I absolutely love smoothies — they’re quick and easy to make, loaded with healthy ingredients, and my daughters can’t get enough of them! Whether I’m whipping up a Carrot Banana Protein Smoothie for an on-the-go breakfast or an afternoon snack of Green Smoothie Bowls for my family, I couldn’t do it without one of the best blenders for smoothies.
So I decided to round up some of the best options from brands like Ninja, Nutribullet, and Vitamix so you can do the same! From the best blender for smoothie bowls to the best cheap blender on the market, I’ve compiled a list of my top recommendations.
And, of course, I’ve got recipe ideas covered — one of my favorite things about making smoothies is the flexibility of flavor combos! If I’m craving something classic, I’ll go for a Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie, or if I need my daily dose of greens, I’ll whip up a Green Apple Lemon Cucumber Ginger Smoothie. The possibilities are basically endless!
Ahead, check out the best blenders for smoothies.
Our Top Picks:
- What’s in My Kitchen: Vitamix Ascent A3500 – $678.81 at Amazon
- Best for Smoothie Bowls: Ninja SS101 Foodi Smoothie Maker – $90.48 at Amazon
- Also Great: KitchenAid K400 Blender – $299.87 at Amazon
- Best Budget: NutriBullet Blender Combo – $105.95 at Amazon
- Best Blender Food Processor Combo: Ninja Compact Kitchen System – $129 at Walmart
Reviews of The Best Blender for Smoothies
1. What’s in My Kitchen: Vitamix Ascent A3500
This Vitamix blender is my absolute favorite for making smoothies! It’s super powerful, which means it can easily handle frozen fruits and veggies, crunchy nuts, and ice cubes. The touchscreen is easy to use, plus the whole blender has a sleek design that looks great in my kitchen. It’s a bit pricey, but is totally worth it, in my option, because it’s super durable and will last you forever.
I love that this blender comes with a tamper that can be used to push down ingredients as you blend, which is super useful when it comes to making smoothies. It has five versatile program settings (smoothies, hot soups, dips & spreads, frozen desserts, and self-cleaning), and since one of them is for smoothies, this blender was basically made for the job!
The Specs:
- Dimensions: 8″D x 11″W x 17″H
- Weight: 15 pounds
- Capacity: 48 ounces
The Pros:
- Powerful
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- Durable
The Cons:
- Expensive
- Noisy when blending on high settings
What Others are Saying:
This smoothie blender has a 4.7-star rating on Amazon out of more than 3,400 reviews. The Vitamix Ascent A3500 was also named one of the best blenders for smoothies by Food & Wine.
Buy the Vitamix Ascent A3500:
2. Best for Smoothie Bowls: Ninja SS101 Foodi Smoothie Maker
One of my favorite ways to enjoy a smoothie is by making a creamy, nutrition-packed bowl, and I use this Ninja blender to crush through frozen ingredients in my Protein PB & J Smoothie Bowl! It comes with a cup specifically designed for making smoothie bowls, along with a built-in tamper, which is so helpful for making sure the texture is super smooth. Although it comes with three vessels total, the smoothie bowl cup is 14-ounces, meaning it’s the perfect size for a single serving. The other options (two 24-ounce nutrient extraction cups) come with screw-on lids that are great for making quick smoothies to take on the go.
The Specs:
- Dimensions: 6.69″D x 6.69″W x 10.79″H
- Weight: 6.48 pounds
- Capacity: Smoothie bowl cup – 14 ounces, nutrient extraction cup – 24 ounces
The Pros:
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- Suctions to counter to prevent movement while blending
- Comes with three cups
The Cons:
- Bulky to store because there are many pieces
- Noisy
What Others are Saying:
This smoothie blender has a 4.7-star rating on Amazon out of more than 11,200 reviews. It was also named one of the best blenders for smoothies by Good Housekeeping.
Buy the Ninja SS101 Foodi Smoothie Maker:
3. Also Great: KitchenAid K400 Blender
This KitchenAid blender is a slightly more affordable alternative to my favorite full-sized blender — plus, it comes in so many fun colors like silver, light blue, and black matte! It crushes ice, blitzes frozen fruit, and blends extra-creamy smoothies with ease. The blender’s presets are easy to use, including the smoothie setting, which makes a delicious smoothie every single time. The 56-ounce capacity is just an added bonus!
The Specs:
- Dimensions: 7.59″D x 9.02″W x 15.8″H
- Weight: 12 pounds
- Capacity: 56 ounces
The Pros:
- Powerful
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- Comes in fun colors
- Large capacity
The Cons:
- Small start button
- Not great for personal smoothies
What Others are Saying:
This smoothie blender has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon out of more than 1,400 reviews. Additionally, it was named one of the best blenders for smoothies by Good Housekeeping and Food & Wine.
Buy the KitchenAid K400 Blender:
4. Best Budget: NutriBullet Blender Combo
If you’re looking for a reliable and budget-friendly blender to make your smoothies, this NutriBullet blender is the perfect option. It’s easy to use, and it might be one of the most versatile blenders on this list because it comes with three different cups — a 64-ounce pitcher for making multiple servings, a 32-ounce personal cup, and a 24-ounce personal cup.
It features a heavy-duty 1200-watt motor base, while the pitchers and cups are all dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. Just be aware that it weighs in at 10 pounds total, so it’s definitely on the heavier side.
The Specs:
- Dimensions: 9.5″D x 16″W x 16.7″H
- Weight: 10.3 pounds
- Capacity: 64-ounce pitcher, 32-ounce cup, 24-ounce cup
The Pros:
- Affordable
- Easy to clean
- Easy to use
- Comes with personal cups
The Cons:
- Personal cups can be messy when removing from base
- Heavy
What Others are Saying:
This smoothie blender has a 4.7-star rating on Amazon out of more than 14,300 reviews. The NutriBullet Blender Combo was named one of the best blenders for smoothies by Good Housekeeping and Food & Wine.
Buy the NutriBullet Blender Combo:
5. Best Blender Food Processor Combo: Ninja Compact Kitchen System
In addition to a blender, a food processor is another one of my must-have kitchen tools. I love that this Ninja model combines them into a single appliance, saving on some cherished kitchen space. It makes delicious, perfectly blended smoothies, and it even comes with a large 64-ounce pitcher for making multiple servings at once. (You also get a 5-cup processor bowl and an 18-ounce cup!) The food processor setting is great for making things like pesto, hummus, and salad dressing, while the smoothie capability is perfect for my Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie.
The Specs:
- Dimensions: 7.5″D x 8.25″W x 17.25″H
- Weight: 11.06 pounds
- Capacity: 64-ounce pitcher, 5-cup processor bowl, 18-ounce cup
The Pros:
- Easy to use
- Easy to clean
- Combines two appliances in one
- Comes with a 5-cup bowl and an 18-ounce cup with a lid
The Cons:
- Multiple parts to store
- Noisy
What Others are Saying:
This smoothie blender has a 4.8-star rating on Amazon out of more than 6,400 reviews. Food & Wine also named it as one of the best blenders for smoothies.
Buy the Ninja Compact Kitchen System:
Other Blenders for Smoothies to Consider
Beast Blender
I love the look of this personal blender! It’s powerful and blends smoothly, whether you’re making a protein-packed smoothie or one that’s full of greens. However, this small but mighty blender is easy to use and looks great, but the blender cup doesn’t fit in all cup holders, so it’s not my favorite personal blender on this list. It also doesn’t have the best ratings we’ve seen. The Beast Blender is available at Amazon for $174.82.
Cuisinart BFP-703BC Smart Power Duet Blender/Food Processor
This combo blender-food processor is relatively compact, which makes it great for smaller kitchens. It’s not as powerful as other blenders on this list, but it still makes a great smoothie and can tackle the same tasks as any other blender or food processor. It’s fine for the price, but I still prefer my pick from Ninja. The Cuisinart BFP-703BC Smart Power Duet Blender/Food Processor is available at Amazon for $86.
Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro Compact Personal Blender
This personal blender is ideal for smoothies because the cup is the perfect single-serve size. It’s affordable, easy to use, and easy to clean, but if you often make smoothies or bowls for more than one person, it’ll be a pain to wash all the parts out before whipping up another one. It’s also pretty pricey for a 24-ounce capacity. The Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro Compact Personal Blender is available at Amazon for $89.99.
Why You Can Trust Me
Hi! I’m Gina, the author and recipe developer behind Skinnytaste. For over a decade, I’ve been creating recipes to feed my family in fun and healthy ways. Smoothies are one of my favorite ways to make sure everyone in my house gets their daily dose of fruit and veggies — and I couldn’t make them without having a reliable blender in my kitchen!
In order to assemble this list of the best blenders for smoothies, I started with the ones I own and love to use. Next, I researched popular options from trusted brands like Nutribullet, Ninja, KitchenAid, and others to see which blenders I thought would be the best for smoothies. The main features I looked for were power, ease of use, and ease of cleaning.
Everything to Know Before Buying a Blender for Smoothies
What to Consider Before Buying a Blender for Smoothies
The two biggest things to consider before buying a blender for smoothies are power and capacity.
- Power: The more powerful the blender is, the more easily it’ll blend whatever frozen fruit, veggies, nuts, ice, and other ingredients you add to your smoothie. You’ll want to look for a blender with a minimum of 500 watts, but the best blenders for smoothies have upwards of 1200 watts.
- Capacity: Blenders can be divided into two categories — full-sized blenders and personal blenders. If you typically make smoothies and smoothie bowls for just yourself, a personal blender is a great choice for you. If you make smoothies and smoothie bowls for multiple people at one time, then you’ll want to look for a full-sized blender with a pitcher that can make multiple servings at the same time.
- Ease of Use: Most of the blenders on my list have a variety of presets. For many of them, all you have to do is press a button, and they’ll automatically blend up your ingredients! However, some require you to manually choose the setting. Keep these features in mind when you’re shopping for a blender.
Can You Use an Immersion Blender for Smoothies?
Absolutely, especially if your immersion blender comes with a mixing cup! Immersion blenders are great for making smoothies in a pinch or if you don’t have space in your kitchen for a full-size blender.
That said, immersion blenders aren’t as powerful as full-size blenders and personal blenders, so they won’t make smoothies as easily or quickly as the big ones. Immersion blenders also can have problems with suction when blending, which can lead to poorly blended smoothies.
How Do You Use a Blender for Smoothies?
Using a blender for smoothies is so easy! All you need to do is add your ingredients to the cup or pitcher, then place the top on and blend. If your blender comes with a tamper and some of your ingredients get stuck while blending, you can remove the lid and push the ingredients around with the tamper to help things along.
Another option to help things blend more easily if your ingredients are on the chunky side is to add your favorite fruit or vegetable juice a little at a time!
How Do You Make a Smoothie Without a Blender?
If you don’t have a blender, then an immersion blender is the next best kitchen appliance for making a smoothie!
Can You Use a Food Processor as a Blender?
You can use a food processor in place of a blender in a pinch, but it won’t blend ingredients as smoothly. Food processors are meant for chopping and blitzing things to a rough consistency, not for blending ingredients into a smooth consistency, so you won’t get the same creamy results. Food processors may also leak if the contents are too liquidy, so be careful!
The Best Smoothie Recipes
Now that you’re familiar with the best blenders for smoothies, it’s time to start blending! Here are a few of my favorite smoothie and smoothie bowl recipes:
- Carrot Banana Protein Smoothie
- Green Smoothie Bowl
- Peanut Butter and Jelly Smoothie
- Green Apple Lemon Cucumber Ginger Smoothie
- Superfood PB Banana and Cacao Green Smoothie
- Cucumber, Parsley, Pineapple and Lemon Smoothie
- Oatmeal Berry Smoothie Bowl
Prices were accurate at time of publication.
