6 Best Blenders of 2024 for Smoothies, Tested and Reviewed

These blenders make super-smooth smoothies, no matter what the ingredients.

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Updated on March 08, 2024

Our Top Blenders for Smoothies

Tested by Beth Lipton and Taylor Murray

Smoothie-making is all about personal preference, and that's why finding the best blender for smoothies is too. Some smoothie drinkers will prefer to make them in small batches, others like to make them for a crowd. And while some smoothies are made entirely from fresh fruit, some like to add tough greens like kale or frozen items, which require a powerful motor and extra-sharp blades. No matter how you take yours, the best blenders for smoothies will churn any combination of ingredients into a super-smooth, uniform beverage (or smoothie bowl). Here are our top picks for smoothie blenders.

Photo by: Beth Lipton

Beth Lipton

How We Tested

We've tested more than 30 different blenders across various categories including high-speed blenders, personal blenders, protein shakers and juicers. First, we evaluated their design, safety features (or lack thereof), weight, materials that make up their jars and the design of their blades. Next, we took into account any instructions in the manual for any tips like how to order smoothie ingredients.

Then we got blending. In each machine, we blended up a few different smoothies including all-fruit smoothies and one with a tough green like kale to evaluate the power of the motor and sharpness of the blades. For each smoothie, we noted consistency and how uniform the blend was. We also noted how long each smoothie took to blend and whether or not we needed to use a tamp to combine ingredients.

Finally, we cleaned each blender by hand using this method: Add some dish soap and water to your blender jar, replace on the base and turn on to a low setting until the soap begins to foam. Rinse, and your blender jar is clean. Lastly, we noted whether any parts were dishwasher safe.

What We Like
  1. Powerful
  2. Removable blades for easier cleaning
  3. Dishwasher-safe
What We Don't Like
  1. On the louder side

Ninja is known for its blenders and brings that expertise to its high-speed model. The blade structure is the most unique among all the models we tested, with three sharp blades separated by a few inches. Ninja says the stacked structure of the blades is designed to efficiently crush ice, blend and puree, and our tests bore that out. The blade piece is removable, which makes scraping out the food easier — though you’ll want to be careful handling it, as the blades are extremely sharp.

The BPA-free pitcher has a handy pour-spout, great for serving smoothies and frozen drinks. The 1,000-watt motor is powerful, though definitely on the louder side. Bonus: When you’re done blending, you can toss the container, lid and blade assembly in the dishwasher.

  1. Capacity 72 ounces
  2. Power 1,000 watts
  3. Weight 7.1 pounds
  4. Dimensions 9.48" x 7.51" x 17"
What We Like
  1. Sleek design
  2. Powerful, smooth blending
  3. Wide jar opening makes it easy to add ingredients and to clean
What We Don't Like
  1. Jar can't fit in most cup holders

With its unusual hourglass-shaped design, this blender is eye-catching right out of the box. But it isn’t just good looks that won our favor; its powerful 1,000-watt motor delivers. The Beast made quick work of smoothies with both fresh and frozen fruit, blended ice into slush with just a few pulses, and made a good batch of nut butter without breaking a sweat (and without any metallic blender smell, thanks to internal sensors that prevent overheating). If for some reason the blender won’t start, color-coded lights indicate why (e.g., amber flashing lights mean the motor is overloaded; a flashing red light means the contents are too hot to safely blend). It comes with a storage lid and a drinking lid; the latter also has a drinking cap with an adjustable carry loop. One thing to note: The thick Tritan plastic 3-cup-capacity cup is wider and squatter than most other models. The wide mouth makes adding ingredients easy, and it’s also easier to remove thick items like nut butter from this type of cup. But this shape can be harder to grip for small hands, and the cup won’t fit in most car cupholders. Also, this model is hand-wash only, though the wide shape makes getting into the cup to clean it out pretty simple.

  1. Capacity 33.8 ounces
  2. Power 1,000 watts
  3. Weight 6.7 pounds
  4. Dimensions 4.92" x 4.92" x 15.75"
What We Like
  1. Compact
  2. Powerful, smooth blending
  3. Fits in most cup holders
What We Don't Like
  1. Not great for making nut butters

For a combo of good power and versatility, plus great value, this is the one. It boasts a 900-watt motor, so it blended up smoothies with fresh and frozen fruit with ease, and crushed ice without a hitch (and all without any odor, too). It manages to do all that with a relatively small footprint; the base is only 7 inches tall and 4½ inches wide. Adding to the value part: The Ninja comes with 3 20-ounce cups, with 2 ready-to-drink lids and 1 storage lid, so everyone gets a smoothie to go. The cups are tall and narrow, so they’ll fit in a car’s cupholder. We didn’t love making nut butter in this one; the result was less evenly ground than some other models, and scraping it out of those long, narrow cups was a hassle. But since this isn’t the personal blender’s primary function, this is still a great value. The cups, lids and blade assembly are all top-rack dishwasher safe. If you are going to wash by hand, you may need a brush if you have larger hands, as getting all the way into those tall, narrow cups might be a challenge.

  1. Capacity 20 ounces
  2. Power 900 watts
  3. Weight 1.3 pounds
  4. Dimensions 4.7" x 4.7" x 13.8"
What We Like
  1. Portable and compact
  2. Lock mode to prevent blending in transport
  3. Pretty quiet
What We Don't Like
  1. No opening for sipping on cap; have to remove the entire lid to drink from the blender
  2. Small capacity limits it to smaller portions and personal blending

Talk about small but mighty. This light, small-footprint personal blender packs a lot of power. It made very quick work of a protein shake and a smoothie, both in 30 seconds thanks to a 5-volt motor and a blade that turns 275 times per second. For all of its blending ability, it’s relatively quiet. The BlendJet2 also has a handy pulse setting, useful for making guacamole or pesto. It’s lightweight, so you can toss it in your bag (and it has a lock mode, so you don’t blend by accident). You can also carry it via the strap on the twist-off cap. Charge the blender for an hour with the included USB cord, and it gets about 15 blends. The BlendJet2 is not dishwasher safe, but it cleans up quickly and easily by blending a little dish soap and water. Choose from more than 20 colors and fun patterns. There’s no opening to allow you to sip from the cap, which seems like an odd oversight, but overall, if you love your blended drinks on the go, this little powerhouse will spark joy.

  1. Capacity 16 ounces
  2. Power 150 watts
  3. Weight 1.34 pounds
  4. Dimensions 9" x 3" x 3"
What We Like
  1. Multipurpose machine that can blend and juice
  2. No assembly required
What We Don't Like
  1. Pricey

This blender/juicer combo may be on the pricier side, but it more than makes up for that in versatility and ease. The ingenious design of this appliance allows you to blend, juice (or both!) without any added or unnecessary parts. The jug that captures juice during juicing has a built-in blender base, allowing you to place it right on the same base and go straight from juicing to blending. We recommend this 'bluicer' for anyone new to the world of juicing and those not yet committed to the juicing lifestyle. Did we mention it arrives fully assembled? No complicated set-up will stand between you and a delicious glass of fresh-pressed juice.

  1. Capacity 50 ounces
  2. Power 1,000 watts
  3. Weight 19.2 pounds
  4. Dimensions 14.1" x 15.7" x 17.7"
What We Like
  1. Powerful, strong performance
  2. Dishwasher-safe
  3. 10 speed settings
  4. Can handle hot liquids
What We Don't Like
  1. Pricey

With a simple interface and 10 variable speeds, the Vitamix Explorian E310 makes super smooth smoothies, no matter what the ingredients. Plus, you can opt for a model that comes with two smoothie cups for extra ease-of-use. The 48-ounce container is smaller than some other Vitamix models, but it's still large enough for most jobs, and the squattier design means it’s likely to fit under your kitchen cabinets. The included tamper is dishwasher safe, as is the lid. In short, it has all the classic Vitamix qualities, with a more convenient design and added versatility — what’s not to love?

  1. Capacity 48 ounces
  2. Power 1,400 watts
  3. Weight 11.5 pounds
  4. Dimensions 11" x 8" x 17"

What to Consider Before Buying a Blender for Smoothies

Smoothie Setting: Many full-size blenders come with a smoothie setting on the base like our top pick, the Instant Ace Nova Blender. These settings are designed to use the right amount of speed and force to blend up a uniform drink. Don't be surprised if the setting feels extra powerful. Most full-size, high-speed blenders are designed to handle this type of blending, and there's not a whole lot of ramp-up.

Capacity: If you're simply making a smoothie for yourself every morning, a personal blender with a portable cup is an ideal option. If you find yourself blending up smoothies for your whole family, a full-size option is preferable.

FAQs

How should you make a smoothie in a blender?

The order of your ingredients for a smoothie can make all the difference in a blender, especially the personal kind. Some manuals will tell you how to order your ingredients for the perfect smoothie, but if not, we recommend adding liquid and tough greens toward the bottom and topping it off with frozen and hard ingredients.

How should you clean a blender for smoothies?

An easy, fast way to clean a blender after making smoothies is to use a couple of drops of dish soap and some water. Put the soap and water in the carafe and run the blender on high for 30 seconds to a minute. Drain the soapy water and rinse.

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