That’s why we’ve gone to longtime smoothie makers to find out what problems they’ve encountered, to ensure that you avoid those pitfalls on your journey to the perfect smoothie. Here are a few of the top tips that should help you on your way:
- Try to stick with metal blades and internal parts, avoiding plastic, especially if you’re going to be using your blender frequently.
- Anything under 500 watts probably won’t be effective.
- Choose a blender with at least two different speed settings, plus a pulse function, because it’s best to start on low to chop, then work your way up through the speeds to get the finest consistency with the least amount of nutrient-killing heat.
- Look for products with warranties, and buy your blender from stores that stand behind their products. It’s frustrating to invest good money in a blender just to have it break two weeks later, only to find out that the company or store won’t stand behind the product.
Blenders range in price from about $20 to well over $500, but there’s really no need to go to the top for a machine that meets your needs. That being said, a $20 blender probably won’t do the job, at least not for very long. If you’re serious about making smoothies, it’s best to invest in a good blender that will last, rather than buying several cheap blenders over time that continue to break — and have no warranty.
Best Green Smoothie Blender Suggestions
A few excellent choices broken down by price include:
$300+ Range Blender
- Vitamix 5200 (Read Review Here) : 1000 watts, powerful 2 HP motor, 64-ounce carafe, 7-year warranty, BPA-free carafe, variable speed dial as well as the ability to pulse, plus a patented tamper so you can quickly blend even thick ingredients.
- Blendtec Home Pro Choice Total Blender (Read Review Here) : 1500 watts, 3 HP motor, 64-ounce carafe, lifetime warranty on blade and coupling, 3-year warranty on base, 29K RPM, 6 blending options plus pulse. Features Smart Touch Technology© that automatically speeds up and slows down as necessary and shuts off at the end of the cycle.
$200–$300 Range Blender
• Breville 800BLXL Hemisphere (Read Review Here) : 1000 watts, 67-ounce polycarbonate carafe, uniquely shaped carafe, blades that allow for zero dead space around the edge of the carafe, 1-year limited warranty, 2 speeds plus pulse.
• Cuisinart CBT 100 PowerEdge (Read Review Here) : 1000 watts, 1.3 HP motor, BPA-free carafe, 3-year limited warranty, high and low settings plus preprogrammed smoothie, pulse, and icecrush settings that intermittently speed up and slow down for best results.
$100–$200 Range Blender
• KitchenAid KSB560MC Blender (Read Review Here) : 720 watts, 0.9 HP motor, 56-ounce polycarbonate carafe, 1-year replacement warranty, 5 speeds plus pulse.
Under $100 Blender
• Oster Beehive (Read Review Here) : 600 watts, 40-ounce glass carafe, 1-year warranty, 2 speeds plus pulse.
More expensive isn’t always better, but in the case of these blenders, you really don’t want to go with anything under $50. Most likely you’ll just be wasting your money on a product that’s not going to work well and will only break within a few months. Spend the extra money and do it right!
