Best Blenders for Frozen Fruit Smoothies | What is the Best Frozen Fruit Smoothie Blender?
- by Dino Paccino
- Last Updated: February 20, 2023
We all love frozen fruit smoothies. Not only are they healthy and full of anti-oxidants, but they’re both energizing and exploding with taste.
That said, to make a quality frozen fruit smoothie, you’ll need a quality blender. One that’s powerful, built to last, and capable of turning frozen fruits into silky-smooth smoothies.
But what are the best blenders for frozen fruit smoothies and frozen drinks? There are also best blender for green smoothies as well.
Well, after several months of testing, our team has picked the best blenders for making frozen fruit smoothies – all of which are detailed below.
Best Blenders for Frozen Fruit Smoothies: Top Picks and Quick Summary
- 1. Editors Choice - Ninja BL660 Professional Blender
- 2. Best Premium Blender - Blendtec Total Classic
- 3. Best Budget Blender - Hamilton Beach 58148A
- 4. Best Personal Blender - Magic Bullet
- 5. Best Professional Blender - Vitamix 5200
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1. Ninja BL660 Professional Blender
Coming in at first place on our list is the Ninja Bl660 – a high quality blender that comes equipped with a 1,100 Watt motor and an extra-large 72 oz blending capacity (64 oz liquid capacity).
The model also comes with two, 16 oz single serve cups (plus matching lids), letting you take your frozen smoothies to go. Interestingly, this Ninja blender comes with two blade attachments – a standard extractor blade and a stacked blade that spans almost the entire height of the blending pitcher.
Why do you need both?
Well, the BL660 also doubles as a food processor, meaning you can knead dough, churn nut butter, and blast through tough frozen ingredients. However, the stacked blade can also be used while in blend mode, and when you do, it produces a truly consistent blend.
That said, the stacked blade isn’t well-equipped for crushing ice, meaning if you plan on loading up your blender with ice and frozen fruit, stick to the extractor blade.
The interface is also very basic and its clear Ninja went with a less-is-more approach on this model. Instead of several different speed settings and pre-sets, this sleek blender comes with just 3 speeds, a pulse button, and an on/off switch – making it one of the easiest blenders to use.
It also has a ‘Single Serve’ button, which when used, adjusts the speed and torque to match the size of the single serve cups.
While it may not be the quietest blender around (it is, after all, equipped with a powerful motor) it is long lasting, and if you read through reviews, many users claim their BL660 is still going strong after 3 years.
All-in-all, when you factor in the price and overall performance, it’s easy to see why this Ninja Blender is our pick for the best frozen fruit blender.
Pros
- Strong, 1,000 watt motor
- Doubles as a food processor
- High performance
- Comes with two, 16 oz to-go cups
- Comes with two blades, 1 standard extractor blade and 1 Assembly blade
Cons
- Can be noisy of full speed
- Only 3 speed settings
2. Blendtec Total Classic with Wildside Jar
If you don’t mind spending extra for a truly top-class blender, then Blendtec Total Classic should be high on your list.
Along with the high quality construction you can expect from American-made parts, this blender comes with a super-charged 1560 watt motor, making it one of the strongest countertop blenders on the market.
For settings, the blender is equipped with 10 speed levels, which can easily be changed by pressing the up and down arrows on the display pad. Unlike other blenders that use a dial system, the speed level is neatly displayed on a blue LED screen – a feature that some love and others don’t.
You’ll also find 6 useful pre-set functions, including Smoothies, Salsa, Frozen Drinks, Vegetables, and Hot Soup. When the hot soup function is engaged, the blender uses heat generated from blade friction to warm up the contents. This works so well, that once pressed, your ingredients will become hot in under 6 minutes!
Another thing that makes this Blendtec blender special is its patented Wildside Jar. Because of its small, fifth wall, the Wildside Jar creates a vortex-like effect, pulling the frozen fruit and other ingredients down towards the blade.
It also increases the total volume of the blending jar, and instead of the standard 70 oz capacity you’ll find with most blenders this size, this Blendtec model can process up to 90 oz at once!
There’s more.
The Wildside jar is fitted with two vertical ridges on the interior walls that disrupt the blending pattern – a feature that also contributes to a more even blend.
Of course, you can’t talk about Blendtec blenders without mentioning it proprietary blade system. Unlike standard blender blades which are thin and sharp, Blendtec employs a thick (80% thinker than average) design with dull edges.
If this sounds odd to you, don’t worry – we thoroughly tested them using frozen fruits and ice cubes and the results were always excellent. Moreover, because the blades aren’t sharp, you don’t have to worry about them dulling over time.
Need more convincing? Consider this; Blendtec is the blender of choice at many popular ice cream and smoothie retailers, like Dunken Donuts, Baskin Robins, and Jamba Juice.
Pros
- 2 year warranty
- Extra large 90 oz blending capacity
- Powerful 1560 watt motor is great at pulverize frozen ingredients
- Preferred blender of Jamba Juice and Baskin Robins
- 10 speed settings
- Extra thick, BPA free blending pitcher
- Blades are 80% thicker than standard Blender blades
Cons
- Expensive
- Can be loud when used at full speed
3. Hamilton Beach 58148A
Looking for something that’s light on the wallet but built to last? If so, few items fir the bill as well as the Hamilton Beach 58148A.
Retailing for under $50, this blender comes with a reasonably-powered 700 watt motor and 12 useful pre-sets, including frozen drinks, ice crushing, milkshake, and grate. You’ll also find a healthy Pulse feature that can be engaged by pushing two buttons at once.
While nowhere near as powerful as the Blendtec Total Original, we were impressed by the amount of power the 700 motor was able to generate, and during testing, it had no issue blending ice and frozen fruits.
Still worried about the motor being just 700 watts? Keep in mind that the blending pitcher has a total capacity of just 40 oz, meaning it requires less power than a 70 or 90 oz capacity blender.
Although no self cleaning cycle is included, all parts are easily detachable and 100% dishwasher safe, making the blending very easy to clean. Moreover, the model has received nearly 40 thousand positive reviews on Amazon, so you know it’s worth the money.
Finally, the blender comes with Hamilton Beach’s patented Wave Action System. This system uses wavy blender walls to disrupt the normal vortex pattern and push ice and frozen ingredients down towards the blades.
For an affordable blender that works great for blending frozen fruit, we didn’t come across any better options for under $50.
Pros
- Very affordable
- 12 pre-set functions
- Easy to clean
- 1 year warranty
- Low blender pitcher is easy to store
Cons
- Max capacity of 40 oz may be small for some
- No variable speed settings
4. Magic Bullet
If you already own a countertop blender and want a smaller personal blender with to-go cups, you can’t go wrong with the Magic Bullet. One of the most popular personal blenders around, you may remember Magic Bullet from when they first appeared on infomercials.
Fitted with a 250 Watt, high-torque motor, this mini blender is great for making Salsas, Dips, Cocktails, and of course Smoothies.
The model comes with three types of cups: a short cup, a tall cup, and a neat ‘party’ cup with a large lids. All cups have matching ‘stay-free’ sealable lids that prevents leaking and ensures your smoothie stays fresh.
There are a few limitations to be aware, however. While the MagicBullet is great for making frozen drinks, you will have to watch how much ice you put in to it. Because the motor is just 250 watts, it’s not the best at blending ice.
Moreover, MagicBullet recommends using at least half a cup of water during the blending process. During testing, we found that anything less than half a cup produced inconsistent blends, especially if we didn’t take the time to partially thaw frozen fruit.
These issues aside, the MagicBullet is one of the most well-reviewed blenders on the market, and has received over 80,000 positive reviews on Amazon!
Of course, the main selling point of the MagicBullet is the ability to quickly blend a frozen fruit smoothie, put a lid on it, and take it to go. All cups and lids are dishwasher safe and made from high-impact plastic.
Finally, the MagicBullet comes with two blade attachments: the Cross Blade and the Flat Milling Blade. While the Flat Blade is used for whipping and chopping tough frozen fruits, the Cross Blade is more a general-purpose blade used for chopping, dicing, and blending.
Pros
- Comes with three to-go cups
- All parts are dishwasher safe
- Free recipe book (tons of great frozen fruit smoothie ideas)
- Affordable (under $40)
- Two blade attachments
Cons
- Doesn't do well with tons of ice
- Smoothies require 1/2 cup of water on all blends
5. Vitamix 5200
For a truly top-of-the line commercial blender that will blast through whatever ice and frozen fruit you feed it, the Vitamix 5200 is in a league of its own.
Fitted with laser cut, hardened stainless steel blades, the 5200 has a powerful, cool-running motor that can reach peak speeds of up to 2 HP. What’s more, each Vitamix blender is equipped with a thermal override, which kicks in and shuts the motor off whenever the motor begins to overheat.
Not only does this feature preserve the motor, but it keeps the blender is good working condition for longer.
For speed settings, you’ll find 10 speed levels and a High/Variable switch. When the switch is set to ‘High’, the blender will run at max speed for whatever level it’s set to. When it’s switched to variable, the speed will fluctuate slightly depending on how difficult the ingredients are to blend.
Unfortunately, the 5200 doesn’t come with any pre-set functions. During testing, however, we found the 10 speed settings were more than sufficient once you became familiar with them.
That said, the 5200 does have a hot soup function, which like the Blendtec Total Classic, uses blade friction to generate heat. When engaged, this feature can heat up a fill pitcher of soup in less than 6 minutes!
We were also impressed to see the 5200 backed by a full 7-year warranty, which will cover pretty much any issue you run into. Similarly, we were pleased by the extra-long 6 foot cord. While this may seem unnecessarily long to some, it certainly came in handy during testing, especially when counter space started to become crowded during cooking.
Finally, this Vitamix blender comes with a highly-effective self cleaning cycle, and with just a drop of dish soap, you can have you’re blender entirely cleaned in 30 – 60 seconds.
Pros
- Extra powerful motor (peak 2 HP)
- Motor is protected by thermal override component
- 7 year full warranty
- 6 foot long cord
- 10 speed settings
- Self cleaning in 30 – 60 seconds
Cons
- Loud
- No preset functions
- Expensive!
6. Ninja Countertop Blender
A fairly new addition to the Ninja line up, the Ninja countertop blender is designed for frozen blending and chopping. The models features an interesting design, and instead of the motor being located at the bottom of the blender, it’s found at the top.
Moreover, it doesn’t use the traditional extraction blade, and instead, features a 7 inch stacked blade that moves up and down a it blends. While it doesn’t have the most powerful motor (400 watts), we found it worked just fine if you stuck to blending frozen fruits and vegetables.
Pros
- Doubles as a food processor
- Unique design
- Affordable
- Decent power
- Short, 40 oz pitcher is easy to store
Cons
- Doesn't do well with high quantities of ice
- Not self cleaning
7. Mueller DuraBlend 10 Speed Professional Blender
If you like the power of the Blendtec and Vitamix, but find the price tag too steep, the Mueller DuraBlend is a good alterative.
Featuring a unique, 6-point blade design, this blender can reach speeds of up to 3.0 HP, making it one of the most powerful blenders we tested. However, the 3.0 HP is max speed under ideal conditions, and if you really load up the XL 74 oz pitcher, you’ll probably hit closer to 2 HP.
By the way, when we say 74 oz blender, this is the full liquid capacity – not the total capacity. At 74 oz, this is one of the largest blenders out there and can be used to make frozen drinks for up to 6 people at once!
The design is very simple, and instead of several different pre-set functions, the Mueller blender comes with 10 speed settings and a pulse function. Upon testing, we found this Pulse function worked great to crush ice, even when we loaded the blender over 50% the way full of ice cubes.
Pros
- Affordable alternative to Blendtec or Vitamix blenders
- 3.0 max HP
- Full 72 oz blending capacity
- 10 speed settings + pulse function
- Heavy duty push stick included
Cons
- Very loud at full speed
- No self cleaning cycle
8. Mueller Ultra Bullet Personal Blender
For making fruit smoothies to go, the Mueller Ultra Blender is a great alternative to the magic bullet. Not only is it half the price, but it comes with a decent, 15 oz max capacity – which is pretty good as far as personal blenders go.
We were also impressed by the unique blade design, which has one blade shorter than the other. This comes in handy when blending frozen ingredients as the blade is less likely to jam.
What’s more, unlike the MagicBullet, the Mueller Ultra Bullet performed well when we didn’t add a half cup of water – which some users may see as a major plus.
Pros
- High quality portable blender
- 15 oz blending capacity
- Doesn't require half cup of water to blend frozen fruits
- Pulverizes ice
- 1 year warranty
Cons
- Can feel underpowered at times
- No adjustable speed settings
Factors To Consider When Picking the Best Blender for Frozen Fruit Smoothies
When choosing the best blender for fruit smoothies, there are several factors to consider. The most important being:
Motor Power
Motor power is important, as it ultimately determined how much ice and frozen fruit you can blend at once. If you plan on really loading up your blender, then you’ll want a model with at least a 1,000 watt motor.
For personal blenders, anything from 250 to 450 watts will be sufficient. Another factor to consider when analyzing motor power is total blending capacity. The more your blender can process at once, the more power you’ll need.
For example anything above 60 oz should have a 1200 watt motor, while something in the 40 oz range only requires around 700 watts for making frozen fruit smoothies.
Blending Capacity
Next, take a look at what the total blending capacity of the blender is. If you plan on making frozen fruit smoothies for the whole family, a total capacity of 70 – 90 oz is your best best.
40 oz blenders may also work if it’s just you and your partner. For blending frozen fruit smoothies to-go in the morning, personal blenders that hold between 16 and 22 oz are preferrable.
When analyzing blending capacity, keep in mind that the total stated capacity isn’t the total liquid capacity.
Why?
Well, you can’t fill your blender up completely as doing so will likely stall the blender. Instead, most people fill their blender up to a maximum 80% of the way to the top of blending pitcher.
Speed Settings and Pre-Sets
You should also check how many speed settings and what pre-set functions a blender is equipped with. While most blender spin at roughly the same speed (exceptions do apply re: Blendtec and Vitamix blenders), not all come with the same number of speed controls.
For example, while some come with just three, others have as much as 10. The primary advantage of more settings is greater control over how fast the blender is spinning. However, if you plan on using your blender almost exclusively at full speed, then this doesn’t matter much.
Pre-sets, on the other hand, are a different story. Some of the best blenders come with 6 or more pre-sets that can make the blender highly specialized for function like frozen fruits, milkshakes, and even making hot soups.
If you’re buying a blender primarily for pulverize frozen fruit into delicious smoothies, then we recommend picking one with a smoothie function.
Price
When picking the best blender for frozen fruit smoothies, you don’t have to pick the best option overall, but the best blender for your price range. To do so, you should first determine more or less how much you wish to spend.
If you read through our top picks, then you know we included options for all price ranges. If you didn’t read through it, or want a quick overview, refer below.
- Best Blender under $150: Ninja BL660
- Best Blender under $50: Hamilton Beach 58148A
- Best Blender over $300: Blendtec Total Classic with Wildside Jar
Ease of Cleaning
No one likes cleaning a blender. Their awkward, must be disassembled, and if their parts aren’t dishwasher safe, it involves plenty of hand washing. For convenience, we recommend getting a blender that has a self cleaning feature (Blendtec or Vitamix). If not, at the very least, make sure the pitcher, blade, and other parts are dishwasher safe.
On this note, if you’re buying a blender with a large Pitcher, check to see if it fits in your dishwasher.
Special Features
Not all smoothie blenders are the same, and some come with special features that are worth considering. For example Blendtec blenders use dull, hardened stainless steel blades instead of the classic sharp stainless steel blades. Similarly, Hamilton Beach blenders have wavy pitchers. This wave helps pull the contents towards the blade.
Blades
Blades are the final aspect to consider. While there isn’t much difference between blades, some manufactures (like Blendtec and Hamilton Beach) has proprietary blade systems that are worth checking out.
When analyzing different blades, the first thing to consider is the material. Ideally, you’ll want hardened stainless steel blades as they are less likely to dull over time, especially when ran through the dishwasher.
Best Blenders for frozen Fruit Smoothies FAQs
What Is the Best Blender to Make Frozen Fruit Smoothies?
The best blender for making frozen fruit smoothies is the Ninja Blender BL660. With an extra-large 70 oz blending capacity, this 1,000 watt blender also doubles as a food processor, meaning you can process much more than just frozen ingredients.
What Blender Will Blend Frozen Fruit?
The Ninja BL660 and the Blendtec Total Classic will both blend frozen fruit with ease. If you’re looking for something more budget-friendly, the Hamilton Beach 58148A is a great at making creamy frozen drinks.
What Is the Best Personal Smoothie Blender for Frozen Fruit?
The best personal smoothie blender is the MagicBullet. The blender comes with a short cup, a tall cup, and a handled ‘party’ mug that’s great for taking smoothies on the go. All cups come with air tight lids and are dishwasher safe.
Is it Ok to Put Frozen Fruit in a NutriBullet?
Yes, it is ok to put frozen fruit in a NutriBullet. Most NutriBullet blenders come with a 250 – 400 watt motor which is more than capable of handling frozen fruits, ice cubes, and vegetables.
Can the Ninja Blend Frozen Fruit?
Yes, the Ninja can blend frozen fruit. The BL6610 is our favorite Ninja blender and comes equipped with a 1,000 watt motor and sets of blades – an extractor blade and a stacked blade.
What is the Best Blender for Frozen Bananas?
The Blendtec Total Classic is the best blender for frozen Bananas. Although frozen bananas are known for being particularly hard, the Total Classic uses thick, dull blades instead of sharp thin blades. This blade design works well for frozen fruits as it has a larger contact surface.
Are Frozen Fruit Smoothies Healthy?
Yes, frozen fruit smoothies are healthy. While fresh fruit is the healthiest, some fruits can only be purchased frozen depending on the season. Luckily, when fruits are frozen immediately after being picked, over 90% of the nutrients and vitamins are preserved.
Some fruits, especially blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries are full of anti-oxidants that remove cancer-causing free radicals from the body.
Our Recommendations
Given it’s affordability, double set of blades, and the fact that it doubles as a food processor, it’s easy to see why the Ninja BL660 is our pick for best smoothie blender. During our tests, the blender performed very well and it had no issue pulverizing frozen fruit, ice, and any other ingredients we gave it.
If you don’t mind spending the extra money, the Blendtec Total Classic is the king of frozen fruit blending. Fitted with a powerful 1560 watt motor, this model has some serious juice behind it and its extra thick blades pulverize ice and frozen fruit with ease.
For something a little more budget-friendly, the Hamilton Beach 58148A is a solid choice for under $50. The blender pitcher is designed with wavy walls, which works to pull the contents down towards the blade, producing a nicely consistent blend.
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Dino Paccino
Dino is a lifelong writer and home improvement specialist. He enjoys bringing cutting-edge information on home renovation and remodeling to Kitchen Infinity.