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On the lookout for a blender to add a little zest to smoothies, milkshakes, and beyond? Look no further than this list of the best blenders under $100. High-performance blenders may seem ideal for your dream kitchen, but they can be a touch above budget. Here's a walkthrough of the specifications helpful for selecting the right blender for you.
- Size: With blenders, size matters. Whether you’re looking to make smoothies for the whole family in one go or a personal smoothie fresh daily, think about container size and your blender-based needs. Size is also important to consider for storage purposes — buy too big and your blender becomes a permanent kitchen-counter fixture.
- Material: Weighing the pros and cons of the material blenders are made from can help you choose. Plastic can absorb smell and has the potential to not be BPA-free. Where as glass, while resistant to smell absorption, has the potential of shattering (whether from hot soup or falling off the counter). Since each has its pros and cons, your decision will come down to personal preference.
- Speed: Take a look at speed settings, being able to control a blender’s speed can help achieve the right texture. According to Consumer Reports three speeds should be enough, but some machines come with preprogrammed settings to make your blending that much simpler.
- Power: While manufacturers want you to believe that the higher the wattage the better performance, Consumer Reports claimed that much more goes into how the blender performs, so don’t get hung up on getting the highest wattage for your dollar. The only place high wattage tends to equal high performance is with immersion blenders.
- Controls: In other words, consider how many buttons you want on your blender. Some blenders include timers, pulsing, blending, and drink-specific buttons, if you want the specificity, awesome, but it might cost you a little more.
- Attachments: Many blenders come with attachments, different blades, or even different container options — as is the case with combination blenders — you may decide you want the versatility or that it’s excess storage for your kitchen.
While you might be looking for a conventional countertop blender, it's worth considering other money-saving options like bullet, combination, and immersion blenders — all of which are outline below.
The Best Conventional Countertop Blenders Under $100
Let’s start with the most familiar blender type: the conventional or countertop blender. Much more affordable, these blenders are perfect for general blending needs like smoothies or milkshakes. Just don’t expect professional-grade blending.
- Overall Best Blender
While at the top of the budget, the Ninja Professional Countertop Blender is the closest you’ll get to the high-performance blenders, mentioned earlier, within your budget. As an Amazon Choice, with over 4,000 reviews and 4.4-star rating, you can’t go wrong with this blender. The 72-ounce (64-ounce max liquid capacity) “Total Crushing Pitcher” blends ice and other ingredients into “creamy frozen drinks and smoothies” and with the two included 16-ounce Nutri Ninja Cups those drinks are now to-go. All parts are BPA-free and dishwasher-safe for safety and easy clean-up.
- The Best Budget-Friendly Blender:
At $80, this KitchenAid blender has a stainless steel blade, intelli-speed motor control with Soft Start technology, a BPA-free plastic pitcher, and die-cast metal base; so this blender provides you with the sturdiness you need and leaves a little cash leftover. With five speeds for a little more control than the previous blender, this blender allows you to chop, liquify, stir, puree, and mix as recipes advise. And with its blue LED lit “Clean Touch Control Panel,” this flashy red blender is a fashionable option for your foray into blending.
The Best Combination Food Processor/Blenders Under $100
These blenders tend to have multiple containers and blades that allow the blender to take on different functions: dough making, food processing, and more. Consider whether you want a multifunctional blender or whether you plan on sticking to lower intensity smoothies and milkshakes.
- The Overall Best Combination Blender
Amazon’s Choice for a Combination Blender is the Oster Pro 1200. With a 1200 watt motor (that’s 900 watts for ice crushing), seven speeds, a pulse mode for further finesse, and three preprogrammed settings for smoothies, salsas, and milkshakes, versatility and precision are where this blender shines. This blender's blades have Dual Direction Blade Technology, are 50 percent larger than previous Oster models, and come with a 10-year limited warranty. Fitted with a 6-cup Boroclass pitcher, a 5-cup BPA-free food processing bowl, a 24-ounce Blend N Go cup, this blender gives you the best of both materials, glass and plastic.
- The Best Budget-Friendly Combination Blender:
The Fochea 3-in-1 Multifunctional Food Processor has a sturdy base and clean seal, preventing leakage while blending. At 700 watts, with four stainless steel blades at 24,000 rotations per minute, fruit can become juice in 15 seconds. All parts are BPA-free and dishwasher-safe (except the base with motor). This set comes with a blender, 1500-milliliter food processor, a 570-milliliter bottle, and a 300-milliliter pepper grinder, which allow for the versatility of grinding coffee, spices, nuts, and seeds, chopping or mincing meat and cheese, as well as the more traditional, blending of ice and frozen ingredients.
The Best Personal/ Bullet Blenders Under $100
These newer additions to the blender market balance a conventional blender’s ability without the storage needs or high volume conventional blenders produce. Further, these sets tend to come with portable bottles and lids, great for on-the-go sipping. Bullet blenders are also ideal for making homemade baby food.
- The Best Overall Personal/Bullet Blender
The NutriBullet Pro 13-Piece Mixer has over 1,000 reviews on Amazon and a 900-watt motor, which makes this bullet blender a great buy. Using Cyclonic action, durable, high-performance stainless steel extract or blades make silky smooth drinks, sauces, or soups. With two BPA-free 32-ounce cups, flip-stop lids, and your choice of matching handled or comfort lip rings, this set is ready for your creations to move with you. Plus, with all the color options, from Champagne to Rose Gold to Sky, this blender allows you to personalize your selection.
- The Best Budget Personal/Bullet Blender
The Magic Bullet is the best budget option at $30, offering a 250-watt high-torque base. This blender can whip, chop, grind, mix, and blend (though it’s unfortunately uniquely in this list, since the low watt motor can’t tackle ice). A big perk to the Magic Bullet line is they only produce one size so there’s no need to buy accessories; everything Magic Bullet is interchangeable. With an 18-ounce tall cup, an 18-ounce party mug, as well as a 12-ounce short cup, you've got all you need for personal blending and a great price.
- Best Portable Personal/Bullet Blender
This unique Portable Blender from Kacsoo allows you to throw ingredients in the blender and blend on-the-go. This mini blender is quiet and cordless; with a rechargeable, 5200mAh lithium ion battery that holds a charge for up to a week and is USB2.0 chargeable (by power bank, laptop, or car). The blender will reach about 165000rpm at max speed, and, in 20 seconds, can crush ice, small frozen fruits and vegetables, even seeds. Lightweight at 18-ounces this portable blender fits in most cup holders and is made from BPA free, baby food-grade TRITAN material. Plus the blending cup is dishwasher safe. Just don’t try to blend hot liquids in this mini-blender.
The Best Immersion Blender Under $100
Immersion blenders, while mostly designed for soups and sauces, many find that for small apartments (or small kitchens) an immersion blender eliminates the storage needs of other blender types and yet provides all the power and versatility needed.
As an Amazon Choice, the Mueller Ultra-Stick Immersion Blender is your best bet for an immersion blender. The 500-watt copper motor and nine speeds provide power and control. Combine that with the blade and whisk attachments and you're ready to make nut butters, puree fruits and vegetables, whip cream, beat eggs, and other blending recipes. Do so, comfortably and securely, with the blender's ergonomic grip and two-year warranty.
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