The 4 Best Portable Blenders - Fall 2024

The NutriBullet Flip is the best portable blender we've tested. It's more expensive than a lot of portable blenders, but it has some advantages. First of all, it comes with a couple of lid options — you can either flip it over right after blending and drink directly from a spout on the motor base. Or, you can remove the motor base and replace it with a to-go lid that can be used with the included straw. It makes a very smooth blend with fibrous ingredients like fruit and kale, which is uncommon for portable blenders, and means you can use it for a variety of smoothie and protein shake recipes and get results comparable to a good plug-in blender.

Unlike most blenders, you can buy it with a stainless steel or plastic jar. The stainless steel jar is insulated, which helps keep your drink colder longer. The manufacturer advertises an overall battery life of about seven minutes, which is in line with other portable blenders. Like most other battery-powered models, it has restrictions on how long you can run it. You have to let the motor cool down after running it for one minute, which makes it hard to use for recipes like nut butter, although it's not intended for that purpose. It's also more difficult to clean than a regular blender because the blades can't be removed from the base, which can't be immersed in water; this is also the case for most of the other blenders recommended here.

The Ninja Blast is a good option if you want something cheaper. This battery-powered blender is around the same size as a water bottle, so you can easily carry it around on a walk or to the gym. Its jar has a somewhat smaller 18oz capacity, and its design doesn't give you the option of removing the motor base after blending, but it's still quite light and has a good build quality. It's not as good at blending fibrous ingredients as the NutriBullet Flip, so recipes with kale or fruit will have more unprocessed bits left over. Still, it makes a decently smooth blend, so it'll make a drinkable smoothie with a variety of recipes. It also comes in more different colors than the other blenders recommended here.

It doesn't come with a straw, but its lid's spout opens with a button, which makes it easy to open and drink from with one hand when you're on the go. The manufacturer says the battery lasts for about 7.5 minutes of continuous blending (or about 15 blending cycles of 30 seconds each), about the same as the NutriBullet Flip. The 18oz jar and drinking lid are dishwasher-safe, but the blades must be cleaned by hand because you can't remove them from the motor base, like the previous pick.

If you want a cheap portable blender for occasional use, go for the Magic Bullet Portable Blender. This blender has a smaller capacity than the Ninja Blast — its 18oz jar has a maximum fill line at 12oz. It's not as quiet when it's running and doesn't come in as many different colors, although you can still get it in white, black, pink, or silver. It's equally well-built and has a similar lid design with a button that opens the spout for easy on-the-go drinking.

It also makes a decently smooth blend with difficult ingredients like leafy greens. You may need to use a spatula to scrape the jar partway through blending, which makes it less convenient to use compared with the previous picks. Its advertised battery life of about five minutes is the shortest on the list. It's also not quite as quiet as the Ninja but still doesn't make much noise for a blender, so using it to blend a smoothie for lunch at the office or make a post-workout shake at the gym won't be that disruptive.

If you're looking for a battery-powered blender for your next RV or camping trip, try the Cuisinart EvolutionX Cordless Rechargeable Personal Blender. This model is bigger and less portable than previous picks but also more powerful, making it a good choice for camping, road trips, and other situations where you don't have constant access to an outlet. This blender's blade assembly, motor base, and jar are all separate pieces, so you'll have to store or carry the motor base in a bag when using the jar as a travel cup. That makes cleaning a bit easier since you can clean the blades without worrying about damaging the motor base with water.

The manufacturer advertises a 20-minute battery life, the longest on the list. It makes a reasonably smooth blend of fruits and vegetables. It leaves a few more grains behind than the Ninja Blast but processes ingredients faster. It's also the most versatile battery-powered blender on this list: it's the only one to make smooth, spreadable nut butter with a 'full batch' of two cups. Of course, battery-powered blenders aren't ideal for difficult blends since they take a lot of time and deplete the battery faster. However, this one is a good option if you need a blender for your camper or cabin and want more power and versatility.