender. It also comes with a 24-ounce personal jar.

Design
Jar/Beaker Materials
Jar/Beaker Material
Glass
Dishwasher Safe
Yes

The main jar is made of glass, which you may find is less prone to scratches and discoloration than plastic. The smaller personal jar is plastic. Both jars, the blades, and the lids are dishwasher-safe.

Design
Blades
Blade Type
Sharp
Blade Count
6
Removable
Yes
Dishwasher Safe
Yes

It comes with one removable blade assembly that works with both jars that come included. It's held in place only with a rubber gasket, so it's easy to disassemble the blender for cleaning. The manufacturer advertises that the blender has 'dual-direction technology' that lets it reverse its blending direction to clear jams. However, this wasn't noticeable during testing, and you can't manually activate the feature.

Design
Lid
Two-Part Lid
Yes
Lid Closing Type
Friction

The main jar has a two-part lid with a clear centerpiece that you can remove to add ingredients mid-blend. There's also a resealable to-go lid for the personal jar. It screws onto the jar, but unfortunately, the cover for the spout feels flimsy.

Design
Power Cord
Stow-Away Compartment
No
Cord Length
2.6 ft (0.8 m)

The power cord isn't very long but will still reach a nearby outlet. There's no stowaway compartment or place to wrap the cord when it's not in use.

Design
In The Box

  • Oster Pro 1200 Βlender motor base
  • 48-ounce '6 Cup Boroclass Glass Jar'
  • Two-part lid
  • 'Extra Wide 3.5" System' blade assembly
  • 24oz 'Smoothie Cup'
  • To-go lid
  • 'Quick Blending Tips' booklet

Performance
9.0
Performance
Fibrous Ingredients (Small Batches)
Jar Used
Additional Jar
Fibrous Ingredients Processing
7.0
Fibrous Ingredients Texture
9.5

It's fantastic for processing small batches of fibrous ingredients. Using the personal jar, this blender makes a very smooth blend with fibrous ingredients like kale, with just a few unprocessed bits left over. However, some blenders can produce similar results faster, and you have to shake the jar once for the best results.

9.0
Performance
Fibrous Ingredients (Full Capacity)
Jar Used Main Jar
Fibrous Ingredients Processing
7.0
Fibrous Ingredients Texture
9.5

When you fill the jar to its full capacity, this blender makes an extremely smooth blend with fibrous ingredients. It can make a big batch of kale smoothies or pureed broccoli soup with almost no grains or specks left over. However, some blenders can do it faster.

8.9
Performance
Crushed Ice
Crushed Ice Preparation
8.5
Crushed Ice Texture
9.0

It's excellent for crushed ice. While we usually use 12 ice cubes at a time in a full-size blender, the manufacturer says to only use six ice cubes at once in this model. Working with two batches of six ice cubes each and using pulse mode per the instructions in the manual, it takes about two minutes to make bar-quality crushed ice. There were a few very small unprocessed pieces, but overall the ice was a great texture for adding to cocktails. However, it has a limited capacity, and blenders like the Ninja Professional Blender NJ601AMZ can produce better results more quickly.

8.0
Performance
Nut Butter
Nut Butter Preparation
6.5
Nut Butter Texture
9.0

It's great for nut butter. It's not as easy of a process as with blenders like the Vitamix 5200 since you need to stop the blender, take off the lid and stir the ingredients a few times to keep everything moving. Still, after around four or five minutes of blending, it produces smooth, easily spreadable nut butter. There may be a few little unprocessed pieces trapped under the blades.

6.0
Performance
Noise
Noise @ Max Speed
97.1 dB

It's a loud blender. While most blenders are pretty loud, many full-size models we've tested make less noise at maximum speed, including the Ninja Professional Blender 1000 and the Ninja Detect Power Blender Pro.

Performance
Blade Speed
Min Speed
4,500 RPM
Max Speed
18,000 RPM
Power
1,200 W
Speed Adjustment Based On Jar Type
No

It has a wide range of speed settings, although you have limited control over the speed because there are only three presets, plus pulse mode. The blending speed is the fastest when you're using pulse mode.

Ease Of Use
Ease Of Use
Controls And Programs
On/Off Switch
Yes
Speed Presets
3
Speed Dial
No
Hot Blending
Yes
Pulse/Turbo Mode
Yes
Programs
3
Blending Time Indicator
No
Programmable Timer
No

The motor base has buttons for three speed presets: 'Low', 'Medium', and 'Ηigh'. There's a dedicated pulse mode button, which yields the fastest blending speed. You can also choose from 3 blending programs: 'Green/Frozen Smoothies', 'Food Chop/Salsa', and 'Milkshakes'.

Once you plug the blender in, you need to press the on/off button to turn it on before it will run, which is a nice safety feature. There's a light that flashes when the blender is 'on'. The manufacturer advertises the blender to have seven speed settings, which seems to count the blending programs, pulse mode, and speed presets separately.

9.0
Ease Of Use
Cleaning

This blender is very easy to clean. It's very easy to clean the jar by adding warm water and soap to the jar and running the blender on high. You then need to use a sponge to wipe the jar and blades, but that's quite simple since you can remove the blade assembly from the jar. It's an easy process, although you may prefer blenders you don't need to take apart to clean, like the Blendtec Designer 725.