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Upgrading to a high-speed blender can seem revelatory, especially if you’ve spent years using personal blenders or lower-powered immersion blenders. But the price tag on these models, which often include an array of preset programs and tons of speeds, can make them seem daunting.
To help you parse out what’s hyperbolic marketing lingo and which high-speed blenders are actually worth $500 or more, I tested 16 popular models. After putting blenders from Vitamix, Breville, KitchenAid, and more through their paces, I found six winners that do everything they promise and then some.
THE BEST BLENDER – Vitamix 5200 Professional-Grade Blender
What we liked: The 5200 proves it: It doesn’t take a ton of bells and whistles to make a great blender. This one is powerful and has all the design elements you want in a high-speed blender: a tall, tapered, jar; a simple, upward-facing blade design; a ridged jar for optimal turbulence; and 10 reliable speeds. Blenders are underrated tools for emulsifying (making salad dressings and sauces). The 5200 does it best. We’ve recommended it for over a decade.
What we didn’t like: The jar is so tall that the blender struggles with ice crushing—it made a pretty watery margarita. It might also be too tall to nestle under your cabinets. It’s more difficult to scrape out the tapered bottom with a spatula. If you want a Vitamix and presets, you’ll be happier with the Propel 510 or the Ascent X5.
Key Specs
- Jar capacity: 64 ounces
- Blender weight: 10.9 pounds
- Presets: None
- Number of speeds: 10
- Warranty: 7 years
THE BEST BUDGET BLENDER – Breville Fresh & Furious Blender
What we liked: This blender also has three presets and five speeds. Whereas the KitchenAid is better for frozen drinks, the Fresh & Furious is your best budget option if you make a lot of smoothies. (There are presets for regular smoothies and green smoothies.) With a 50-ounce capacity, it’s a touch bigger than the 48-ounce Vitamix jars. There is a lid assist ring to help open the tightly sealed top—also found on the Super Q.
What we didn’t like: It’s not as powerful as the true high-speed winning blenders, like the Super Q and the picks from Vitamix. That means blended recipes will be a little chunkier. It struggled a little in the almond milk test, leaving behind date pieces.
Key Specs
- Jar capacity: 50 ounces
- Blender weight: 8.82 pounds
- Presets: 3 (smoothie, green smoothie, ice crush)
- Number of speeds: 5
- Warranty: 3 years
The best personal blender overall: Nutribullet Ultra
This blender whizzed up a smoothie faster than any other model I tested. It’s been Serious Eats’ top pick for years and has yet to be dethroned.
What we love: The biggest problem with most personal blenders is that they lack the motor power that makes something like a Vitamix so effective. Not so with the Nutribullet Ultra, which has an impressive 1,200-watt motor that cuts through everything we threw at it with shocking ease for a blender of this size. For reference, our favorite Vitamix, the 5200, has a not-actually-that-much-more-powerful 1,380-watt motor, and a standard Nutribullet model has a wattage of 600.
At 1,200 watts, the Ultra is tied for the most powerful personal blender we’ve ever used, and the benefits of that superior wattage shone through in our testing. The Ultra was able to turn a pile of fibrous kale (with stems!), frozen fruit, and almond milk into a creamy smoothie with ease, and it produced beautifully emulsified, supremely smooth pesto in 30 seconds flat—something no other personal blender we tested could do.
That top-notch blending performance is also partially due to the design of the titanium-coated stainless-steel blade, which has six prongs, as opposed to the four I’ve seen in most comparable models.
Power: 1,200 watts
Capacity: 24 or 32 oz.
Warranty: 1-year limited (5-year limited for blade)
Included: 32-oz. cup, 24-oz. cup, 24-oz. handled cup, 2 to-go lids
THE BEST BUDGET SMALL BLENDER – Ninja Blast Portable Blender
This blender is affordable and blissfully quiet. (Well, as far as blenders go!) It’s cordless, rechargeable, and fits in most car cupholders, too.
Best Overall Portable Blender – The Original Magic Bullet
When it comes to a balance of functionality and size, the The Original Magic Bullet is a strong contender. While not the smallest blender on the market, it’s compact enough for kitchen countertops of all sizes. The unit comes with multiple cups and lids, offering versatility for your needs at home and on the go. The Original Magic Bullet impressed us with its blending speed, whipping up smoothies and shakes in a breeze. Furthermore, the cups proved to be impressively durable, exhibiting no signs of damage or leakage after our extensive testing period.
Despite its many benefits, the Original Magic Bullet still has some limitations. While it is compact for a kitchen appliance, it might not be the first choice for travel due to its slightly larger size relative to the competition. Also, while it performs well with softer ingredients and liquids, it may require a bit more time and effort to fully pulverize harder ingredients. But these are minor issues for those who value quick, versatile blending at home. Overall, the Original Magic Bullet is a reliable option that delivers a commendable performance at a very reasonable price point. If ultra portability is what you’re after, check out the Hotsch Personal. It’s the most compact blender we tested and very inexpensive, making it an attractive option for those looking for their next portable blender.
SPECIFICATIONS
| Cup Size | 8 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz |
|---|---|
| Power Source | Plug-In |
| Charge time | N/A |
| Motor Power | 250 watts |
| Size | 4.01 x 4.48 x 11.61 in |
Best Overall Immersion Hand Blender – Braun Multiquick
When it comes to hand blenders, it’d be hard to top the Braun Multiquick. This nifty little kitchen appliance is one of the most comfortable models we’ve reviewed, and the buttons are easy to use. When it comes time to grind, whip, and blend, the Braun offers the utmost performance, further enhanced when you engage the turbo boost. During our smoothie-making party, this device did a great job, didn’t create much suction, and pulverized everything very quickly. We also found that the attachments for this model were especially easy to change.
However, speaking of attachments, the Braun only includes two. If you’re looking for a model with a chopping cup attachment or a milk frother, this is not the one. The only other flaw we found is that the textured handle is so grippy that it tends to hold onto little towel fuzzies and dust. Despite these minor drawbacks, we still think this appliance is the best choice for those looking for a simple ergonomic blender that does a tremendous job and is easy to use. If you want extra attachments, see the Amazon Basics Multi-Speed Immersion or Bella Multi-Use 10-Speed, which both include chopper cups.