Better blending
Nothing kills the sweet simplicity of a smoothie faster than a blender that won’t cooperate. But with so many models on the market, what should you look for a blender? “One of the most important things is how well your blender can crush ice and other hard ingredients,” says Tess Masters of the popular blog, and now book, The Blender Girl. “Don’t worry about all the bells and whistles and preprogrammed settings—if a state-of-the-art blender is a pain to assemble or clean, you won’t use it, so it may be smart to pick something with a simple, intuitive design.” And as for price: “You’ll get what you pay for to an extent, but how often you plan to use your machine will really determine if you should opt for a budget blender, midrange model, or professional-grade powerhouse.” Armed with her advice, we tested, tasted, and in some cases unintentionally decorated our kitchens with liquefied greens to bring you our favorite models from $50 to $450. Give this banana almond smoothie recipe a try in your new blender:
Budget: Black + Decker FusionBlade Blender
This wallet-friendly model surprised us. It features a powerful motor for its price, along with three variable speeds, a pulse button, and a smoothie-preset option. You won’t get a perfectly smooth texture—nuts and seeds stayed a bit gritty—but it crushes ice and frozen fruit well, and without sounding like a chainsaw. Its flat buttons (no knobs or crevices for liquids to infiltrate!) can be easily wiped down. In addition to the 48-ounce glass pitcher, it comes with a personal jar attachment that’s perfect for making single-serve smoothies to take with you. Price: $60; amazon.comPower: 700 wattsWarranty: 2 years
Budget: Oster Beehive Osterizer Classic 4093
We’re a sucker for good looks, and this retro-style blender didn’t disappoint. Despite having only a two-speed toggle switch and pulse option, it powered through ice with no problem, thanks to a heavy-duty stainless steel blade. Like the Black+Decker model, however, smoothie results weren’t perfectly silky when nuts and seeds were among our ingredients. This model features a 48-ounce glass pitcher, and all parts are dishwasher safe. It’s a great option if you value aesthetics but can’t be bothered with extra bells and whistles. The downside: It’s pretty darn loud. Price: $45; amazon.comPower: 600 wattsWarranty: 1 year
MidRange: Kitchen Aid 5-Speed Diamond Blender
This beauty comes in 21 different colors to match any decor. It blends like a champ, too. The five-speed, 670-watt motor starts off slowly to draw food toward the blade and then adjusts to the desired setting. The ice-crushing mode blasts through frozen ingredients and higher settings handle nuts and seeds well. Its 60-ounce, BPA-free plastic pitcher’s narrow diamond shape boosts blending performance because blades have more contact with the food. The pitcher is one solid piece (meaning you don’t have to separate it from the blade), and the control panel features easy-to-wipe flat buttons. Price: $99; amazon.comPower: 670 wattsWarranty: 1 year
MidRange: Oster VERSA Pro Performance Blender BLSTVB-RV0-000
With a 1,400 watt motor, this blender packs far more power than most models of similar cost. Using it’s three programmed settings, you can create smoothies, dips, and soups in seconds. Or you can use the pulse button to create a drink that’s texture is exactly to your liking. Despite the BPA-free pitcher holding 64-ounces, the blender is still compact enough to be able to fit under most kitchen cabinets. Another feature we love is the tamper, which helped move difficult-to-process ingredients back down into the blade. A no-mess spout and easy-to-read measurements also made for stress-free blending. Price: $167; amazon.com Power: 1,400 watts Warranty: 7 year
Midrange: Breville Hemisphere Control Blender
This blender performs nearly as well as many top-of-the-line models, for about half the cost. With a smooth electronic control pad featuring ice crushing and smoothie settings and five variable speeds, this blender whipped up almost perfectly smooth smoothies. The one-piece, 48-ounce, BPA-free plastic pitcher has a bowl-shaped base, minimizing food traps and making it one of the easiest models to clean. It was also among the quietest we tested. Some other perks: cord storage within the base, easy-to-read measurement markings on the pitcher, and a digital timer. (Your blender isn’t just for making smoothies. Try whipping up one of these healthy blender ice cream recipes as a special treat!) Price: $200; kohls.comPower: 750 wattsWarranty: 1 year
Professional-Grade: Vitamix 5200
We know—holy expensive, right? But hear us out. This blender (along with the Blendtec on the next slide) isn’t for the occasional smoothie maker; it’s for die-hard smoothie enthusiasts who are blending every day, sometimes multiple times. With a 1,380-watt motor, the Vitamix blends practically anything with ease and produces silky-smooth concoctions that don’t leave a single gritty trace of nuts or seeds. Other features: The 64-ounce, one-piece, BPA-free plastic pitcher is tall with a narrow base, allowing you to whip up small quantities of ingredients as effectively as large ones. This model also happens to be Masters’s favorite, partly because of its variable speed dial and pulse switch, which allow for maximum control. One downside: You may have trouble storing it on your counter, as it’s too tall to fit under most kitchen cabinets. (Psst! Here’s how to tackle kitchen organization once and for all!) Price: $394; amazon.comPower: 1,380 wattsWarranty: 7 years
Professional-Grade: Blendtec Designer Series WildSide Blender
Like the Vitamix 5200, Blendtec’s WildSide delivers major power (1,560 watts to be exact) and ultrasmooth results. The size, shape, and control panel are some of the major differences between these two powerhouses—and part of the reason our testers liked this model a bit more. The WildSide is a manageable size that easily fits under kitchen cabinets, yet its one-piece, BPA-free plastic pitcher can still fit a whopping 88 ounces. Another plus: Rather than a touchpad, buttons, or dials, it has an ultramodern sensor surface that’s entirely flat and lights up only when in use. In addition to six presets and a digital timer, there’s a sliding sensor that allows you to easily adjust speed. The one downside: It has a harder time blending up small quantities due to its wide base, so be prepared to make a smoothie for two…or three or four. Price: $372; amazon.comPower: 1,560 wattsWarranty: 7 years
Better blending tips
How can you make any blender work better? Masters offers these helpful tips. Layer carefully. Here’s the order in which ingredients should be added for the most efficient blending: 1. Liquids will help blades move easily when you turn on your blender. 2. Powders (e.g., protein powders, cocoa powder) should go after liquids and before solids so they don’t fly up and stick to the lid. 3. Soft foods like bananas and cucumbers go next. 4. Hard foods, such as frozen fruits and raw veggies, follow. 5. Ice cubes go last. They help the blades pull all other ingredients down. Soak and chop. Even with high-power blenders, it’s good to soak hard ingredients like nuts, seeds, and dried fruit before blending. Chopping or grating fibrous veggies like beets, carrots, and ginger is also a good idea. These strategies reduce stress on the motor and improve smoothie texture. (Looking for some new smoothie ideas? Don’t miss these delicious vegetable smoothie recipes!) Start slow. Don’t ramp your blender up to the highest setting right away. Start on low and work your way up. This will reduce wear and tear on the motor, help blend everything better, and prevent food from spraying up onto the lid and sides. For even more tips and tricks, read up on these all too common smoothie mistakes so you can steer clear!
