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The Best Blenders for Home Use

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Soups, smoothies, baby food, milkshakes, sauces — the list of delicious and often nutritious foods you can whip up with a blender has every element of your menu covered. But these countertop staples don't just puree different foods; the range of features they boast and tasks they accomplish is as varied as their designs. Blenders from industry titans like Blendtec can heat up soups at the press of a button, while professional-grade options from famed companies like Vitamix have the extra power you need to process nuts into creamy butters. Even standard offerings from well-known brands KitchenAid and Breville can help you breeze through recipes while offering fun splashes of style and color to your kitchen counter.

You'll want to think about features, of course, but size is another important element to consider. If you're only making smoothies for yourself, a small, single-serve model could be the way to go. But if you're whipping up big batches and planning to slice and dice other types of foods for family gatherings or weekly meal-prep batches, you may be better off with a larger blender. Ready to start shopping? We've rounded up a list of the best blenders for whipping up smoothies and much more.

Best Overall: Ninja Professional Blender

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Can't choose between a single-serve blender and a full-size one? The Ninja Professional Countertop Blender is ideal for anyone looking for the ultimate versatility. It comes with a large-capacity, 72-ounce pitcher for crushing ice, creating large-batch smoothies and performing other tasks. It also comes with two 16-ounce Nutri Ninja sups for the ultimate single-serve option. The 1100-watt motor powers through whole veggies and fruits, seeds and stems to create smooth, nutrient-dense drinks, juices and smoothies.

Best Value: Oster My Blend Personal Size 250-Watt Blender

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The low price point isn't the only thing users like about the Oster My Blend Blender. It has a powerful motor that can crush ice and blend your favorite ingredients right inside of the included travel sport bottle, making it the ultimate grab-and-go solution. It has more than 2,800 five-star reviews, all of which hail the efficiency and speed that this budget-friendly blender offers.

Best for Nutrient Extraction: NutriBullet 12-Piece High- Speed Blender System

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This fast, simple workhorse does more than just blend. As the makers of the NutriBullet High-Speed Blender explain, it extracts nutrients to create smoother smoothies, sauces and shakes without requiring peeling. You get all the nutrients and fiber from what you put in, without feeling like you're drinking a lumpy mixture. Best of all, it breaks everything down so you can optimize your nutrition, takes only about 60 seconds tops to blend and cleans easily in the dishwasher.

Best for Juicing: Blendtec Total Classic Blender

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Green smoothies and fresh juices are among the most popular items that reviewers prepare in the Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender. It has more than 1,000 five-star reviews and it comes with six pre-programmed blending cycles in addition to one-touch buttons, pulse capability and 10-speed controls to adjust your blending for the perfect texture. The 75-ounce BPA-free jar holds ample liquid to blend smoothies or juices for up to four people. Additionally, blades create friction heat capable of warming soups and drinks.

Best Splurge: Vitamix 5200 Professional-Grade Blender

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With nearly 1,000 five-star reviews, it's hard to ignore the popularity of the Vitamix 5200 Professional-Grade Blender. Although its higher price point lands it squarely in the "splurge" category, this blender lives up to its popularity for smoothies and more. It has variable speed control that you can adjust mid-blend to achieve just the right texture. Its aircraft-grade stainless steel blades stay sharp and are designed to outlast even the toughest ingredients you choose. Bonus, it's self-cleaning, holds a large capacity and is capable of whipping up hot soups with the high-speed action.

Best Immersion Blender: Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick Immersion Blender

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Mueller Austria's Ultra-Stick Immersion Blender puts 500 watts of power literally into your hands. This handheld blender does everything from making smoothies to pureeing soups and so much more. It boasts a sleek, space-saving design, nine speeds and a copper motor with real staying power. The ergonomic grip makes blending, whipping and pureeing comfortable while the powerful motor lets you power through your tasks quickly.

Best for Food Processing: Ninja 400-Watt Blender/Food Processor

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If you're looking to do more than blending, the Ninja 400-watt blender/food processor delivers the capabilities you need in a tidy, space-efficient package. It comes with two different sized jars: A 48-ounce pitcher and a two-cup chopper bowl. The anti-spill guard keeps work areas neat while the powerful blades and 400-watt motor allow you to blend, puree, chop and dice with ease.

Best Five Speed: Breville Fresh & Furious Blender

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Five speeds, nine task controls, a built- in timer and one-touch programs for smoothies make Breville's Fresh & Furious Blender a favorite among many kitchen warriors looking for efficiency and versatility. Its high-torque motor is surprisingly quiet, while the uniquely designed blades deliver even, consistent blending power. It's adaptable and capable of making everything from smoothies to dips and beyond.

Best for Travel: Hamilton Beach Personal Blender

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Lightweight and small enough to tuck in your carry-on bag, the Hamilton Beach personal blender is a great option for on the go. It comes with a BPA-free jar with a lid, perfect for one-touch blending to make your favorite smoothie before leaving. Stainless steel blades and a 175-watt motor does an efficient job crushing icing, mixing dressings and preparing shakes.

Best Colors: KitchenAid K400 Countertop Blender

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With choices like Blue Velvet, Matte Black, Passion Red, White and Contour Silver, the KitchenAid K400 countertop blender is an ideal choice for anyone looking for a blender with a little added personality. In addition to the fashionable look, it delivers also features a 1/5-horsepower motor and an asymmetrical blade that helps create a blending vortex to break ingredients down efficiently. It comes with preset programs for smoothies, crushing ice and blending drinks.

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