Kat is a writer, editor, SEO specialist, author, and mother based in the UK. Starting out in 2000 as a reporter for the local paper, Kat has written for many publications, and, as an advocate for female empowerment, loves to write about women's issues and help fellow mothers feel supported and less alone. Kat first started writing for Meredith in 2019 and has contributed to InStyle, Real Simple, Southern Living, Shape, Better Homes & Gardens, Parents, and Parenting. She has written for many other magazines and media outlets including Bust, Mother & Baby, Expert Reviews, Women's World, First For Women, and Yours. Highlights: * Founder of Little Words Limited, a company dedicated to providing all the latest SEO and digital training for women writers * Commerce Editor-at-Large at Thomas-Xometry * Author of YA novel and signed to literary agent * Work has appeared in InStyle, Real Simple, Southern Living, Shape, Better Homes & Gardens, Parents, and Parenting

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One of the most versatile kitchen appliances you can buy, a quality blender is a must-have in every kitchen. With the right blender, breakfast smoothies, homemade ice cream, fresh dips, frozen cocktails, and so much more can be effortlessly made.

To find the best blenders, we thoroughly researched the market and rounded up our favorites to suit a variety of needs and budgets. We also spoke to Harry Daniels, a restaurateur with over 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, for expert insight on how to choose a blender.

"If you have many mouths to feed and need a blender for cooking large batches of sauces at a time, a large capacity, more professional-grade machine will be best," Daniels says. "For whipping up smoothies for one or two people, however, a personal or compact smoothie blender is ideal, easy to clean and store, and not to mention, more economical."

Our top pick is the Ninja Professional Plus Blender, thanks to its large capacity, reasonable price tag, and powerful 1400-watt motor that can blend even the toughest ingredients to the smoothest consistency. We also love that it has a wide variety of settings and dishwasher-safe parts.

Here are the best blenders for every kitchen's needs.

Also available at Ninja and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Who it's for: People who what a powerful blender with a large capacity at a reasonable price.

Who it isn't for: People who don't have a lot of kitchen counter or cabinet space.

With a generously sized pitcher that can fit up to 64 ounces of liquid, this professional-quality blender from Ninja is super powerful despite its reasonable price. Whether you need to prepare a large batch of smoothies for the entire family or simply want to prep your meals for the week, this blender can handle it all with its 1400-watt motor. Its blades can crush and smoothly blend tough and frozen ingredients, so it can easily make everything from thick smoothie bowls to creamy soups and sauces. (Just keep in mind that the manufacturer says this model isn't designed to blend hot ingredients.)

We love that three pre-set modes help you get the perfect consistency for smoothies, crushed ice (perfect for fruity snow cones!), and ice cream. There are also three manual power levels and a pulse button, which give you extra control over how your recipes turn out. If you need some inspiration, you'll appreciate that this blender comes with a guide that contains plenty of recipes to help you get started. And once you've made your favorite dips or drinks, you can place the removable parts—including the pitcher and blades—in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

Who it's for: People who need a low-cost blender for occasional use.

Who it isn't for: People who want a compact blender that's best for smaller servings.

Even though this Hamilton Beach blender is the most affordable on our list, its low price isn't indicative of its abilities. It has a mid-range motor of 700 watts, so foods are blended smoothly and quickly in this machine. It's designed to pull the ingredients down towards the blades so you won't find any random lumpy bits in your smoothie. This blender is also the only one of our recommendations that features a glass jar, which is surprisingly heavy and dishwasher safe.

Its five buttons provide 12 different blending settings—including milkshake, puree, smoothie, and salsa—which allows you to make a wide range of food and drinks. Plus, the lid has a handy spout for mess-free pouring, which means less cleanup all around. The spout can also be used while blending to drizzle in oil when making pasta sauces or dips. To improve this blender's longevity, it's best to avoid letting it run for too long at a time. Stick to 30-second increments for particularly tough ingredients until the mixture is nice and smooth.

Also available at Best Buy.

Who it's for: People who want both a personal and countertop blender in one smaller package.

Who it isn't for: Big families who need a larger blending capacity.

KitchenAid's three-speed blender is great for a couple or a small household because it's just the right size for making smoothies or cocktails for two people or baby food for a new addition to the family. Its 48-ounce blending jug—which is safe for hot ingredients—is the ideal size for meals for two, but it's also substantial enough to make dips and sauces when you're hosting. In addition to the pitcher, this blender also comes with two personal-size jars that allow you to make two breakfast smoothies in no time—especially if you've done the prep the night before. Just blend the ingredients, pop on the lid, and go about your day.

With a 650-watt motor, this appliance provides enough power to blend a wide variety of ingredients, and there are three different speeds that you can select with the easy-to-use dial—and all of them start off slowly so that your ingredients don't splatter all over. There's also a pulse setting and a dedicated ice-crushing mode. This blender is available in six stylish colors to suit any style (like matte black, bright red, and light blue). Although it's compact enough to fit inside a cupboard when not in use, the KitchenAid blender is so pretty that you'll actually want to keep it on display.

Also available at NutriBullet, Walmart, and Best Buy.

Who it's for: People who live alone and want a small blender for smoothies and dips.

Who it isn't for: People who often need to make more than one serving at a time.

You've probably heard of NutriBullet before, as it's one of the most compact, affordable, and easiest-to-use blenders on the market. Its single-serving cup is the perfect size for smoothies and shakes for one person, and it can whip them up in under a minute. But you can make way more than just frozen drinks in it: Small portions of dips, sauces for pasta, and pancake batter are just a few of the other concoctions you can make in this petite little blender.

After putting all the ingredients in, whether they're fruits, veggies, nuts, or berries, and adding the liquid of choice (i.e., juice or milk), all you have to do is screw the cap on, turn it upside down, insert it in the base, and push and twist to blend. There aren't any extra speed settings or pre-set modes, but the 600-watt motor is still pretty powerful. The NutriBullet comes with a to-go lid that turns the blending vessel into a travel cup, which makes cleaning super easy since you don't have to wash multiple containers. Simply rinse all the items after use and put them in the top dishwasher rack. We also appreciate that NutriBullet's affordable personal blender comes with a one-year warranty on its parts.

RELATED: I Tried Nutribullet's Blender That's Half the Price of Competitors—and I'm Never Going Back

Also available at Sur La Table, Williams Sonoma, and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Who it's for: People who can't live without their daily fresh smoothies and juices.

Who it isn't for: People who don't plan on using the separate juicer functions.

If you've ever looked into the perks of juicing or blending fresh produce, you'll know that these are two very different yet beneficial techniques. Juicing keeps just the liquid, while blending fruit and veggies into smoothies keeps the pulp and fiber. If both of these options sound appealing but you're not sure whether to get a juicer or blender, the Breville Bluicer is the way to go. Since it's capable of making smoothies and juices, this appliance gives you the best of both worlds, which prevents the need to buy two separate machines (and ultimately saves you money and counter space).

With 10 speed settings and five pre-set programs, there's no end to the recipes you can dream up with this blender-juicer combo. There are even separate settings for green smoothies, fruit smoothies, and frozen cocktails. The large chute allows you to insert whole produce, so you can spend less time prepping and more time enjoying your fresh juice. As is typical of all juicers, however, there is a little more cleanup involved with this Breville appliance than there is with the others on this list. The additional juicer parts and extractor require scrubbing (with the included cleaning brush) after each use. That said, there is an auto-clean function that greatly reduces the amount of manual cleaning you have to do, and all removable parts are dishwasher safe.

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Who it's for: People who are willing to spend more on a high-capacity and long-lasting blender.

Who it isn't for: People who only need a blender for single-person use.

If you're planning on putting your blender through heavy-duty use, then it's worth investing in a reliable option that's high-performing and long-lasting, like the Vitamix A3500. It's super durable, and thanks to the 1500-watt motor, it provides enough power to produce professional results in a matter of seconds. This blender also has plenty of original features that you won't be able to live without once you try them. One of the most notable is the touchscreen interface, which looks sleek and is easy to clean.

We also love that there are five pre-set programs, which include a setting specifically for hot soups and a self-cleaning function. The blender also has variable speeds that can be set on a programmable digital timer—this is helpful because you can get your preferred consistency without having to monitor the machine while you blend. The pitcher is made from a strong plastic that is durable, food-safe, BPA-free, and impact-resistant. It also comes with a recipe book that's chock-full of ideas on how you can put the versatile blender to good use. And even though it's the most expensive pick on our list, this splurge-worthy blender was built to last: The manufacturer's warranty is for a whopping 10 years.

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Also available at The Home Depot and Best Buy.

Who it's for: People who regularly use both a blender and food processor and would like an appliance that can pretty much do it all.

Who it isn't for: People who need a basic blender to primarily make smoothies.

This 2-in-1 blender and food processor from Ninja has everything you need for making every meal from breakfast to dinner to dessert. There are four pre-set speed settings, and it can even mix dough for pizza and bread in just 30 seconds. With so many capabilities, you'll never run out of ideas with this blending and food processing duo in your kitchen arsenal. (But if you do, it comes with an inspiration guide that has 31 recipes.)

This blender comes with many attachments and extras, including two personal blending cups (plus to-go lids), a large 72-ounce blending pitcher, a 64-ounce food processing bowl, and a separate dough blade. The personal cups are ideal for breakfast smoothies or single-serve frozen cocktails, while the food processing bowl is great for making salsa. All removable parts are dishwasher-safe and easy to clean, and the powerful 1500-watt base has suction feet that keep it in place while it's in use. There's a one-year manufacturer's warranty, too.

The Ninja Professional Plus Blender earned the top spot on our list of the best blenders due to its powerful 1400-watt motor, 72-ounce pitcher that's great for larger families or those who entertain often, and fairly reasonable price. It's also really easy to clean since the removable parts can be popped into the dishwasher after each use.

There are three main types of blenders on the market: countertop, personal, and immersion blenders. This guide focuses on the first two, but here's a breakdown of the differences between them all.

Countertop: Generally the largest type of blender, countertop models come in various sizes and can usually hold way more than one serving at a time (unless they are compact models). These versions come in several styles, from professional-grade units with several attachments and capabilities to smaller versions with just one setting, and they tend to be more powerful. But it's important to note that they take up more counter space than other types of blenders.

Personal: These smaller, compact blenders are designed to make one serving at a time, so they can typically fit one smoothie or protein shake. The blending vessel on a personal blender often doubles as a travel cup, so you can easily put a lid on it and take your smoothie on the go.

Immersion: Also known as hand blenders, immersion blenders are long and narrow tools with small blades at the bottom that you immerse directly into the food that you want to blend. They're not the most powerful, so they're best for blending small amounts of soft foods (like tomato sauce). They're also commonly used to make baby food and soup.

Blenders come in a variety of wattages, often ranging from 300 to 1500 watts (or more!). The higher the number, the more powerful and efficient the blender will be. Lower wattages (which tend to be more affordable) are sufficient for mixing simple ingredients like those in protein shakes and milkshakes.

A mid-range blender of around 500-800 watts will be able to blend fruit, vegetables, and ice to make smoothies, cocktails, soups, and more. More powerful blenders of 1000 watts or more might be a little more expensive, but they can easily blend almost anything you put in them—including nuts for homemade nut butter.

In relation to the actual power source, almost all blenders are corded electric, although there are some portable battery-powered blenders on the market. (These only work well for mixing protein shakes at the gym because they aren't very powerful.)

Many blenders come with accessories and attachments, like extra blades for specific purposes such as crushing ice or mixing dough. Other popular accessories are extra personal blending cups with lids that turn them into to-go cups.

There are, however, other, more specific accessories that make your blender a two-in-one appliance, like a juice extractor that turns it into a juicer or special blades that turn it into a food processor.

Blenders occasionally get confused for juicers and food processors, but all of these appliances are actually pretty different. Although there are a few things you can make in both a food processor and a blender, the latter is best for foods and drinks with more liquid and a thinner consistency.

Blenders typically require some form of liquid, like water, juice, broth, or milk, whereas food processors can chop ingredients as-is. While your blender is a great appliance for making smoothies, protein shakes, milkshakes, frozen cocktails, soups, batters, and marinades; food processors are ideal for making dips and salsas as well as chopping up ingredients for meal prep and shredding cheese.

A blender typically only has three parts that require cleaning: the blending cup or container, the blade screw-on attachment, and the lid. Opting for a blender with dishwasher-safe parts will make your life easier, as you'd then be able to put these parts in with the rest of your dishwashing load. If you don't have a dishwasher, or if the parts are too big to fit inside one, cleaning a blender by hand is still pretty easy.

The most important thing to remember is that you should rinse your blender as soon as you're done using it. "The sooner you rinse it out, the easier it is to clean," says Daniels. If the ingredient remnants are still fresh and haven't had a chance to dry and stick to the inside of the blender, a good rinse and sponge down with hot, soapy water will likely be all that it needs before it's clean. Make sure you pay extra attention while cleaning the gasket on the lid.

If, however, you have a murkier blender on your hands, a good trick is to put in 1/4 cup of baking soda, half of a chopped-up lemon, a bit of dish soap, and 1 cup of hot water, and blend it all on high for 60 seconds. White vinegar (about 3/4 of a cup) can also be used instead of lemon for more stuck-on situations, like dried pancake batter.

As for the rest of your blender, a wipe-down with a damp dish cloth after each use will keep it clean and dust-free. If it's been splattered with food, you can use a gentle multi-purpose cleaning spray or a little bit of dish soap, then wipe it down with a dry cloth.

The best indicator of how long a blender will last is by looking at the warranty the company offers. If along with the blender you get a three-year warranty, you can usually expect your blender to last a little longer than that with regular use.

Most blenders on the market that are designed for home use typically last up to five years, and that is dependent on usage. A mid-range blender, both in price and power, with a three-year warranty might last five years of daily use, and eight years if you only use it a couple of times a week. In essence, the cheaper the machine, the less likely it is to last you a long time, and the more often you use it, the sooner it will wear out.

This article was written by Kat de Naoum, who has over 10 years of commerce-writing experience. Kat is also the commerce editor-at-large at Thomas-Xometry, the leading U.S. online platform for supplier discovery and product sourcing. For this article, Kat thoroughly researched various blenders on the market and considered factors such as each blender's type, size, material, power, accessories, price, and how easy it is to clean. She also received expert tips from Harry Daniels, a restaurateur with over 25 years of experience in the food and beverage industry.