11 Best Budget Blenders in 2024

Blenders are classic compact kitchen equipment that never go out of style. They’re incredibly convenient and versatile, and if you have a stand mixer and food processor, little else is needed.

Generally, the best blenders are full-sized or conventional blenders. They can do a lot—puréeing soups, making sauces and mayonnaise, processing tougher components such as fibrous veggies and ice, and other frozen goods.

Right up front, Vitamix is the undisputed king of the blender world. But if you don't use a blender every day, are on a tight budget, or live in a small space, there are more affordable options with glowing reviews.

Table of Contents

• Best Overall: Oster Blender Pro 1200 with Glass Jar
• Best for Large Families: Cuisinart Hurricane Blender
• Easiest to Handle: BLACK+DECKER Crush Master 10-Speed Blender
• Best Single Use Blender: Ninja QB3001SS Personal Blender
• Best-selling Budget Blender: Ninja BL610 Professional 72 Oz Countertop Blender
• Easiest to Clean: Nutribullet Combo ZNBF30400Z
• Most Versatile: Hamilton Beach Power Elite Blender 
• Most Silent: KitchenAid KSB1575RI 5-Speed Diamond Blender
• Best Small Blender: Magic Bullet Blender
• Best Personal Blender: Nutribullet Pro 1000-Watt
• Best Immersion Blender: Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick 9-Speed Immersion Multi-Purpose Hand Blender
• Budget Blenders Buying Guide
• FAQs

Best Overall: Oster Blender Pro 1200 with Glass Jar

The Oster Blender Pro is a 1200-watt conventional blender that is relatively versatile. Despite its small size, standing at roughly 14 inches tall, the blender performs admirably, breaking ice into a drinkable slush even without liquid. 

The Oster Blender Pro's Boroclass glass jar is designed to withstand thermal shock and remain sturdy and dishwasher safe. In addition to its three smart settings, the blender has seven extra speed options: green/frozen smoothies, food chop/salsa, milkshakes, low, medium, high, and pulse. 

Its sophisticated 6-point blade system and dual-direction blade ensure that contents go up and down for thorough blending; it chops, grinds, and shreds food well. It is also user-friendly, and its preset settings are a breeze to operate.

The Oster Pro comes with a spill-proof 24-ounce to-go jar. For mixing, you can use it with the replaceable blade assembly. Only the blades and the cup will need to be cleaned.

Its disadvantage, however, is its plastic construction. It cannot heat food through blade friction, but it can handle hot liquid safely. To vent steam, remember to remove the filler cap from the lid.

Best for Large Families: Cuisinart Hurricane Blender

The Cuisinart Hurricane Blender is a good choice if you’re making a smoothie for the whole family. It is powered by a 2.5-hp motor and is far less expensive than similar models.

This blender converts ice into uniform snow, purées well, makes smoothies, and comes up just short of a gorgeously thick pia colada. The blender has preset options that include smoothie and ice-crushing task buttons and pulse, high-speed, and low-speed buttons. 

You can also set the timer on the blender and leave it while it blends. The timer can be configured to count down the seconds or to shut off after a certain period, up to one minute.

Cleaning this blender is also easy. The side of the jar contains marks indicating the maximum amount of soapy water you should use to clean the blades after use.

Easiest to Handle: BLACK+DECKER Crush Master 10-Speed Blender

The BLACK+DECKER Crush Master is also top of the list because it is efficient in blending and cleaning up. 

It comes with a plastic 48-oz. jar with a “PerfectPour” spout that minimizes drips and spills. It also has 4-point blades made from multi-level stainless steel. The machine can crush even tough food like roasted nuts.

Although not as automated as pricier models, it has ten manual speeds. Its control panel is simple to operate, and the buttons are sensitive when pressed. Note that it is ideal to utilize the pulse function to blend a smoothie or chop frozen fruits rather than the continuous blend.

This blender’s components, such as the pitcher, lid, and blade, are all dishwasher-safe, while its base can be cleaned using a damp cloth.

Best Single Use Blender: Ninja QB3001SS Personal Blender

The Ninja Personal Blender comes with two 16-ounce cups with flip-top lids for on-the-go users. Most automotive cup holders will accommodate the cups.

It's a small model 700-watt motor that blends one cup at a time. It's made for fruits and vegetables and may be used to make shakes, smoothies, and juices.

Simply place the container on the base and press down to activate the motor and operate the machine. However, it doesn’t lock into the base, so you'll have to keep it down, which some might find a hassle. 

The cups are BPA-free; however, heavy usage may cause the plastic to crack. It's also not meant to be used with heated ingredients. The good news is, they are dishwasher-safe.

If you're serious about getting that daily juice dose, this might be the right fit for you.

Best-selling Budget Blender: Ninja BL610 Professional 72 Oz Countertop Blender

The Ninja Professional Countertop Blender is affordable, versatile, and easy to use. Ninja has a variety of blender models, with the BL610 being one of the most popular. It truly is a powerhouse with a 1000-watt motor and a 72-ounce XL blending pitcher.

The "Total Crushing Blade," a revolutionary blade that incorporates a shaft across the middle of the pitcher with numerous tiers of blades, is the Ninja BL610's most unusual feature. It's made to move the components around more conveniently to avoid getting trapped in the bottom, and it's perfect for blending ice.

Controls are simple to use and include three speeds and a pulse button.

Easiest to Clean: Nutribullet Combo ZNBF30400Z

Nutribullet is best known for its single-serve blenders, and this Nutribullet Combo is the company's first foray into full-size blenders. 

With 1200 watts, you can make everything from soup and sauce to nut butter. Its stainless-steel blade can pulverize fresh greens, frozen fruit, entire vegetables, and more. Because of the robust, vented pitcher, it's also ideal for blending warm meals.

There are three speeds, a pulse function and a tamper, which aids in the mixing of dense mixes. It also helps push components attached to the blades so there will be no more digging around with a spoon to make sure everything is blended. 

Its design makes it simple to clean by hand, but you may also wash it in the dishwasher.

Most Versatile: Hamilton Beach Power Elite Blender 

This Hamilton Beach Power Blender, one of the best-selling countertop blenders, is a versatile blender that can crush ice, combine frozen fruits, and dice veggies for salsa or soup. You may also make sauces, purees, dressings, and other dishes.

Aside from being a blender, it also is a three-cup vegetable chopper. It does all these because it is powered by a 700-watt peak power, allowing you to enjoy incredible frozen drinks whenever you want. 

This blender has 12 mixing functions: mix, milkshake, easy Clean, puree, smoothie, icy drink, chop, dice, salsa, grind, crush ice, and grate. It has Hamilton Beach's "wave action system," which pulls your fruits and vegetables to the bottom to mix the ingredients thoroughly.

This blender is unique because it includes a thermal shock-tested glass container, whereas most blenders today use plastic jars. The glass jar has the advantage of being dishwasher-safe and stain-resistant. It also functions great as long as you don't overwork it and use enough liquid to reduce friction during blending.

Most Silent: KitchenAid KSB1575RI 5-Speed Diamond Blender

The KitchenAid KSB1575RI 5-Speed Diamond Blender with 60-Ounce BPA-Free Pitcher has five speeds, a pulse button, and an ice button. It crushes ice flawlessly, and although it takes a little longer to get through the frozen banana and kale, it produces a tasty smoothie.

The KitchenAid Diamond Blender has 600 watts of power. This inexpensive kitchen appliance is a good option for easy tasks like daily breakfast smoothies and batch cocktails. However, it is limited in its capacity to make nut butter, purees, and turning rough kale into a fine blend.

It also is an intelligent one. This blender includes a soft-start mode that starts the engine at a lower speed and pulls food into the blade before increasing the speed.

It won't blend as well as the Ninja or Oster blenders mentioned above, but it should suffice for occasional use.

Best Small Blender: Magic Bullet Blender

The Magic Bullet Blender includes three blending cups, a storage cover, and a flip-top lid, allowing you to take your favorite smoothie or protein drink on the go. You can also use it to froth your favorite coffee drink and grind coffee beans. 

It's simple to use and compact, so it takes up minimal room on the counter. This blender can deliver plenty of power to chop, mix, blend, whip, grind, and more. 

While it's great for milkshakes and mild smoothies, it could struggle with chunkier ingredients or ice due to its low power of 250 watts.

All of the included blending cups are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. But you need to clean it right after each use to prevent any clogging in the next use. 

If you’re single and often on the go, this might be the one for you!

Best Personal Blender: Nutribullet Pro 1000-Watt

If you don’t have much kitchen space to spare, the compact NutriBullet Pro 1000 Personal Blender might be what you need. Despite its size, it is still one of the quickest and easiest-to-use smoothie blenders on the market.

It can make smoothies, healthy drinks, salad dressings, marinades, baby food, marinades and dips, frozen dessert, and nut milk. When creating ice cream, though, you have to make sure that you have enough liquid. Otherwise, it will struggle. 

Unlike other models, it has a new easy twist extractor blade system. It has a better grip design that makes setup and disassembly simple. Apart from the blade base, all its detachable parts are dishwasher safe.

It's also worth noting that the containers of this personal blender aren't vented, which means they won't work with hot contents. Heat can cause pressure to build up, which can lead to damage.

Best Immersion Blender: Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick 9-Speed Immersion Multi-Purpose Hand Blender

The Mueller Austria Multi-Purpose Hand Blender has a powerful 500-watt motor and a well-balanced base. It doesn’t wobble at all when in use.

By twisting the speed knob, you can select one of the motor's eight speeds. The power button controls the blender's standard speed, while the turbo button provides a short speed boost. However, you should use it for no more than one minute for safety. 

It comes with a hand motor, a milk frother, a blending wand, and a mixer whisk. These may all be immersed in water for a thorough cleaning, except for the hand motor. Smoothies, whipped cream, salsa, and milkshakes are just a handful of the many dishes you can make with the Mueller Multi-Purpose Hand Blender.

Budget Blenders Buying Guide

Personal, Immersion, or Full-Sized Blender

Larger households, folks who like to party, and those serious about cooking should choose full-sized blenders. They're ideal for producing multiple drinks at once, such as icy cocktails, healthy smoothies, milkshakes, and other beverages. You can make those with budget blenders, but soups, dips, nut butter, and other difficult-to-blend items may all be made using high-end versions.

On the other hand, personal blenders are great for individuals or couples who just need to blend a small amount of food or drink at a time, like healthy smoothies for those post-gym vitamins. They are easier to store, clean, and transport and their containers are excellent for on-the-go sipping. However, they are less powerful and unlikely to last as long as conventional blenders. 

Immersion blenders are constructed to be very convenient. They lack blending containers, making them portable, easy, and ideal for hot foods. These are also known as hand blenders. We've used it to make pesto, homemade mayonnaise, whipped cream, as well as puree butternut squash soup.

Machine Size

Determine how much space you have to store a blender. If you live in a tiny apartment with limited counter space, a small blender that can be stored in a cupboard when not in use is a good option. Find one that you can keep on your counter as the best blender can be used when cooking.

Vortex

The vortex in blenders is a system that brings food down to the blades using gravity and some calculated design. The proper vortex is formed by combining the blade, motor strength, and the jar shape.

Motor Strength and Rotation

The motor’s power is mainly related to rotation speed; the greater the rotation speed, the stronger the motors. This results in shorter mixing periods and smoother blended outputs.

Blenders with lower-powered motors (around 600 watts) can easily handle light drinks but aren't very good at crushing ice or grinding complex meals. 

Blenders with motors above 1500 watts have a longer lifespan. They're also unique because the friction created by the speed can heat your food.

Blades

Blender blades are always made of hardened stainless steel. Most countertop blenders include blades that are either permanent or replaceable and rest just above the bottom of the container. There are two types: cross-blades and flat-blades. 

Chopping, grating, and wet blending are all made easier with the cross blade, which has four or six prongs. More prongs ensure more food comes into contact with each other, resulting in smoother blended results. 

Flat blades comprise two dull prongs that are slightly angled upwards. This design can grind tougher foods like rice, ice cubes, or entire grains while cycling all contents around the container.

There is also a distinct type of blade assembly in Ninja-brand traditional blenders, such as the Ninja BL660. Six stacked blades are attached to a plastic shaft from the base to the lid in this configuration. This unique shape ensures better blending, but this entire assembly can pose a laceration risk if you aren’t too careful.

Jar Shape

The two things you should look for in a blender’s jar shape are height and a curved bottom. 

Speed Control

If you're buying a personal blender, choose one with a one-speed setting. This design is typically less expensive, has a simple user interface, and is the easiest to operate. 

On the other hand, if you’re considering conventional or immersion blenders, look for one with a wide range of speeds. This makes it simple to find the ideal speed for your recipes. 

Blending presets, the combinations of particular speeds and timings for typical recipes like smoothies, hot soup, or dips and spreads, are available on some models. However, as some users have claimed, these capabilities do not generate purees as smoothly as when speed and time are controlled manually.

Pitcher Materials 

Glass or plastic are the most common materials for blender pitchers. In general, glass is less expensive. It can be washed in the dishwasher and is suitable for cold and hot foods. 

However, low-quality, thin glass is prone to shattering, making it dangerous. If you're going to use a glass pitcher, buy one with thick walls; it'll be heavier but more durable.

Individual blender cups are usually made of plastic, with no option for glass. 

FAQs

What is the difference between a blender and a food processor?

Food processors can come with various blade attachments that can be used for shredding, slicing, grating, chopping, mixing, and other operations. However, they're not as good at blending liquid ingredients because partially incorporated wet material becomes trapped along the mixing bowl’s sides.

On the other hand, a blender is the best equipment to use when liquid is involved. Fruits and vegetables are typically pureed in blenders for smoothies and soups. 

Will a more powerful wattage give me smoother results?

Higher wattage means the motor works less excessively, resulting in minor wear on the parts and blades. The smoothness of blending will depend on the jar size and the ingredients you throw into the blender. A 600-watt Nutribullet will do excellently for its 24-oz jar, but not for a full 45 oz container. A blender that runs from 500 watts to 750 watts is enough for casual users.

How long should a budget blender last?

Blenders with a less powerful motor will last three to five years, while those with a more powerful motor will last about ten years. However, the frequency with which you use your blender will affect its lifespan.

Do cheap blenders come with a warranty?

Yes, it comes with as short as a one-year to a ten-year warranty. Read the user’s manual accompanying your product to learn more.