Top 10 Countertop Blenders
You can buy a blender for $20. I know: I’ve done it. Unfortunately, these slicers and dicers do not have the horsepower to cut through a carrot. All they bring is anger and disappointment, which some people are into. If you like that unique FTW feeling that you only get as one of those exasperated people in black-and-white segments of infomercials, then cheapo blenders are for you!
For the rest of us, it’s worth shelling out a little extra for something that will produce delicious and (sometimes) nutritious smoothies. Below, I will give you the tools you need to cut through the BS and choose the best blender so you have something to take with you to the grave.
The Questions We Ask Ourselves
Do you ask yourself questions on the regular? Do you get helpful, honest answers? If you answered yes to both of these questions, you will excel in this section:
Do you need a blender that matches the look of your kitchen? – Of course, if you plan on using your blender in the bathroom or bedroom instead, then you will want it to match the décor of those rooms.
What are you going to do with your blender? – Are you just going to be making the occasional shakes or soup? Do you just want to mash up some bananas, strawberries, chocolate, peanut butter, two cups of sugar, and some gummy bears for a healthy smoothie? Or, are you hoping to grind your own grains on the regular for heavy-duty baking? For the former options, you can probably get away with an appliance under $100. For regular, heavy duty work, you should consider shelling out the big bucks.
Where do you plan on keeping that thing? – You have about eighteen inches to work with between most counters and cabinets. Most of the best countertop blenders will fit in that space. However, I’m not the sharpest blender at the store, and I bought a unit that was too tall. What a boner! Don’t be like me! Do some measuring and look at the specs if you plan on having your best blender live under a cabinet.
What Can You Expect from a Blender?
Blenders have come a long way since their heyday as a disappointing wedding gift. Here are some of the features the best appliances have:
Flexibility – Choose a cheap option with just a handful of setting if you want a smoothie blender or something that performs other single tasks. On the other hand, buy the best blender you can afford when you want to perform a broad range of mixing, chopping, blending, and scaring fat kids from The Goonies jobs.
Stability – Much like a drunk bus driver, a vibrating and wobbly blender will not function well and may kill us all.
Put a Lid on It – World War II, the Devil, Jar Jar Binks, nothing is worse than a blender that can’t keep its top on. A lid should fit easily and stay on until you want to take it off. Plus, it should be safe for dishwasher cleaning.
Simple to Clean – Actually, all of the elements should be dishwasher safe. You don’t want to have to stand over your sink like a moron cleaning each of the parts and slicing off fingers trying to get those last bits of blueberry skin off the blade.
Warranties – The longer warranties that come with heavy-duty blenders are worth the added price. After all, wouldn’t it be nice to have a device you can pass on to your grandchildren when you shuffle off this mortal coil?
Now that you have a little idea of what to look for in a blender, here are my top 10 best countertop blenders reviews:
1. Vitamix Professional Series 750 Brushed Stainless Finish with 64-Oz. Container
Vitamix
Features:
- 2 horsepower motor and wide blade radius
- Low-profile container that fits under most cabinets
- Cleans itself in under a minute with warm water and a drop of dish soap
The best blender on our list is also the most expensive, but you generally get what you pay for when you buy the best countertop blenders. Fortunately, you do not have to make a living as a professional blender to use the Vitamix Professional Series 750. Users love the 750 Vitamix blender because the lid stays put, even when you pack the blender full of crap and drive off. There is a variable speed motor with five presets for smoothies, pulse mode, and modes for sauces, frozen desserts, soups, and double-dog dares.
Buy the Vitamix Professional Series 750 on Amazon
2. Vitamix CIA Professional Series Blender, Brushed Stainless
Vitamix
Features:
- Spill-proof vented lid
- 64-ounce BPA-free container
- Full Vitamix ten-year warranty
The Vitamix CIA Professional Series Blender is the blender the government doesn’t want you to know about. The CIA has trained 37,000 operatives with this blender. I’m assuming they’re used for enhanced interrogation. Users love how quickly you can make healthy smoothies, soups, dressings, etc. It is even able to pulverize seeds and other hard bits. Did I mention that this Vitamix blender is endorsed by the Culinary Institute of America?
Buy the Vitamix CIA Professional Series Blender on Amazon
3. Vitamix 5200 Blender, Black
Vitamix
Features:
- The blades go so fast they create friction heat, which means it can make cold ingredients hot
- The dial allows you to achieve precise blends
- Great for nuts, coffee, ice cream, dough, purees, and hummus
Oh look, it’s another Vitamix blender. Darn right! Vitamix has proven that they are a top-level brand. If you call their customer service, you can expect to get a real live person who will listen to the purr of your Vitamix blender to diagnose it and figure out what needs to be replaced. Seriously. They do that. Even if you buy a certified refurbished/reconditioned model, you can be certain you are getting top quality (they even come with a five-year warranty when refurbished).
Buy the Vitamix 5200 on Amazon
4. Ninja Mega Kitchen System (Blender, Processor, Nutri Ninja Cups) BL770
Ninja
Features:
- 72-ounce “Total Crushing Pitcher”
- Comes with two sixteen-ounce Nutri Ninja cups with to-go lids and eight-cup food processor bowl
- Get inspired with the 30-recipe guide
The other big name in countertop blender reviews is Ninja. They have five appliances on this list and one that lives in my kitchen. The BL770 is designed to replace your food processor while also being ideal for lower-duty, personal smoothie blender work. The main concern that users have had are that the blades are too sharp. Rather than having the standard four blades at the bottom of the container, Ninja has six blades that are more vertical. This can make it scary to clean by hand. So, don’t clean it by hand! Duh.
5. Nutri Ninja | Ninja Blender with Auto-iQ BL682
Ninja
Features:
- Comes with 72-ounce pitcher, food processor bowl, and three Nutri Ninja Cups
- Auto-iQ Technology has intelligent programs that combine blending, pausing patterns, and pulsing
- 1500-watt base
Much like other Ninjas, the BL682 sneaks into your house, slices and blends your ingredients, and sneaks out with you none the wiser. Compared to the BL770, this has another Ninja Cup and the Auto-iQ technology, which I don’t think is worth the huge bump in price, but maybe you will. People who have purchased the BL682 are mostly blown away by the power of the 1500-watt base, which makes it a fast smoothie blender.
6. Ninja Professional Blender & Nutri Ninja Cups BL660
Ninja
Features:
- 1100-watt base
- Comes with 72-ounce pitcher and two Nutri Ninja Cups
- Pulse, single-serve, and three-speed functions
The BL660 is another great Ninja product. I recommend this one if you want something affordable, but you also want the single-serve Nutri Ninja Cups. I should point out that you shouldn’t use this next to your bed if your wife is still asleep. Don’t ask how I know this.
7. Ninja Professional Blender (BL610)
Ninja
Features:
- 1000-watt professional performance power
- Comes with recipes in case you don’t know how to throw fruit and ice in a blender
- Like God, it has total crushing power
I use the BL610 for my daily blending needs. It replaced a crappy $20 unit we had. My wife wanted a good smoothie blender, and this gets the job done. There are numerous safety options that make the appliance kind of hard to use, but you will not lose any fingers. The BL610 is also fast. I have not had any issues with it in the two years we’ve had it. However, we have not used it for any food processing-type stuff. You see, we use a food processor for that.
8. Ninja Kitchen System Pulse (BL201)
Ninja
Features:
- 550 watts
- Great for kneading dough
- One-year warranty
The BL201 is my lowest-rated Ninja because it has gotten mixed countertop blender reviews when it comes to quality. Users have reported that it has trouble performing the most basic functions. This is probably due to the relatively weak wattage. I recommend spending the extra buck or so for the BL610.
9. Blendtec Total Blender Classic, with FourSide Jar, Black
Blendtec
Features:
- 1560-watt, 3-horsepower motor
- Six pre-programmed cycles for juice, smoothie, batters, hot soup, ice cream, and ice crush
- Eight-year warranty
When it comes to high-end blenders, there is a Blendtec-Vitamix war that rivals the Gotham Girls-Rose City Rollers roller derby feud. The Blendtec Total Blender Classic has more horsepower, but you won’t notice a difference. It loses points because users report issues with lids flying off.
Buy the Blendtec Total Blender Classic on Amazon
10. KitchenAid KSB1570SL 5-Speed Blender with 56-Ounce BPA-Free Pitcher – Silver
KitchenAid
Features:
- 56-ounce BPA-free pitcher
- Puree, stir, pulse, crush ice, liquefy, mix, and chop
- Soft start feature that pulls food into the blade
KitchenAid is a top brand when it comes to a lot of appliances, and the KSB1570SL is no different. The only complaint users seem to have is that the blade and pitcher are one-unit, and if one part breaks after the one-year warranty, you need to replace the whole thing.
Buy the KitchenAid KSB1570SL on Amazon
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Thom - August 30, 2017 @ 21:38
Great round up, James! I wish I would have had all this info when I bought your #10 the KitchenAid 4 or 5 years ago. It’s a great bender and still kickin’, though!