6 Best Blenders for Making Smoothies, Lab-Tested and Reviewed
These top-rated blenders do a solid job of crushing ice and delivering smooth drinks
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Making your own smoothies is an easy way to front-load your day with fruits and vegetables. But if your blender isn’t up to the task, you might be left with chunks of frozen strawberries or stringy kale leaves in your teeth. That’s why we set out to find the best full-sized blenders for making smoothies. (Smoothies aside, here are our picks for the best blenders overall.)
In CR’s lab, we put blenders through a battery of tests, including two that evaluate the ability to make the smoothest smoothies. In our icy-drinks tests, we make batches of nonalcoholic piña coladas and use sieves of various mesh sizes to evaluate smoothness and thickness. “If a blender rates excellent in this test, you can expect a smooth, consistent texture, especially when blending strawberries, bananas, and other soft ingredients,” says Elias Arias, CR’s chief blender tester. A very good rating means there are tiny bits in the mix.
If you plan to blend apples, carrots, and other hard foods, or add greens to your smoothies, check the results of our puréeing test. “An excellent rating there indicates the blender serves up smooth smoothies and soups, with no stringy greens,” Arias says.
The Overall Score for each model in our blender ratings combines results from these and other lab tests with data from our latest surveys of CR members about their experiences using more than 30,000 full-sized blenders. Our survey results show that Vitamix is the most reliable brand and has the highest owner satisfaction ratings.
Below are six full-sized blenders (listed in alphabetical order) that serve up terrific smoothies. They all ace both our icy-drinks and puréeing tests. The jars on all of these models are plastic. Because plastic can absorb stains and odors, it’s best to clean them right after use. All of these blenders are moderately loud.
You can also see our guide to the best blenders for frozen drinks—if your appetite calls for something other than a smoothie—as well as the most reliable blender brands and our guide to the best blenders for $100 or less. CR members can delve more deeply into our complete blender ratings for all the details. Be sure to consult our blender buying guide as you shop, too.
The “Obliterator” sounds about right for the Chefman RJ27-T1-TJ. This full-sized blender can handily pulverize rock-solid frozen fruit for a smoothie. It’s also very good at crushing ice and is excellent at puréeing. It’s the smallest model in the bunch, at just 6 cups, but it also takes up less countertop space than most models on this list.
The Cuisinart Hurricane Pro CBT-2000 earns an excellent rating in our icy-drinks tests and a strong rating in our ice-crushing tests, turning out ice similar in texture to a snow cone. It holds 8 cups and is a whiz at puréeing. Cuisinart full-sized blenders receive a very good score for predicted reliability and a so-so score for owner satisfaction.
The 9-cup Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System BN801 doesn’t just make great smoothies—it’s also a top performer all-around. In addition to hitting our icy-drinks test out of the park, this blender is excellent at puréeing. It’s also budget-friendly and has a pulse function, so you can whip up creamy mayonnaise or pancake mix with ease. As a brand, Ninja full-sized blenders receive favorable scores for reliability and owner satisfaction in CR’s latest members survey.
The NutriBullet Smart Touch NBF50420 is a great option for budget shoppers looking for excellent performance. This 8-cup machine garners the highest rating in CR’s icy-drinks test and also aced our puréeing, durability, and convenience trials. It comes with a recipe book and a tamper, and features easy-to-clean touchscreen controls.
You’ll see seven full-sized Vitamix blenders in CR’s ratings. All of them are highly rated, and this one is no exception. The Vitamix Ascent X4 easily serves up fine smoothies and ice that’s the texture of snow. Though this model is pricey, it’s among the most powerful blenders made. (Its 1,500 watts is well beyond the typical 500- to 800-watt middle ground.) It holds 8 cups, is a master at puréeing, and has impressive durability, but its ice-crushing capability is just average. The brand also gets our highest rating for reliability and owner satisfaction.
The Vitamix Propel 750 is the top-rated blender we test. It has an 8-cup capacity and a generous seven-year warranty. It’s skilled at more than smoothies; the friction created by its fast-spinning blades enables it to turn out hot soups as well. It also earns excellent scores for puréeing and durability.
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