Blenders can help you create a range of culinary delights including sauces, soups, smoothies, frozen cocktails, fresh juices, milkshakes, marinades, baby food and more! But before you part with your cash, think about what type of blender will be best for you and your home.
What blender style is best for you?
If you’re on a health kick, a small single-setting blender that can pulp fresh and frozen fruit at the push of a button might be all you need. If you’re a keen cook and baker, a larger model with multiple speed settings, pre-set functions and a pulse mode will give you greater control over your food prep. If you’re looking for a blender for occasional use, a mid-priced machine with one to two-speed settings and a pulse function will give you flexibility without a premium price tag.
Our seven fab food processors range in price from our steal find at £32.96 to an investment buy at £160. Each model offers impressive blending and, with some models, crushing and chopping capabilities too. With a mix of sizes, styles and functionality, there’s a blender here for every budget, counter space and cooking approach.
Best blenders on sale in the UK
Ninja 2-in-1 Blender with Auto-IQ
Size 45.5cm H x 25.5cm W x 19cm D
Capacity 2.1L
Power 1200W
Key features
- Clear digital display with timer countdown lets you know how long each blend will take
- AutoIQ pre-set functions mean you can blend, crunch and crush at just one touch
- Make smaller portions and take them on the go with a 700ml cup attachment
The low down
The Ninja 2-in-1 blender is a practical and durable food processor, with the strongest motor of all our reviewed models to handle a large quantity of ingredients with ease. It features innovative AutoIQ technology, which takes the guesswork out of blending styles – ideal if you’re new to food processors, or if time is of the essence. There’s also a helpful manual and recipe book to set you on the right path.
Choose from three pre-set functions: ‘blend’, for making drinks, dips, dressings and salsa; ‘max blend’ for tougher ingredients, such as seeds, nuts, and fruit and veggies with skin on; and ‘crush’, for turning ice and frozen ingredients into smooth drinks and desserts. You can also make soups – just let the ingredients cool before blending. Measurements on the jug help to make blending ingredients even more precise. The attachments are dishwasher safe too.
Overall, the powerful blades and efficient crushing performance make this an excellent and versatile choice and good value for the price.
SMEG BLF01CRUK 50s Retro Style Blender
Size 39.7cm H x 19.7cm W x 16.3cm D
Capacity 1.5L
Power 800W
Key features
- Make soups and frozen drinks with its thermoresistant jug
- Speed settings can be adjusted while blending
- Stylish retro design
The low down
Style meets substance in the SMEG 50s Retro Style blender. It’s at the top end of our price scale, but we believe it’s a worthy investment, thanks to its versatility, functionality and style credentials (choose from seven colours).
The 800W motor and generous 1.5L jug make this an ideal blender for a range of culinary dishes, from smoothies to savoury sauces. Better still, the plastic jug is thermoresistant so you can whip up hot and cold concoctions, and it features measurements, which is helpful when you need to add specific amounts to your blends. The lid doesn’t lock in so it’s worth holding down on it for larger quantities. It offers three pre-set functions – ‘smoothie’, ‘ice crush’ and ‘pulse’ – as well as four different speed settings.
An ergonomic handle and anti-slip feet make it comfortable to use and its medium size won’t take up too much space on your countertop. The blades are a little fiddly to remove, but once taken out they are simple to clean and the jug can be popped in the dishwasher.
Nutribullet 600 Series Blender
Size 33cm H x 17cm W x 30cm D
Capacity 700ml
Power 600W
Key features
- Sleek and simple design
- Short and tall cups that double up as blending jugs
- Includes a ‘pocket nutritionist’ with recipes
The low down
The NutriBullet has become a cult classic in recent years thanks to its intuitive functionality and slim, sleek design. It’s designed to give you a quick blast of healthy food with smoothies and juices, but it can also chop vegetables, make sauces, purées and breadcrumbs and, once the ingredients are cooled, blend deliciously smooth soups.
What sets this model apart is the way users turn on the blender. Whereas most food processors use dials or buttons to set off the blades, the Nutribullet requires users to press down, turn and lock the bottle/blender jug in place. There are no speed settings, pre-set functions or timed blends so you’ll need to keep an eye on things but the efficient NutriBullet 600 only takes around 30 seconds to whiz up your fave fruit and veg.
For a no-fuss blender, that can be easily tucked away, the NutriBullet 600 is ideal, and it’s not too loud either. The cups are dishwasher safe but you’ll need to handwash the blades.
Russell Hobbs 24722 Desire Jug Blender
Size 41.5cm H x 20.7cm W x 20.7cm D
Capacity 1.5L
Power 650W
Key features
- Strong glass jug that can withstand temperatures up to 40°C
- Great all-rounder
- Quality feel for budget-friendly price
The low down
Looking for a reliable blender that doesn’t break the bank? The Desire Jug from Russell Hobbs is a versatile, affordable option. This model can blend both warm and cold ingredients and offers two speed settings, plus a pulse function. Simple cup measurements on the side of the jug help to determine ingredient portion sizes and the addition of a measuring cap, which can be slotted into the lid, means you can pour in extra ingredients without stopping the blend.
The Desire can crush, grind, purée and blend hard and soft ingredients, whether it’s vegetables for marinades and sauces or frozen fruit for fresh juices and smoothies. You can blend ingredients for soup too, but they must be cooled to 40°C first.
As it’s sturdy with non-slip feet, there won’t be any movement even when using the strongest setting. There are no pre-set functions, but for the price it’s a great all-rounder and when your cooking prep is done, you can put both the blade and the jug in the dishwasher.
Breville BlendActi Family Gen2 Food Blender
Size 37cm H x 12.8cm W x 12.4cm D
Capacity 600ml
Power 300W
Key features
- Comes with two 600ml bottles and two 300ml bottles
- Simple design means it’s quick and easy to use
The low down
For a simple, affordable smoothie maker, the BlendActi Family Gen2 Food blender from Breville ticks the box. With its single speed setting and juice function this model blends fruit, both fresh and frozen, with ease, making wonderfully smooth drinks. It can also chop small pieces of veg, but it’s not the best at juicing or puréeing them.
Four smoothie bottles, each with their own colourful lid, make this blender especially appealing to kids and means taking healthy drinks on the go is a doddle. You’ll need space to store the extra bottles but the machine itself is very slim and compact and takes up barely any room on a countertop.
The no-frills, quick and easy functionality of this Breville model makes it ideal for families or anyone looking to introduce a healthy smoothie into their breakfast routine. At £32.99, it’s a steal too!
Cuisinart Silver Cordless On-The-Go Blender
Size 30cm H x 9.5cm W x 10.5cm D
Capacity 450ml
Power 10W
Key features
- Cordless with USB charging
- Small size is ideal for single smoothies, salsas and dips
- Blending jug doubles up as a cup
The low down
If you’re a keen picnicker or camper, or you just prefer a wire-free countertop, the Cuisinart Cordless On-TheGo blender is made for you. Thanks to its cordless design, you can take the blender with you and whip up fresh drinks and condiments wherever you fancy.
On a full charge, it can work continuously for 20 minutes, which is plenty of time to mix multiple batches of smoothies, juices and sauces. After you’ve finished with your blends, use the USB charging lead to get the batteries full again, which should take around 120 minutes.
Due to the lower wattage and petite size, this model is best suited for soft fruit and veg and it also makes a mean milkshake. It can also blend frozen fruit and it crushes ice to a lovely fine consistency so it’s great for frozen cocktails. You can make small batches of ingredients for soup too, just wait for the ingredients to cool down first.
To clean, the jug can go in the dishwasher while the blades need to be hand washed.
Lakeland Personal Blender & Smoothie Maker
Size 32.5cm H x 15.5cm W x 12cm D
Capacity 600ml
Power 350W
Key features
- Toughened glass jug
- Quiet Mark accreditation
- Additional bottle to take blends on the go
The low down
Considering its compact size, the blending on the Personal blender and smoothie maker from Lakeland is efficient and reliable, cutting through small veg pieces and frozen fruits with ease. There are two settings, plus a pulse function, which is especially good at tackling larger fruit and veggies.
If you’re after a dinky smoothie maker, this model is ideal, and it can whip up small batches of sauces and baby food too. It can’t be used for hot foods so if you need to blend ingredients for soup, you’ll need to let them cool down first.
This Lakeland model is lightweight, it takes up minimal space and is also surprisingly quiet – it has even been awarded the internationally recognised Quiet Mark accreditation. The jug and blades can’t be cleaned in the dishwasher but thanks to its small size, it doesn’t take long to wash.
How to clean a blender
For a quick and easy clean, and if you don’t have a dishwasher, fill your blender jug halfway with warm (not hot!) soapy water, hit the standard blend setting and let it run for 20-30 seconds to give it a deep clean – then simply rinse out and leave to dry.
If you enjoyed our round-up, check out our other Buyer’s Guides! We’ve got guides to the best ice cream makers, coffee machines, and many more household appliances!
