Best blender 2025 – chef-approved for smoothies, soups, and frozen cocktails

As a trained chef and busy editor, I’m all about getting my nutrition in with easy green smoothies and nutrient-rich soups. I'm also pretty partial to a frozen margarita or frappuccino in the summer. So you can imagine, it's literally my dream job to be in charge of testing and reviewing the best blenders at Homes & Gardens.

With the help of my team of product testers, we’ve taken top brands like Ninja, NutriBullet, Vitamix, and Zwilling to the test kitchen. Our goal? To identify the best blender for every task (including the best quiet blender which we had to start a whole new buying guide for).

We didn’t stop at the easy stuff like berry smoothies (though we definitely made a few!). We pushed these machines to their limits, blending fibrous kale, crushing ice, blending hot soups, and fresh dips and even grinding homemade nut butter.

We also assessed if they were quiet, easy to use and clean, and attractive enough to keep on your countertop – or compact enough to tuck away if space is at a premium.

After extensive testing, I’ve crowned the Vitamix A3500 as my top pick this year – it’s powerful, versatile, and famous among the professionals. I've organized the rest into a list of the best blenders for all recipes, kitchen sizes, and budgets.

The Quick List

If you haven't got time for all the details, these are the best blenders on the market. We go into the nitty gritty reviews of each model further down.

• Back to the top ⤴

The best blenders 2025

Best blender winner 2025

Image 1 of 3

The Vitamix's reputation precedes it. The A3500 Ascent Series is the brand's star appliance, which can make everything from silky smoothies and protein shakes to incredible ice cones, soups, and more.

We have tested it twice and neither of our experts couldn't find a trace of fruit skins, seeds, or stems in our smoothie tests. Plus, when we used it to cook – I repeat cook – tomato soups and sauces, we found they were piping hot and super smooth within ten minutes.

We put the Vitamix through our tests on dips, nut butters and ice cones and it whizzed everything up effortlessly. We were left speechless. The Vitamix really can do it all. To prove it, they give you an excellent recipe book and a quick start guide, so that you can get to work instantly.

The only faults were it's a bit noisy and it can't go in the dishwasher (you have to use the self-clean mode). We took our time deliberating over whether this was worth the $700 price tag. That's a lot of money for a blender. Our conclusion was this: if blending quality is your only concern, you can't do better than the A3500 Series. We first reviewed it back in 2022 and re-tested again in January 2025 – in all those years, it remains unbeaten.

Our full Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender review has more details

Best value blender

Image 1 of 6

Within a morning of using the Braun, it safely secured a spot in this competitive buying guide. Our expert tester, Laura, says: 'I’ve tested blenders that are ten times the price and I can put my hand on my heart and say that this is the blender that puts smooth in smoothie. It was the silkiest that I’ve ever made. It was better than any smoothie bar, store-bought, or super techy blender’s results. There was not a grain or seed in sight. It was incredible.'

However, you need to know one thing: it's loud. And we mean, really loud. However, given that it’s as good as a Vitamix and incredible value, I’d be tempted to snatch up the saving and invest in some earguards.

The Braun TriForce also boasts Vitamix-level capacity, so it’s perfect for large homes looking to batch-blend big servings of smoothies and soups. The sheer convenience and versatility of the Braun TriForce is ideal for busy people. It can make hot soup in five minutes, a silky smoothie in two minutes, and ice cones in thirty seconds.

Seriously, the only catch is the noise that you’ll have to endure whilst this is working. If you live in an apartment, have a baby nearby, or have some particularly fussy neighbors, it might be worth shopping for something else in this buying guide.

Our tester, Laura, has written a full Braun Triforce review with more details.

Best blender for quick smoothies

Image 1 of 5

Bullet blenders are ideal for if you want quick, single servings of smoothies. The narrow shape makes them much better at more liquid-based tasks, so if you’re looking for a blender to make ice cones and dips in huge quantities, you'll want a more traditional blending jug.

That said, the Nutribullet Ultra is by far the most powerful bullet blender we've tested and it really excels on tough recipes. In the kitchen, we blended frozen berry breakfast smoothies and protein shakes, packed with chunky seeds and oats – they were smooth and creamy in 30 seconds. The Nutribullet Ultra even managed to crush ice (although not super finely) and effortlessly whiz up chickpeas into a velvety hummus.

We loved the touchscreen and the sleek design, too. Plus, the Nutribullet Ultra cup and blades are dishwasher safe, so clean-up is simple.

The only problem we noted was the noise. The Ultra measured up to 90 dBa in the kitchen, which is a full 15 dBa more than the predecessor in the Nutribullet range – the NutriBullet Pro 900. As our expert tester, Laura, says: 'If you want to save money and you don’t need immense amounts of power, the 900 is better, If you want power and speed, the Ultra is the best option.'

Laura's full NutriBullet Ultra Blender review has more details.

Best blender for frozen cocktails

The Breville Super Q has a pretty huge capacity; 68oz means you can make vast quantities of drinks. It's great for making smoothies for the whole family for breakfast or preparing vegetables for a whole course of soup.

The big capacity is married with a 1800W motor, making this one of the most powerful blenders we've ever tested. On test, we found that it can power through tough ingredients like kale and frozen fruit with ease. It particularly stood out for its performance when crushing ice, misting several ice cubes into a fine white powder which is great for slushies and frozen margaritas.

Even better, this blender has easy, simple settings. There are 12 manual settings if you want control, but if you want to be lazy, there are dedicated settings for green smoothies, smoothies, soup, ice, and frozen desserts. We pressed a button and felt comfortable leaving the blender to its own devices.

This sounds like the luxury blender experience because it is. However, with premium features comes a premium price tag. Like the Vitamix, it's a serious investment. However, we thought a busy family who wants a versatile blender could just about justify this.

Another drawback is the size. The family-sized capacity comes with quite a footprint. It's 18 inches tall, which means it won't fit under or sit flush with kitchen cabinets. It's fine if you have a kitchen island, but storage might be tough. I also found that the lid is pretty stiff, so if you have motor issues like arthritis you might find it hard to open.

All the details are in our Breville Super Q review.

Best blender for baby food

An immersion blender is a great choice for making small portions of smooth, creamy baby food. Plus, it's a good investment; it will last you well beyond the weaning years.

We tested the Braun MultiQuick 9 alongside a range of the best immersion blenders from Cuisinart, KitchenAid, and Smeg – and it was definitely the most powerful and easiest to use. We made the smoothest pea soup, with chunky onions, mint and pea skins disappearing into nothing.

There are variable speed settings, so you can get just the right consistency for your little one. We used the small blending cup, but you could use it in a large pan, pot, or jug when you're making a batch of baby food.

It also comes with a mashing wand, which is great for little eaters. We tried it on potatoes; it works by pushing the potatoes around and through the small holes at the top of the wand. Some stirring is required at the end, but we did enjoy the lump-free consistency of our mash. It was delicious.

We also liked the safety feature, which requires you to first press down on the top section of the handle before pressing the trigger. It's handy for the clumsy, or if you have kids running around the place.

The downsides? It’s handheld, so you do have to do some manual work. You might prefer a tiny jug blender that does everything for you, like the Nutribullet Baby, but we found that option (and others like it) much more flimsy, irritating to clean, and generally limiting. While the Braun is expensive, it's a powerful and versatile option.

Our full Braun MultiQuick 9 Immersion Blender review has more details.

Best portable blender

Image 1 of 5

The Ninja Blast has recently taken the crown from Cuisinart's Evolution X at the top of our best portable blender guide. Why? It has a bigger capacity, liquid measures on the pitcher, it's lighter, smaller, and better value. It's slim enough to sit in any water bottle holder (both in backpacks and car cup holders), available in a range of fun colors, and has a useful flip-top lid that doesn't drip, dribble or leak.

We were most excited by the ice-crushing capacity. This is the only portable blender that can make frozen margaritas or frappuccinos on the go, which sent it straight to the top of our books.

Like most portable blenders, it struggles to process seeds – the Nutribullet Flip portable blender was actually much better for that. It's also not as good as a countertop blender for making dips; it made a serviceable hummus, but not a great one. It's also fairly tall, so it's more suited to a backpack than a handbag.

Our expert, Alex, trialed the Ninja Blast in the test kitchen in 2023 and has been using it ever since. He says, 'It's remained consistent and impressive. I regularly add a scoop of protein powder and creatine to my frozen smoothie mix and the Ninja doesn't struggle to keep the mixture silky rather than lumpy. It has never leaked and it's pretty easy to clean for everyday use.' I re-tested it myself in January 2025 and agreed – it continues to earn a well-deserved place in our guide.

There's more detail in our Ninja Blast review.

The Runners Up

These didn't quite make our hot list, but we still highly rate them. It's worth considering the juicer and food processor combos if you have specific needs, or the older, more affordable Nutribullet if you're on a budget.

How we test blenders

Every blender in our best blender guide has been tested hands-on and reviewed by at least two members of the Homes & Gardens team. We have a series of standard tests that all of our blenders go through: you can read more about how we test blenders here and our review and testing guidelines provide more insight into our process.

How to choose a blender

The type of blender you buy really depends your budget, space constraints, and what you want to use it for. Hopefully, my guide has pointed you in the right direction, but if you want to search for yourself, here are the top features to look out for.

Motor: All blenders are capable of making smoothies, particularly blending softer fruits. But if you want to make frozen desserts or nut butters then need a machine with a more powerful motor. Blenders which can make a routine morning smoothie will need at least 500-600 watts. If you have 700 watts, you'll be able to chop tougher nuts and seeds. Once you hit numbers, such as 1,200 watts, you'll be able to make almost anything, especially ice cones.

Programs: If you're new to blending or want a hands-off experience, look out for a blender that has automatic programs for the kinds of drink that you want. That said, manual controls are important if you want finer control over the results, say blending a soup that still has some chunks in it. Some variability will be as simple as three buttons for low, medium, and high speed. Other blenders will have a detailed dial allowing you to select a specific speed. This is more of a luxury than a necessity.

Features: Move up the price scale and you’ll find that you get additional features. Some of the most powerful blenders, for example, can use friction to heat raw ingredients, delivering hot soup in just a few minutes. Some double up as juicers, food processors, jelly makers, ice cream makers, and more. Name a function, and there will be a blender that covers it.

If you want something that can blend directly into a pot or pan, one of the best immersion blenders we've reviewed will be more appropriate.

Beyond actual settings, there are quirky features that you'll want to look out for. Some of the latest releases have vacuum pumps that seal and preserve your smoothies, helping them to last for longer. I've tested a few models that integrate a timer to their interface, so you can see how long you've been blending for or how long your pre-set has left. It might sound trivial, but this kind of feature is indispensable once you have one.

Capacity: Look out for the total capacity of the blender. The standard size for a countertop blender is between 20 and 65 oz. If you have a big family and lots of mouths to feed, look for one that can reach up to 80 oz, but bear in mind that this will take up more space on your countertop.

Accessories: Additional extras like self-serve cups let you take a drink on the move, and grinding cups can be a handy way of dealing with herbs and spices in smaller volumes.

Blender FAQs

Can you explain the different types of blenders?

Jug blenders: Classic countertop blenders have a large pitcher jug (usually around 1.5 - 2 liters) and they sit on a motorized base. They come with multiple speed settings and the best models have automatic programs to whip up large-batch smoothies, soups, sauces, and frozen cocktails at the touch of a button. They are great for families or keen cooks who want to serve multiple people. Move up the price and power scale, and you’ll get additional features. Some of the most powerful blenders, for example, can use friction to heat raw ingredients, delivering hot soup in just a few minutes. Some double up as juicers, food processors, jelly makers, ice cream makers, and more.

If you want to blend dry ingredients to make creamy dips, like hummus for example, or bring together pastry dough, you'll be better off looking at one of the best food processors or a blender-food processor combo.

Bullet blenders: These are compact, single-serve blenders with a tall blending cup that often doubles as a to-go cup. They don't tend to have fancy, preset programs –rather simple twist and pulse functions. They are very easy to use and designed primarily for smoothies, protein shakes, and other quick recipes, like pancake batter. However, more powerful models can handle ice, dressings and dips, too. They really suit individuals or couples – or anyone with a small kitchen / limited counter space.

Portable blenders: Self-explanatory, really. These are cordless blenders that you can charge up and take out and about. They aren't the most powerful, but we've tested some excellent models that can blitz dips and even crushed ice – just check out our guide to the best portable blenders. If you're a fitness enthusiast, student on the go, busy professional, or a frequent traveler, a portable blender is a must-have.

Immersion/hand blender: You'll recognize these as stick-like blenders that you hold and plunge directly into pots, bowls, or containers. Chefs often use them for soups, sauces, and small batches of pureés. They’re also fantastic if you want to make homemade baby food, as well as people who prioritize quiet operation. They tend to tuck away nicely in drawers, too.

How much should I spend on a blender?

Budget really comes down to how much you’ll use the blender. If you’re only an occasional user, then a budget model ($100 to $150) makes sense. At this price, you’ll get decent controls but you may find that your results aren’t quite as smooth.

If you use a blender every day, then you need to move up the scale. Spend over $200 and you’re likely to get more accessories and programs.

If you want the best results then you’re looking at spending $400 or more. At this price, you’ll get the fastest motors, more control, and, often, a wider range of automatic programs to make your job easier.

For those who just want a personal-sized blender, one of the best portable blenders we have reviewed will suit you better.

Are glass pitchers better than plastic?

Most blenders come with a hardened plastic pitcher, but you’ll find the odd model that has a glass one. Glass is harder wearing and won’t scratch as easily as plastic. This can make a difference if you regularly crush ice, as the sharp edges can scratch cheaper plastics. Plastic can also get tainted by ingredients staining.

The downside of glass is that it’s much heavier and if you drop it, you’re likely to end up cracking or breaking the pitcher.

Modern plastics are much better, particularly on high-end machines, so you shouldn’t notice scratching. And, plastic is lighter and less likely to break if you drop it.