The best blenders look different to each of us. I like a powerful, soup-making blender, but some of our other experts prefer portable blenders for taking to the gym, or bullet blenders for simple tasks. I've taken over fifty different models for a spin and now, the results re
Before we get into the nine best blenders that I've tested, I'd like to explain the three key categories that blenders generally fall into. First, you have your classic countertop blender. These are traditional, jug models. When you think of a family blender, you're picturing one of these. Generally, these are powerful, but very simple. You can get accessories and extras that make them more versatile. The Tefal Perfectmix can steam, make soup, and stew, for example.
Next up, you have your bullet blenders. Whilst most brands have launched these models, the most famous one is, of course, a Nutribullet. These are perfect for drinks and smoothies. If you're a small home and you don't need a blender that's also arguably one of the best food processors on the market too, you can save a lot of space and money by opting for a slimmer model.
Lastly, you have portable blenders. These are every gym bunny and busy commuter's dream, but they're also really handy for more relaxed cooking. They're cordless, making use of rechargable batteries, so you won't quite get the power of a bullet or classic jug blender, but you will get convenience.
I've covered all of these different types and more, looking for blenders that'll suit every kitchen and cooking task. Here are models that specialise for each and every person, but don't compromise on anything.
Our top 9 picks
Best overall
This kind of quality from Magimix is bound to last you for years, and the minimalistic design suits any worktop. Our tester found it blended everything like a dream and there's a choice of a 1.2 or 2 litre model. The drawbacks? It doesn't do hot mixes, the price tag is higher than other models on the list, and it wasn't the fastest.out there for making smoothies.
Most versatile
This ten-program blender is a true workhorse, with the ability to blitz up a hot soup just as easily as a smoothie thanks to a hidden heating element. It's speedy too, though we were disappointed that not all the parts of it are dishwasher safe. Overall though, the large capacity makes it family-friendly and it's a star buy for the price, and the control panel has it all in terms of presets too.
Best for soup
This efficient blender wastes no time in getting any job done, and is bound to impress in your kitchen. It features a jug and a single-serve cup, which provides great versatility if you like to have a smoothie on your way to work as well as blitz up soups and purees. It is a little annoying that you're limited to the programs instead of being able to set a timer, however.
Best luxury
This blender is so luxe that is uses noise-suppressing tech to make your kitchen a more enjoyable place to be. It's ultra-powerful, which means it can blitz through absolutely anything with ease. The LCD screen goes the extra mile too in terms of performance, and this blender crushed anything we put in its wake.
Most powerful
This is a pricey choice, but the quality and versatility of it is second to none. The motor is commercial-grade, and though it's bulky, you'll find its adaptability is a gamechanger for cooking. It aced every test we threw at it, from batches of frozen cocktails to soups. For a do-it-all blender, this is the quality choice on the market.
Best for small kitchens
This bullet blender doubles up as a single-serve blender as well as compact food processor, saving you space on two appliances in one, mini appliance. It's inexpensive and that's reflected in the plastic build, but I wouldn't be without it in my kitchen.
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Best budget
I can't believe how cheap this blender is, especially when you account for just how powerful and capable this is. It mists ice in seconds, warms up soup in minutes, and can make an incredibly smooth drink. You'll need to buy some ear defenders (this is noisy), but it's an excellent investment.
Best for a family
Nutribullet's famously affordable blenders make a brilliant option if you're a family, or even a gym bunny. You get all the benefits of a jug blender with the addition of their signature, portable bullet cup too. The blending cup converts into a bottle and comes with a lid and handle to save you washing up when you're in a hurry.
Most stylish
This is the appliance to put on your dream wedding registry, with the iconic Kitchenaid design matching with incredible functionality. It was a top performer in our tests and has a whole hosts of speeds to make cooking and hosting so much easier. The glass jug can be heavy, but can always be swapped out for an additional plastic choice.
The best blenders on the market, for soups, smoothies, sauces, shakes, and more
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This is the Smeg 50s Blender: it's one of the most stylish models on the market
I've worked through all the big name brands in the blender industry, from Sage and Smeg to Vitamix and Nutribullet. Alongside a team of experts, we've used these in the test kitchen (creating recipes for the magazine) as well as our own home kitchens. These nine are the ones we'd actually recommend:
Best blender overall
After testing over 50 different blenders, the team and I decided that this is the sweet spot for balancing quality, performance, versatility, capacity, and price. So, even though it's not the cheapest model on the market, it's well-made, quiet, and a wonderful blender.
With a 1.8-litre, sturdy blending jug, the Magimix can tackle some seriously tough tasks. It's easy to navigate through the different pre-sets (which range through smoothie, soup, dessert, ice, and clean), but if you want some manual controls there are three buttons for pulsing and different functions. It's just worth noting that the soup function doesn't actually heat: it can handle hot ingredients, but won't actively warm your food.
When I used this to make smoothie, soup, hummus, and crushed ice, it really stood out for a few reasons. It's quieter than almost all the other models; incorporates powders into batters and smoothies really well; and delivers silky results.
The Magimix Blender Power 4 doesn't come with any accessories as standard, although accessories such as a smoothie cup, mill attachment, and citrus press are available to buy separately.
Most versatile blender
It's important that your blender can do more than make a sensational smoothie (which this can). With eight different hot and cold pre-sets, the Tefal can make hot soup from whole, raw vegetables; steam vegetables; work with batters; make protein shakes; nut butters; and, once that's all over it'll clean itself too. That kind of versatility warrants a hefty price tag, but the Tefal remains to be one of the most affordable blenders out there.
I used this for a few months (and very reluctantly took it off the counter) and found the soup function to be incredibly effective. In just half an hour, my peeled onion and chopped carrot became a hot, steaming bowl of soup. You can leave this to run and work by itself, just listen for the beep
I also rigorously tested the smoothie program over the few months and found that the Tefal has enough power to make a velvety drink, even with ice cubes, seeds, protein powders, and fibrous vegetables thrown in.
Cleaning this blender is a little harder than others as the base of the jug can not be submerged in water, and the majority of parts are not dishwasher safe. However, it does have a cleaning setting. And for deep cleaning, the jug can be disassembled and the blades can be removed and cleaned with the cleaning brush that comes included.
This blender is sturdy and well-made. But this also means it’s rather chunky and heavy, so if you’re not planning on using the heating capability we would suggest a more compact model.
You can find out more in my full review of the Tefal Perfectmix Blender.
Best blender for soup
Everybody wants a soup-making blender these days and, whilst the Tefal Perfectmix is great, it's pipped to the post of top spot by the Ninja. This boasts some incredible hot and cold settings, spanning from sautés, sauces, jams, and soups through to ice creams and frozen cocktails.
The menu will helpfully count you down through the 20 minutes that it takes to make a silky, piping-hot soup. I've worked through a whole host of different recipes, from carrot and coriander; pea and mint; tomato and basil; as well as a chunky country vegetable recipe. This can deliver second-to-none smoothness or you can opt for some more texture. It's like using a hand blender, but with better results and less maintenance.
What makes this a firm contender as a kitchen essential is its independence. It chopped onions using the chop setting, sautéd them effortlessly, and made the perfect smoothie. The only downside is that this cannot be submerged underwater, making cleaning more of a faff. Luckily, Ninja has integrated a self-cleaning function that makes use of the Ninja's power, heating element, and thoroughness.
You can find out more in my full review of the Ninja Foodi Hot + Cold Blender.
Best luxury blender
Sage is known for offering a range of the very best coffee machines on the market, and they have a stellar blender in their collection too. One of the priciest in our guide, the ultra-powerful two-litre 2400W Super Q justifies its cost by blitzing quickly and using noise-suppression technology. It's far from whisper-quiet, but the sounds it makes are less obtrusive than many other blenders with a larger motor.
The LCD display is a notable feature, allowing you to easily see what speed you’ve selected, set a timer or keep an eye on how long a program will be running for. The Super Q performed well on all my blending tasks, producing fibre-free smoothies, efficiently crushing ice, and blending soup that was heated to hot—if not quite as hot as in the Vitamix below.
I'd take note of the toppy price tag for a few reasons (not just because it'll make a sizeable dent in your wallet. It looks like a commercial kind of number and that's reflected in how this is made: it's tall, heavy, and the 2L blending jug can make enough soup, smoothies, and hummus for a big family. 12 speed settings and 5 programmes is certainly more than enough for the average kitchen, but I came to rely on the power for milling flax seeds and making homemade nut butters.
It is worth noting that this blender really is better suited for large families. On the occasions where I made a single serving of smoothie or soup, the blades weren't quite in the right place to give the same impressive results that the Sage is capable of doing on a bigger scale. Don't get me wrong, the performance was still of a high calibre, but I think there are better, cheaper options for single-servings. For serious home cooks and smoothie enthusiasts though, this is second to none.
You can find out more in mine and Rachel's Sage the Super Q blender review.
Most powerful blender
If blenders are something that you're willing to splurge on, the Vitamix A2500i will repay you in dividends with its impressive 1400W motor. I threw huge ice cubes, leafy greens, and all sorts of tricky tasks at the Vitamix and it whizzed them into insignificance. There really is nothing that this blender can't do.
Naturally, with a big motor, it weighs a lot (nearly 7kgs). It'll also demand 25cm of depth on your counter, which sounds like a lot,