Best Blender for fruit and veggie smoothies

Eat2Win
Eat2Win Posts: 123 Member
My ordinary blender is fine for the softer fruits and veggies, but when it comes down to blending some of the coarser raw foods, it
just doesn't get the job done. Please help me out if you could tell me what you use that isn't necessarily needing to be expensive to
work. Of course if you feel it takes one of those 500.00 ones, by all means let me know, I could get swayed :) I'll just have to save!
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Replies

  • Libi_KK
    Libi_KK Posts: 572 Member
    I use a Magic Bullet, I've gone through three since they came out with daily use. I use it for everything that I don't use my blender for: smoothies, grind coffee, mousse, baby food for the grandkids, you name it.

    Word of warning though--the GE one does not last. I had it a month before the motor died and was told by a CSR that I was 'over using it'. #BAH
  • RawMomma10
    RawMomma10 Posts: 89 Member
    I have a regular GE blender... I use it for smoothies.... almost every day....

    I find that it doesnt do as good a job on my greens as my old one (a knockoff vitamix) did..... so I use macro greens powder instead of raw greens (I love spinach).... when I am using it for any types of nuts or dates.. I soak them overnite to soften them... and it does a good enough job with those as long as they are soft.

    I too am on the lookout for something better.... but $$ is not growing in my back yard so Im making do with what I have.. :) Ive found ways to make it work so far.. lol...
  • jaxokc
    jaxokc Posts: 26 Member
    Magic Bullet ROCKS!!
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    Magic Bullet is a good one but be careful. The company that sells it apparently doesn't actually make it. They have a number of different companies producing it based on their specs, but they all use different quality parts. We found this out after numerous phonecalls with customer service when my father went through 3 in a year before he got one that actually lasted. Basically buying one is a crapshoot. If you're willing to spend money though, everyone who's had the Ninja says it's worth it.
  • Raybug0903
    Raybug0903 Posts: 86 Member
    I bought a Nutribullet (made by Magic Bullet) recently and I love it. I have been making green smoothies every day for about 2 weeks now. It is very powerful and has that extra "oomph" that the Magic Bullet doesn't have. The only drawback is that the cup does not fit many different ingredients at once because it is not as big as a blender. You could always halve the ingredients and then mix twice. If you want a full size blender, I'd recommend the Vitamix or Blendtec, but they are pricey. If you decide on the Nutribullet, get a coupon to Kohl's or Bed, Bath, & Beyond to get a good discount. They are $100.
  • LizaT123
    LizaT123 Posts: 1 Member
    Invest in the Vitamix. I had a Ninja and it was good, but it did not compare at all to the Vitamix. It's worth the investment if you make alot of smoothies and raw recipes!
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    I have a Cuisinart blender/food processor combo. I think it cost around $80. I have used it mostly to chop things up for cooking, but I've recently started using the blender for protein shakes, and it has worked well and is a good size. It may not last a long time if I use it on a daily basis, so I will probably buy a Vitamix at some point, but I don't feel like I need it right now.
  • liittlesparrow
    liittlesparrow Posts: 209 Member
    I use a ninja blender! :) It's awesome.
  • morielia
    morielia Posts: 169 Member
    I have a Ninja blender. I killed several $20 Hamilton type blenders from the grocery store with the amount of ice I was putting in them. No problems with my Ninja. It destroy everything.
  • Angel37615
    Angel37615 Posts: 87 Member
    Vitamix, all the way
  • saxmaniac
    saxmaniac Posts: 1,133 Member
    I got an auto-reversible Oster at Target and it blasts through everything. Cheap (maybe $50), use it daily to crush up ice and frozen fruits, hasn't died yet.
  • lfergurson1
    lfergurson1 Posts: 137 Member
    Ninja for me! Its amazing.
  • Kbeers81
    Kbeers81 Posts: 10
    Vitamix...hands down. Will be expensive, but you get what you pay for. My parents used the heck out of theirs and 20 years later, it's still kickin'. It did; however, have a bearing go out. After 20 years of constant use, I'd say that's a pretty darn good buy
  • rosy003
    rosy003 Posts: 251 Member
    I LOVE my vitamix! It is 10 years old and still going strong! Of course, my dad gave it to me, so I didn't feel the pain of actually spending hundreds of dollars on a blender.
  • JulesAlloggio
    JulesAlloggio Posts: 480 Member
    I have a regular GE blender... I use it for smoothies.... almost every day....

    I find that it doesnt do as good a job on my greens as my old one (a knockoff vitamix) did..... so I use macro greens powder instead of raw greens (I love spinach).... when I am using it for any types of nuts or dates.. I soak them overnite to soften them... and it does a good enough job with those as long as they are soft.

    I too am on the lookout for something better.... but $$ is not growing in my back yard so Im making do with what I have.. :) Ive found ways to make it work so far.. lol...


    I use a GE as well...I've found that its the "best brand" for my family. We have a blender and a juicer and both are amazing!
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    We have a Ninja and I love it.

    It depends on what you want, really. The Vitamix is certainly a worthy investment if you think you'll actually use it for all it's worth. It's a beast that can handle anything you throw at it, and from what I understand they last for-fricken-ever.

    However, we already had a juice extractor, and so the Ninja made the most sense for us. It's an extra step but oh well so be it. Then again I don't put the hard veggies/fruits into the Ninja, just berries and spinach and whatnot for my smoothies/protein shakes, and it does wonderfully with them. We use ours all the time.

    We also have a Magic Bullet and that works great when it comes to grinding nuts/seeds, etc. and turning more compact, solid things in smaller quantities to mush better than the Ninja does.

    The Vitamix will probably give you all the benefits from a juice extracter, blender and Magic Bullet-like grinder and take up less space in your kitchen for a bit more money out of your pocket.

    It all boils down to personal preference, so no sense arguing about it.
  • Delked
    Delked Posts: 14
    I tried about 5 different blenders, burned them all out. I finally bought a VitaMix and will never go back to any other type. It is worth the big bucks and it will last you for a very long time. the fact that it will make smoothies, nut butters, flours and things like soy milk and lets not forget soups. It even whips cream! whats not to love. Hope all this helps
  • jbbrannon
    jbbrannon Posts: 167 Member
    Ninja!!!!!
  • Ninja is by far the best blender I have had and it doesn't cost 500. Yes, it's pricey but so far well worth the money
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    Any decent watt/HP blender will work. We bought the Ninja and returned it to Costco after several months. Just wouldn't make the smoothies, well...smooth. We did end up with one of the expensive Blentachs and it is amazing. I would bet though, that a $100 one would do well too.

    So...if you want a true smooth smoothie, DON'T get the NINJA!
  • I bought a Bella at Target for $18 and have used it daily for my kale smoothies for 6 months and it is still going strong.
  • albertabeefy
    albertabeefy Posts: 1,169 Member
    Invest in the Vitamix. I had a Ninja and it was good, but it did not compare at all to the Vitamix. It's worth the investment if you make alot of smoothies and raw recipes!
    ^ This. Love my Vitamix. It's the ONLY small appliance in our house used every single day, and the ONLY one to receive it's own place on the counter. Everything else is relegated to the appliance cupboard.
  • I bought a Nutribullet (made by Magic Bullet) recently and I love it. I have been making green smoothies every day for about 2 weeks now. It is very powerful and has that extra "oomph" that the Magic Bullet doesn't have. The only drawback is that the cup does not fit many different ingredients at once because it is not as big as a blender. You could always halve the ingredients and then mix twice. If you want a full size blender, I'd recommend the Vitamix or Blendtec, but they are pricey. If you decide on the Nutribullet, get a coupon to Kohl's or Bed, Bath, & Beyond to get a good discount. They are $100.


    I've had my Nutribullet for a week now, and it's awesome!
  • lauriand
    lauriand Posts: 24
    Vitamix!! Expensive, but worth every penny!!
  • mycrobemini
    mycrobemini Posts: 122 Member
    I have a Ninja...it does a great job on everything!
  • ripemango
    ripemango Posts: 534 Member
    i use my margaritaville maker. i've never tried adding vegs tho. i like that i can add the shredded ice to my smoothies.
  • ckish
    ckish Posts: 341 Member
    Once you own a vitamix you'll never use anything else. It's a must have for my daughters when they move out. They've never known a day without one and don't want to give it up. It is worth every penny unless you don't use it - then any cheap *kitten* blender can collect dust on the counter.
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
    Get a Ninja Pro for $100 or less if it's on sale. Use the $400 you saved versus the Vitamix to buy something you're going to use more, like a guitar and amp, or a new TV, or a canoe and fishing rod. Or you could pay off a loan or credit card, or maybe donate to a charity of your choice. Buy some nutritious food, pay your bills on time.

    There are almost an infinite number of better uses for several hundreds of dollars than a smoothie maker.
  • JeneticTraining
    JeneticTraining Posts: 663 Member
    I really don't like my magic bullet