Best Blenders in Every Price Range

Budget blenders tend to have a smaller, 5- to 6-cup capacity, and smart choices can capably handle lower-intensity blending tasks, such as making smoothies and shakes. You’ll need a more powerful model for strenuous tasks, such as grinding nut butters. Thankfully, while it’s common for lower-priced models to have less power than high-priced ones, you can still find a few diamonds in the rough that have wattage in the four-digit range.

What’s more important than a powerful motor is an efficient one that’s combined with a well-designed blade and lightweight jar. Typically, blenders in this price range complete tasks faster, and can handle larger-capacity jars. You may also be paying more for premium finishes and accessories, such as personal-sized cups for to-go smoothies.

In what are considered “high-performance” models, you’ll find improved motors with wattages equivalent to 2 hp or higher, which amounts to 1,471 or more watts. They also have the speed and torque to handle nut butters, whole-fruit juicing, and other heavy-duty blending tasks. They may also come with thicker plastic jars, sturdier blades, and metal drive sockets—which connect the motor to the container—for added durability.

These top-tier picks might not always outperform models in the $200 to $400 range, but they boast features such as microprocessor-controlled presets that eliminate guesswork in blending. Some have LCD touchscreens, wireless connectivity, and more.

Blenders from Vitamix, which are considered premium, have dominated our ratings since we began testing the brand in 2006, and earn an excellent score in many of our tests. They’re built to last, too; Vitamix models often outlive their five- to 10-year warranties. This one isn’t the most expensive in our ratings, but its performance matches those that cost hundreds more.