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The Spruce Eats / Chloe Jeong
If you have limited kitchen space, live in a college dorm or small apartment, or just don't need or like the look of large appliances filling up your countertops, a smaller-sized personal blender may be a better choice over a full-size machine.
The Ninja Nutri Pro Compact Personal Blender is the overall winner: It's not only well-designed, but also a master at pulverizing, crushing, and blending. For a portable pick, the battery-operated BlendJet 2 is recharged via a USB cable and can make several smoothies on one full charge.
Personal blenders are designed to blend single servings of smoothies and shakes that can be taken on the go in the same jar you blended in. And, like standard blenders, they're often powerful enough to pulse and puree small batches of dips, sauces, and batters.
A personal blender is a must-have kitchen gadget for creating delicious smoothies to go—perfect for busy lifestyles, kids, and even travel. We considered power, portability, and budget when researching the personal blenders available today; several were put to the test to see how they performed in real-life settings.
Here are the best personal blenders.
Best Overall: Ninja Nutri Pro Compact Personal Blender
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Quickly blends
Easy to set up and clean
Blender cups are durable and large
Very noisy
The Ninja company is known for its innovative appliances and was one of the first to come up with personal-sized blenders. Although the market is now crowded, these blenders are still user favorites because they check all the boxes.
This one has 900 watts of blending power that can pulverize fruits and vegetables, turning them into a silky smooth drink. Our tester was also able to make hummus, salsa, pudding, and even chopped vegetables. The blender can also crush ice, so slushy iced tea or lemonade is possible on hot days.
The twist-on spout lids make it easy to take the drink to go. This unit includes an 18-ounce cup and a 24-ounce cup, each with a lid. More are available in case everyone in the family needs their own. For easy cleaning, the removable parts are all dishwasher safe, so this is as easy to care for as it is to use.
While we highly recommend the Nutri Ninja Pro, if you're interested in the newest blending technology, you may want to check out the Ninja Nutri-Blender Pro with Auto-iQ (which we haven't tested yet). Ninja's line of Auto-iQ blenders features preset buttons with unique pausing and pulsing patterns designed to deliver perfectly blended drinks at the press of a button. This model features one preset for crushing and one for smoothies. It also features an increased 1,100 watts of power compared to our pick's 900. It comes with two cups, both of which hold 24 ounces.
Power Rating: 900 watts | Cups Included: 2 | Maximum Cup Capacity: 24 ounces | Weight: 7 pounds | Warranty: 1 year
"A cup of ice was crushed to fluffy snow-like consistency, in under 10 seconds, and without any added liquid. That should give you an idea of how well the Nutri Ninja can handle frozen fruit for smoothies and desserts." — Sharon Lehman, Product Tester
Runner-Up, Best Overall: NutriBullet Pro 13-Piece High-Speed Blender
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Courtesy of Amazon
Stellar blending power
Large blender cup for bigger batches
Stands up to years of heavy use
More expensive than the Magic Bullet line
Cups lack measurement lines
With a 900-watt motor, the NutriBullet Pro is the perfect replacement for a high-powered blender in small kitchens. It gets sauces, soups, and smoothies as smooth as you want them, and even thick contents don't need to be opened up and re-stirred to get them thoroughly blended. After years of heavy use, this blender maintains its efficacy beautifully.
When you open the box, you'll find two BPA-free, 32-ounce blender cups, which give you the option to work with larger batch sizes than most personal blenders (although they're still great for individual smoothies and small-batch dips). You also get two cup rings, two-handled lip rings, two to-go lids for on-the-go convenience, and a recipe book. The blender cups lock into the base for hands-free blending. The motor is not meant to run for more than 60 seconds at a time, but that ends up being more than enough for even tough blending jobs.
The blender cups, blades, lids, and rings are easy to clean in the dishwasher or by hand. At around $80 to $110, the NutriBullet Pro is one of the more expensive options, but its durability, power, and versatility are well worth the price.
Power Rating: 900 watts | Cups Included: 2 | Maximum Cup Capacity: 32 ounces | Weight: 4.7 pounds | Warranty: 1 year
Best for Families: Cuisinart SmartPower Compact Portable Blending/Chopping System
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Amazon
Sleek, compact design
Convenient accessories
Powerful motor
Very noisy
Still affordable, but with an upscale design in your choice of white or black with stainless steel trim, this personal blender packs plenty of power with a 350-watt motor. There are controls for pulsing, low-speed blending, and high-speed blending, which are housed on an electronic touchpad with LED indicator lights. Our tester found everything about the design to be intuitive and user-friendly.
The 15-piece set includes a 32-ounce blender jar; this allows you to make either four 8-ounce smoothie servings or two 16-ounce servings. It also comes with two blades—one for blending and one for chopping—an 8-ounce chopping cup and a set of four 16 ounce travel cups, so multiple people can enjoy a smoothie at once, making this a great choice for families and larger households. The cups come with lids and are BPA-free and dishwasher safe for fast cleanup.
This system goes beyond just smoothies. Our tester successfully made cashew butter, crushed ice, and ground coffee beans. The one complaint she had is that it does get loud and shake a bit on the highest setting.
Power Rating: 350 watts | Cups Included: 5, plus a 32-ounce blender jar | Maximum Cup Capacity: 16 ounces | Weight: 7.6 pounds | Warranty: 3 years
"The 350-watt motor is impressively powerful for its size, and it effectively handled every task I threw at it, including crushing ice and grinding coffee beans." - Tierney McAfee, Product Tester
Best Mason Jar: Tribest PB-350 Single-Serving Mason Jar Personal Blender
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Amazon
Has two grinding blades
Includes several mason jars and lids
Easy to use and clean
Not as powerful as some blenders
Most personal blenders use proprietary cups or jars for blending, and extras can be expensive when you need more jars for the whole family or for guests. This blender is designed to work with standard mason jars, so you can blend and drink right out of jars you already own with the mason jar adapter.
Many reviewers found it very easy to attach their own mason jars, although some note that the mason jar adapter can sometimes get stuck to the blade mechanism, which may make it tricky to remove. It also includes its own large and small cups with cup lids, as well as mason jars, mason jar lids, and a commuter lid, so you’ll have plenty of options for blending large or small amounts. Tribest also offers an XL version (in the 19-piece set) if you want even larger cup options.
Two grinding blades are included as well. One has four prongs, and the other has two. The blender has a 200-watt motor, so it’s not as powerful as some, but it’s sufficient for smoothies, shakes, and sauces.
A new version, the Tribest Personal Blender II with mason jar attachment, is quite similar in terms of function and power. However, Tribest has added a cooling fan to allow you to blend for longer periods of time and extend the overall life of the product. The set itself comes with fewer pieces and no mason jars though. So in terms of value, we're still giving the nod to the Personal Blender Original.
Power Rating: 200 watts | Cups Included: 6 | Maximum Cup Capacity: 16 ounces | Weight: 7 pounds | Warranty: 1 year
Best Design: Frigidaire ESMM100 300-Watt Retro Smoothie Maker
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Amazon
Retro design
Quiet motor
Easy to use and clean
Doesn't work with standard mason jars
Most personal blenders look utilitarian and ready to hide in the cabinet, but this one has an attractive retro style that gives it some personality—so it will look good living on the counter for daily use. It has a 300-watt motor that operates at two speeds for efficient blending, and the quirky chrome side lever starts and stops the blender.
It includes a large 20.3-ounce plastic drinking jar, a glass mason jar with a handle, and two lids. While this does include a glass mason jar, the threads on the blender are not compatible with standard canning jars, so they can’t be used as replacements.
Power Rating: 300 watts | Cups Included: 2 | Maximum Cup Capacity: 20 ounces | Weight: 3.75 pounds | Warranty: 1 year
Best for Travel: BlendJet 2
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Fun color choices
Powerful motor
Increased capacity
Measurement markings on blender cup
Doesn't fit many solid ingredients
Short charging cord
Designed with portability in mind, the BlendJet 2 can go anywhere you do. The blender cup and base function as a single unit and can easily be tossed in a gym bag, large purse, or even luggage. It is battery operated and recharges via a USB-C cable, so it can be charged in the car or plugged into a laptop and used to blend anywhere, no electricity required. After testing the original BlendJet One, we were excited to get our hands on the next-generation model, the BlendJet 2, which offers a larger capacity blending cup (16 ounces), more power, and longer battery life.
Our tester particularly liked that the BlendJet 2 can get at least 15 uses out of every full charge—a significant improvement over the previous version. Another upgrade? There are measurement marks on the 16-ounce blender cup, which makes on-the-go eyeballing of ingredients simple—no measuring cups required. Like the original version, this model is self-cleaning for added convenience.
It comes in a range of fun colors (even more than the original version), and our reviewer was impressed with how fast it worked (even faster than the BlendJet One). It's powerful enough to crush entire ice cubes. The only downside is the limited capacity—this is definitely a blender for one, so don't expect to make super-sized smoothies or pulverize tons of solid ingredients. Still, for making quick protein shakes at the gym or blending up simple smoothies while away from home, our tester highly recommends this model.
Our tester was also sent free samples of the brand's JetPacks, which are powdered single-serving fruit, veggie, and protein smoothies that can be whipped up quickly in the blender, and found them "surprisingly tasty."
Power Rating: 200 watts | Cups Included: 1 | Maximum Cup Capacity: 16 ounces | Weight: 1.34 pounds | Warranty: 30-day return policy
"The blending mode is much faster than it used to be. The BlendJet One took about one minute to blend, but the BlendJet 2 blends for about 20 seconds and then turns itself off automatically." - Sharon Lehman, Product Tester
Best Battery-Powered: Cuisinart EvolutionX Cordless Compact Blender RPB-100
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Courtesy of Overstock
Recharges in two hours
Sleek design
Can be charged with computer or in car
No measurement markings on cup
This personal blender is lithium battery-operated, so you can use it anywhere without access to an outlet—as long as it's charged. The battery fully recharges in just two hours via a USB cable, which can be connected to ports on your computer or car or used with the included standard electrical plug. The battery is estimated to provide 20 minutes of runtime when fully charged.
It comes with one 16-ounce BPA-free cup plus a travel lid so you can take your smoothies and protein shakes on the go. The four-prong blade screws onto the blending cup and can also be used to puree single servings of soup or crush ice for drinks and slushies.
The blender is powered on and off by a single one-speed power button that lights up when in use. The stainless steel accent and streamlined shape look good on countertops, too. It's a bit bigger and heavier than the BlendJet, the only other battery-powered model on this list. But it's backed by a three-year limited warranty, so keep that in mind if you're trying to decide between the two.
Power Rating: 350 watts | Cups Included: 1 | Maximum Cup Capacity: 16 ounces | Weight: 2.2 pounds | Warranty: 3 years
Best for Smoothies: Hamilton Beach Personal Blender
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Courtesy of Walmart
Portable cup and travel lid
Affordable
Simple one-button blending
No presets
Bladed bottom stays in the travel cup
If you’re someone who likes quick breakfast smoothies or wants to take a protein shake to the gym, this personal blender from Hamilton Beach is a great single-serve option that doubles as a travel cup. Simply make your drink, detach, and you’re on your way with a lidded 14-ounce smoothie cup. Both the lid and cup are dishwasher safe, too.
The stainless steel blades can crush ice and frozen fruit for a smooth drink. It’s a simple blender with only one button pulse. Though it doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles, this 175-watt blender gets the job done. Since this item is a personal blender, it’s small and not bulky, which is perfect for easy storage—it only weighs 2.28 pounds. The cup even has measurement lines on the side, so you know how much of each ingredient you’re adding. Convenient and quick, this blender is ideal for people who are always on the move.
Power Rating: 175 watts | Cups Included: 1 | Maximum Cup Capacity: 14 ounces | Weight: 2.28 pounds | Warranty: 1 year
Best for Smoothie Bowls: Ninja Foodi Smoothie Bowl Maker and Nutrient Extractor
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Ninja
Sleek design
Easy to clean
Versatile functions
Loud motor
If you’re interested in creating smoothie bowls at home, Ninja’s smoothie bowl maker has a 1,200-watt motor to power through ice and frozen fruit without needing to add much liquid, resulting in a thick and silky smoothie.
This is a truly versatile blender. It comes with six functions: one-touch blend, pulse, smoothies, extraction, bowls, and spreads. Two 24-ounce cups, a 14-ounce bowl, and lids for each come packaged with the blender. None of the items take up too much space, and they’re all easy to store. Most of the elements are dishwasher safe, too.
In addition to smoothies, this blender can create nut butters and homemade ice cream. Ninja even throws in a 15-recipe booklet with your purchase, so you can try a number of tasty treats.
Power Rating: 1,200 watts | Cups Included: 3 | Maximum Cup Capacity: 24 ounces | Weight: 6.5 pounds | Warranty: 1 year
The Nutri Ninja Pro gets the top spot because not only is it fast and powerful—great for those with tight schedules—but it's also compact and easy to clean. Do you travel a lot or love making smoothies at work? We recommend the BlendJet 2. It is battery-operated, recharged via a USB cable, and can make several smoothies on a single full charge.
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What to Look for in a Personal Blender
Blender Cup Capacity
How big is your morning smoothie? Do you like the idea of blending once and then portioning it into several cups, or do your family members have different flavor preferences? Look for a kit that's the right size for you.
Accessories
Single folks may not want multiple cups that they’ll need to store, but if you’re making morning smoothies for the family, having one for each person might be nice. While you can usually buy additional cups for these blenders, it’s convenient to get exactly what you need all in one kit.
Power
While wattage isn’t the perfect indicator of a blender’s power, it’s a pretty good hint. In general, the higher the wattage, the more powerful an appliance is.
If you typically blend softer foods (like bananas and yogurt), you won’t need as much power as someone who plans on blending hard vegetables, ice, and frozen fruits. Higher power can also mean that the blender will be a little noisier—which might be a consideration if you’re blending in the morning while your family’s still asleep.
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FAQs
How powerful are personal blenders?
In general, personal blenders aren't quite as powerful as standard-sized blenders since they have smaller footprints and therefore smaller motors, but most pack enough punch to whip up smoothies and shakes. The exact amount of power depends on the wattage: The higher the wattage number, the more powerful the blender's motor will be. Check the specifications before buying to compare the power of different personal blenders.
Can you put frozen fruit in a personal blender?
You can put frozen fruit in a personal blender, but the key to getting a smooth blend is adding the right ratio of liquid to frozen ingredients. Check the user manual for recommendations.
If you are trying to blend frozen fruit in your personal blender and keep ending up with unblended bits, try letting the fruit sit out at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before blending to partially thaw.
Can a personal blender crush ice?
Some personal blenders are powerful enough to crush ice, which is a necessary feature if you like making icy coffee drinks, slushies, and frozen margaritas.
The more powerful the motor (i.e., the more wattage), the better it should be able to handle ice.
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The Spruce Eats / Sharon Lehman
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Donna Currie has used a veritable flock of blenders, from manual to hand blenders to a high-end Vitamix, that she tested for The Spruce Eats. To make sure she found the perfect personal blenders for everyday use, she spent hours doing even more research online to narrow down the list to the best of the best.
This roundup was updated by Sharon Lehman, a home cook who happens to be a registered dietitian nutritionist, Allison Wignall, a writer who focuses on food and travel, and Katya Weiss-Andersson, a writer and editor who has nearly a decade of experience as a professional chef.
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