The Ninja BlendBOSS is the best blender for smoothies and protein shakes if you drink on the go: you blend in a 26-ounce tumbler and walk out. RTINGS rates it excellent for single-serve smoothies. For one shake a day at home, the NutriBullet Pro 900 is the simpler, cheaper Wirecutter pick.
7 picks, best first. Price bands are from Amazon as of Oct 24, 2026.
Yes, that is what tumbler and personal blenders are for. RTINGS’ protein-shake pick ships with two 24-ounce travel jars, and the BlendBOSS blends in a 26-ounce tumbler.
26 oz BlendBOSS tumbler, per listing
Only with a tamper or a bowl maker; otherwise the blades spin in an air pocket. ATK notes a tamper goes through the lid while running and is too short to reach the blades.
14 oz bowl maker with built-in tamper on the Ninja SS101, per listing
Mostly, if you check recalls and skip hot liquids. The BlendJet 2 recall covered 4.8 million units, and the maker has since gone out of business, so its free fix is gone. NutriBullet warns against blending hot ingredients in sealed cups.
329 reports of blades breaking on recalled BlendJet 2 units. Source: CPSC
Most are: blend warm water and a drop of dish soap for 30 to 60 seconds, then rinse. On personal cups, pull the gasket under the blade now and then.
30 to 60 s Vitamix self-clean time, per listing
Best for protein shakes on the go
Tom’s Guide blended chocolate protein powder, ice and milk on Smoothie mode in the tumbler; RTINGS rates it excellent for single-serve smoothies.
In the box: 1,200-peak-watt base, the 26-ounce tumbler, a leakproof lid with chug spout and detachable straw, and the CrushBlade assembly. Three Auto-iQ programs (Smoothie, Ice Crush, Blend). Parts are BPA free and dishwasher safe.
Sources: RTINGS, Tom’s Guide
Best personal blender for a small kitchen
Powder, milk, banana and a handful of frozen fruit blend smooth in the 24 or 32 oz cup. Wirecutter’s personal blender pick.
This listing comes with the 900-watt base, a 32-ounce cup, a 24-ounce cup, a flip-top travel lid and the extractor blade. Twist the blade off and rinse it; the cups go on the dishwasher’s top rack.
Sources: Wirecutter, Tom’s Guide, Saveur, The Gadgeteer
Cheapest personal blender with programs
RTINGS has tested this compact Ninja. It has two one-touch Auto-iQ programs, which most personal blenders lack, so you can start a shake and walk away.
Two 24-ounce cups with spout lids make it easy to keep one in the fridge and one in your bag.
Listing: 1,100-peak-watt base, Pro Extractor blades, two 24-ounce cups with spout lids, 2.6-foot cord, dishwasher-safe parts.
Sources: RTINGS
Best for thick smoothie bowls
The SS101 pairs a 24-ounce cup with a 14-ounce bowl maker that has a built-in tamper, so you can blend acai-thick bowls and nut butter with less liquid. We have not found an independent lab test of this exact model.
Four Auto-iQ programs cover smoothies, extractions, spreads and bowls, and the listing says the smartTORQUE motor won’t stall on heavy loads.
Listing: 1,200-peak-watt base, 24-ounce cup with to-go lid, 14-ounce smoothie bowl maker with built-in tamper and storage lid, Hybrid Edge blades, dishwasher-safe parts.
Specs from the Amazon listing; no independent lab test found yet.
Quietest personal blender
NutriBullet calls the 1,200-watt Ultra its most powerful single-serve blender and its quietest, with a design that produces lower-frequency sound. RTINGS has tested it.
One glowing control offers an automatic smoothie cycle or pulse. Cups are made from Tritan Renew, and the blade carries its own five-year warranty, per the listing.
Listing: 1,200-watt motor, glow interface with auto smoothie and pulse, Tritan Renew cups (BPA free, dishwasher safe), titanium-coated Rapid Extractor blade.
Sources: RTINGS, NutriBullet
Best cordless portable blender
RTINGS has tested the Blast, and Global News’ The Curator picks it as its personal blender for leakproof, cordless smoothies on the go.
Eighteen ounces is one drink. Separate power and blend buttons help prevent accidental starts in a bag.
Listing: 18-ounce vessel, ribbed vortex design, stainless BlastBlade, 7.4V rechargeable base with USB-C charging, 30-second self-clean.
Sources: RTINGS, Global News The Curator
Best under $100
Shakes for two in the pitcher, or one in a cup. The tamper helps when oats and peanut butter thicken things.
Included: 1,200-watt base, 64-ounce pitcher with vented lid cap, tamper, 32-ounce cup, 24-ounce handled cup, two to-go lids and the Easy-Twist extractor blade. Three speeds, pulse and an Extract program. Pitcher and cups are dishwasher safe.
Sources: Consumer Reports (via The Daily Meal), America’s Test Kitchen
| Blender | Type | Main jar | Cups | Tamper or bowl tool | Fits 18 in cabinets | Warranty | Price band | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja BlendBOSS | Personal tumbler | 26 oz tumbler | Tumbler | No | Yes | See box | Under $100 | Commuters, gym |
| NutriBullet Pro 900 | Personal | 32 oz cup | 32 + 24 oz | No | Yes | See box | Under $100 | One smoothie a day |
| Ninja BN401 | Personal | 24 oz cups | 2 × 24 oz | No | Yes | See box | Check price | Budget shakes |
| Ninja SS101 | Personal + bowl | 24 oz cup | Yes | Bowl maker | Yes | See box | Check price | Smoothie bowls |
| NutriBullet Ultra | Personal | Cup | Yes | No | Yes | Blade 5 yr | $100 to $250 | Quiet single serve |
| Ninja Blast | Portable | 18 oz | Vessel | No | Yes | See box | Check price | Cordless |
| NutriBullet Combo | Full-size + cups | 64 oz | 32 + 24 oz | Tamper | Yes (16.97 in) | 1 yr | Under $100 | Under $100 |
“Check” and “See box” mean the listing doesn’t say. Price bands come from Amazon as of Oct 24, 2026; prices change.
A shaker bottle is enough for powder and milk. Use a blender once you add frozen fruit, oats, nut butter or ice.
Yes, in small amounts with enough liquid. Add liquid first and the sticky ingredients last; if it stalls, add a splash and shake the cup.
Not in a sealed personal cup. NutriBullet warns that pressure can build when you blend hot ingredients in its sealed cups. Cool the coffee first or use ice.
Yes. RTINGS rates it excellent for single-serve smoothies, and Tom’s Guide made a protein shake with ice and milk in it. It is louder than Tom’s Guide expected.
24 to 26 ounces fits a scoop of powder, 12 ounces of milk, a banana and some ice with room to blend.
Cup blenders with twist-off blades. Rinse the blade under the tap and put the cup on the dishwasher’s top rack.