best in class

11 of the Very Best Blenders

Powerful machines to make smoothies, soups, nut butters, sauces, salsas, dressings, and more.

The best blender is the Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender.
Photo: Marcus McDonald
The best blender is the Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender.
Photo: Marcus McDonald

In this article

I use my blender to purée vegetables into soup, crush nuts into butter, whir dressings and sauces into silky emulsifications, and chop ingredients into salsas — and while I’m not a smoothie person, that may very well be the number one reason you want to keep a blender around. That said, there are a lot to choose from. In an attempt to narrow down the wide and overwhelming field, I tested out a couple of models myself and then asked 16 professional chefs and avid cooks — people who rely on the appliance for everything from crushing ice to blending hummus from scratch — about the ones they keep in their own kitchens.

First thing’s first: Vitamix reigns supreme in the blender universe. Vitamix is hands down the most lauded brand across the board, making appliances that will last you an actual lifetime. I own and love the brand’s Professional Series 750, which you’ll see below is our best overall pick. Many of the people I spoke with use either that one, or another model (all of which make an appearance on this list, where I explain their differences more in depth). If you don’t use a blender with a ton of regularity, can’t splurge on something so pricey, or are living in a small space that doesn’t accommodate big appliances, there are plenty of other options here with ringing endorsements to back them up, too.

What we’re looking for

Capacity

For this category, I’ve listed the maximum capacity for each blender. The size you want will be determined by what you plan to use it for most (different if you primarily intend to emulsify salad dressings versus blend smoothies for a few people at a time, for example).

Function

Some blenders on this list are automatic, meaning they have pre-determined settings that allow you just to click and walk away. Others are manual, so you have to monitor the blending process the whole time.

Size

These machines can get bulky, so when choosing one, you want to make sure you’re considering where you’re going to store it and plug it in. Here, I’ve noted the exact dimensions of each model.

Best blender overall

Capacity: 64 ounces | Function: Automatic | Size: 8.5” x 8.5” x 17.25”

Vitamix has a lot of blender options, but in my reporting, the 750 was the preferred model of professionals and regular cooks alike — including me. It’s expensive, yes, but well worth the investment for its incredibly sharp blades and strikingly powerful motor. (Don’t just take my word for it: Moon Juice founder Amanda Chantal Bacon has been using the 750 in a professional capacity in her shops for years, turning out a high volume every day, and says neither function has degraded.)

At home, I find it makes quick work of soft ingredients; it takes only a few minutes to get silky soup or light and airy hummus. It can easily handle tough ingredients like nuts and grains, as well as fibrous ones like ginger. This also means it’s extra-efficient at crushing ice for smoothies and, in my case, cocktails. The self-cleaning option really works, too. You simply add a drop of soap and some water, the machine whirrs for about a minute, and then you rinse it out. One of my biggest hesitations with adding appliances to my kitchen is the space they take up, including in the sink and dishwasher. But this function means as soon as I’m done, it’s a breeze to wash and put away. I’ve never had an issue with water spots, either.

And though I haven’t needed to use it yet, all Vitamixes come with a great warranty — something noted by Green Kitchen Stories co-founder David Frenkiel and recipe developer Sophia Roe. “If any piece of it gets run down or stops functioning properly, they take care of it,” Frenkiel says. Nisha Vora, creator of Rainbow Plant Life, points out that you can buy additional compatible parts, too. “It comes with a 64-ounce container, but a few months ago I got a 32-ounce one, too, to make things like curry paste and hummus without having to triple the volume.” Finally, it’s got a lower profile than many, able to sit underneath most regular kitchen cabinets.

A sauce made with the Vitamix Professional Series blender. Photo: Emma Wartzman

Best less expensive blender

Capacity: 36 ounces | Function: Automatic | Size: 8” x 7” x 15”

After testing this Blendtec, I was surprised to find it felt just as powerful and durably built as the Vitamix 750. I used it to make a sungold tomato sauce to freeze for winter, and after blending on high for about two minutes, it was silky smooth, with absolutely no bits of skins or seeds. It also has a pulse setting I used for foods with a chunkier consistency, like a Swiss chard pesto. The blades broke down the firm leafy greens — but not so much that they turned to pure liquid. To be clear, the Vitamix does have its perks: a longer warranty, more speeds, a dial instead of a touchscreen (simply a personal preference for me). But the Blendtec is undeniably strong and $206 cheaper.

It comes enthusiastically endorsed by Christine Sahadi, owner of New York City’s Middle Eastern market and restaurant, Sahadi’s, too. She told me about it for this story a while back, noting in our interview that both Blendtec and Vitamix make very good quality units. “I just personally like the Blendtec,” she says. She has owned hers for more than a decade and finds that its super powerful blades, which operate at five preset speeds, emulsify sauces, dressings, and aioli handily. It also, perhaps most importantly for Sahadi, makes the perfect hummus. “If you don’t have a really good blender, you have to add a lot of ice water or cooking liquid to help smooth things out,” she explains. “By the time you get there, the hummus has become too drippy.” The Blendtec, it’s important to note, has just a bit more than half the capacity of the Vitamix 750, so you won’t be able to make things in quite as big batches.

Best even less expensive blender

Capacity: 68 ounces | Function: Automatic | Size: 17” x 13” x 9”

If you want a high-speed blender on the larger side — and one that’s less expensive than both the Vitamix 750 and the Blendtec — I recommend this Hurom. I heard about it from Strategist writer Kat Gillespie, who notes the plastic container’s sturdiness and says the base “has a nice weight to it,” though she warns that the appliance is definitely “pretty hefty and takes up space.” The machine has both automatic controls (for smoothies, ice crushing, and soup) and manual ones, and Gillespie mostly uses hers for smoothies. “It makes the perfect consistency — very smooth, no lumps, even if you don’t measure out a good ratio of liquids to solids — and is very convenient as you go about your morning and do other things,” she says, in reference to the automatic button you can simply press and then walk away from.

Best manual blender

Capacity: 48 ounces | Function: Manual | Size: 11” x 8” x 18”

A more affordable Vitamix model is this Explorian Series E310. If you don’t care about the automatic settings on the 750 or the smaller container size of this one, I believe this one is a great bet. It comes recommended by Ksenia Avdulova, founder of Breakfast Criminals, who uses it daily. “I personally prefer the manual switch experience versus touchscreen,” she says. Culinary artist Maryah Ananda, who also uses her E310 every day, says the manual switches allow her to pulse to control texture if she wants a chunkier soup or sauce. Still, if she wants seamless emulsification, “the strength is unmatched,” she says. “Blending down things that are very fibrous like ginger or galangal can be tough, but this Vitamix makes it so easy.” She also says she appreciates that unlike some cheaper blenders she’s used in the past, food doesn’t get stuck in the nooks and crannies of this one, which has a dishwasher-safe basin.

Best blender with touchscreen

Capacity: 64 ounces | Function: Automatic | Size: 11” x 8” x 17”

Vitamix’s A3500 Ascent Series model has a touchscreen, which makes it super-easy to wipe down, as well as a timer, of which Gaby Dalkin, the cookbook author and blogger behind What’s Gaby Cooking, is a big fan. It allows her to blend for exactly the amount of time she wants before it automatically shuts off. Brandon Jew, chef and owner of Mister Jiu’s in San Francisco, also told us that he loves this particular feature, along with the “great” auto functions like dips and hot soups. Dalkin says the A3500 is even easy enough for her toddler to turn on, allowing her to help make smoothies and “feel invested in the process.” It’s only $20 more than the 750 and features the same sharp blades and a comparably powerful motor (the Ascent has slightly higher wattage — 1500 instead of 1440 — but not so much that it should be discernible). If you’re deciding between the two, the difference mostly comes down to the type of interface you prefer.

Best small blender

Nutribullet Pro 900
From $99

Capacity: 32 ounces | Function: Manual | Size: 8” x 12” x 16”

Sometimes a personal-size blender is all you need. Indeed, they can be even better for small batches than larger blenders because ingredients have a better shot at being evenly blended when everything is closer to the blades. Strategist managing editor Kelsie Schrader bought the NutriBullet Pro 900 five months ago as an upgrade from the more basic model she used before (more about that below). While she says the original worked well, she’s noticed this new one is more powerful. “It blends a bit faster and more thoroughly than the 600-watt one did,” she says of the 900-watt machine. “I can load it up with fruit and all my other ingredients, and it’s perfectly smooth in less than a minute. I make smoothies weekly and it hasn’t slowed down at all.” Her favorite feature is the matte black design (the blender comes in nine matte colors and seven metallic ones), which she says is a nicer finish than the gray of her previous one, and “never looks streaky or dirty.”

The NutriBullet Personal Blender Schrader owned before costs $42 less. It’s smaller (it comes with a 24- and 18-ounce cup) and runs on a lower wattage, but otherwise works exactly the same. Bacon is a fan of this cheaper one, calling it “the mightiest little blender.” Caitlin Sullivan, co-founder of Los Angeles restaurant Honey Hi agrees, saying “it’s affordable, so compact, and easy to clean — but it still has great blending ability.”

Best large blender

$80

Capacity: 72 ounces | Function: Manual | Size: 18” x 12” x 13”

On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Ninja is very big — not to mention the cheapest full-size option on this list. With 1,000 watts of power, it’s particularly great for juice- and smoothie-making, with an extra-large 72-ounce plastic pitcher and blades that easily crush ice and liquefy frozen fruits and vegetables. New York deputy editor Alexis Swerdloff has one and loves it. “This thing is powerful,” she says. “It’s super easy to use and to clean.”

Best blender for smoothies

Capacity: 64 ounces | Function: Manual | Size: 20.5” x 8.75” x 7.25”

The First Mess’s Laura Wright swears that the Vitamix 5200 model makes the best smoothies. And she should know — not only does the writer and recipe developer make the drink every single day, but she’s tried a good handful of other machines before (Vitamixes and non-Vitamixes alike) for that job specifically. “They always come out thinner, or with foam or bubbles,” she says. “It’s almost like the blades are too powerful on some of the newer Vitamixes.” Her 5200, on the other hand, creates the optimal thick and creamy texture — and has done so even after a decade of use.

Best quiet blender

From $160

Capacity: 25 ounces | Function: Manual | Size: 4.9” x 4.9” x 15.75”

Former Strategist associate editor Louis Cheslaw was sent the Beast Blender last spring and has been turning out protein shakes consistently ever since. “Unlike the Ninja blender I was using before, it’s quiet enough that I feel comfortable using it at all hours of the day,” he says. “And even then, it’s so powerful that I rarely have it going for more than ten seconds. And while this is slightly less critical, it’s also incredibly pleasant in your hands — from the stately fluting on the portable, rinsable glass vessels to the magnetic lock when you connect it to the engine.” (For what it’s worth, Halle Berry is also a big fan.)

Most stylish blender

Capacity: 61 ounces | Function: Automatic | Size: 7.6” x 7.6” x 16.7

I think Zwilling’s full-size blender is one of the sleekest-looking on the market. For a generally bulky appliance, it has clean lines and a satisfyingly geometric shape, with a chic fluted design (similar to the Beast) on the jar. It’s not all in the appearance, though: In the year I used it (before I made more permanent room for my Vitamix), it performed beautifully. The preprogrammed settings are nice to have: I like the frozen cocktail one, and am also a fan of the wash button. But you can also manually control the blades with a turn of the dial and a push of the button — this feature lets me keep an eye on consistency as I go so my emulsified dips get to the exact texture I want.

Best immersion blender

Capcity: Various | Function: Manual | Size: 3” x 4.5” x 15.3”

If you want more immersion blenders, I’ve written a whole separate guide — but I’d be remiss not to include my favorite here. Though the functionality of an immersion blender is different that that of the other blenders here, “for me, this is the best one — and the best blender in general,” says Richard Rea, executive chef at The Butcher’s Daughter, who has been using one at home and one in his professional kitchen for several years. “Quite frankly, whenever people ask me what blender to use, I always push them towards this.” His reasoning is that it takes up much less space and is usually much less expensive while still doing everything you need, he says. Indeed, Rea uses his for creamy soups, cashew ricotta, hummus, and all types of salsa. “It’s very strong,” he says. “It breaks through nuts, and even some big, bulky blenders don’t do that. It has a powerful motor and very sharp blades.”

Some more blenders we’ve written about

Our experts

• Maryah Ananda, culinary artist
• Ksenia Avdulova, founder of Breakfast Criminals
• Amanda Chantal Bacon, founder of Moon Juice
• Louis Cheslaw, former Strategist associate editor
• Gaby Dalkin, cookbook author and blogger at What’s Gaby Cooking
• David Frenkiel, co-founder of Green Kitchen Stories
• Kat Gillespie, Strategist writer
• Richard Rea, executive chef at The Butcher’s Daughter
• Sophia Roe, recipe developer
• Christine Sahadi, owner of Sahadi’s
• Kelsie Schrader, Strategist managing editor
• Caitlin Sullivan, co-founder of Honey Hi
• Alexis Swerdloff, New York deputy editor
• Nisha Vora, creator of Rainbow Plant Life
• Laura Wright, author of The First Mess

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11 of the Very Best Blenders