Best Blenders for $100 or Less
Hamilton Beach, Ninja, Oster, and other brands make relatively inexpensive blenders that deliver solid performance
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The four top-performing full-sized blenders in Consumer Reports’ lab tests, three of them from Vitamix, sell for about $480 to nearly $590, making the small appliance a big-ticket item. But we also found some blenders that deliver strong performance at lower prices.
“You can still buy a solid blender for $100 or less that should last for years if you pick a reliable brand,” says Kenneth Sutton, who oversees our blender testing.
The trade-off? These inexpensive models usually don’t have the powerful motors and versatility of high-end blenders, so they won’t be great at making nut butters or pulverizing seeds while making smoothies.
Below are seven full-sized blenders, listed in alphabetical order, that typically go for $100 or less and perform well in CR’s lab tests. Most of the blenders we chose are from brands that score high for predicted reliability. But a few either don’t have enough survey data for us to gauge their reliability or receive only middling reliability ratings. So if you value a blender that’s less likely to break down within the first five years of ownership, it might be worth selecting one that CR members found reliable.
Readers with a Digital or All Access membership can check out our full blender ratings for complete results and more options, including personal blenders and immersion blenders. We also have a roundup of the best full-sized blenders for every budget. And check out our blender buying guide for more information as you shop.
This Black+Decker blender got a top score in our durability test and performed admirably at puréeing and making smoothies. Our testers also found it convenient to use. And while our members gave it solid marks for reliability, not all of them were completely satisfied with it. It comes with a 6-cup glass blending jar and a lidded 24-ounce personal jar that can be used on the blender’s power base for drinks you can make-and-take without fuss.
CR’s take: Calphalon makes inexpensive but reliable small appliances that often perform well, and the 900-watt Calphalon 2099742 ActiveSense is yet another example. Although it’s not the most powerful blender, this 8-cup model proves particularly adept in our purée test, earning an ace rating. So it will make smoother pumpkin soups than piña coladas; that’s reflected in its middling icy drinks rating. Calphalon earns a near-top-level score for predicted reliability and a so-so score for owner satisfaction in our member surveys.
CR’s take: The 800-watt 7-cup Costway 8-in-1 Blender with Timer nabs a top-level score in our icy drinks test, making it a perfect option if you’re looking to whip up smoothies. It also does very well in our purée test but scores only so-so marks in our ice crush test. CR doesn’t have enough survey data yet to rate Costway’s full-sized blenders for reliability and owner satisfaction.
CR’s take: A whiz at puréeing, the 720-watt Hamilton Beach 58600 also serves up very good smoothies, earning a strong rating on our icy drinks test. This 6-cup blender has three speeds but not much else in the way of bells and whistles. Still, it comes with a five-year warranty, more generous than many competitors in its class. Hamilton full-sized blenders garner a very good predicted reliability score but a below-par owner satisfaction rating in CR’s member surveys.
CR’s take: The 1,400-watt 9-cup Ninja BN701 with Auto iQ earns a near-top-level rating in our puréeing test, serving up very smooth soups. But it earns only a so-so rating in our icy drinks test, meaning it creates fairly silky smoothies. This Ninja comes with seven speeds, a removable blade, and a plastic travel jar. Ninja’s full-sized blenders receive very good scores for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction in CR’s member surveys, so it should easily power through daiquiris and margaritas during summer patio parties—and perform for many years.
CR’s take: The Ninja Master Prep Professional QB1004 features a unique top-mounted motor to turn out snow cone–textured ice for smoothies. While Ninja doesn’t claim this model makes hot soups and juices, it shines at all the main blending tasks. Plus, the removable blade makes cleanup easy. Swap out the 6-cup blending jar for its 16-ounce food chopper and this versatile Ninja does an impressive job chopping onions and nuts and grating cheese. But at just 450 watts, it’s the lowest-powered blender of this bunch.
CR’s take: The 6-cup Oster 2143023 800-watt blender is a champ when it comes to whipping up smoothies, earning a top-notch rating in CR’s icy drinks test. It also does a very good job of puréeing raw ingredients. This model features five speeds, touchscreen controls, and a pulse function so that you can easily churn through egg whites, creamy mayonnaise, or pancake mix. As a brand, Oster full-sized blenders garner a strong reliability rating and a midlevel owner satisfaction rating in CR’s member surveys.
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