Best Blenders for Smoothies, According to Chefs and Smoothie Fanatics

Though the best blenders are super-versatile tools that can be used to purée roasted vegetable into soups or chop ingredients into salsa, most people use their blender for one task: making smoothies. And if that’s the case, you don’t necessarily need the newest or most powerful blender on the market. You need the best blender for smoothies, one that can crush ice into a drinkable slush, cut through frozen fruits, and pulverize even the stringiest produce into a smooth liquid. So to find the best smoothie blender, keep reading below.


1. NutriBullet 12-Piece High-Speed Blender/Mixer System







Amazon reviewers also like the NutriBullet, in large part because it allows you to blend in the cup you’ll be drinking from. This model, which comes with a couple of different containers and lids, so you can take your smoothie to go, has a four-star rating with over  15,955 reviews on the site, and according to one hyperenthusiastic reviewer, “[i]t has tackled everything I have thrown at it, from nuts to seeds to all types of fresh and frozen fruit. Every smoothie I’ve made has turned out great! They haven’t all tasted good, but that’s my fault.”


2. Breville BBL620 Fresh & Furious Blender



However, according to a representative from Breville, the Fresh & Furious blender is the best replacement in their line for the Hemisphere Control. This blender has nine task controls, as compared to the Hemisphere Control’s seven, and it’s got two automatic smoothie settings: one for green smoothies, and another for smoothies with a little less roughage.


3. Blendtec Classic 575 Blender




But if the automatic settings do sound like something you’d want, albeit without the Vitamix price tag, then the Blendtec might be the right blender for you. “As cheesy as it sounds, the auto settings really are timed well and, of course, there is a preprogrammed cycle just for smoothies,” says Claudette Zepeda-Wilkins, chef and partner at El Jardín in San Diego. “You’ll always end up with the perfect texture.” This model also comes in a pretty wide range of bright colors, if matching your blender to your kitchen décor is something you’re into.

4. Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender

Anyone who knows anything about blenders shouldn’t be too surprised to learn that the Vitamix blender is the most popular among our experts for making smoothies. “Hands down, Vitamix is the Ferrari of blenders,” says Jessica Young, founder and CEO of Bubble. “I used to work in fine-dining kitchens before Bubble and entering the start-up world; this blender is industry standard and used across most professional kitchens. And as head of product at Daily Harvest, I used this blender every day for research and development.”

But it’s just as good in a home setting, too. “I have the Vitamix at home, and it’s what we use in our Moon Juice shops,” says Amanda Chantal Bacon, founder of Moon Juice, the California-based company known for its adaptogenic powders and health-conscious juices. “I love using it because of its ability to whip air into ice cream or tonics, or even coconut milk — it gives the fluffiest mouthfeel that no other blender can replicate.” Gaby Dalkin, cookbook author and blogger at What’s Gaby Cooking, specifically likes the Professional Series 750 blender. “It has a smoothie setting, so you can throw all your ingredients in, turn it on, and walk away.”

5. Ninja Professional Blender

I’ve written about this Ninja blender as an affordable alternative to the much-loved Vitamix, and after buying one for her own kitchen in February, Strategist editor Alexis Swerdloff wrote about how wonderful it’s been, especially for making smoothies. “I love it; this thing is powerful, it’s super easy to use and to clean, and I’ve been very much enjoying my banana, blueberry, peach, coconut, and soy milk morning smoothies!” Its container holds 72 ounces, making it the biggest of all of the blenders on this list, as well as the least expensive full-size option.