Best blenders 2023 UK

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Find out which blenders crush the competition with our tried and tested edit

Few and far between are the days when we don't turn to our blenders to help with the cooking — whether it's blitzing fruit at breakfast for an invigorating smoothie or whizzing vegetables into warming and nutritious soups for dinner. Not to mention they chop, blend, grind, crush and purée in minutes.

In fact, they’re one of those appliances that, once you own one, you won't know how you survived without it. They're easy to use, versatile, look great on your kitchen worktop and can be used to blend up a huge range of ingredients effortlessly. What's not to love?

With so many on the market, trying to find the right blender can be enough to make your head spin. The Good Housekeeping Institute set out to simplify the decision by testing the top models on the market right now. These are our best buys:

We tested blenders by seeing how they fared while blitzing a range of different ingredients. Each model was assessed on its ability to puree chickpeas, reduce bread to crumbs, grind coffee beans, chop nuts, crush ice, blend batter and make a smooth mayonnaise.

When awarding scores, we considered speed, evenness of blending and the consistency of the final results. Ease of use, overall design, accessories, leakage and the complexity of the instructions were also taken into account when determining which product would take our coveted top spot.

Score: 97/100

It's hard to find fault with this impressive blender from Ninja, which aced our testing process. As the name suggests, it comes with jug and cup attachments, taking seconds to transform from a multi-serve blender into a personal smoothie maker.

It also features Auto-iQ technology which will automatically blend ingredients using three preset programs, so you don't have to keep an eye on the consistency throughout. Using this handy feature, we were able to blend everything from batter to chickpeas with ease.

When your blending session has ended, the blade can be removed and the jug is easy to clean as a result. And, thanks to its sleek design, we think the Ninja 2-in-1 would be a welcome addition to any countertop.

Clutching at straws for a drawback, it could have been quieter in action, but this brilliant blender still did more than enough to be our winner.

Score : 93/100

Our runner-up model from Vitamix is certainly designed to get the job done and offers plenty of settings to give the user ample control. This includes a whopping 10 blending speeds in addition to a pulse button for fast chopping. We found that it blended well in the majority of our tests, chopping nuts evenly and dicing bread into breadcrumbs in an instant.

All results were consistently even, from puréed chickpeas and glossy mayonnaise to smooth batter, with zero leakage out of the lid no matter which speed setting we used. In terms of design, it's quite a bulky piece of machinery, but it's straightforward to operate and has dishwasher-safe components for easy cleaning. Ultimately, it's an all-round top performer that is well worth the investment.

Score: 92/100

This blender has a sturdy glass jug, 400ml and 700ml blending cups for taking your drinks on the go, as well as a grinding mill attachment that can be used for finely chopping coffee, nuts, herbs and spices.

The glass jug can be used for cold and hot ingredients up to 60C. The lid is also a good snug fit although, while there was no leakage, when filled to its maximum capacity of 1.8 litres we did get a small amount of foam escaping out of the feed hole in the lid while blitzing ingredients for a smoothie.

Aside from that, this blender makes smooth purées and batters, crushes ice with ease, and the blades cope well with a variety of different types of foods. Overall, it's a useful multi-purpose machine, and if you'll make use of all the attachments, it's a worthwhile investment.

Score: 90/100

With an impressive 1600w of power, this machine churned through ice and liquidised chickpeas (which can be a sticking point for some blenders) without hesitation. And, if you’re worried the novelty of a blender might wear off after a while, this product comes with a recipe book full of fresh ideas to try. It also feels like it's been built to last, with a durable plastic jug.

Some ingredients splashed out of the lid while making mayonnaise, and the jug only clicks into place on the base when turned to the right — which can be awkward for left-handed people. But, if you’re looking to turn stubborn, solid ingredients into soups, smoothies and more, this blender is definitely up to the challenge.

Score: 89/100

Vitamix's "self-detect" technology is handy for preventing blending disasters. It stops the machine from operating if the lid or container is not attached securely, keeping ingredients from spewing all over the counter. That's just as well as, at 1400w, it's one of the more powerful blenders we tested.

On test, crushing ice proved no problem and batter was quickly blended to a smooth consistency. However, if homemade hummus is top of your culinary wishlist, note that it struggled to completely purée chickpeas. Also, despite having non-slip feet, we found it didn't stay securely in place on the counter while in use.

Score: 88/100

This high-tech Tefal does a lot more than your standard blender; as well as blitzing whatever you throw its way, it can cook food like soups and sauces, and even steam fish.

On test, our experts were blown away with its blending prowess, noting that even the toughest of ingredients – think hazelnuts and ice – were efficiently chopped and crushed. Surprisingly, batter proved a tad trickier to blend, with some lumps and air bubbles sneaking past the blades.

It scored full marks for its sleek and stable design, and it has ten speed settings as well as dishwasher-safe accessories. It only lost points for its hard-to-remove blade and cover when it came to ease of use. Though not a compact blender, given the skills it’ll bring to your kitchen, we'd say it's worth making room for.

Score: 88/100

The K400 is a great option for adventurous chefs. It made blending look effortless, impressing our experts with speedy results in every test we put it through. This was partly down to the intuitive control dial that allows you to flick between five speeds, three pre-set programmes and a pulse option — suiting a wide range of ingredients.

The jug and die-cast metal base are sturdy and durable, though this does mean they are rather heavy if you’re not planning on keeping it in situ. And, though we were initially worried the lack of removable blades might make it difficult to get rid of any remaining residues, the effective self-cleaning function soon quelled our concerns.

Score: 88/100

The quietest blender in our round-up, the Magimix Le Blender features a heat-proof glass jug that comfortably blends hot liquids for soup. The preset programmes gave some excellent results in our tests, including a smooth and silky soup, thick and glossy mayonnaise, a creamy milkshake and a smooth pancake batter.

It also whizzed up hazelnuts evenly, and the ice function created coarse crushed ice for adding to drinks. It's quite a weighty machine, but it's a solid performer in such a wide range of food prep tasks that you won't want to put it away.

Score: 87/100

At 1800W, the KitchenAid Power Plus blender is the most powerful blender we've come across in our tests. It has a big price tag so is best suited to those who cook a lot. In our tests, we were impressed; it scored top marks for puréeing chickpeas, blending batter and making breadcrumbs. It's simple to use with clearly labelled controls, although it did get incredibly loud when using the higher speed settings.

The sleek and shiny exterior looks great on any kitchen counter, which is a bonus, considering it weighs a hefty 9.4kg - hardly something you would want to be taking in and out of a cupboard. Overall, the KitchenAid Power Plus does exactly what it says on the tin: super high-powered blending.

Score: 87/100

This model can blend, make soups, smoothies, purée and crush ice using its four preset functions. The robust jug can blend icy drinks and hot liquids alike, and the LCD display panel with countdown timer means you won't have to worry about over-blending. It scored full marks when blending a smooth batch of pancake batter and creating a thick and glossy mayonnaise, and it took less than 15 seconds to crush ice.

The blades also coped well with larger quantities, although we found thicker textures tended to get stuck under the blades. As the jug sits on top of the base rather than locking into place, it moves around a bit on the motor unit when using the higher speed settings. However, it's a powerful and versatile machine.

Score: 84/100

You’ll want this Sage blender out on display to show off its attractive design. However, it wasn't a case of style over substance as it performed very well in most tests. There was minimal spitting from the lid while making sloppy sauces, and measurement markings on the side of the jug are helpfully printed in red to make them easy to read. It also automatically switches itself off when it reaches its maximum use time, stopping the motor from burning out and ensuring the product lasts longer.

It dropped a few points when chopping nuts, with some chunks trapped under the blades. This, twinned with the fact that the blades can't be removed, made it quite hard to clean. Also, the non-slip feet weren't completely effective at stopping the machine sliding when in pulse mode.

Score: 84/100

A blender can be a bulky addition to the kitchen, but the smaller dimensions of this Magimix model mean it slips seamlessly into most spaces. It's also a great investment if you’re keen to start creating your own condiments, producing perfectly puréed chickpeas and a deliciously smooth mayonnaise every time of asking. It feels well made, has removable blades for cleaning and comes with a comprehensive recipe book, which were all welcome features.

However, be aware that the instructions refer to accessories that have to be bought separately, so purchasing these will send the cumulative price tag skywards. Our only other gripes were that we found a lot of the ice melted when we were crushing it, and nuts were uneven after being chopped, ranging in size from large chunks to a powder.

Score: 84/100

It may only have the two speed settings, but this budget machine makes sure the basics are done well, proving adept at grinding coffee beans and blending batter. A handy mill attachment also made it effective at chopping nuts and grinding spices.

However if you’re after more delicate blending, this might not be the best option for you as even the slower speed is still pretty powerful. While we were using it, we could feel strong gusts of air blowing from underneath the base, and it needed a shake when blending breadcrumbs to redistribute the food.

Score: 83/100

The NutriBullet was the king of versatility. Its range of eight accessories makes it just as easy to make a big batch of batter for Pancake Day as it is to whip up smaller sauces. We particularly liked the different-sized personal blending cups, allowing us to pick the exact size of our post-workout smoothie.

It excelled at making breadcrumbs and easily blitzed batter, but struggled when making mayonnaise with a lot of splashes. Even the lowest speed setting still packs a punch, with gusts of air blowing out of the base during use. It's also not recommended for mixing liquids over 20C, so better suited to making smoothies rather than soup.

Score: 83/100

If colour and coordination are top of your must-have list, then this Smeg blender makes for a chic countertop addition, and also matches the brand's signature toaster and kettle. On test, we found the blender easy to use with a comfortable handle that would suit right- and left-handed users alike, thanks to its positioning at the front.

It puréed chickpeas and blended batters smoothly and tackled breadcrumbs and ice with aplomb, but we struggled with mayo as we found the oil splashed a lot when we poured it in. However, the sturdy design didn't leak when filled to maximum capacity and it has four speed settings, while the jug is also dishwasher safe. A statement all-rounder.

Both blenders and smoothie makers usually have a large base unit with several power settings or speeds to choose from.

Smoothie makers tend to be more compact, less powerful and have cup attachments designed to make one drink at a time.

Blenders, meanwhile, can tackle a wider range of kitchen tasks. The best models can handle everything from puréeing vegetables for soups and sauces, to chopping nuts, crushing ice and grinding spices with ease. They also have a larger pouring jug attachment so more ingredients can be blended and then easily decanted.

Food processors take things even further; they boast sharper blades than blenders, meaning that as well as completing everything from pureeing to crushing ice, they are also adept at chopping finely and maintaining more texture. You’ll need this if you fancy trying your hand at pesto, for example.

The multi-taskers can also do a fair few baking tasks, and often come with blending jug attachments, so if you’re looking to minimise the number of appliances you own but want to maximise the tools at your disposal, a food processor would serve you well.

You'll find many blenders come with pre-programmed functions. Most of the ones in our round-up feature at least two or three settings, with variable speeds — making them suitable for various tasks. The most common include ice crushing, smoothie and auto-clean, which are all pretty self-explanatory. The majority of models also have a pulse control button.

Jug capacity is also something worth considering. The blender with the highest capacity in our top 10 can blitz up to 2.6 litres worth of liquid at a time, making it great for catering for a crowd. If you're only blending for one or two people, however, you might want to look for something more compact.

Jugs - Some models have thermo-resistant glass jugs for blending hot liquids, while others use BPA-free plastic. Although some will recommend you don't add ingredients that exceed 40C.

Glass is generally sturdier and less likely to get scratched. Most glass jugs and some of the tougher plastic ones are also dishwasher-safe.

Jug lids - Many have a strainer built into the lid to filter out any lumps when pouring. Some have a removable cap in the centre of the lid that allows you to add ingredients while it's blending.

But, be warned, prepare yourself for some splashing if you're adding ingredients this way.

Speed settings - Most models have at least two settings. Many sport a rotating dial to select your chosen speed while others have clearer, numerical settings. The more speeds there are, the more control you have.

Some models also have a pulse setting, which is best for controlled blending - for example, when you want to chop a batch of vegetables without reducing them to soup.

Maintenance - For easy cleaning, look for one with a removable blade unit that's also dishwasher-safe. If the blade isn't removable, or the jug isn't dishwasher-safe, you can clean most by half filling the jug with warm water along with a drop of washing up liquid, then turning it on using a low setting.

Some blenders also have their own pre-programmed self-cleaning function.

Energy efficiency - Wattage is important, although a higher wattage doesn't necessarily mean a better machine. If you're looking for one to do intensive tasks like crushing ice or grinding coffee beans, however, it's worth plumping for a more powerful machine with at least 1100W.

Run time - Most models have a maximum continuous running time of one or two minutes on manual mode - anything more than this could cause the motor to burn out. Those with pre-programmed functions may run for several minutes.

Sturdy glass jug blenders tend to be able to withstand longer continuous running times than blenders with plastic jugs.

Grinding blade - Some models have a separate grinding blade (or mill) attachment for grinding ingredients such as coffee beans, nuts and herbs, that regular blades generally can't handle.

Ice crushing - Many blenders on the market today have an ice crushing setting, producing a coarse powder perfect for keeping mixed drinks cool at cocktail parties.

But, be aware that not all blenders are suitable for crushing ice and it may damage the blades if the manufacturer advises against it.

Hannah is our senior homes writer, 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 helps to uncover the best cleaning hacks too, with a focus on easy, natural solutions.

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.

You can find Hannah on Instagram on @sewnbyhan

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