They’re compact but mighty. 

Many of us dream about leading a life like those people who get up in the morning without fuss, head to the gym and refuel with a nourishing green breakfast smoothie before heading to work high on endorphins.

Unfortunately, the reality is quite the opposite. Life gets in the way and instead, mornings involve multiple alarms, a lot of coffee and breakfast sometimes gets missed as a result.

This is where a portable blender comes in.

While full-sized blenders are great for families and large households, portable blenders (also known as travel or personal blenders) are designed to blend single servings of smoothies that can be easily thrown into your bag and taken with you on the go in the same jar you blended in. Yes, that’s how compact they are.

This nifty device is able to blend most things a full-sized version can while also doubling as a food processor. They’re affordable with most coming in under the $100 mark, and the blending cups that come with these machines include a secure to-go lid and some even have multiple cups. What’s more, the majority are USB rechargeable and easy to clean, making it a cinch to maintain.

We’ve rounded up the best ones that are currently available on the market. So, whether you’re wanting to make smoothies and juices, soup, salad dressings, sauces or even a cheeky cocktail, you can’t look past these picks.

NutriBullet GO Cordless Blender, $123.02 at Amazon

Even if you’ve never owned a blender before, you’d know NutriBullet is the go-to brand for anything blender-related. They’re renowned for their lineup of innovative, high quality and incredibly powerful machines, which blend food and extract nutrients in seconds. While the GO is small, it packs almost the same strength found in the brand’s larger appliances. It has 700 watts of power to crush and blitz the hardest of ingredients, comes with durable 370ml Tritan cups that won’t crack or break in your bag and offers up to 20 blending cycles before needing to be recharged. It’s the no-fuss option of portable blenders.

Breville Blend Active Personal Blender & Smoothie Maker, $67.45 at Amazon

With a 4.6 star average rating and over 29k ratings on Amazon alone, you’d be hard-pressed to look past this gun of a machine that features a powerful 300-watt motor.

Reviewers have explained how amazed they have been with the quality of the Blend Active, likening it to the famous NutriBullet but at a more affordable price. As one person wrote: “I've been researching a good blender for months. I was leaning towards the more fancy and pricey ones but I took a chance and bought this instead. I'm shocked with how well this works — comes with 2 bottles, well made and light, extremely easy to use, takes a few seconds to clean it, blends in a few seconds, fairly quiet and amazing price. I honestly cannot find anything wrong to say about it. If you are looking for personal blender with no fuss, look no further.”

Feeleye USB Rechargeable Portable Smoothie Blender, $29.99 at Amazon

On average, a regular-sized smoothie can set you back around $7, so it’s safe to say you’re spending quite a bit of hard-earned cash on liquids you can make yourself for a fraction of the cost. The financially smarter option would be to invest in this affordable blender that will pay for itself in a week if you enjoy a daily drink. This cute blender has six blades, a powerful motor system and is made with non-toxic, eco-friendly and BPA-free materials. It has a simple single-button operation, which makes it incredibly easy to use and clean.

Sunbeam Insta Go Blender, $54.95 at Myer

If you’re looking for a portable blender for yourself and a housemate or partner, this one from Sunbeam comes with two BPA-free 600ml Tritan sports bottles that are lightweight, impact-resistant and dishwasher safe, and come with spill-proof lids. The motor has 350 watts of power, which reviewers have noted is strong enough to crush ice easily.

PopBabies Personal Blender, $94.74 at Amazon

This PopBabies blender is the updated version to the brand’s original best-seller. Measuring only 26cm tall and 8cm wide, the petite-size is perfect for those who travel a lot and find it difficult to get in their daily nutrients while living out of a luggage. What we love the most about this one is the motor base, blade base and bottle can all be detached separately for easy cleaning.

One reviewer wrote: “Charging my PopBabies on my laptop is just freakin awesome! And no moldy personal blender since everything is detachable for easy cleaning! The design is absolutely wonderful, the bottle looks like glass but it’s really a thick plastic.”

Cafe 63 Portable USB Rechargeable Blender, $39.99 at Amazon

On a full charge, this grab-and-go appliance can be used up to 30 times before needing to plug it into a USB port. Even a self-confessed “lazy” reviewer admitted this nifty device has helped them get in all their vital nutrients. “I have to say this product is definitely designed for lazy people like me. I wanted to be healthy but too lazy to eat fruits or even make juices and smoothies because of the process. But things become so effortless with this portable blender. It's very handy, super easy to use, and my smoothies are ready just in 20 seconds (no plug-in required at all). I can even carry it to my room and enjoy it! Such a huge impact on my life.”

The only downside is that it’s on the smaller side of portable blenders — ingredients can’t be any longer than 2cm and no more than 2/3 of a cup of liquid can be used per blend.

Modern Comfort Home Products BlenderX Portable Personal Blender, $203.35 at Amazon

While this blender is one of the more expensive ones on the market, its quality really does outweigh other budget-friendlier ones. The BlenderX is six times more powerful than most USB blenders, it's able to crush and blend standard-sized ice cubes and frozen fruit, and has a longer-lasting single charge battery life. It even comes with a premium water-resistant bag for travel and storage.

While originally designed to take camping (hence its tough and impressive build), hundreds of Amazon users have bought it for home and office use.

One person wrote a review, saying: “Blender works awesome! I’ve had a few of the USB blenders and they just don’t have very much power. This blender is very powerful. It had no problem blending ice or hard veggies, and it’s great for smoothies! Love it!”

Magic Bullet To Go Personal Blender, $54.95, Myer

Image: The Iconic.Source:BodyAndSoul

Don’t settle for a blender that restricts you to only making morning smoothies and protein shakes — the Magic Bullet To Go can chop, dice, grate, grind, blend and juice, making it the best pick if you’re after versatility. In fact, it means it’ll eliminate the need for other larger kitchen appliances taking up your valuable kitchen space. And can we talk about that price tag? What a steal.

What’s the point of a portable blender?

There are several benefits that come with using a portable blender. The key ones include:

Affordability: It’s the low price of portable blenders that attracts most buyers, especially since buying pre-made drinks and smoothies on a daily basis can set you back a few hundred or even thousands of dollars each year. The features that are packed into such a compact appliance you’ll be using on the reg are pretty amazing, too.

Versatility:You’re not restricted to just making smoothies in a portable blender. For example, they’re perfect for parents who care for young children and newborns. Crushing fruits and blending solids only takes a fraction of the time, with minimal cleaning.

Gym lovers can also benefit from a portable blender as it means they can make their protein shakes exactly when needed (several studies have shown protein needs to be consumed within 30 minutes after training to reap the most benefits).

Travel-friendly: If you’ve ever travelled, you’ll know it’s pretty easy to forget to eat healthily while indulging in pure comfort food (and drinks). But that’s where a portable blender comes in handy. Because they’re designed to be lightweight and rechargeable (or have easily replaceable batteries), pop it into your handbag or carry-on luggage and stock up on a few inexpensive grocery items at your destination so you can make some nourishing juices and smoothies while travelling.

How do you choose the best portable blender?

There are a plethora of different models on the market that all cater to a variety of preferences. To choose the perfect one for you, consider the following factors:

Wattage:You’ll need to be aware of the power of the motor, which is measured in watts. Generally, the higher the wattage, the better and stronger the blend. Most portable blenders with a wattage between 280 to 400 should be able to blend most hard ingredients like ice and frozen fruits. However, those with lower watts of power (particularly battery-powered ones) will be less powerful and you’ll need to cut up your ingredients into small pieces before throwing them into the blending cup.

Size:If you travel a lot (including your daily commute to and from work) and want a blender you can throw into a bag, then you’ll definitely want a smaller and lighter blender. Unfortunately, this will mean you’ll have to compromise on a smaller travel mug as a result. On the other hand, if you make most of your smoothies at home, you can opt for a bigger model with a larger base and motor.

Cup style: Do you need a handle on your drinking cup? What type of lid do you prefer? Does colour matter to you? These are factors to keep in mind when purchasing.

Ease of cleaning:Most portable blenders are a breeze to clean but some people might want one that is specifically dishwasher-friendly.

Battery power and charging capabilities: Many portable blenders are powered by batteries that can be charged via a USB cable, making it possible to charge your blender in the car or even through your computer. If you intend to travel a lot, you might want to opt for one with longer-lasting battery life. More powerful ones normally require a powerpoint to operate just like a full-sized blender.

Extra accessories:Do you need extra accessories? For example, some portable blenders come with a variety of different blades like grinders and others also come with multiple cups.

Is a portable blender better than a full-size blender?

There is no definitive answer to this question because both are entirely different from each other. Portable blenders are designed to be quick to use, and are generally only made with a one-button operation, single-speed motors and small blades. Because of this, they can be quite limited — only small quantities can be made at once, they don’t come with a suite of controls, they’re not built for long-term use and it’s best to avoid extra hard foods in case it causes damage to the blades.

Contrastingly, a full-size blender is a perfect option if you want more control over the process and you find you’re needing to blend in larger quantities. However, they can be expensive, heavy and too bulky for kitchen benches and storage.

Want to start eating healthier? We’ve previously rounded up the best kitchen appliances that take the heavy-lifting out of meal prep as well as the best spiralizers that will help you fall in love with eating more veggies (yes, really). Ready to shop? Check out our coupons page for all the latest and greatest deals.

Any products featured in this article are selected by our editors, who don’t play favourites. If you buy something, we may get a cut of the sale. Learn more.

Any products featured in this article are selected by our editors, who don’t play favourites. If you buy something, we may get a cut of the sale. Learn more.

A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. Find out about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out.

bodyandsoul.com.au may receive an affiliate commission if you buy through our links. Learn more

Nationwide News Pty Ltd Copyright © 2022. All times on this site are AEDT ().

Powered by WordPress.com VIP