10 of the best blenders

We've tested over 30 blenders in all, from the basic and budget to the ultra high-tech, blitzing a super berry smoothie with large chunks of frozen fruit, and then a homemade tomato sauce. This allowed us to not only determine the overall effectiveness of the blender's blades and motor, but also how easy it is to clean.

Overall, we were looking for models that could efficiently and effectively blitz our vegetable mix into a glossy smoothie, without any leftover lumps. We also took the blender's size, ease of use, jug, volume, design, speed and functionality into consideration.

Visit our reviews section and discover more than 600 practical buyers' guides offering unbiased advice on what equipment is worth investing in. Find everything from counter-top appliances such as the best food processors and best slow cookers, through to related products like the best smoothie makers and best mini choppers. The latest models in this guide were reviewed by Natalie Bass.

Jump to:

• Best blenders at a glance
• Best blenders to buy in 2024
• Other blenders tested and rated
• How to choose the best blender
• How we tested blenders

Best blenders at a glance

• Best blender for large quantities: Nutribullet Smart Touch, £129.99
• Best portable blender: Ninja Blast, £49.99
• Best blender for keeping on the countertop: KitchenAid K400 blender, £279
• Best blowout blender: Sage The Super Q blender, £599.95
• Best-looking blender: Smeg BLC02WHMUK high-performance blender, £499.95
• Best blender with grinder attachment: Lakeland tabletop blender with grinder, £59.99
• Best budget blender: Tefal Perfectmix blender, £119.99
• Best basic blender: Russell Hobbs Desire jug blender, £49.53
• Best multifunctional blender: Vitamix Ascent A3500i blender, £674.10
• Best blender for contemporary kitchens: Zwilling Enfinigy table blender, £149

Best blenders to buy in 2024

Nutribullet Smart Touch

Best blender for large quantities

Pros:

• Super-smooth results
• Well written manual
• Efficient
• Intuitive controls
• Versatile

Cons:

• Large size makes it difficult to store
• Some non-recyclable packaging
• Noisy

Star rating: 5/5

Wattage: 1500W

Nutribullet is a big name in the world of blenders, and this chunky yet sleek-looking model is a great pick for anyone wanting to blitz large batches of ingredients. Its tall, wide build makes it less ideal for smaller kitchens, but it's also attractive enough that we wouldn't mind it becoming a permanent fixture on the worktop.

Everything about the design feels very user-friendly. The display lights up brightly when the gadget is switched on, and all the settings are clearly labelled – with four speeds to choose from (pulse, low, medium and high), plus presets for frozen drinks, smoothies, soups and purées. The handle around the 1.85-litre jug has a comfortable, sturdy grip, and we had no issues locking everything into place.

It took just under a minute to whip up three portions of our smoothie recipe in the Smart Touch, and it did a fantastic job cutting through the berry seeds – giving us super-smooth results without any lumps. Be prepared for the fact it generates a lot of noise, but otherwise this is a top-notch piece kit that feels built to last, too.

Ninja Blast

Best portable blender

Pros:

• Easy to transport
• Cordless
• Good-looking
• Produces smooth results
• Runs quietly

Cons:

• Very short charging cable
• No plug included

Star rating: 5/5

Wattage: 14.4W

Ideal for camping, commuting or trips to the gym, this powerful cordless gadget from Ninja makes light work of blitzing and blending on the go. Included in the box is a USB-C rechargeable motor base and charging cord, a 530ml blending cup, a sip lid with a handle, a cup cover, and a blade cover. It has a smart-looking, compact build, too, and the cup and lid are both dishwasher-safe.

You'll need to charge the Ninja Blast for at least two hours before first use, but the cord was frustratingly short and didn't have a plug – you'll need your own USB plug or a multi-port hub to connect it to the mains. Once the blender is ready to go, a solid purple light emits from around the 'start/stop' button on the front. We'd also advise holding on to the manual, as it contains key information on what each colour means (a flashing orange light, for instance, means the blades are blocked).

It has an automatic run time of 30 seconds, and we were impressed by how quiet it was – even when blending iced drinks. The results were smooth and consistent across the board, with no lumps in our smoothie or homemade tomato sauce.

Detaching the blender cup was straightforward too: simply turn the whole blender upside down when the contents are fully blitzed, unscrew the motor base, and screw on the cup cover tightly before rotating it the right way up again. The sip lid is designed to be leak-proof, so you can pop it in your bag without worry.

KitchenAid K400 blender

Best blender for keeping on the countertop

Pros:

• Glass blender jug
• Self-clean setting
• Jug hand loads for left- and right-handed people

Cons:

• Heavy to manoeuvre
• Confusing pause before starting its speed settings
• Short flex cord

Star rating: 5/5

Wattage: 1200W

This 1500ml KitchenAid is one for the countertop, elegantly rounded with non-slip feet and a good deal of heft that frankly, makes it impractical to move every time, so this would be a permanent addition to your countertop. This is in part down to the weighty glass jug that lifts on and off and as a nice touch, the handle can be set on the left or right depending which works best for you.

The jug is also notched with helpful ml and oz measurements for weighing directly into the jug to save on washing-up. It's also dishwasher safe on the top shelf and didn't hold any colour or smell of tomato after blending sauce. The blades are ready-loaded and secured which is a pro from a safety perspective.

Read our full KitchenAid K400 blender review.

Sage The Super Q blender

Best blowout blender

Pros:

• High tech functions
• Superb results

Cons:

• Price

Star rating: 5/5

Wattage: 2400W

This Sage blender's USP is its extra-quiet credentials, with the company going so far as to patent the technology. Sage specialises in this kind of pioneering functionality, and The Super Q lives up to expectations.

It has all the makings of a professional-level piece of kit, but has been designed with the home user in mind: simple pre-set functions, an in-built timer, handy tools for scraping down the jug, a personal blending cup attachment and more. Most importantly, the blitzing results are excellent.

Read our full Sage The Super Q blender review.

Smeg BLC02WHMUK high-performance blender

Best-looking blender

Pros:

• Attractive design
• Robust 1.5-litre jug
• Comes with specific presets
• Bright, intuitive digital display
• Easy to use

Cons:

• Heavy
• Expensive
• Excessive non-recyclable packaging
• Limited information on recycling or spare parts

Star rating: 4.5/5

Wattage: 1400W

Smeg is now renowned for creating products with a retro aesthetic, and while this blender has some of that statement fifties look, it feels more modern than some of the brand's other appliances. The motor base is boxy but sleek, with buttons across the top and a large dial on the front, which lights up brightly and allows you to control the speed (on a scale of one to nine).

You can run the blender manually, but to guarantee the best results there are also four presets: smoothie, green smoothie, frozen dessert or ice crush, plus single-serve and family-serve (three portions) – each of which determines how many seconds the blender runs for. There are extra accessories, too, including a vacuum pump, (to preserve nutrients, colours and flavours), a tamper, spatula, and cleaning brush.

We found it very noisy in use, but it did achieve relatively smooth results when blitzing our super berry smoothie. Our tomato sauce was also free from any lumps.

Where this blender scored lowest was sustainability – there was a lot of plastic packaging, and we struggled to find any details on spare parts or recycling in the manual, though there is some vague information online.

This aside, we were happy with the performance of this model – and it's a great pick for anyone looking for a sizeable blender that slots well into a modern kitchen.

Lakeland tabletop blender with grinder

Best blender with a grinder attachment

Pros:

• Blades remove for thorough cleaning
• Aromas don’t linger in the spice grinder

Cons:

• Glass jug is heavy
• Still operates without lid in place

Star rating: 4.5/5

Wattage: 1200W

Considering its budget-friendly price, this Lakeland blender has a lot to offer. Not only do you get a sturdy stainless-steel blender with a 1.5 litre glass jug, but there’s also a large stainless-steel grinder for grinding anything from seeds to spices or coffee beans.

The blender copes well with tough ingredients like ice and fibrous vegetables, but we had to give it a few stirs when blending a very thick smoothie mixture. The grinder is fast and effective though, with a large capacity and plenty of blending speeds to choose from.

On the downside, the lights on the front don’t switch off automatically and none of the accessories can go in the dishwasher. It’s worth noting that there isn’t a safety feature to stop the blades if the lid is off. Having said that, this is a great value multipurpose blender.

Read our full Lakeland Tabletop blender review

Tefal Perfectmix blender

Best budget blender

Pros:

• Compact
• Powerful

Cons:

• Heavy

Star rating: 4.5/5

Wattage: 1200W

With a price tag below £100, the Tefal Perfectmix is one of the cheapest blenders we tested, but its powerful motor means it is incredibly fast, efficient and adept at tackling the task in hand. The blender is user-friendly thanks to several well-designed functions: an in-built cooler to avoid overheating, pre-set functions like auto-cleaning and ice crushing, plus a jug with a generous capacity.

Read our full Tefal Perfectmix blender review.

Russell Hobbs Desire jug blender

Best basic blender

Pros:

• Good price
• Effective

Cons:

• Only two speed settings

Star rating: 4.5/5

Wattage: 650W

What this sleek-looking blender lacks in multiple functions it makes up for in solid performance and ease of use. It functions as well as more expensive models on the market, so much so it blitzed our tester smoothie so thoroughly you could be forgiven for thinking the drink had been made in a juicer, rather than a blender. It is compact, sturdy, leak-proof and gets a big thumbs-up on the value for money front.

Read our full Russell Hobbs Desire blender review.

Vitamix Ascent A3500i blender

Best multifunction blender

Pros:

• 10 speeds
• High tech
• Versatile

Cons:

• Price

Star rating: 4.5/5

Wattage: 1200W

There's no denying this blender is an expensive investment, but it comes laden with so many functions that you could considerably scale down the number of appliances you have to make way for it. This model's extensive repertoire also covers drinks, sauces, dips, spreads, soups, batters, dough, baby food and desserts, all using the same blades and jug. As you'd expect from a brand often used in professional kitchens, it creates an impressively blended and well-mixed smoothie.

Read our full Vitamix Ascent review.

Zwilling Enfinigy table blender

Best blender for contemporary kitchens

Pros:

• Plenty of speed options
• Lid must be in position to switch on
• Available in two colours

Cons:

• Backlit display isn’t very clear
• Handle can only be placed to right side

Star rating: 4/5

Wattage: 1200W

The Zwilling Enfinigy table blender is up there with some of the pricier blenders on this list. But what you get for the money is a capable all-round blender that offers ample speeds as well as three blending programmes and a self-clean programme. The serrated blade blitzed through all of our test foods with ease, but if you’re looking for a blender that can handle big batches of soup, this 1.4 litre jug might be too small.

It’s a sleek and streamlined blender that matches several other appliances in the Enfinigy range. The controls are simple to use and it won’t switch on until the lid is firmly locked into position which is a great safety feature. On balance though, we were disappointed with the clarity of the backlit display and the fact the jug can’t go in the dishwasher.

Read our full Zwilling Enfinigy table blender review.

Other blenders tested and rated

• Nutribullet blender, £89
• Smeg retro blender, £179
• Magimix 1.8L Le Blender, £289.24
• Ninja 2-in-1 blender with Auto-IQ, £99
• Kenwood Blend-X Fresh Blender, £64

How to choose the best blender

What is a blender?

Stand blenders come in all different shapes and sizes with a range of specifications and price points, so it's best to evaluate the overall demands of your lifestyle and kitchen, and also the space you have available. Some of the more advanced machines tend to be bulkier and heavier, with larger jugs and stands.

What to look for in a blender

• Pulse function
• Variety of speed settings
• BPA-free plastic or glass jug
• Measurement notches on the jug
• Self-clean function
• Auto shut-off in case of overheating
• Plunger
• Pouring spout
• Individual smoothie cup with a sealed lid

What can you use a blender for?

It's worth identifying whether you need a straightforward blender, purely for the sake of blending smoothies and soups, or whether you'd like additional functions such as ice crushing, the ability to blend hot ingredients, or the power to pulse ingredients such as nuts and seeds.

Finally, if you're short on time, and looking to save on the washing-up, it may be worth looking for a device that comes with its own to-go cup which you can blend smoothies directly into – you can find these at different price points, depending on your budget.

How we tested blenders

We tested nearly 30 blenders overall, from the basic and budget to the high-tech, using the same smoothie concoction (1 beetroot, ⅓ carrot, handful kale and 500ml water) to test the blenders' ability to handle tough and fibrous ingredients.

We also tested them by making a super berry smoothie with frozen fruits to determine the overall quality and effectiveness of the blender with icy lumps and its all-important blade. Tomato sauce has the ability to stain containers, so we also assessed each blender on how easily we could clean away those red stains and lingering smells.

• Blade strength: Could the blade easily blend our smoothie mix without struggling?
• Speed of blitzing: How quickly and efficiently did the smoothie blend?
• Ease of use: Was the blender easy to set up, put together, take apart and clean? Was it straightforward?
• The jug: How heavy and durable was the jug? Was it shatter-resistant? Plastic or glass? If plastic, was it BPA-free?
• Safety: Does it come with a safety lock? How tightly does the lid fit?
• Loudness: All blenders generate noise, but were there any that were quieter or louder than others?
• Functions: How many speed settings? On top of blending, are there any other functions, such as pulse, crushing ice etc? Any pre-set functions to make things such as soups and smoothies? Auto-clean?
• Results: How well blended was the smoothie? Any lumpy bits leftover, or was it completely smooth?
• Design and aesthetic: Is it well designed or bulky? How much space does it take up on the counter? Does it justify its size? Does it pack away easily in a cupboard?
• Packaging: Is it well-packed, or does it come with excess packaging etc?

Find out more about how testing works at BBC Good Food by heading over to our how we test page.

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Blender recipes

Soup recipes
Smoothie recipes
8 new ways to use a blender
Super berry smoothie
Mango and passion fruit smoothie
Spiced carrot & lentil soup
Three-minute blender banana pancake

This guide was last updated in January 2024. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.

Do you use a blender? We’d love to hear your product suggestions – leave a comment below.