Why should you have to miss out on your favorite smoothie, shake, frozen cocktail, or protein shake just because you’re not at home? Portable blenders are awesome because they bring the power and versatility of a blender with you no matter where you go. Plus, they’re generally smaller and much easier to clean than full-size blenders. The expert product reviewers at BGR have tested more than 40 different portable blenders, and we narrowed down the field to our five favorites.
Our top picks
- Best overall: Ninja Fit Compact Portable Blender
- Best cordless portable blender: Ninja Blast
- Best cheap option: Hamilton Beach Portable Blender
- Best portable blender/travel mug combo: nutribullet Flip
- Best large-capacity model: NexaEase Portable Blender
All you need to do is choose the category that describes what you’re looking for, and we guarantee you’ll love our top pick. If you want to learn more about each model and see what makes it so good, you’ll find all the important info down below.
1. Best overall: Ninja Fit Compact Portable Blender
Pros: Powerful, compact, durable, easy to clean, good value
Cons: None
That’s right, portable blender fans, you read that correctly. The Ninja Fit Compact Portable Blender has tons of pros, but there really aren’t any cons to speak of.
With a powerful 700-watt motor and the sharp, durable blades that Ninja has become known for, the Ninja Fit is far and away the best portable blender we tested. It pulverizes everything from ice and frozen fruit to vegetables, protein powders, and even protein bars. That’s right — one of our favorite things to do is to make a protein shake and then add a protein bar and some ice. Eat it with a spoon, and it’s delicious!
This portable blender is nice and compact but comes with two large 16-oz cups. That means you don’t end up with skimpy little smoothies or shakes like you do with other models. The cups and lids are also dishwasher safe, so this model is easy to clean.
The $69.99 retail price is the cherry on top, and you can sometimes find it on sale for even less than that. If you want the best of the best, the Ninja Fit is the portable blender to get.
2. Best cordless portable blender: Ninja Blast
Pros: Cordless, rechargeable, easy to clean, low price
Cons: Less powerful than plug-in models, battery life isn’t great
It will likely surprise no one that Ninja appears multiple times in this guide. The company makes some of the best blenders in the world, and the Ninja Blast Cordless Portable Blender definitely fits the bill.
This model’s defining feature is that it’s battery-powered, so you can use it literally anywhere because you don’t need to plug it in. What’s more, it’s rechargeable, so you don’t need to worry about carrying batteries with you when you travel. All you need is a regular old USB-C charger, and you can juice it up on the go.
The large 18-oz cup that comes with the Ninja Blast is dishwasher safe, so it’s super easy to clean. It also comes with a leakproof lid that has a sip spout.
As far as downsides go, there are really only two to speak of. First, you’ll need to keep in mind that blenders use a lot of power. That means you can’t expect it to last too long on a charge. It should be good for between five and eight blends before the battery dies, assuming you use it fairly often. If you let it sit around for a long time, the battery may be drained by the time you get back to it.
The only other downside is the fact that this model is a bit less powerful than plug-in blenders, for obvious reasons. It still does a great job with ice, frozen fruit, and liquids though, and it’s by far the most powerful portable blender we tested.
3. Best cheap option: Hamilton Beach Portable Blender
Pros: Cheap, easy to use, easy to clean
Cons: Doesn’t blend as well as pricier models, some people complain about the durability
They say you get what you pay for, but we know that there are still great values to be found if you know where to look. If you want an awesome portable blender that won’t break the bank, look no further than the Hamilton Beach Portable Blender.
Hamilton Beach is known far and wide for making kitchen products that offer good quality at a low price. And with an MSRP of just $19.99, portable blender prices don’t get much lower than this popular model.
The Hamilton Beach Portable Blender has a neat retro look that comes in six different colors. It’s great for making protein shakes, smoothies, and anything else that involves pulverizing ice, liquids, and frozen or fresh fruit. Toss in some chia seeds, and you’ve got a delicious low-calorie meal replacement.
Since it’s so inexpensive, it obviously can’t match the performance of the pricier models in this guide. Some user reviews also claim that it can break after a while, though our tests found it to be pretty durable. You obviously can’t expect it to last forever at $19.99, but you should get many years of regular use out of it without any problems.
4. Best portable blender/travel mug combo: nutribullet Flip
Pros: Powerful, great insulated tumbler, awesome design, easy to use, cordless
Cons: Battery life
The nutribullet Flip Portable Blender is by far the best all-in-one model out there.
This great option from nutribullet is a powerful portable blender and an insulated tumbler in one. That means it acts as its own travel mug, so you don’t have to carry a separate one.
It couldn’t be easier to use. Just fill it with ice, liquid, fresh fruit, frozen fruit, protein powder, chia seeds, oats, or anything else you want, and twist on the blender lid. Then flip it over and press the power button to blend. You can also shake it as it blends to make sure you don’t get any unwanted chunks.
When it’s done blending, turn it off, flip it back over, and you’re done! The blender lid has its own built-in spi spout, so you don’t even need to take it off if you don’t want to. Or, if you’re on the go and you want something lighter, it also comes with two other screw-on lids to choose from.
We love that this model is cordless and USB-C rechargeable, but there is one downside: battery life isn’t great. Just be sure to travel with a charger and you should be fine.
5. Best large-capacity model: NexaEase Portable Blender
Pros: Large 20-oz capacity, cordless, dishwasher safe, inexpensive, comes with a travel case
Cons: Not very powerful
The NexaEase Portable Blender is a great option for people who want lots of capacity and portability without spending much money.
This model has a big 20-oz cup that’s big enough for a very filling smoothie or shake. It’s also battery-powered, so it doesn’t have to be plugged in when you blend. Battery life is surprisingly decent for a low-cost portable blender, and the dishwasher-safe cup and lid are easy to clean. We also like that this model comes with its own travel case.
The main downside with the NexaEase Portable Blender is the power… or lack thereof. If you have large pieces of ice and a very cold freezer, this model might not get the job done. It does fine with smaller cubes, though, and even better with frozen fruit. With a price tag under $40, it should be more than good enough for most users.
