The blender is a must-have kitchen appliance. However, due to demand for blenders, many products have flooded the market making it harder to choose one ideal for you. Getting a budget blender does not necessarily mean you are going for the least useful product in the market. There are various budget-friendly blenders in the market that you do not have to spend much on them but offer you good value for money.
We have done the research for you so that you do not have to go hunting for affordable blenders online. These blenders are manufactured by top brands that have a reputation for producing top-notch products.
Best Blender under $100
Ninja BL610 – Best for large quantity smoothies
The Ninja Professional countertop comes with a super-sized 72 oz. pitcher that is sure to meet all your family blending needs. It is reasonably priced will delivering enough power to crush frozen fruit and ice. The blender comes in a sleek and minimalistic design that ensures it saves space.
The Ninja Professional is powered by a 1,000-watt motor and has a simple five-button operating interface. Besides, the motor is powerful it is also quiet. Inside you will find a six-blade assembly that is ideal for crushing ice. The blender is a perfect companion for making smoothies and frozen drinks. It blasts through your ice in seconds.
With the manual control settings, you are able to determine the texture of your smoothies. The blender is available in black color and is designed to be sleek so that it complements your other kitchen appliances. On the downside, it is made from plastic and this may make it less durable. The warranty is also short at one year.
Pros
- Handles large quantity of ingredients
- Powerful and quiet motor
- Simple interface that is easy to operate
- Sturdy base and strong six-blade assembly
Cons
- The plastic pitcher may not be that durable
Ninja Professional Plus blender with Auto-IQ – Best personal Blender
The Ninja professional blender comes with special Auto IQ technology that comes with three preset programs. This eliminates any guesswork during blending and ensures you get the best blend even though you are a beginner. The blender comes with a sleek design that is both compact and ideal for saving space.
The Ninja comes with total crushing blades that turn your ice into snow. This comes in handy when you are making frozen drinks. The blender is capable of handling anything you throw at it courtesy of its 1,400-watt motor. In addition, you do get a super large 72 oz. pitcher that is ideal for making large batches of juice without going for remakes.
The Ninja Professional has been praised by users for its ease of operation and impressive blending power. However, since it uses a plastic pitcher you may want to be on the lookout for occasional scratches and breakages.
Pros
- Impressive Auto- IQ technology
- Large 64 oz. pitcher ideal for making smoothies for large family settings
- Sleek design
- Powerful 1,400-watt motor
Cons
- The plastic pitcher is not that durable
NutriBullet NBR-1201 – Best travel blender
The NutriBullet stands out for its ease of use. Just pour in your ingredients press a button and you get your favorite smoothie. The blender can be used for berries, spinach, and other whole foods. The blender operates through a powerful 600-watt motor. On the surface, the NutriBullet has a sleek design and due to its compact design, it makes an ideal travel companion. The NutriBullet comes with nutrient-extraction blades that will turn whole foods into liquid.
Included during purchase is the 600-watt motor base, 1 24 oz. cup, mulling blade, 1 handled cup, one 18 oz. cup, one cup ring, and one cup ring with a handle. You also find included a recipe book. The NutriBullet stainless steel uses a special cyclonic action to help break down hard ingredients. All the cups are BPA certified and are designed to be washable and durable.
The push, twist, and blend techniques are quite simple to use. You do not have any complicated buttons to battle with. This simplicity continues to cleaning where all you need to do is twist off the blades then rinse the insides with water and soap.
Pros
- Sleek and attractive design
- Comes with both extractor and milling blades
- Has potential for higher nutrient levels
- Comes with BPA free cups with lids
Cons
- Smaller capacity blender
Oster Blender – Best blender warranty
The first thing you notice about the Oster Pro is that it comes with a powerful 1,200-watt motor. This gives it enough power to blend through hard fruits and vegetables. You can use the blender for the preparation of smoothies, soups, and salsa with ease. The operation of the blender is via a smart technology setting with seven speeds. The Oster also comes with 3-pre-programed settings. This gives you one-touch settings for milkshakes, salsa, and smoothies. You also get a plus pulse setting for added precision and control.
The Oster operates through a dual-direction blade technology that allows for forward and reverse movements. With the technology, you have the ingredients flowing down the blade for a smoother blend. The Oster comes with a 6 cup boroclass glass jar, stainless steel slicing disk, extra-large BPA free cup food processing bowl. You also get an extensive 10-year all-metal drive warranty.
The Oster Blender is equipped with a 5-cup food processor bowl that is capable of chopping, slicing, and shredding fast and easy foods. The Oster offers you great value for money and is a darling among customers.
Pros
- Hefty 1,200-watt motor
- Sturdy stainless steel blade with dual action movement
- Five cup food processor attachment
- A strong base to support blender
Cons
- Not high capacity
Cuisinart CPB-300 – Best value for money
The Cuisinart is a 350-watt blender that offers you many accessories at an affordable price. The blender is rated BPA-free and is fairly attractive on the outside. This is courtesy of its well-streamlined body. The Cuisinart measures a decent 4-pounds hence making it quite lightweight. It is also simplistic to use due to its straightforward three-button interface. The blender also has standby functionalities with the auto-stop feature. You also get interchangeable blade assemblies.
What makes the Cuisinart outstanding is the fact that it comes with a 32-oz. blending jar, two 16 oz. travel cups, one 8 oz. chopping cup and they are all BPA free and dishwasher safe. While the Cuisinart has powerful blades for blending fruits it will not handle ice that well. The provided containers are also not that large hence you may need to keep on blending. However, the company backs up its product with an amazing three-year warranty.
The touchpad for the Cuisinart is quite sleek with its LED indicator lights. You also have high, low, and pulse controls that give you power over your blends. The patented ultra-sharp stainless steel blades are sturdy and long-lasting. The blender also comes with slip-proof feet that prevent the blender from moving during operation. Included is a recipe book to get you started on blending.
Pros
- Several blending containers ideal for travel
- Lightweight, sleek and compact
- Dishwasher and BPA safe
- Comes with a lengthy three-year warranty
Cons
- The motor is not that powerful for crushing ice
Factors to consider when purchasing a blender
The blender is a key kitchen appliance in most homes. This has led to an increase in brands manufacturing blenders. Your options can be quite overwhelming. The key to identifying the right blender is having the kind of knowledge when selecting one.
Type of Blender
The first thing you need to put into consideration when purchasing a blender is the type. The first type of blender is the countertop. This is the most common as it is placed on the kitchen countertop. The blenders come with all manner of functions like variable speed settings but the operation is very straightforward. At the base of the blender is your motor which may vary in power. The variable speeds help you blend a variety of ingredients from ice to nuts. The blender may also come with multiple travel cups. The next type of blender is the immersion blender. With this blender, you insert it into the food you want to blend. These blenders are great for baby foods, pureeing soups, and smoothies. The blenders are less expensive. Some are cordless and rechargeable which means you can use them when traveling. The last type of blender is the personal blender. These ones are ideal for single-serving. The blenders are mainly used by people who want to make smoothies in the morning. The blenders are inexpensive and come with one or two-speed settings.
Speed and power
Once you have decided the kind of blender you desire the next step is to decide the power settings ideal for you. Some blenders come with powerful blades capable of crushing into ice and nuts. Most blenders come with 3 to 10-speed settings. When choosing ensure you get one with pulse control. When it comes to power most blenders have motors of between 500 watts to a high of 1,500 watts. Blenders also come with pre-programmed features that allow you to grind, pulse, ice crush, and puree at a press of the button. You may also encounter various preset functions for stuff like preparing baby food or soups. A blender that has pre-programmed options is very easy to learn. It also ensures you get the right mix. At times one may confuse the blender and food processor. A food processor is solely used for chopping, cutting, and dicing foods while the blender will cut food pieces into smoother textures. The blenders unlike the food processors come with more horsepower and with a pulse button they are able to operate like food processors.
Size of blender
Here you need to look at the size of the container you will be doing your blending. The bigger the blender the less you need to blend. Most of the blender containers have a capacity of between 48 and 72 ounces. This allows you to prepare smoothies for 6 to 9 people. You will need to consider how large your family is when purchasing an ideal blender. Personal blenders tend to have the least capacity at 8 to 20 ounces while high-performance blenders have over 145 ounces.
Type of blades
The blender blades influence a lot the texture of your smoothies. Most of the blades are made from stainless steel which makes them sturdy and durable. They also contain two or three flat blades that are angled upwards towards their edge. Blades vary with some coming blunt, others very sharp and others have a spiral shape. If you can go for blenders with removable blades as these are easier to clean.
Noise made
Blenders can be quite noisy if you consider that some spin at speeds of up to 20,000 rpm. Since you are combining motor power with blades the noise can be quite loud. The more powerful a blender is the noisier it is. However, some good brands are made from quality materials that muffle noise.
Special attachments
When purchasing a blender ensure you get good value for money by going for products with multiple special attachments. This may include traveling cups, chopping bowls, permanent straws, or coffee grinders.
Ease of cleaning
At the end of the day, you still need to wash your blender for your next use. Most of the blenders in the market are dishwasher safe which makes them easier to clean. Some come with removable blades. If the blades are not removable then you need to be extra careful not to cut your hands as you clean them. Some high-end blenders come with self-cleaning functionality which means once you are done blending all you will need to do is fill it with warm water and soap and it will self-clean.
Budget
While all the blenders we have described go for less than $100 dollars you will still need a budget for it. When considering your budget put in mind the durability of the blender and the quality of materials used. Pricier blenders offer great power and flexibility and may offer you great value for money in the end. If all you need is a blender for making smoothies then you may opt for a more affordable one. In as much as you may have the budget for a higher-priced model be sure you are able to operate it. It will make no sense to get the best blender that money can offer only for you to continuously struggle operating it. Most traditional blenders come with simple to use dials that you just rotate to operate.
Warranty
It is also imperative you consider the warranty for the blender. Most budget-friendly blenders come with the standard one-year warranty. The warranty is your guarantee that if anything happens to your blender you are susceptible to refund or replacement. High-quality blenders tend to have more extensive warranties of up to 10 years. When it comes to the coverage you will notice that the motor is covered for longer while some of the less durable parts have shorter coverage. When purchasing be careful to read the warranty to know what is covered.
Safety features
Blenders do come with various safety features to protect the motor and prevent spillage. This will often be represented by various locking features. You should also check out whether your blender has an auto power-off feature that protects the motor from overheating. Most of the materials used for blending are BPA certified meaning they will not harm your food during blending.
Technological advancements
Like everything around you, technological advancements have created innovative products. The same applies to blenders. You can purchase a blender with traditional dials that you use to vary speeds or you can get a blender that is more complicated with LCD screens and intelligence functionalities. Some of the top-end blenders will come with advanced technologies to ensure you get the right blend automatically. They will also have integrated recipes inside the blender. The catch is you will need to pay higher for them. When it comes to technology it all boils down to will you be able to operate a complicated blender? It makes no sense to spend large sums of money on a blender only for you to struggle operating it.
Conclusion
For this review, our best Blender under $100 will have to be the Ninja BL610. We were impressed by the large blender capacity of up to 72 oz. The blender comes with a simple five-button interface that allows you to control all your blender needs. The blender operates through a quiet yet powerful 1,000-watt motor. You should be able to make puree, soups, and crush the ice with this blender. The blender is also fairly lightweight hence making it ideal for use in most homes.
