Best Blenders for $100 or Less
You don't have to spend a fortune to get a blender that works well and is durable enough to last for years
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There’s no getting around it: Full-sized blenders that cost hundreds of dollars top our ratings. But our tests have also found that there are several blenders costing less than $100 that perform just as well—if not better at some tasks—than more expensive models.
The trade-off? These lower-priced models usually don’t have the powerful motors and versatility of high-end blenders, so they may not be great at making nut butter or pulverizing seeds for smoothies. And they tend to come with fewer accessories like a tamper, attachments, or a recipe book.
Below are four full-sized blenders, listed in alphabetical order, that typically cost $100 or less and perform well in CR’s lab tests. We also focused on models that have solid scores for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction and were durable enough to ace CR’s tough durability tests.
CR members can check out our full blender ratings for complete results and more options, including personal blenders and immersion blenders. And check our blender buying guide for the features you’ll want to look for as you shop.
The Cuisinart SmartPower CPB-300 is a durable blender that’s reliable, based on Consumer Reports surveys of members who purchased a new blender between 2015 and 2023. It received very good scores in our icy drink and ice crush tests, meaning you’ll get consistently smooth smoothies and frozen drinks with this model, though it receives only middling scores in our purée tests (in which we blend raw carrots and celery into a soup). It also aces our convenience assessment, which evaluates how easy a blender is to operate, handle, and clean.
The Cuisinart Soho BL-9 is a moderately priced option for people who want a blender for making soups or baby food on a budget. Though it’s a bit noisy, it aced our purée and durability tests. (Cuisinart as a brand also received top marks for predicted reliability in CR’s more recent surveys.) It also performed very well in our ice crush tests and our evaluations for convenience. But smoothie lovers may want to choose another model; the Soho BL-9 received just a middling score in our icy drink tests.
The powerful 1,400-watt Ninja BN701 Professional Plus With Auto iQ is an excellent model when it comes to durability and convenience. It also earns a near-top-level rating in our puréeing test, meaning it can serve up very smooth soups. But it earns only a so-so rating in our icy drinks and noise tests. This Ninja comes with seven speeds and a removable blade, and its 9-cup capacity means it can handle twice as many margaritas or milkshakes as some of the other blenders on this list. Ninja’s full-sized blenders receive a very good score for owner satisfaction in CR’s member surveys, meaning owners are extremely likely to recommend them to friends and family.
The Ninja Master Prep Professional QB1004 features a unique top-mounted motor to turn out ice for smoothies that’s the texture of snow cones. While Ninja doesn’t claim this model makes hot soups, it earns satisfactory marks for puréeing and a strong score in our icy drinks test. Plus, the removable blade makes cleanup easy. Swap out the 6-cup blending jar for its 16-ounce food chopper and this versatile Ninja does an impressive job chopping onions and nuts and grating cheese.
How CR Tests Blenders
In our lab, we make batches of nonalcoholic piña coladas and use sieves (with diminishing mesh sizes) to evaluate smoothness and thickness. When a blender earns an excellent score in our icy drink tests, the drinks have a smooth, consistent texture.
Consumer Reports tests blenders on the following criteria to see how well each one holds up:
Ice crushing: For our ice-crushing tests, we use another set of sieves to separate the big chips from the finer bits. A blender that garners a top-level score serves up ice that looks uniformly like snow, while a very good score tells you the ice is more like a snow cone. (The lower the score, the bigger—and more irregular—the ice chips.)
Puréeing: In this test, we blend veggies and other ingredients in water three times for each model, operating on the manufacturer’s recommended speed (or high) for 15 seconds.
Convenience: We measure a machine’s convenience by how easy it is to use its controls, clean its base, and remove and replace the blade, among other factors.
Durability: Our durability test involves crushing seven ice cubes (four for personal blenders) without liquid for one minute on the highest setting.
Noise: To gauge the noise level, CR blends one cup of water and takes an average decibel reading over 30 seconds.
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