The 5 Best Blenders Under $100 - Fall 2023 Reviews

The Oster Pro 1200 is the best blender under $100 we've tested. Despite the budget-friendly price tag, this blender can do a bit of everything. It comes with a 48-ounce main jar that can blend hot ingredients into silky soups and sauces and a 24-ounce personal jar for single-serve smoothies and protein shakes. The main jar is even made of glass, which is more resistant to scratching and discoloration than plastic.

Using either jar, it's fantastic for blending stubborn fibrous ingredients like kale, so your recipes won't have leftover leafy bits and pieces. Using it for thicker mixtures takes some extra time and stirring, but still, you can use it to make very smooth, spreadable dips and spreads like nut butter or hummus. However, the main jar's capacity is smaller than most full-size blenders', so keep that in mind if you plan to blend frozen cocktails at your next party.

The manufacturer says not to add more than six ice cubes at a time, which is about half what many similar blenders can handle. Unfortunately, some parts of the blender feel cheap. There's only one blade assembly for both jars, so you must disassemble the blender to switch jars. The removable blade assembly makes it easy to clean by hand. The main jar is even made of glass, which is more resistant to scratching and discoloration than plastic.

If you need bigger jars, you might prefer the NutriBullet Blender Combo. This blender is usually priced a little over $100, but it's a good, cheaper option if you need a bigger jar capacity. It comes with a 64oz main jar and a pair of 32oz personal jars. NutriBullet also sells a bigger variety of extra accessories for its blenders, so you can purchase more personal jars if several people at home like smoothies in the morning.

It's a good choice for soups and smoothies since it makes an incredibly smooth blend with fibrous ingredients in any of its jars. It can also be used for hot blending, making silky-smooth recipes like pureed broccoli soup. It's much sturdier and much quieter than the Oster. However, its lowest blending speed is quite fast, and the blender doesn't have a tamper, so it's not easy to use for something like nut butter. Still, it's worth considering if you're looking for a relatively inexpensive blender for big batches of smoothies or soup.

If you like to make frozen treats like slushies or big batches of blended cocktails like margaritas, you might need a blender that can handle more ice than the previous pick. The Ninja Professional Blender 1000 includes a 72-ounce pitcher and has no problem pulverizing a big batch of ice. It's also sturdier than the Oster, which is particularly important if you use your blender often for ice crushing. There's no 2-part lid, so you can't add ingredients mid-blend, but it has a pouring spout to help serve drinks from the pitcher.

However, it's less versatile than the Oster. It can't hot blend and only comes with one jar, so there's no personal jar for single-serve smoothies. It doesn't completely blend fibrous ingredients like kale, so recipes with fruit like blueberries or pineapple can turn out grainy. It has no automatic blending programs besides a 'Pulse' button.

If you're looking for an inexpensive blender for frozen drinks but prefer automatic blending programs, the Calphalon ActiveSense is usually priced slightly over $100 but is fantastic for crushing ice and blending fibrous ingredients. Plus, unlike most budget-friendly blenders, it has a digital display and blending programs. You can even adjust the desired consistency of your smoothie by selecting 'Thick' or 'Thin'.

If you have a small kitchen or usually prepare food for just one or two people, you may prefer a personal blender like the Ninja Foodi Power Nutri DUO. Personal blenders are generally cheaper than full-size blenders, so if your budget is $100, you don't have to sacrifice much. This model is our best personal blender overall. Its relatively short motor base makes storing it under a cabinet or in a cupboard easy.

Using its 24-ounce personal jars, it makes a nearly perfectly smooth puree with fibrous veggies like kale and fruit like blueberries. Thanks to its 14-ounce 'Smoothie Βowl Maker' jar, it's easy to make thick blends, so it's also ideal for small batches of nut butter, hummus, or dip. It's less versatile than the Oster Pro 1200, though, since it can't hot blend and has only one speed setting.

Despite its small size, it's also louder than that model. There are a few automatic blending programs, so you don't need to stand next to the blender the whole time it's running. Overall, if you don't need a blender with a large capacity, it's a great choice for smoothies, frozen drinks, and small batches of spreads and dips like hummus or nut butter.

The ΒlendJet 2 is the best portable blender under $100 that we've tested. This battery-powered blender doesn't perform as well as most similarly-priced conventional blenders, so it's probably not for you if you want to equip your kitchen with a versatile appliance. However, its quiet, lightweight, and compact design makes it easy to carry around. It's cordless, so you can blend a smoothie after a workout or during your lunch break.

It can make a fairly smooth blend with fibrous ingredients, but recipes like kale smoothies won't be completely smooth. However, softer fruits like bananas and mangoes are easier to blend, and the blender can handle a couple of ice cubes. You can't use it while charging, but the manufacturer advertises it to last for about 15 blending cycles of 20 seconds each.

Even though it's not dishwasher-safe, the jar's wide opening and removable blade assembly make it easy to clean by hand. The PopBabies Portable Blender is a cheaper battery-powered blender with a dishwasher-safe jar. It makes a smoother blend with fibrous elements like kale. However, its jar opening is narrow and can't fit full-size ice cubes. It comes with a mini ice cube tray and a funnel to help make up for it, but BlendJet is sturdier and has a more convenient design overall.