8 Best Smoothie Makers to Give You the Perfect Blend posted by Taylor Munsell Pin Share Tweet Email SomethingSwanky is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. Have you ever wondered why the smoothies you make at home are never as good as the ones you get at specialized juice bars? After all, aren’t you using the same ingredients that these places claim to put in their smoothies? Are they lying about what exactly they’re adding to make their versions taste so good? I’ll bet you dollars to donuts that no, they’re not lying. I’d also bet that the reason their smoothies taste better is because you’re not using the right equipment. In this post, let’s talk about smoothie makers (which are different than blenders and personal blenders) and go through a few of my recommendations for the best ones. By the end, hopefully you’ll be on the path to making smoothies like a pro. Table of ContentsHow To Pick A Smoothie MakerWhat’s the difference between a blender and a smoothie maker?Why buy a smoothie maker?What to look for in a smoothie makerWhat exactly can you put in a smoothie maker?8 Best Smoothie Makers1. Overall: Zwilling Enfinigy Personal Blender2. Powerful: Breville Fresh & Furious Blender3. Smart: Nutribullet Balance4. Compact: BlendJet 2 Portable Blender5. Family: Zwilling Enfinigy Power Blender6. Budget: Hamilton Beach Personal Blender7. Accessories: Nutribullet Pro RX8. Athletes: Ninja Personal BlenderRecipes To Try How To Pick A Smoothie Maker First let’s talk about why smoothie makers produce such good smoothies and how you can spot a good one. What’s the difference between a blender and a smoothie maker? Blenders are basically machines that use spinning blades to pulverize anything put in the container portion of the appliance. Smoothie makers use spinning blades too, but the blades are smaller, sharper, and are contoured in a special fashion meant especially for liquefying fruit. Smoothie makers have stronger motors too, which means the machine can totally liquefy the fruit instead of just crushing it up and often leaving tiny chunks of fruit like a blender. Smoothie makers can also handle ice, and some models even have a cooling mechanism built in to keep the small bits of ice from melting in the smoothie. Why buy a smoothie maker? If you want to make better smoothies, buy a smoothie maker. The actual flavor of your smoothies won’t change, but the texture will be smoother and more enjoyable. Actually drinking your smoothies will probably be more convenient, too, since smoothie makers are often equipped with a spigot on the blending container and even a cup attachment that allows you to blend the smoothies directly in the cup. What to look for in a smoothie maker When looking at smoothie makers, consider the following: Size Is the smoothie maker’s largest blending container big enough to make as much smoothie as you want in one go? How many people are you generally making smoothies for? How many cups do you each drink? Power A smoothie maker’s defining function is its ability to totally liquefy fruits and vegetables, so it would be a huge waste to get one that’s not powerful enough to do so. Make sure any one you choose is at the very least 110 volts. Cooling mechanism Some smoothie makers have a cooling mechanism in the base that keeps ice from melting in frozen drinks. If you envision yourself sipping an ice-cold smoothie on a hot day, make sure to get one of these. What exactly can you put in a smoothie maker? You can put fruits, vegetables, ice, and liquid in a smoothie maker. Ice cream is another possible addition if you’re in the mood for something extra sweet. Note that you can’t put other foods like you can with a blender. 8 Best Smoothie Makers If you’re not in the mood to sift through smoothie maker options yourself looking for the best ones, check out this list of my top eight recommended models. “Best In” CategoryModel NameOverallZwilling Enfinigy Personal BlenderPowerful[amazon link=”B07GJ24VXV” link_icon=”none” title=”Breville Fresh & Furious Blender” /]Smart[amazon link=”B0773P3WN5″ link_icon=”none” title=”Nutribullet Balance” /]CompactBlendJet 2 Portable BlenderFamilyZwilling Enfinigy Power BlenderBudget[amazon link=”B00QNUCV0I” link_icon=”none” title=”Hamilton Beach” /]AccessoriesNutribullet Pro RXAthletes[amazon link=”B01FHOWYA2″ link_icon=”none” title=”Ninja Personal Blender” /] You can read a bit more about each model below. 1. Overall: Zwilling Enfinigy Personal Blender by Zwilling There are just so many things going for this model. The extra-sharp cross blades with “piranha” serration that really do liquefy any fruit or vegetable, the plastic blending attachment that is break-free and dishwasher-safe but looks like real glass, the separate pulse control setting (a feature many smoothie makers don’t have), the powerful 500-watt motor, the convenient grab-and-go cup attachment… I could go on all day. It’s just a really solid machine, and its sleek minimalist design looks fantastic sitting on the counter. The fact that it’s also cheaper than most of the competition blows me away, and makes me feel all the more confident in emphatically recommending this model to everyone reading this. 2. Powerful: Breville Fresh & Furious Blender by [amazon link=”B07GJ24VXV” link_icon=”none” title=”Breville” /] [amazon fields=”B07GJ24VXV” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”Fresh and Furious Countertop Blender”] This baby clocks in at 1100 watts and 120 volts, which is quite the powerhouse when it comes to smoothie makers. It has two sets of differently sized blades. One set is thinner and contoured, and it spins so fast that it creates a vortex in the smoothie. The vortex drags down ingredients, making sure everything in the container gets liquefied. Below the contoured blades are a set of wider, heavier-duty blades that make sure anything and everything gets ground into pieces small enough for the contoured blades to do their work. That means that, unlike with most smoothie makers, you can put in larger or harder ingredients, and they will still be liquefied. You can also buy a vacuum pump accessory that makes the holding container airtight and sucks out all the air inside before blending, which gives the final product a creamier texture and more vibrant flavor. 3. Smart: Nutribullet Balance by [amazon link=”B0773P3WN5″ link_icon=”none” title=”Nutribullet” /] [amazon fields=”B0773P3WN5″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”NutriBullet Balance, Bluetooth Enabled Smart Blender”] This smoothie maker is equipped with bluetooth and can be controlled via an app, which instantly makes it stand out. The app is pretty handy too, especially for those focused on nutritious smoothies. As you add ingredients to the blending container, a weight sensor in the device lets the app know you are adding them and the app asks you what ingredient it is. It then looks up the ingredient’s nutritional content based on its weight. Once you’ve added all the ingredients, the app lets you know the smoothie’s total nutritional content and uses a customized smoothie program chosen on the app. It takes a little longer than just throwing in the ingredients and hitting the “blend” button, but it allows you to count calories and make the exact same smoothie every time. I also can’t say enough about the app’s feature that lets you enter in the produce you have lying around the house and then suggests delicious smoothie recipes based on what you have. I’ve used the feature to make some tasty and healthy smoothies from ingredients that probably would have just rotted at the bottom of my produce drawer otherwise. 4. Compact: BlendJet 2 Portable Blender by Bed Bath & Beyond This smoothie maker is so convenient! It can run on batteries and is small enough to fit in your pocket, so you can load it up with your smoothie ingredients at home and take it with you wherever you want. Whether that means simply stashing it in the fridge so that your morning smoothie will be ready even faster when you wake up tomorrow or bringing the smoothie maker with you on a hike, it’s a great feeling to be able to whip up a fresh fruit concoction wherever and whenever. This smoothie maker also looks fantastic thanks to the 10 playful color options available. 5. Family: Zwilling Enfinigy Power Blender by Sur La Table This smoothie maker is 64 ounces, which makes it more than big enough for entire families that want to have their smoothie fix together. It’s also heat-resistant and has a very powerful motor, which means it can whip up things like hot soup or dips that make nice side dishes with family meals. The locking system that keeps the blades from working unless the lid is on is a nice touch too, since it will prevent kids from accidentally cutting themselves. Overall, this is just the best and most versatile smoothie maker out there for families, especially those with children. 6. Budget: Hamilton Beach Personal Blender by [amazon link=”B00QNUCV0I” link_icon=”none” title=”Hamilton Beach” /] [amazon fields=”B00QNUCV0I” value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”Hamilton Beach Personal Blender”] For $20, you hardly have an excuse to NOT give this smoothie maker a try. It runs on electricity (the cord folds neatly into a storage indentation on the base), but it’s nice and compact with a simply designed one-button blending mechanism and a 14 ounce blending container. The plastic container also doubles as a cup, so it’s easy to make mess-free grab and go smoothies without having to clean up a lot afterwards. Don’t assume this smoothie maker will lack power just because it’s cheap, either; the 175 watt motor is nothing to scoff at. 7. Accessories: Nutribullet Pro RX by Nutribullet The other items on this list only come with one type of blending container, but the Nutribullet Pro RX comes with three distinct types. That’s a pretty big deal, because it lets you prepare all different types of foods. The 30-ounce short cup is great for smoothies, but the SouperBlast pitcher with vents is great for soups, and the 45-ounce oversized cup is ideal for larger batches. The heating mechanism built into the base also makes cooking up soups easy, and the especially adventurous might want to even try the surprisingly good hot smoothie option. Did I mention the fact that the device comes with blade cleaning brushes and even devices to remove the blades altogether for recipes that just need some vigorous stirring? 8. Athletes: Ninja Personal Blender by [amazon link=”B01FHOWYA2″ link_icon=”none” title=”Ninja” /] [amazon fields=”B01FHOWYA2″ value=”thumb” image_size=”large” image_align=”center” image_alt=”Ninja Personal Blender”] This model excels at making smoothies that include health supplements or other powders that aid in peak athletic performance. The reason is that its blades somehow do an outstanding job of mixing up everything at a whirlwind speed, even the powdered ingredients that sink to the borrow of the blending container. For only $60, the motor of the smoothie maker is incredibly powerful. The device is also quite convenient. It’s smaller and lighter than most smoothie makers, and the blending containers double as grab and go cups. There are two of the cups included with the smoothie maker, so athletes can bring the machine with them and prepare multiple smoothies without having to wash the original container. Recipes To Try Now that we’ve gone over choosing a smoothie maker, let’s take a look at some of the very best smoothie recipes out there! I love the five smoothie recipes below, and I’m sure you will too once you prepare them using a dedicated smoothie maker. Super Skinny Peanut Butter Cup SmoothieLemon Cream SmoothiePineapple Dreamsicle SmoothiePeanut Butter Chocolate Banana Green SmoothieSkinny Reese’s Cup Milkshake Smooth Operators I’ve always thought smoothies are a criminally underrated method of consuming vitamins and minerals. If made right using a good recipe, they’re incredibly tasty and quick to prepare. A smoothie maker is an excellent way to whip up a fast breakfast, a frosty delight for a hot summer day, a post-workout body-fueling drink, or so many other things! Add a smoothie maker to your kitchen and see for yourself what a difference it will make.
