Having a juice blender is a sure way of getting all those nutrients from your fruits and vegetables. You do not have to skip breakfast or carry with your knives to slice open your favorite fruits. All you need is to make your daily requirement of juice then store it whenever you need it.
The market for blenders has grown exponentially over the years as more players join the market. This has led to a proliferation of blenders some simply awesome and some operating below par. If you do not have the time to go searching for the perfect blender then you may want to read on. We have done our research and we present you with the best juice blenders in the market.
Best Juice Blenders
Vitamix 5200 Blender – Best for commercial use
The Vitamix 5200 features a large 64 oz. container that you can use for industrial and professional use. It comes with multiple speed options which means you can blend both soft and hard vegetables and fruits to your liking. Since the container is large enough you can prepare juices for the whole family.
The Vitamix 5200 is also a great blender for preparing hot soups. The blades in the blender are fast enough to produce friction that is essential to warm up cold ingredients in less than six minutes. The blades are made from aircraft-grade stainless steel which makes them durable and gives them the ability to tackle the hardest of ingredients.
The Vitamin 5200 is self-cleaning so all you need is to pour in some water and soap after use and it will self-clean after 30 to 60 seconds. While the blender comes with a hefty price tag it also comes with an extended warranty of up to 7-years.
Pros
- Variable speed option helps you control the blending process
- Large 64-ounce container to meet all your family and commercial needs
- Self-cleaning
- Extensive 7-year warranty
Cons
- Comes with a hefty price tag
Ninja BL770 – Best budget-friendly
The Ninja BL770 makes it on our list because it offers the best value for money for a blender. The price is just right and you get a powerful blender that does all the chopping and blending. The Ninja BL770 weighs in at 9.2 pounds and comes with an impressive 1,500-watt motor. In addition, you get a 64-ounce food processing bowl, a 72-ounce plastic pitcher, and two 16-ounce cups with travel lids. That’s not all. You also get various blending blades for your chopping, blending, and single-serve blending. The blender is available in black color.
We found the two 16-ounce travel cups with lids to be quite useful –especially when you want to carry with your juice for the office. All the materials for the Ninja BL770 are dishwasher safe and are made from BPA-free parts. To operate the blender there is a provided five-button interface with a dedicated single-serve button. A word of caution, the stainless steel blades are quite sharp so you may want to be extra careful when cleaning them. The blender containers are made from plastic which is not as durable as expected.
Pros
- Simple operating interface
- Traveling cups with lids
- A powerful motor capable of meeting all blending needs
- Affordable price while offering value for money
Cons
- Plastic containers not that durable
Blendtec TB-621-20 – Best for pre-programmed cycles
The Blendtec features one-touch buttons with six pre-programmed cycles. You can achieve a variety of textures with the blender through its 10-speed manual control. This gives you complete control of the blending process. The Blendtec weighs in at 7.28 pounds hence making it lightweight. The stainless steel blades are powered by a powerful 1,560-watt motor.
Blending is via a 32 oz. container that is BPA-free. The design of the container is such that it pulls all the ingredients to the bottom for efficient blending. It is also self-cleaning through the press of a button. The blender can also be used for making margaritas as it does a good job of crushing ice. The blender comes with a solid 8-year warranty. It’s also capable of warming food through friction from the blades.
The Blendtec is also an excellent blender for making cold drinks as it is capable of breaking down the ice. You can also use the blender for mixing pancake batter. With an illuminated LCD screen, you are capable of seeing the remaining time for your blends. On the downside, the blender may not be that visually appealing and the fact that is loud.
Pros
- Variable speeds for perfecting your blends
- A powerful motor capable of blending hard ingredients and ice
- Self-cleaning button
- Extensive 8-year warranty
Cons
- Can be very loud
Nutri Ninja Personal chef countertop blender – Best for innovative technology
The Nutri Ninja blender is fitted with Auto IQ technology that gives you the power of intelligent blending programs. Since it eliminates a lot of guesswork this makes the blender ideal for beginners. The blender features a powerful 1,200-watt motor that is capable of handling very hard fruits and vegetables.
The Nutri blender operates through 10 preset variable speeds. You can also control the blending process through manual speeds that are customizable. The blender comes with a large 72 oz. container that is large enough to meet all your family juice needs. You also get small, regular, and jumbo multi-serve Nutri cups. The cups come with sip and seal lids hence making them perfect companions when traveling.
The Ninja Pro extraction blades are powerful enough to work through the ice, seeds, whole fruit, and vegetables. This ensures that your juices have the maximum nutrition content. Once you are done blending you can simply add some warm water and soup and the blender will self-clean itself. The blender also comes with a recipe book that helps beginners get acquitted in the world of juicing.
Pros
- Total crushing blender with large 72 oz. container
- Auto IQ technology allows for timed blending
- Self-cleaning
Cons
- Not ideal warranty
Cuisinart CPB-380 – Best for simplicity
This is a low-cost juice blender with a simple design. The Cuisinart features a rotary dial control with a pulse, low and high. It also comes with a 32 oz. Tritan jar that is BPA free, also you get a 16 oz. double-walled cup and 8 oz. chopper cup. The blender is lightweight weighing in at 6.5 pounds. The 600-watt motor is moderately powerful but it will get the work done of turning fruits into a juice. This means it may not work that well for hard vegetables and frozen fruit.
The multiple containers are quite ideal for traveling as you can carry your juice around. However, since the containers are made from plastic they are less than durable. The blender comes with a 3-year warranty which is quite adequate. The blade is removable for easy cleaning. Also, included during the purchase are four heavy-duty colored straws for enjoying your juices.
Pros
- Simplistic dials
- Multiple liquid containers
- Extended warranty
Cons
- Containers are made from plastic which makes them less durable
Factors to consider when purchasing the Best Juice Blender
A juice blender is a device that allows you to remove juices from fruits and vegetables. It does this by slicing the ingredients into smoothies. With a juice blender, you are able to intake all the essential nutrients from fruits. Juice blenders are capable of blending fruits, nuts, and ice. This helps you make a smoothie that is nutrient-rich. With a blender, you are capable of enjoying cost savings when purchasing fruits as you get more per serving than when you consume them raw.
Type of Blender
Blenders are not the same but fall into three main categories. The first type of blender is the countertop blender which also happens to be the most popular. This type of blender comes with a base bottom that houses the motor then you have the pitcher at the top. The blenders are quite straightforward to use and come with easy-to-use buttons. They are also readily available and inexpensive. They are also suitable for most kitchens as they do not occupy a lot of space. The next type is immersion blenders. These are handheld blenders that you submerge into a bowl then press a button for blending. They are mainly used for purees and soups. However, when compared to the countertop you note that the motors are not that powerful. Some are cordless with rechargeable batteries. The last type of blender in the market is personal blenders. These are mainly single-serve blenders and are mainly ideal for singles. They will also help you get powered through the day through shakes and smoothies. For the larger part, the personal blenders also come with travel cups that you use for both blending and drinking. They tend to less expensive and have one or two speeds.
Power
One of the first things you need to consider when buying a blender is the amount of power. You will need to consider which type of juice you are going to be producing. If you are getting a blender for soft fruits then anything less than 1,000 watts will work out fine. However, if you want a blender for blending harder vegetables like carrots and nuts then you may want to consider something with more than 1,000 watts.
Size
You will also need to consider the size of the blender. This will largely be influenced by your storage space. Blenders come with 3 to 14 cups and it is important you put into consideration your purposes for getting one and the number of people you are going to be serving. A single-server blender is the most common and many people adore it due to its compact size.
Blades
A closer examination of blenders will reveal that the most important part of the blender is actually the blades. It is the one that does all the slicing. Depending on the model the blades can be used for a variety of purposes that will include chopping, blending, and extracting. The best blades are those that are made from rust-free stainless steel. This will handle all your blending work without breakages. Also, consider blenders that allow you to replace the blades after some time.
Speed
When you have a blender that offers you variable speed then the blending process is within your grasp as you can easily control how the blades rotate. This means you can determine the final texture of your juices. Blenders’ speed range from 3 speed to 10 speed. It is also essential you look for one with a pulse button.
Self-cleaning
It is also imperative that you get a blender that is easy to clean. To prevent the stresses of regular cleaning you may want to get a blender that is dishwasher safe. Most blenders will inform buyers whether the travel cups or pitcher have the designation. When the blender is self-cleaning all you will need to do is put some warm water into the blender with soap and the blender will clean itself.
Interface
The blender interface varies a lot with the model. Some have a simplistic dial interface that is easy to operate while some modern blenders will come with LCD screens. It is imperative that you go for a blender that you will find easy to operate. More advanced blenders come with presets and smart programming. With the latter, the blender can smartly know the ingredients then automatically select the blending speed. In addition, to smart programming, the blender is also equipped with manual speeds. If your ingredients require you to just press a button and walk away then go with those that have smart interfaces. However, if you want better control of the blending process then you can go with the manual setups.
Type of materials
Blenders can be from plastic, stainless steel, or glass. The glass containers tend to be heavy but are more stable and give you the ability to view your ingredients being blended. Plastic is the most common type of container for blenders. They tend to scratch more easily and at times absorb the aroma of the ingredients. While plastic containers bring down the price of the blender they break easily and are not as durable as the other two. Stainless steel blenders have the benefit of looking lasting and offer great aesthetics but they block your view of the blended ingredients. When purchasing plastic blenders ensure they are rated BPA.
Budget
When you have considered all the above characteristics it is wise to consider your budget. Blenders can cost as low as $100 to a high of over $400. When considering your budget make sure you check the kind of accessories being offered with the blender. This can include extra travel cups, an extended warranty, or the provision of a whisk. The type of brand will also influence your decisions. If you are going to be using your blender less frequently then it does not make sense to splash money on something that you will not be using.
Safety
It is also good to check out your blender for various safety features like having safety locks that prevent it from turning on by accident. You may also want one with automatic overheating protection. This keeps your motor safe by automatically shutting it off during burnout. Dull blades are also a plus as they are easier to clean.
Warranty
The warranty protects your blender in case of breakages. Warranties will vary with manufacturer and brand with some having the standard one-year warranty while better models going for 8 to 10-year warranties. During purchase read the fine print carefully so that you may know what the warranty actually covers.
Functionality
Before you go purchasing a blender you also need to ask yourself the most important question of what you are going to be using the blender for. If your purpose is smoothies alone then personal blenders tend to be the best. However, if you plan on making a variety of foods like soups and puree then you need a multi-purpose blender. Some of the blenders even come with heaters that enable you to preheat your foods or make soups. If you are going to be making drinks in a bar then you may want to consider a blender that also crushes ice as this will form part of your work.
Conclusion
From our review, our top choice for the best juice blender is the Ninja BL770 blender. The blender’s reasonable price impressed us. The blender is also lightweight at 9.2 pounds and comes with a powerful 1,500-watt motor that is capable of slicing hard fruits and vegetables. The blender also comes with a large 72 oz. plastic pitcher capable of making juice for the whole family. In addition, you also get two 16-ounce plastic travel cups with lids. The blender is perfect for blending, chopping, and single-serve blending. The operating interface is also simplistic and easy to operate.
