A good blender is a must-have tool for any well-stocked kitchen—and the best blenders do a lot more than just puree. Many of today's blenders come decked out with features like digital displays, automatic load-sensing technology, and extra accessories for seamless smoothie-making and veggie chopping. While the added bells and whistles are nice, there are other factors to consider when choosing the best blender for you. 

"Look for something easy to use," said Marilyn Haugen, a bestselling cookbook author and food blogger at MavenCookery.com. "I always like a 'plug and play' style blender—one that's super easy to clean without a lot of parts." 

No matter what type of home chef you are, this list has plenty of options to help make creamy dips, healthy green smoothies, and more. To come up with this list of the best blenders, we considered factors like power (total wattage), range of speed, and pitcher capacity. We also read through dozens of online user reviews to help inform our product recommendations.

Our top pick is the Breville Fresh & Furious because it is well-built and super easy to clean. It's a compact model that offers 1100 watts of power and surgical-grade stainless-steel blades that crush, chop, whip, and aerate with ease. 

To help you narrow down your choices, here are the best blenders currently on the market.

Why You Should Get It: This is a great option if you're looking for the functionality of a powerful blender at a moderate price point. 

Keep in Mind: The pitcher itself is all one piece, and the blade is not removable for cleaning. 

Breville's Fresh & Furious is a full-size blender that has a pitcher with a curved bottom and a stainless steel blade system that work together to draw ingredients down from the top, creating a vortex that produces impressively uniform mixtures—no lumps here. 

Designed to break down tough-to-blend ingredients like leafy greens and ice cubes, this model packs 1100 watts of power and can hold up to 50 ounces in its BPA-free tritan pitcher. It offers eight task controls, including five variable speeds (mix, chop, blend, puree, and liquify) and pre-programmed speeds for crushed ice and smoothies so you can get the exact consistency your recipe requires.

The lid on this blender is designed with a ring pull detail that makes it easy to remove while ensuring it stays sealed tight during operation. We also like that there is a timer LCD display that counts down when using pre-programmed settings and counts up when you're using the speed settings. No need to mess with that pesky microwave timer.

The blender is also compatible with the Breville Vac Q, an easy-to-use vacuum pump that draws out the air from the pitcher, resulting in an extra-smooth blend. 

Once you're ready to wash the Fresh & Furious, simply remove most of the ingredients off the blender walls and base, add soapy water, and press the "auto clean" button. The blender will then clean itself by swirling the soapy water around to remove material. Once it's done, just rinse and air dry. If you prefer to handwash your blender, it's worth noting that this blender's blade cannot be removed from the pitcher.

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Why You Should Get It: This is a great choice if you're looking for a basic blender that won't break the bank. 

Keep in Mind: At 700 watts, this blender is not as powerful as other options. 

Oster is a trusted brand in kitchen appliances, and this model lives up to the Oster name. While it may not be the most extreme blender in terms of power, the 700-watt Classic Series 16-Speed Blender is a good entry-level kitchen tool that's capable of all the basics, making it our pick for the best blender on a budget. You get 16 speed settings—including pulse, puree, and chop—that are accessible from an easy-to-use control panel with one-touch controls. 

The 40-ounce glass blending jar, which gives off a 1950s retro aesthetic, is both shatterproof and dishwasher safe. It also comes with a 2-ounce filler cap with built-in markings to measure and pour ingredients while blending. Plus, an included 3-cup food chopper that's compatible with the blender base eliminates the need for a second appliance. An added bonus: Oster offers a generous 10-year (limited) warranty and a three-year satisfaction guarantee. 

Keep in mind that at 700 watts, this blender has the lowest watts of all the stand blenders on our list. If you usually blend fresh ingredients, this will be enough power for you, but if you'd like to make nut butters or will regularly be blending frozen fruits, you'll likely want a blender with more power.

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Why You Should Get It: This splurge-worthy model can grind even the largest ice cubes with ease and heats soups.

Keep in Mind: This blender packs a lot of power and can be quite noisy, which may be problematic if you enjoy making morning smoothies while other family members are still sleeping. 

Looking for a powerful blender that can easily create frozen treats, hot soups, nut butters, and salad dressings? Then we recommend splurging on this Vitamix blender.

The 1640-watt blender is powerful, easily pulverizing fibrous vegetables, nuts, and seeds. In addition to five pre-programmed settings, the Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender also gives you variable speed control (a range from one to 10) and a pulse function so that you can easily tweak the texture of any recipe. 

The ultra-thick plastic jar holds up to 64 ounces, making it convenient to whip up larger batches of smoothies, soups, and frozen desserts for the whole family. It can also handle hot ingredients and even heat up mixtures. The blender can reach a high enough speed that the spinning blades create friction heat, warming cold mixtures like soup to piping hot in six minutes—no need to transfer the ingredients to the stovetop.

Many customers also love the self-cleaning function—add a drop of dish soap and some water to the jar, and your Vitamix can clean itself in 30 to 60 seconds. 

One thing to note: With all that power also comes plenty of noise. You'll want to keep this in mind if you'll be enjoying your Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender in the early morning hours while others in your home are still asleep. 

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Why You Should Get It: This multipurpose appliance can blend smoothies as well as knead dough.

Keep in Mind: You can't use this blender for mixing hot ingredients. 

If you're looking for the convenience of combining a few appliances in one, the Ninja 3-in-1 Power Blender and Processor is a great choice. Not only can it function as a full-size blender and a food processor, it also mixes dough.

The three-in-one design is a great choice for small kitchens,  taking up less space than having multiple different appliances. And with its sleek design that includes a LED-lit control panel, you might want to give this blender a permanent home on your kitchen countertop. 

At 1400 watts, it offers solid power that's comparable to other commercial-grade options on this list. And, just like other top-performing blenders, this model gives you a variable 10-speed control as well as six preset options for one-touch chopping, smoothies, bowls, dough, frozen drinks, and spreads. The 72-ounce pitcher on this blender is quite large, but cleanup  is easy since the pitcher, locking lid, and blade attachment are all dishwasher-safe.

Keep in mind that this blender cannot be used for blending hot ingredients, like soups. You'll need to mix ingredients while they're cold or at room temperature and then move them to the stove for heating.

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Why You Should Get It: This blender is super easy to use thanks to a variable speed and texture dial that ranges from smooth to chunky.

Keep in Mind: You won't get any extra accessories with this blender. 

For those who prefer to avoid plastic, a high-quality glass blender like the KitchenAid K400 Blender is a great option. While glass blenders can feel a little heavier than their plastic counterparts, they won't discolor or scratch, and they don't absorb food odors like many plastic pitchers might. 

With 1200 watts of power, this convenient countertop blender has plenty of oomph for mixing nut butter, blending smoothies, and pureeing veggies. You get five different speed options and three preset recipe programs (ice crush, icy drinks, and smoothie) to vary the texture of your mix, which are all available options on a single operating dial.

We also like that the blender has a slow-start feature, which prevents ingredients from splattering before it quickly reaches the set speed.

The 56-ounce glass jar is dishwasher safe, and the sturdy asymmetrical steel blades and die-cast metal motor base give this blender a high-end feel. The self-clean feature makes cleanup easy, too. Just add dish soap and water to the pitcher, and run the self-clean cycle. The blender doesn't come with any additional accessories, but you'll have everything you need to blend and mix a variety of ingredients.

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Why You Should Get It: The Breville Super Q combines the power of a commercial blender with the ease of use and quieter noise level of a personal-grade blender

Keep in Mind: At over $400, it's one of the pricier options on our list, but if you need to power through tough-to-blend ingredients or often make big batches of smoothies or soups, this blender is worth the cost.

The Breville SuperQ is a commercial-grade blender that has a powerful 1800-watt motor (with a blade speed of 186 miles per hour) for some serious blending authority. Its power and ability to blitz through fruits and vegetables makes it a favorite among consumers.

It also has all the features you'd expect from a high-end blender, including 12 different speeds; five one-touch programs that feature optimized times and speeds for smoothies, soups, and frozen desserts; and an extra-large pitcher that can hold up to 68 ounces. 

Other things to love: The SuperQ is a high-performance blender that's easier on the ears. Its cooling system reduces operating noise optimizing this super blender for the home. It's also compatible with the Breville Vac Q to reduce the amount of air in the pitcher, and it comes with a personal-size cup, blade, and lid to make grab-and-go smoothies.

Why You Should Get It: This is a great option for smoothie lovers who like the idea of a personal cup blender but don't want to sacrifice a full-size pitcher (or break the bank).  

Keep in Mind: The extra blade for cups is not dishwasher safe.

The NutriBullet Blender Combo took everything fans loved from the original NutriBullet—a super-fast smoothie maker with convenient on-the-go lidded cups—and threw in a capable full-size blender that can tackle everyday tasks. We chose this as the best blender for people who enjoy making smoothies but want a blender that can handle larger jobs as well.

The 1200-watt motor is quieter than other high-powered blenders (ideal for making early-morning smoothies while others are still sleeping!) and offers three different speeds plus a pulse function. The brand also claims that their blades, cups, and pitcher are specifically designed for optimal nutrition extraction, which enhances the quality of your food.

Like other blenders on our list, the pitchers and cups are made of high-performance plastic that is BPA-free and dishwasher safe, but it's worth noting that the personal-size blade should be washed by hand. 

Why You Should Get It: This little immersion blender allows you to whip up soups and sauces with minimal effort and even less mess. 

Keep in Mind: With only 300 watts of power, it isn't a substitute for a full-size blender. 

There are plenty of benefits to using an immersion blender, starting with the fact that it allows you to blend in the same pot or dish that you're using to prepare your recipe. This makes blending hot foods like soups much easier—not to mention safer—because you can leave everything on your stovetop versus transferring them into a blender jar. Immersion blenders are also ideal for blending smaller batches that don't always combine well in a full-size blender. 

The 300-watt Cuisinart Smart Stick immersion blender features variable speed settings that let you switch from low to high speed, making it perfect for emulsifying salad dressings, blending sauces, or even chopping nuts. 

This immersion blender was also designed with comfort in mind. It offers a lockable push-button control for continuous blending or pulse action, an 8-inch stainless steel blending shaft, and a comfort grip handle. It comes with a 2-cup measuring cup, a whisk attachment, and a 3-cup chopper/grinder attachment so you can do more with one machine.

All things considered, the Breville Fresh and Furious earned the top spot on our best blenders list because it is effective and easy to use and offers five preset speeds and a two-part lid, allowing you to easily add ingredients mid-blend. We also appreciate its accessible price point. 

This is often referred to as total wattage. The average blender can range anywhere from 300 to 1,000 watts. High-powered blenders, which are becoming more popular among consumers, can range up to 1,800 watts—but they also come with a heftier price tag. The good news: According to Haugen, most of us don't need a blender with that much power. In fact, she says 900 watts is plenty for most users. "A blender in this power range will readily make smoothies, crush ice for drinks, and pulverize nuts and seeds."

Much like with total wattage, blenders can come in a wide array of different sizes. Containers on traditional blenders typically range from 10 to 64 ounces, with some of the higher-performance models offering up to 80 ounces of capacity. On the other side of the spectrum, personal blenders can come with containers as small as 8 ounces—just enough for one morning smoothie.  

When it comes to size, Haugen recommends choosing a blender size to fit your kitchen. "I find that if a blender fits on my countertop, I am more likely to use it, or be reminded to use it, instead of digging it out of the cupboard or pantry." 

Deciding what you'll be using your blender for will also help you determine what size to buy. "If you primarily want to make smoothies, dips, sauces, soups or dressings, a personal blender would be a good choice," Haugen says. On the other hand, if you are a home chef who wants to make a multitude of recipes, then a full-service blender would be the right choice.

More expensive doesn't always mean better. Sure, there are plenty of high-end blender models that can do many things, but if you find a lower-priced option that will satisfy the majority of your needs, then that is the best blender for you.

According to Haugen, the best way to clean a blender is using the blender itself. She recommends filling your blender with water to about the halfway mark and adding a drop of dish soap. Power the blender for 30 to 40 seconds, discard the water, and then rinse the individual parts of the blender in hot water and let air dry. 

If the ingredients are really stuck on, Haugen suggests using a mixture of equal parts water and baking soda before blending. Pro tip: "Don't add the baking soda to the dish soap mixture as you may end up with one of those middle school volcano experiments!"

While many blender parts are labeled as "dishwasher safe," washing by hand might help keep your blender in better shape for the long haul. "[Dishwashers] are extremely hard on any rubber sealants, and all containers have a tendency to get marked or pitted in the dishwasher," Haugen says.

The short answer: yes. Start by adding softened butter to your blender, add the sugar, and then blend for 30 seconds. To do this well, you'll need to scrape any ingredients down the sides of the blender and repeat. You also need to watch this process carefully and stop just as the mixture is combined. Too much time blending can cause your butter to melt. 

Haugen also recommends considering your recipe before using your blender for this process. For instance, frostings are fine, but she cautions against recipes that use flour or other ingredients. "Getting the sugar-butter mixture off of beaters from a mixer is hard enough, but when you are dealing with very sharp blades, it's brutal," she says.

When used and cared for properly, a good blender can last for years. "After seven years, I still have the NutriBullet blenders that I've used to test hundreds of recipes," Haugen says. "I've had my Krups blender for close to 20 years." Pro tip: Take a look at the manufacturer's warranty. This should tell you how long a particular model is expected to last with the average consumer's use. 

This article was written by Adria Greenhauff, who has been writing about food for over a decade. To come up with this list, she thoroughly researched the best blenders and considered factors like total wattage, pitcher capacity, and extra features and accessories. She also consulted Marilyn Haugen, a bestselling cookbook author and food blogger at MavenCookery.com.