We independently evaluate all of our recommendations. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. The Best Blenders for Delicious and Filling Smoothies, Tested and Reviewed Here are the models that produced the smoothest results. By Ariane Resnick Ariane Resnick Title: Contributing Writer Location: Los Angeles, California Education: B.A in Creative Writing, UC Santa Cruz Expertise: Nutrition, wellness, whole-food ingredients, ingredient trends, health-food trends - Certified nutritionist by the National Healing Institute Experience Ariane Resnick is a special diet chef, certified nutritionist and lifestyle writer with over 25 years of culinary and literary experience. She is the author of five books, including the first official healthy Disney cookbook and a wellness manual based on her own recovery from a half decade of near-deadly chronic illness. She divides her time between writing for digital lifestyle publications and functioning as the long-term private chef and nutritionist for pop star Pink. Deemed an iconoclast of the wellness world by Well + Good and consulted by platforms from the New York Post to Livestrong on upcoming health-food trends, Ariane has been on the pulse of wellness since childhood, when her mother ran a co-op out of the family basement. She is a self-taught chef who credits growing up in a kitchen with her mother for her culinary prowess, and whose skills at multifaceted, complex dietary restrictions have satisfied A-list clientele across the United States and Europe. Ariane is an advocate for inclusivity and accessibility in the health-food and wellness spaces, speaking publicly about these causes at conventions such as the Women in Wellness Leadership Conference, W.E.L.L. Summit and Bulletproof Conference. Her work has been featured in several media outlets, including CBS' The Doctors, Hallmark's Home & Family, NBC News, ABC News and many more. She has trained numerous celebrity private chefs, professional chefs and home cooks on accommodating special diets without additional cost or effort, and has volunteered considerable time leading both nutrition and writing workshops for underserved youth. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Updated on April 23, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Brierley Horton, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Brierley Horton, M.S., RD Brierley is a dietitian nutritionist, enthusiastic home cook and product tester, and co-host and co-creator of the Happy Eating Podcast, a podcast that breaks down the connection between food and mental wellness. Brierley has been a contributor to EatingWell since 2008 and previously served as the Food & Nutrition Director for Cooking Light magazine. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines In This Article View All In This Article Top Picks Reviews The Bottom Line Choosing a Blender for Smoothies Our Smoothie Blender Tests We Also Considered Common Questions Our Trusted Expertise Credit: See More EatingWell A breakfast smoothie is one of the easiest ways to start your day whenever you want to stock up on fresh produce but don't have time to chop and cook. Smoothies are a more filling option than grabbing a juice because they include fiber, and the options for healthy ingredients are endless. "An 8- to 12-ounce smoothie with fruits and vegetables can fit in virtually anyone's eating plan—and can go a long way toward upping the vegetable and fruits in the diet," says Wendy Bazilian, Dr.P.H., RDN, doctor of public health, dietitian nutritionist and owner of Bazilian's Health. As a special diet private chef and nutrition enthusiast myself, I rely on smoothies to pack in the nutrients I need in the most delicious way possible. When choosing a blender for making smoothies, you'll want to factor in speed, cost, ease of use and cleanup time. We tested dozens of models, from personal to full-sized. Read on to see which fared best, from our choice for a grab-and-go machine to the best investment piece. Editor's Note: A previous version of this round-up included a recommendation for the BlendJet2, which was recalled in December 2023 due to safety concerns. If you own a BlendJet2, stop using it immediately and contact the company for a free replacement. Top Picks Best Overall: Blendtec Total Blender Classic 75-oz. at Amazon $380 Jump to Review Best Value: Ninja Professional 1000-Watt Blender at Amazon $110 Jump to Review Best High-End: Vitamix A2500 Smart Blender at Amazon $600 Jump to Review Best Personal: Ninja Nutri-Blender Plus Compact Personal Blender at Amazon $80 Jump to Review Also Great, Personal: Nutribullet Pro 900 Personal Blender at Amazon $125 Jump to Review Best Portable: Ninja Blast Portable Blender at Amazon $70 Jump to Review Best Overall Blendtec Total Blender Classic 75-oz. Credit: Amazon $380 at Amazon View on Walmart What we like: It's even more powerful than a Vitamix, and it blends faster, too. What to know: It's about as loud as a blender could possibly be. Blendtec refers to itself as "the last blender you will ever own," and while that might sound haughty, this writer has personally found it to be true. A past owner of Vitamixes (and a devotee to the brand), I had no interest in a Blendtec when one was gifted to me. Having now owned a Total Classic for four years, I can say with confidence I'll never buy a different brand. As for its design brilliance, the blades are dull and powered by a motor that operates at a stunningly fast RPM to pulverize even the toughest ingredients in mere seconds. There is a smoothie setting if you'd like to let the machine run itself, or you can use the manual up and down buttons. This blender will make a creamy smoothie in about half the time of a Vitamix, and you can't hurt yourself cleaning it. Power: 1,560 watts | Capacity: 75 ounces | Dimensions: 7"D x 8"W x 15.5"H Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Best Value Ninja Professional 1000-Watt Blender Credit: Amazon $110 $100 at Amazon $110 at Target View on Walmart What we like: It's a less expensive option for a large blender and has higher-than-average power. What to know: Far from quiet, it also requires a generous helping of liquid for solids to blend. Straightforward and simple to use, this Ninja can power through copious amounts of frozen fruit—provided you add a solid amount of liquid to the container along with them. We appreciate how well it purees ingredients and how easy it is to clean. With three speeds and a pulse option, this blender offers higher power than conventional blenders but at an entry-level price. It's also great for frozen drinks and crushed ice, both of which it can create quickly. We did find this blender to be significantly noisy, though, so you may not want to use it while anyone in the house is sleeping. Power: 1,000 watts | Capacity: 72 ounces | Dimensions: 9.48"D x 7.51"W x 17"H Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Best High-End Vitamix A2500 Smart Blender Credit: Amazon $600 $560 at Amazon View on Walmart View on Vitamix.com What we like: The wide-mouthed container makes it counter-friendly, and the warranty is a full 10 years. What to know: It lacks the program settings of other Vitamix models. Considered the gold standard of high-powered blenders by chefs and health foodies, the Vitamix brand is synonymous with quality. The A2500 model triumphs over some other Vitamixes because its container is shorter and squatter than models that don't easily fit on counters. We love how minimal cleanup is, requiring you only to hand-wash the container and lid, as well as the built-in timer for recipes that require precision. This blender is powerful enough that you won't have to worry when your fruits or vegetables have frozen together into clusters. However, you'll want to make sure you don't blend your smoothie for longer than necessary, as its powerful motor will gradually heat whatever is in the pitcher. Power: 1,440 watts | Capacity: 64 ounces | Dimensions: 11"D x 8"W x 17"H Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell / Nick Simpson Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Best Personal Ninja Nutri-Blender Plus Compact Personal Blender Credit: Amazon $80 at Amazon View on Walmart $80 at Wayfair Blending for one? We think this Ninja Nutri Blender Plus makes a great choice for those who prefer their smoothies in smaller servings. Its compact, space-saving design makes it ideal for apartment dwellers or folks who don't have a ton of countertop space to work with. Despite its diminutive size, we found that this sturdy little blender packs enough power to pulverize produce—both fresh and frozen—with ease. To use this blender, simply place your ingredients into the blender cup (making sure to include plenty of liquid), then twist on the blade attachment. Turn the cup upside down, set it atop the blender base and press down on the cup to blend your smoothie to perfection. The Ninja Nutri Blender comes with three 20-ounce blender cups, plus three twist-on spout lids so you can take your smoothie with you to enjoy on the go. Power: 900 watts | Capacity: 20 ounces | Dimensions: 4.7"D x 4.7"W x 13.8"H Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Also Great, Personal Nutribullet Pro 900 Personal Blender Credit: Amazon $125 at Amazon $85 at Target $91 at Wayfair What we like: It's high-powered for its size, easy to use and quick to clean. What to know: It's not 100% leakproof. More powerful than both the Magic Bullet and the original NutriBullet, the NutriBullet Pro 900 offers strong smoothie blending power in a convenient package. In our tests, there were no chunky bits left behind in smoothies, and we found it moderately quiet to use. It comes in a dozen vibrant colors, making it an attractive addition to any countertop. With this blender's design, you blend your smoothie directly in the cup; sippable, tight-sealing lids are included so you can be out the door moments after blending. There are no speed options for this machine—to turn it on, you simply push and twist it into place. Our smoothies were fully blended within 60 seconds. Power: 900 watts | Capacity: 24 ounces | Dimensions: 7.72"D x 12.01"W x 15.94"H Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Best Portable Ninja Blast Portable Blender Credit: Amazon $70 $60 at Amazon $70 at Target $70 at Wayfair Another solid offering from the Ninja brand, this Ninja Blast Portable Blender also lets you take your smoothies on the go—blender and all. This sleek little blender features a two-button control panel consisting of a "start/stop" button and a "power" button, making it a breeze to operate. Its cordless design is powered by a rechargeable 7.4-volt base, which charges in as little as two hours, and the whole blender is small enough to fit inside the cup holder in a car. When we tested the Ninja Blast, we found that it can produce a decent smoothie in 30 seconds. However, if you let it blend for a full minute, you'll get a much smoother, almost Vitamix-level result. One small drawback, however, is that the bottom of the blender cup screws directly onto the base, so you'll either have to drink your smoothie straight from the blender or transfer your smoothie into a separate container before enjoying it. Power: 7.4 volts (rechargeable) | Capacity: 18 ounces | Dimensions: 3.54"D x 3.54"W x 10.71"H Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell Credit: EatingWell The Bottom Line: The Best Blender for Smoothies I love my Blendtec Total Classic (view at Amazon) so much, I'll never own anything else. It's extremely powerful and fast, no matter what smoothie I make, and it's incredibly easy to use and clean. For a more compact option, the Ninja Nutri Blender Plus (view at Amazon) has strong wattage power for a personal blender and is stronger than other similar blenders. Choosing a Blender for Smoothies Take Note of the Design Intuitive design is the goal for any home appliance. "I think the design for functionality is most important," Bazilian tells us. "If it's hard to get the lid off, or hard to clean or scrape down the edges with a spatula, then that's not a great design to me." Additionally, if you know that features such as a to-go blender cup will make you more likely to use the machine, opt for that style. More Wattage, More Power Blenders can range in power from 500 watts to over 1,500, and the higher the wattage, the better it will be at grinding tough produce. "Power and a good motor help crush ice or frozen fruits better and puree or blend things like seeds and nuts," says Bazilian. "They may also be able to handle some raw or lightly blanched vegetables or just yield a smoother end result." To be sure your smoothies will be, well, smooth, opt for a minimum wattage of 700 to 800; those were the models that performed the best in our tests. EatingWell Our Smoothie Blender Tests From full-sized to personal-sized, we have tested and rated dozens of blenders on design, convenience (in use and cleaning) and, most importantly, power and performance (in other words, the ability to fully blend ingredients without bits left behind). Blenders for smoothies are expected to handle frozen fruit as well as greens with no chunks remaining. For personal blenders, tight-fitting lids are vital; we also assessed the seal of travel containers by knocking them over while full. We also looked at design elements and found that blade placement is vital for proper ingredient flow. EatingWell We Also Considered Tribest PB-350 Personal Blender ($90 at Amazon): Ideal for travel, this blender can make small smoothies yielding just over a cup. We like that it's light and easy to use, but it took considerable time to blend thoroughly. Oster Blend Active Portable Blender ($29 at Amazon): We like the small size and budget-friendly price point of this portable blender, and at just 50 watts, this was the lowest wattage blender we tested. While it did manage to make a smoothie, we noticed some unblended bits leftover, which knocked it down a peg for us. Magic Bullet Blender ($50 at Amazon): The Magic Bullet is a lower-cost option than the NutriBullet, boasting a similar design and mode of operation. While we liked the included parts, such as the to-go lids and the travel-friendly mug, we ultimately found the Magic Bullet to be less powerful than the Nutribullet, and our smoothie results weren't as great. (Pro tip: See how these two brands stack up against each other in our NutriBullet vs Magic Bullet showdown.) BlendJet 2: Although we liked this super-compact portable blender, which is powered by a rechargeable battery and topped with a carrier handle (and even recommended it in an earlier version of this article), it has since been recalled due to safety risks. If you own a BlendJet 2, Consumer Reports says to "immediately stop using [it] and contact BlendJet for a free replacement of the base unit." Common Questions Are fruit smoothies good for you? Yes! Fruit smoothies are good for you because they're a quick way to add vitamins and antioxidants to your day. Thanks to their main ingredient—fresh or frozen fruit—they're naturally sweet and don't often require additional sweeteners or added sugar to taste delicious. Bazilian suggests spices such as ginger or cinnamon, leafy greens and fresh herbs for even more flavor and nutrition. What are the best ingredients to put in a smoothie? To create both Bazilian's and my ideal version of a smoothie, you'll want a mixture of fresh or frozen fruit, leafy greens, some healthy fat such as nut butter, a hearty scoop of protein powder (if desired) and unsweetened milk. If you're unsure how to begin creating a smoothie you'll enjoy, start simple with ingredients you know you already love. Then, once comfortable, add one ingredient at a time. Our Trusted Expertise Ariane Resnick is a nutrition enthusiast, special diet private chef and bestselling author of five health-oriented books. For this article, she interpreted the results of many tested blenders, utilized her own experience and expertise in the kitchen and consulted with Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, RDN, doctor of public health, registered dietitian and owner of Bazilian's Health. This article was updated by Kayleigh Drake, a former full-time baker and current EatingWell editor and contributor to publications such as Food & Wine, The Spruce Eats and Simply Recipes, and it was reviewed by Brierley Horton, M.S., RD, senior editor, who has 15 years of experience reporting, writing, and editing nutrition and health content. Explore more: Healthy Lifestyle Kitchen Essentials Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit