The Best Personal Blenders of 2023│Tested by Serious Eats

In lots of households (together with mine) the day begins with the sound of a blender working. Somebody is making their colourful breakfast smoothie earlier than dashing out the door to work, or chugging their drink shortly earlier than departing. 

Fortunately, on the subject of mixing up a smoothie for one, the times of painstakingly attaching blades, rubber gaskets, and numerous ins and outs to a full-sized blender are over. As a substitute of breaking out the large blender, now you should utilize a smaller, less complicated private blender. 

To be able to discover the most effective private blender choices (we excluded transportable blenders from the lineup) we dove into testing a number of the web’s favourite and most highly-rated machines. We carried out exams to look at every blender’s energy, usability, and sturdiness and the way straightforward they have been to scrub. Of the 9 we examined, two shortly distanced themselves from the pack.

The Winners, at a Look

This private blender was not solely aesthetically pleasing, it was additionally straightforward to make use of, blended silky easy smoothies, and was easy to scrub. 

This blender’s energy, pace, and whopping 32-ounce capability impressed us instantly. This can be a nice possibility for these in a rush because it blends smoothies in a mere 20 seconds.

The Checks

• Mix Kale and Mango Smoothies Take a look at: We blended a mixture of uncooked kale, frozen mango, orange juice, and contemporary banana in every blender to see how they dealt with fibrous and frozen components.
• Ease of Use and Cleansing Checks: Whereas testing, we thought of how straightforward the blender was to arrange and use, the way it carried out throughout mixing, what the ultimate smoothie’s consistency was, and if the blender was sophisticated to scrub.
• Mix Ice and Water Take a look at: To check the sturdiness of a number of the machines (besides people who explicitly warned towards crushing ice), we mixed water and ice cubes and tried to make use of every blender to create a slush combination.
• Mix Milkshakes Take a look at (Winners-Solely): We examined our high picks by mixing a hardy combination of ice cream, ice, and milk. Throughout testing, we paid shut consideration to ease of use, the consistency of the milkshake, and whether or not cleansing was a problem.

What’s a Private Blender?

Private blenders are sometimes designed for one to 2 servings and embody streamlined settings and directions. Their management panels are sometimes made up of 1 to 3 buttons or knobs, relatively than a fleet of choices. The blender often consists of a mixing cup, an extractor blade that attaches on to the cup, and a motor base. Since there isn’t any lid, components are all added forward of time—as soon as the blender is working, there is not alternative so as to add the rest mid-blend. A handful of private blenders have automated, timed settings for smoothies, whereas others depend on the consumer’s discretion.

What We Discovered

Automated Mixing Settings Did Not Essentially Make Mixing Simpler

There’s one thing to be stated for comfort, particularly when making ready meals. Once we began testing, we have been curious to see if the non-public blenders with automated mixing settings stood out towards the manually managed ones. Would we be capable to activate the machine and let it run with out paying an excessive amount of consideration? Would the completed product (smoothie, milkshake, and so on) be flawlessly blended? The reply was somewhat extra sophisticated.

Out of the total lineup, three of the non-public blenders had computerized settings: the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro Compact Personal Blender, ZWILLING Enfinigy Personal Blender, and Nutribullet RX. Sometimes, every automated mixing setting ran for a set period of time, and throughout the cycle, the machine would cease and begin at sure junctures (we expect this was as a way to permit for components to settle again down close to the blade). Of the three with this characteristic, solely the Zwilling stood out. The Zwilling’s automated mixing setting lasted for 40 seconds and resulted in a creamy, well-mixed ultimate product. We additionally appreciated that it had an easy-to-use interface with easy choices (on/off, pulse, and smoothie), if we didn’t wish to go the automated route. 

Alternatively, the Ninja’s automated setting lasted longer, clocking in at 50 seconds. The setting had allotted cease and begin occasions, throughout which the components have been in a position to settle and shift so they may catch on the blade throughout the subsequent rotation. Nonetheless, it was very, very loud (like our mother and father at punk live shows, we spent your entire cycle reflecting on the deserves of earplugs.) And, when the cycle ended, there was nonetheless a bit of unblended kale within the combine. The Nutribullet RX was additionally very loud and had the lengthiest setting of the bunch (together with when utilizing the guide settings). Although after one minute of mixing, the ultimate smoothie was creamy and easy. Nonetheless, we didn’t suppose the end result was spectacular sufficient to warrant sacrificing each our listening to and our time.

Mixing Cup Measurement Mattered 

Throughout testing, we poured out a good quantity of smoothies, slush, and milkshakes. It shortly turned obvious that Goldilocks would have had an opinion: some mixing cups have been too small, some have been too huge, and a few have been excellent. Whereas we have been happy total with the efficiency of the NutriBullet NB9-1301 K Pro, we did discover the bigger diameter of the opening led to gentle spillage. When tilting the cup to pour, the entire liquids—and any icy bits—rushed ahead on the identical time. Alternatively, the scale of the cup (which had a 32-ounce capability) was nice for including components since bigger objects, comparable to leafy kale or misshapen frozen fruits, didn’t should be squished down or added individually as a way to match. These similarities have been shared between the Nutribullet RX (which measured the biggest with a 4.5-inch diameter opening), Nutribullet Personal Blender, Nutribullet NB9-1301 Ok Professional, and the BELLA Rocket Extract PRO Power Blender.

Smaller mixing cups, notably the Ninja Fit with its 3-inch huge opening, have been slim sufficient that pouring was mess-free. Nonetheless, the Ninja Match’s slim mouth made including components difficult. We needed to push the kale leaves down into the cup relatively than merely dropping them in. We discovered the best cups measured someplace in-between: the Zwilling Enfinigy Private Blender cup measured three-and-a-half inches and was neither too huge nor too slim, however excellent.

Solely Some Private Blenders Had been Capable of Crush Ice

This may increasingly come as no shock, however private blenders didn’t pack the identical punch as traditional blenders. For instance, 4 of the non-public blenders had directions that warned towards ice crushing, so we may solely take a look at 5 blenders towards the ice and water slushie take a look at. For all 5 of the machines we examined, we discovered virtually all of them struggled with crushing the ice evenly. 

The Cuisinart CPB-300 350 Watt BPA-Free Blender, Ninja Match, and the ZWILLING Enfinigy Private Blender all required a number of stops and begins throughout mixing. This was as a result of the blades stopped catching the ice and water, so we needed to shift the components for them to catch the ice once more. The ultimate outcomes consisted of slush with a number of bigger chips of ice.

The actual standout was the Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro Compact Personal Blender, which turned the ice and water into a stunning slush. And this machine had a specific benefit on this take a look at: it had a particular “crush” setting that included an computerized timed program. Nonetheless, the blender was extraordinarily loud whereas working, particularly when the blades weren’t catching any ice; this was often as a result of the slush shot up the perimeters of the cup and all that was left was a skinny layer of water on the underside.

The Much less Counter Area Used, the Higher

Counter area might be valuable. As we examined every blender, we discovered ourselves transferring them from desk to counter, to the desk once more. Not solely have been the biggest machines, such because the Ninja BN401 Nutri Professional Compact Private Blender and the Nutribullet RX, fairly heavy (the bases have been 4 kilos, seven ounces, and 6 kilos, 5 ounces, respectively), however in addition they took up a whole lot of area. We discovered the numerous weight and dimension have been a hindrance to our restricted counter area, and these features additionally made storing and transferring inconvenient.

Cleansing Was Simple—As Lengthy As We Did So Instantly

One in every of our least favourite elements about utilizing a standard blender is cleansing (we couldn’t rely the variety of occasions we virtually misplaced a rubber gasket down the InSinkErator). However we found most of the private blenders weren’t as excessive upkeep. For one, every blender solely had three elements: the motor base, the mixing cup, and the extractor blade (which additionally served because the lid). That meant solely two elements—and perhaps a journey lid, if used—wanted to be cleaned. 

Much more conveniently, private blenders have been straightforward to suit into the dishwasher when disassembled. Each private blender we examined included high rack dishwasher-safe mixing cups and lids. Alternatively, whether or not or not extractor blades have been dishwasher-safe relied on the blender itself (although, on the whole, we don’t suggest washing blades in a dishwasher since it might boring them sooner). 

When hand-washing with cleaning soap and water, we discovered the plastic mixing cups have been straightforward to grip and fewer prone to shatter if dropped (in contrast to a number of the glass mixing vessels we’ve encountered when utilizing conventional blenders by means of the years). Washing was painless so long as we made certain to rinse the mixing vessels and extractor blades instantly after mixing. In any other case, robust crud caught within the grooves. Blenders just like the Cuisinart and the Nutribullet RX had directions for cleansing robust messes: merely add soapy, room-temperature water to the cup and mix, rinse, after which dry.

The Standards: What to Search for in a Private Blender

A great private blender needs to be straightforward to make use of, clear, and retailer. Ideally, it has a capability ranging between 20 to 32 ounces, is highly effective (and quick), and has a mixing cup that pours easily.

What we appreciated: The Zwilling impressed us instantly. It was straightforward to make use of because the management knob had three settings: on/off, pulse, and smoothie. We loved that the settings included each a guide pulse possibility, in addition to an routinely timed smoothie setting. This meant the consumer may select their very own journey, relatively than being caught with solely an computerized setting. Cleansing the Zwilling was particularly straightforward too: usually, different machines had cross blades that have been inset, that means the extractor blade was set contained in the lid, with grooved sides rising up on all sides. This made cleansing different private blenders somewhat annoying as dried liquids and meals may get caught in these nooks. The Zwilling’s cross blade, alternatively, was set on the topmost a part of the lid and any nooks and crannies have been set alongside the surface for simple entry when cleansing. The machine was additionally smooth, easy, and aesthetically pleasing. Whereas it had a medium-sized motor base—measuring 5.75 inches huge—the square-shaped private blender didn’t take up an excessive amount of area on the counter. We have been more than happy with how the Zwilling dealt with mixing smoothies and milkshakes. The smoothie was even, creamy, and utterly blended throughout the 40-second automated “smoothie” setting. 

What we didn’t like: At first, we assumed that the grooved plastic on the outside of the mixing cup would make it straightforward to grip. Nonetheless, this explicit mixing cup was truly tougher to open: the grooves on the bottom have been too small for our fingers to truly match inside comfortably whereas twisting, so we have been left at a loss as to the place to grip. The machine additionally did wrestle a bit with the milkshake, resulting in some chunks of ice within the completed product.  

Value at time of publish: $85.

Key Specs

• Weight: 5 lbs
• Dimensions: 5.25 x 5.75 x 14.5 inches
• Twine size: 36 inches
• Capability: 20 ounces
• Supplies: BPA-free plastic, chrome steel
• Wattage: 500 watts
• Voltage: 120 volts
• Equipment: One to-go jar and one to-go lid
• Care directions: The blender cup and ingesting cup lid might be cleaned both within the dishwasher or by hand with dish cleaning soap; the blender lid might be run beneath working water and cleaned with a moist, lint-free material; the bottom might be cleaned with a moist, lint-free material.  

What we appreciated: For these in search of effectivity and ease of use, and who may wish to make a number of servings, the Nutribullet NB9-1301 Ok Professional is an efficient choose. It utterly shredded the kale and mango smoothie in a shocking 20 seconds, and we appreciated the spacious mixing cup, which was a whopping 32 ounces, the biggest we examined. It was straightforward to load, so we did not have to squish or push down components aggressively as a way to be sure that they match contained in the cup. The blender’s extractor blade lid was straightforward to grip when twisting and untwisting.

What we didn’t like: Alas, this Nutribullet was one of many machines with an specific warning towards ice crushing. Other than that, our essential criticism was the mixing cup was very huge. Whereas the width of it made loading very straightforward, we needed to be cautious when pouring so we did not lean the cup too far ahead, which led to the liquid crowding the mouth of the cup and spillage.

Value at time of publish: $110.

Key Specs

• Weight: 9.68 lbs
• Dimensions: 7.72 x 12.01 x 15.94 inches
• Twine size: 30 inches
• Capability: 32 ounces
• Supplies: Plastic, chrome steel
• Wattage: 900 watts
• Voltage: 110 volts
• Equipment: Two mixing cups, one extractor blade, one cup ring with out deal with, two cup rings with deal with, two lids
• Care directions: It was beneficial that the rubber gasket not be eliminated whereas cleansing; all elements (apart from the motor base and extractor blade) are top-rack dishwasher-safe; the mixing cups, lids, and extractor blade might be hand washed with heat soapy water; the motor base might be wiped down with a moist, soapy sponge or dishcloth

The Competitors

• BELLA 15 Piece Rocket Extract PRO Power Blender Set: Whereas we actually appreciated this inexpensive blender (it blended kale and mango smoothies impressively, mixing all of the components collectively virtually instantly throughout mixing relatively than merely ready on the layered components to shift downward and hit the blade), it is at present out-of-stock on a number of retailers.
• Ninja BN401 Nutri Pro Compact Personal Blender: Whereas we appreciated the a number of buttons and features, comparable to “crush,” “smoothie,” and “pulse,” the Ninja was just too massive, too loud, too heavy-duty, and too gradual (the automated smoothie setting took 50 seconds).
• Ninja Fit: This machine was tremendous straightforward to make use of, retailer, and clear. However we did not get pleasure from how a lot strain we needed to exert by pushing the mixing cup down your entire time the machine was working (we favor to construct our muscle tissue within the fitness center as a substitute, thanks).
• Cuisinart CPB-300 350 Watt BPA-Free Blender: The slender, tall motor base was nice for these with restricted counter area. Nonetheless, the extractor blade was difficult to take away after use, and there have been nonetheless chunks of kale and ice following the smoothie and slushie exams. 
• Nutribullet Personal Blender: Whereas we appreciated many issues about this blender, it merely didn’t have the facility or pace to compete with related fashions.
• Nutribullet RX: The sheer dimension of the machine was intimidating: it measured 15.16 inches in depth and 15.16 inches in width (which is bigger than some conventional blenders). It was unnecessarily massive for anybody in search of a easy pony of a blender versus a workhorse.
• Magic Bullet Blender: This blender was so cute! However cuteness didn’t matter once we realized it was fairly noisy. It additionally took a whopping one minute and 15 seconds of mixing–manually–once we blended mango and kale smoothies. 
• The BEAST Blender: Sadly, our take a look at mannequin for the BEAST broke earlier than testing, so we have been unable to see how the machine carried out towards different private blenders. We’re going to pursue long-term testing with a brand new mannequin and can add our findings to this overview at a later date. You may learn our previous one-off review of this blender here.

FAQs

What are you able to make in a private blender?

Private blenders have been nice for making small, single-serving parts of smoothies and milkshakes. Out of the machines we examined, none have been constructed to mix dry components. In actual fact, most of the instruction manuals spelled out particular liquid-to-solid ingredient ratios. Most machines weren’t highly effective sufficient to deal with ice-heavy components, both.

What number of servings does a private blender make?

Every of the non-public blenders we examined had the capability to carry one to 2 servings. The general capability of every mixing cup ranged from 16 to 32 ounces, however every machine had a distinct max line for components.

What’s one of the best ways to scrub a private blender?

Whereas perusing numerous instruction manuals throughout testing, we discovered the preferred advice was to hand-wash mixing cups, lids, and extractor blends in heat soapy water. Many of those elements have been additionally dishwasher-safe. As for the motor bases, submersion in water was to be averted (as with something with a plug!). As a substitute, wipe down the motor exterior with both a moist material earlier than drying. For robust messes, some blenders could possibly be cleaned by including soapy water to the mixing cup after which mixing. Nonetheless, we do suggest checking every particular person machine’s instruction guide for the most effective directions.

What’s the finest (and quietest) private blender?

It’s laborious to explain any of the non-public blenders we examined as quiet. A lot of what we blended was fibrous or frozen, so there was a good quantity of grinding noises. However we do suppose the Zwilling Enfinigy Private Blender was the most effective total private blender, and far quieter than a lot of its rivals.