A good blender is the quiet workhorse of a healthy kitchen — smoothies before work, soups in winter, sauces, dips, milkshakes and frozen-fruit desserts all year. The choice is mostly about format: compact personal blenders that blend straight into a travel cup, full-size jug blenders for batches and bigger jobs, and clever hybrids that even cook soup. Here are six worth buying in 2026, from a budget starter to a high-power extractor.
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How we chose these blenders
We chose format before power — personal blenders for a single daily smoothie, jug blenders for batches and soups — then compared motor wattage against what it is genuinely needed for, blade and jug material, and how easily each cleans. These are researched picks, not first-hand reviews, and we don’t accept payment for placement. Read our full methodology →
Prices and stock checked 1 October 2026. Every pick below was re-checked against live Amazon on this date — figures shown were correct when checked; tap through for the current price.
At a glance
| Model | Best for | Approx. price | |
|---|---|---|---|
| nutribullet 900 Series | Best overall | £60.00 | Check price → |
| Ninja 2-in-1 (Auto-iQ) | Best full-size jug blender | £140.39 | Check price → |
| Cooks Professional Heated Blender | Best for hot soup & smoothies | £119.99 | Check price → |
| nutribullet Ultra 1200W | Best high-power | £99.99 | Check price → |
| nutribullet Portable | Best portable | £31.99 | Check price → |
| Breville Blend Active | Best budget | £19.99 | Check price → |
subject to change
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Personal blenders (like nutribullet) blend single servings into a cup you take with you — perfect for daily smoothies. Jug blenders handle bigger batches, crush ice and tackle soups and sauces. Soup-maker blenders heat as they blend for hot soup from scratch. More power (watts) means smoother results and easier ice-crushing, but the right format matters more than chasing the biggest number.
The best blenders UK 2026
- Best overall: nutribullet 900 Series
- Best full-size jug blender: Ninja 2-in-1 (Auto-iQ)
- Best for hot soup & smoothies: Cooks Professional Heated Blender
- Best high-power: nutribullet Ultra 1200W
- Best portable: nutribullet Portable
- Best budget: Breville Blend Active
Comparison table
| Model | Type | Best for | Approx. price |
|---|---|---|---|
| nutribullet 900 Series | Personal | Most kitchens | £60.00 |
| Ninja 2-in-1 (Auto-iQ) | Jug | Batches & ice | £140.39 |
| Cooks Professional Heated Blender | Jug + soup | Hot soup too | £119.99 |
| nutribullet Ultra 1200W | Personal | High power | £99.99 |
| nutribullet Portable | Cordless | On the go | £31.99 |
| Breville Blend Active | Personal | Budget | £19.99 |
subject to change
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Our top picks in detail
Best overall
nutribullet 900 Series
nutribullet Blender 900 Series - Powerful 24,000 RPM Extractor Blends Frozen Fruit, Nuts & Ice - Includes an Oversized Cup, a Tall Cup, a Handled Ring & 2 Lids - For Smoothies & Juices
The nutribullet 900 Series is the personal blender we’d recommend to most people: enough power (1200 peak watts) to blitz frozen fruit, leafy greens and seeds into a genuinely smooth drink, blending straight into a cup you screw a lid onto and take with you. It’s compact, dishwasher-friendly and the format that makes a daily smoothie habit actually stick. The default pick for smoothies and quick blends, and the one most kitchens are happiest with.
Check the latest price on Amazon →
Best full-size jug blender
Ninja 2-in-1 (Auto-iQ)
Ninja 2-in-1 Blender with 3 Automatic Programmes, Max Blend, BN750UK | 4 Manual Settings, 2.1L Jug & 700ml Cup, 1200W, Dishwasher Safe Removable Parts, Includes Auto-iQ Technology
When you need to blend for more than one — batch soups, big smoothies, sauces, crushed ice for drinks — a full-size jug blender like Ninja’s 2-in-1 is the tool. It pairs a large jug with single-serve cups, has automatic programs that take the guesswork out, and the power to crush ice properly (where personal blenders struggle). The best all-rounder if you cook and entertain as much as you make smoothies.
Check the latest price on Amazon →
Best for hot soup & smoothies
Cooks Professional Heated Blender & Soup Maker
Cooks Professional Heated Blender & Soup Maker 1000W with 1.8L Jug | Black | Hot & Cold Settings, 10 Programmes, 9 Speeds & Boost, Great for Soups, Smoothies, Jam, Sauces, Frozen Drinks, Milkshakes
The Cooks Professional is the clever hybrid: it heats as it blends, from 40°C up to 100°C, so it makes hot soup from raw ingredients in its glass jug, then does cold smoothies, milkshakes and frozen drinks too. Ten programmes cover smooth and chunky soup, sauce and jam as well as the cold recipes, and the jug takes 1.4 litres hot or 1.75 litres cold. It’s the pick for anyone who loves a homemade soup but doesn’t want a single-purpose soup maker cluttering the cupboard. One machine, hot and cold, soup to smoothie — genuinely versatile.
Check the latest price on Amazon →
Best high-power
nutribullet Ultra 1200W
nutribullet Ultra 1200W Personal Blender - Rapid Extractor Blade to Crush Ice & Frozen Fruit - 900ml Cup - Powerful Yet Quiet - Illuminated Interface with 2 Blending Options - Smoothie Maker - Grey
The nutribullet Ultra is the one for serious daily users: 1200W of rated power (not just peak) for the smoothest results here, a slightly larger cup, and the muscle to handle tough ingredients — frozen berries, nut butters, fibrous greens — without leaving bits. It costs a bit more than the 900, but if you make a demanding smoothie every day and want it silky, the extra power is worth having.
Check the latest price on Amazon →
Best portable
nutribullet Portable
nutribullet Portable Blender in Black - Powerful Extractor Blade, 475ml Cup, To-Go Lid, USB-C Charging Cable & User Guide - Delivers 15+ Blending Cycles per charge - Healthy Shakes On The Move
The nutribullet Portable is the cordless option for desks, gyms, holidays and caravans: USB-rechargeable, leakproof, and powerful enough for a proper single-serve smoothie wherever you are. It won’t replace a mains blender for daily heavy use, but as a take-anywhere second blender — or for anyone short on socket space — it’s brilliantly handy and cheap.
Check the latest price on Amazon →
Best budget
Breville Blend Active
![Breville Blend Active Personal Blender & Smoothie Maker | 350W | 2 Portable Blend Active Bottles (600ml) | Leak Proof Lids | White & Green [VBL246]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51w25zJtbOL._SL500_.jpg)
Breville Blend Active Personal Blender & Smoothie Maker | 350W | 2 Portable Blend Active Bottles (600ml) | Leak Proof Lids | White & Green [VBL246]
Breville’s Blend Active is the budget pick that’s genuinely worth buying: a personal blender that whizzes a smoothie straight into a sports bottle. It’s not powerful enough for ice or the toughest ingredients, but for a daily fruit-and-yoghurt smoothie it does the job cheerfully and packs away small. The cheapest sensible way to start a smoothie habit before deciding if you want more.
Check the latest price on Amazon →
What to look for in a blender
Format first, power second. A personal blender (blends into a cup) is best for daily single smoothies; a jug blender suits batches, soups, sauces and ice; a heat-and-blend model makes hot soup too. Choose the format that matches what you’ll actually make — it matters more than the wattage.
Power for the job. Higher wattage gives smoother results and crushes ice and frozen fruit more easily. Personal blenders around 900–1200W handle most smoothies; for reliable ice-crushing and tough ingredients, a powerful jug blender is better.
Cleaning and cups. Dishwasher-safe parts and a simple design make a blender you’ll keep using. For personal blenders, check how many cups and lids come in the box if more than one person will use it.
It pairs with the harvest. A blender turns a glut of summer fruit into smoothies, sorbet bases and sauces — and works alongside an ice cream maker for frozen treats and a dehydrator for the rest.
Personal blender or jug blender?
It comes down to how you’ll use it. A personal blender (nutribullet-style) is the right choice if your main job is a daily smoothie for one or two — you blend straight into a cup, screw on a lid, and go, with minimal washing up. It’s compact, quick and the format most likely to make a healthy habit stick.
A jug blender earns its space if you cook as well as blend: bigger batches, soups and sauces, properly crushed ice for drinks, and tougher jobs a small cup can’t manage. If you want both, several jug blenders now come with single-serve cups too, and heat-and-blend models like the Ninja Foodi add hot soup to the mix. For most people who mainly make smoothies, start personal; if you batch-cook and entertain, go jug. Either way it pairs naturally with the soup makers in our countertop cookers guide for winter.
Our top pick
nutribullet 900 Series
The personal blender for most kitchens: enough power to blitz frozen fruit, greens and seeds genuinely smooth, blending straight into a cup you take with you. Compact, dishwasher-friendly, and the format that makes a daily smoothie habit actually stick.
Considered but didn’t include
High-end pro blenders (Vitamix etc.) — superb and near-indestructible, but several hundred pounds — overkill unless you blend heavily every day. The picks here cover what most kitchens need for far less.
Stick/immersion blenders — brilliant for blending soup in the pan and small jobs, and a great cheap second tool, but they can’t match a jug blender for smooth smoothies or ice. Different tool, different job.
Last reviewed: September 2026
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- Best ice cream makers
- Our kitchen and food hub
- Cheap high-protein meals
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Sources
Power, capacity and feature details are taken from manufacturer specifications and cross-checked against verified UK buyer reviews.
— Gareth
🛡 Our standards: How we research · Editorial policy · Affiliate disclosure · Corrections · Last reviewed: September 2026
About Gareth
Gareth Isherwood is the editor of Danbury & Lovejoy. He has baked bread at home for 25+ years and has 15 years of growing experience across gardens, containers and other growing spaces, including an East Sussex allotment for the past three years. Read his full story →
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