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11 of the best smoothie makers for a speedy shake on the go
Can anything beat the Nutribullet?
Whether you're after fresh breakfast options or looking for easy ways to actually hit your five a day, smoothies are an easy win. Chuck a few choice ingredients (whether that's fruit, oats, nut butter, protein powder or ice) into your smoothie maker, and you’ll have a smooth smoothie on the go in no time. Yes for new snacking options!
Which smoothie maker should I buy?
Get fruity with these tried-and-tested whizzers:
- Best smoothie maker: Ninja Blender with Auto-iQ BN495UK
- Best for nutrition nerds: NutriBullet Balance Smart Food Blender
- Best smoothie maker for add-ons: Breville VBL241 Blend Active Blender Compact Food Processor
- Best compact smoothie maker: NutriNinja Slim Blender and Smoothie Maker
- Most powerful smoothie maker: VonShef UltraBlend Smoothie Maker
- Best smoothie maker for one: Moulinex Blender High Speed & Smoothie To-Go Personal
- Best value for money: Wilko Black 1000W Power Blender Plus
- Best all-round smoothie maker: NutriBullet 600
- Quietest smoothie maker: Salter NutriPro 1000 Multi-Purpose Blender
- Best budget smoothie maker: George Home Twist & Go Personal Blender
- Best smoothie maker for on the go cups: Kenwood Blend X-Tract Smoothie 2Go SMP060WG Blender
What’s the difference between a smoothie maker and a blender?
Most of the smoothie makers in our edit will whiz up just enough for one or two people and take up less space than your average blender. Some can handle hot ingredients too, making them pretty versatile. Coming with differently sized jugs and capacities – these ones run from 0.47L up to 1L – just add ingredients, give them a few seconds and ta-da, you've got liquid breakfast (or lunch, or dinner).
How we test smoothie makers
We test smoothie makers by throwing the whole fruit bowl at them (and the veg drawer too). We also see how each one gets on with crushing ice (important margarita research) and check for any pesky leaks too. Ultimately we’re on the lookout for an easy-to-use machine that will get our mornings off to a smooth start.
There’s not much this Ninja can’t do. It bumped the Nutribullet of the top spot thanks to its easy-peasy pre-set buttons that turn silky smoothies around in seconds. The LED countdown will tell you exactly how long you’ve got to wait, and you can chuck the cups, lids and blades in the dishwasher when you’re done.
Key specs
Maximum capacity: 0.6L
Power levels: 3
Dishwasher safe jug: Yes
Accessories: 2 x 700ml cups, recipe book
NutriBullet Balance Smart Food Blender
Working with built-in scales, this blender connects to an app via bluetooth, weighing the selected ingredient and providing the nutritional lowdown as you go – not great if you’re as heavy handed with the peanut butter as we are! In practice, it worked well with solid ingredients but wasn’t quite as accurate with liquids. Freestyle or choose from the hundreds of recipes on the app.
Key specs
Maximum capacity: 0.93L
Power Levels: 5
Dishwasher safe jug: Yes
Accessories: 2 x 930ml cups
Breville VBL241 Blend Active Blender Compact Food Processor
This star smoothie maker impressed on test with its high-scoring performance, proving that there are affordable rivals to Ninja and NutriBullet. As with most blenders, berry seeds proved pesky but otherwise our drinks were silky smooth. The measurement markings on its jug were handy, and its processor bowl means it can double as a mini food processor – winning!
Key specs
Maximum capacity: 0.6L
Power levels: 1
Dishwasher safe jug: Yes
Accessories: 450ml food processor bowl, 600ml bottle, recipe ideas
NutriNinja Slim Blender and Smoothie Maker
If your flatmates have banned you from cluttering up the kitchen with any more gadgets, this slimline machine from blender specialists Ninja takes up minimal space. Despite the size, it's powerful and great value. And the only thing you'll need to find a place for is the second cup and lids.
Key specs
Maximum capacity: 0.47L
Power levels: 1
Dishwasher safe jug: Yes
Accessories: 2 x 470ml cups
Powerful for the price, this machine's compact design is perfect for small kitchens and can munch through handfuls of kale, no probs.
Key specs
Maximum capacity: 0.8L
Power levels: 1
Dishwasher safe jug: No
Accessories: 1 x 500ml cup and 1 x 800ml cup
Making smoothies just for you? Then give some of the bulkier blenders on our list a miss and save some pennies with this sleek little number. Though it just has one setting – and you’ll need to hold its button down throughout use – its blades crushed ice with ease. Chop fruit and veg up finely for max velvety goodness.
Key specs
Maximum capacity: 0.6L
Power levels: 1
Dishwasher safe jug: Yes
Accessories: 600ml jug
If you don’t want to fork out the big bucks, but still want a decent performance (that will be all of us then!) — this is the sweet spot. It only has one power setting but on test it whizzed up icy drinks just as well as pricier machines.
Key specs
Maximum capacity: 0.8L
Power levels: 1
Dishwasher safe jug: No
Accessories: 1 x 500ml cup and 1 x 800ml cup
NutriBullet 600
This one could be considered NutriBullet's entry-level model. So there's no fancy tech, but like others from the brand's range we've tested, it makes a great smoothie. Despite having a lower wattage than some on the list, we found it tore through tough ingredients too.
Key specs
Maximum capacity: 0.68L
Power levels: 1
Dishwasher safe jug: Yes
Accessories: 1 x 680ml cup, 1 x 500ml cup with handle, nutrition guide and recipe book
This quieter-than-average blender won’t bother your flatmates. Although coming in at 83.5 decibels - as opposed to the average of 95 - it’s still best not to run it if they’re mid Zoom. Otherwise, it’s a fuss-free design that blitzed ice well. Note, the lid wasn’t quite watertight, so stick to home use.
Key specs
Maximum capacity: 1L
Power levels: 1
Dishwasher safe jug: No
Accessories: 1L and 800ml blending jugs
With change from 20 quid, you can’t ask for better value than this budget blender. It knocks up a thick icy drink in under 30 seconds and has a one-touch pulse setting for a final blitz. You might find the blades struggle with tough nuts and seeds, but overall it’s a great machine for the money.
Key specs
Maximum capacity: 0.6L
Power levels: 1
Dishwasher safe jug: Yes
Accessories: 2 x 600ml cups
Kenwood Blend X-Tract Smoothie 2Go SMP060WG Blender
With curvy, easy grip bottles and non-spill lids, these cups are ideal for chucking in your gym bag or taking out on your weekend walk. We found a couple of extra pulses were needed to fully zap ice but even on max speed it was pretty sturdy, yet lightweight enough to move around the kitchen if you’re short on space. Whether you top it up with a bit of something stronger is up to you...
Key specs
Maximum capacity: 0.6L
Power levels: 2
Dishwasher safe jug: Yes
Accessories: 2 x 600ml cups
Hannah is our homes editor, specialising in reviewing the latest kitchen appliances, cleaning products, mattresses and bedding, and crafting equipment. Hannah has written about hundreds of products, from air fryers to smoothie makers to pillows, and is committed to finding the most reliable and best value for money buys.
Hannah is also interested in sustainability in the home and has completed a course with the University of the Arts London in sustainable textiles, so she can help cut through the noise on what’s green and what’s not. Hannah has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously worked as a freelance lifestyle and women’s sports journalist, working for Stylist, Sky Sports and more.
Hannah has also previously worked in a florist and can normally be found caring for her house plants or sewing something new for her home or wardrobe.
Stacey looks after all food and drink reviews — from coffee pods and veg boxes, to natural wine and tequila. Stacey is also founder of Crummbs, where she’s written nearly 2,000 restaurant and hotel reviews since 2013. Prior to this, Stacey wrote hundreds of in-depth buying guides for the Independent, i newspaper and BBC Good Food, as well as reviewing restaurants and interviewing celebrities in her column at Balance Magazine. Stacey has also appeared in BAFTA-nominated BBC documentary Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, where she investigated South East Asia's food production industry, appearing on both Newsnight and BBC World Service to share her findings. Regularly checking out the latest restaurants, bars and product launches, Stacey also loves experimenting with recipes at home, and is a WSET-certified wine and spirits expert, with over 10 years of experience in the business. You can follow Stacey on Instagram @crummbs_uk
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