The blender market can be a tricky one to navigate. What should I be looking for? What makes a good blender? Is warranty important? We've done the tests so you don't have to. We based our winners on a various different factors based around price, power, size and design. Whether you are looking for a quick and easy morning smoothy maker or a more industrial equipped counterpart, let us take your through our top picks for the year.
Vitamix 5200
Throughout our extensive testing period spanning from 2012 to the present day, Vitamix blenders have consistently stood out as top performers. Among them, the classic Vitamix 5200 has truly impressed us with its ability to effortlessly create creamy peanut butter and smoothly puree hearty soups without any messy spills. While it may lack preset buttons, it boasts the widest range of speeds we've encountered among similarly priced blenders, surpassing even the Blendtec Designer 675.
Widely favored in professional kitchens and juice bars alike, the Vitamix 5200 has also proven itself to be exceptionally reliable and durable. With a motor that holds up admirably over time, backed by a generous seven-year warranty, Vitamix ensures prompt replacement should any issues arise.
Pros:
Exceptional Performance: Effortlessly creates creamy peanut butter and smoothly purees soups without spills, showcasing its high performance.
Wide Range of Speeds: Offers the widest range of speeds among similarly priced blenders, providing versatility in blending various ingredients.
Reliability and Durability: Known for its reliability and durability, making it a preferred choice in both professional kitchens and home settings.
Motor Performance: Boasts a powerful motor that holds up well over time, ensuring consistent performance even with regular use.
Warranty Coverage: Backed by a generous seven-year warranty, providing assurance and prompt replacement in case of any issues.
Cons:
Lacks Preset Buttons: Does not include preset buttons, which some users may prefer for convenience in specific blending tasks.
Price: While offering excellent performance and durability, the Vitamix 5200 may be considered relatively expensive compared to other blenders in the market.
Vitamix E320
On the budget-friendly end of the spectrum, the Vitamix E320 shines as a high-powered contender. Sporting a 1,400-watt motor, it offers impressive speed variations while operating quietly—a rare find in its price range. Furthermore, its inclusion of a tamper for tackling thick mixtures like smoothies adds to its appeal. Overall, highly rated piece of equipment for a kitchen that doesn't need the power of its bigger brother.
Measuring in at 17½ inches tall, the Vitamix E320 is designed to fit neatly under cabinets, making it a practical choice for smaller kitchen spaces. While it may not match the power and longevity of Vitamix blenders (our Oster burned out after two and a half years of use), it still boasts commendable blending capabilities, user-friendly design, and a solid seven-year warranty—making it a sound investment for those unwilling to splurge on a premium blender.
Pros:
High-Powered Motor: Equipped with a 1,400-watt motor, providing impressive speed variations and blending power suitable for various ingredients.
Quiet Operation: Operates quietly, which is uncommon in its price range, offering a more pleasant blending experience.
Tamper Inclusion: Includes a tamper, which helps in tackling thick mixtures like smoothies, ensuring smooth and consistent blending results.
Compact Design: Designed to fit neatly under cabinets, making it suitable for smaller kitchen spaces where countertop space is limited.
User-Friendly: Boasts a user-friendly design, making it easy to operate and clean, suitable for both novice and experienced users.
Warranty Coverage: Backed by a solid seven-year warranty, providing assurance and support in case of any issues.
Cons:
Power and Longevity: While offering commendable blending capabilities, the Vitamix E320 may not match the power and longevity of higher-end Vitamix blenders, potentially leading to durability concerns over the long term.
Comparative Performance: While a budget-friendly option with impressive features, it may not perform as exceptionally as higher-end Vitamix models in terms of blending performance and durability.
KitchenAid K150 3 Speed Ice Crushing Blender
If you're in the market for a blender that's budget-friendly yet capable of handling occasional sauce or smoothie-making sessions, the KitchenAid K150 3 Speed Ice Crushing Blender might just be the perfect fit for your needs.
Featuring a 48-ounce jar and a low-profile design, the K150 stands out as the smallest blender in our recommended lineup. While its compact size makes it ideal for smaller kitchens or limited countertop space, it's worth noting that it may produce slightly coarser textures compared to some of the pricier models we've tested. Additionally, its motor isn't as powerful, which means it's more susceptible to burnout if pushed beyond its limits.
One compromise you'll have to make for its affordability is the warranty. Unlike some of our other top picks, the KitchenAid K150 only comes with a one-year warranty. However, despite these drawbacks, the K150 still manages to hold its own as a versatile, all-purpose blender that's capable of tackling a variety of blending tasks. Plus, its compact size ensures that it can easily fit on your countertop under most kitchen cabinets, making it a convenient choice for everyday use.
Pros:
Budget-Friendly: Offers affordability while still being capable of handling occasional sauce or smoothie-making sessions, making it suitable for those on a budget.
Compact Size: Features a 48-ounce jar and a low-profile design, making it the smallest blender in the recommended lineup and ideal for smaller kitchens or limited countertop space.
Versatility: Despite its compact size and affordability, the K150 is versatile and capable of tackling a variety of blending tasks, making it suitable for everyday use.
Convenient Design: Its compact size ensures that it can easily fit on your countertop under most kitchen cabinets, adding to its convenience for everyday use.
Cons:
Texture Quality: May produce slightly coarser textures compared to some pricier models, potentially affecting the smoothness of blended ingredients.
Motor Power: The motor isn't as powerful as some other models, making it more susceptible to burnout if pushed beyond its limits, especially when dealing with tougher ingredients.
Warranty: Comes with only a one-year warranty, which is shorter than warranties offered by some other top picks, potentially limiting long-term assurance and support.
How We Tested
Performance: This includes how well the blender blends various ingredients, such as fruits, vegetables, ice, and nuts, to achieve smooth and consistent textures.
Motor Power: The wattage of the blender's motor determines its blending capabilities, with higher wattage motors generally able to handle tougher ingredients more effectively.
Speed Options: The availability of multiple speed settings allows users to customize blending according to the ingredients being used, ensuring optimal results.
Texture Quality: The blender's ability to produce smooth and even textures without chunks or grittiness is crucial for achieving desired results, especially for tasks like making smoothies or sauces.
Durability: The durability of the blender, including the quality of materials used in its construction and the reliability of its motor, affects its longevity and overall performance over time.
Noise Level: Blenders vary in terms of noise output during operation, with quieter models being more desirable, especially in home settings where noise may be a concern.
Size and Design: The size and design of the blender, including the capacity of its jar and its overall footprint, are important considerations, especially for users with limited countertop or storage space.
Ease of Use: User-friendly features such as intuitive controls, easy assembly and disassembly, and dishwasher-safe parts enhance the overall user experience.
Accessories and Features: Additional features such as preset programs, tamper tools, and special blending functions add versatility and convenience to the blender's capabilities.
Warranty: The length and terms of the warranty provided by the manufacturer offer reassurance and support in case of any issues or malfunctions with the blender.
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