Best Blender for Frozen Fruit Smoothies

There is nothing as refreshing and healthy then a frozen fruit smoothie in the morning. It’s the perfect way to start your day.

While some people might be comfortable making a heavy green smoothie, it’s really not the most refreshing thing to have in the morning.

Fruit smoothies, on the other hand, are refreshing and also light and healthy.

The cool thing about blenders for frozen fruit smoothies is that they are not that expensive.

So, if you happen to be on a budget, then you are in luck. There are some really excellent brands that make personal blenders that are excellent at blender up frozen fruit smoothies.

Blenders for Frozen Fruit Smoothies vs Other Blenders

 

Here are my top picks. Detailed reviews follow below.

Best Blender for Frozen Fruit Smoothies— Large Version

Best Blender for Frozen Fruit Smoothies- Smaller Version

The premise of this blog post is going to be a focus on blenders that are perfect at blending up frozen fruit into smoothies.

 

If you’re going to be blending smoothies for your health and want to start off with fruit (because jumping right into green smoothies is a bit rough) then you need a blender that can handle the task.

 

The trick to making a fruit smoothie using frozen fruit is to make sure you use a good blender.

 

Unfortunately, not all blenders are built alike. As you might have seen if you’re read my articles, certain blenders are better at some tasks compared to others.

You might choose a certain blender for making nut butter, but that blender isn’t necessarily the best or most efficient for making a frozen fruit smoothies.

 

Each blender reviewed will be covered and analyzed according to these criteria:

• Cost
• Ease of Use
• End Result (what the fruit smoothie tastes like)

Now, onto the reviews.

NutriBullet: Best Bullet Style Blender for Frozen Fruit Smoothies

 The NutriBullet is an all around workhorse. It’s one of the bestselling bullet blenders on the market today, and for a really good reason: it’s value packed.

When you get the NutriBullet you get a small, personal blender that sits perfectly atop your kitchen countertop, and which can easily be stowed away in a cupboard as well. This makes it perfect for people who are working on a limited space.

What is does well, it does really well. It’s small and compact. Making it perfect for small kitchens, dorms, or people with other reasons for limited space.

Look closely at the blade, and you’ll see that it’s designed perfectly for fruit. Note that the blade is made of stainless steel. That’s important.

You won’t need to worry about rust or braking them on frozen fruit. In fact, many people who sell blenders will tell you that the best way to keep a blenders blades sharp is to use ice. Well, frozen fruit essentially works in the same manner.

While these blades don’t look as sharp as other blades (no pointy tip) that isn’t accurate. The blades spin incredibly fast (thanks to a 600 rpm motor) and they are perfect for making a frozen fruit smoothie.

close up of the bullet blender blade

Breakdown

• 600 watt motor
• BPA free blender jar
• 24 Oz capacity
• 1 Speed
• Made in China
• 1 Year Warranty
• Dishwasher Safe Construction

Cost

Super Affordable. This is the perfect blender for people on a budget.

Ease of Use

Headache free. A simple twist design. The blender comes with an extra blade, and some additional bells and whistles, but if you stick the frozen fruit smoothies, it’s super easy.

Pros

The most affordable blender for frozen fruit smoothies. Easy to clean. Small and easy to store.

Cons

It doesn’t handle green smoothies as well as bigger models. It’s also limited in the amount of fruit you can make. If you are looking to make smoothies for multiple people, then this isn’t the one for you.

This Frozen Fruit Blender Is Best For: People who make one frozen fruit smoothie at a time (maybe two for two people).

Verdict

A great blender for frozen fruit smoothies for anyone on a budget, and who is not going to make nut butters, blend up leafy greens, or non-fruit smoothie items such as hummus.

Read more about the NutriBullet Blender Here.

Ninja Professional Countertop 1100 Watt With Separate Smoothie Jars

The Ninja brand has come a long way in recent years. When you used to discuss blenders, the name that everyone would always bring up was VitaMix.

While that brand still has a lot of cache, and it’s still probably the best brand when it comes to high end blenders, Ninja is no slouch. In fact, it’s my daily go to blender.

What Ninja excels at is making a top of the line, quality blender that can do almost anything, and do it well. Not only that, but it’s really affordable. It’s cheaper than a night out at a restaurant!

It can make green smoothies. I’ve used my Ninja to blend up kale and spinach smoothies. But, honestly, I’m more of a fan of making frozen fruit smoothies, and this is where the Ninja really excels.

A typical morning frozen fruit smoothie in my place would be: 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup mixed tropical fruit (a pineapple, mango and strawberry mix I get from BJs), some coconut water or almond milk, and some turmeric. Occasionally I toss in a bit of spinach.

When I make my frozen fruit smoothies, I don’t use Ice. I use frozen fruit as is. There are some recipes for making fruit smoothies using ice (whenever you add nut butters, nuts, of need some extra water—use ice).

Breakdown

• 1100 Watt Morot
• Three (3) Speeds  and Pulse
• Stainless Steel Blade
• BPA Free Blender Jar
• Dishwasher Safe
• 1 Year limited warranty
• 2 Ninja Cups (perfect for single serve smoothies)
• 72 Ounce Pitcher

Cost 

For a full size frozen fruit blender, it’s super affordable. Really, considering that you could easily spend more at lunch or dinner at a typical restaurant, you’re getting bargain.

East of Use

Super easy to use. It’s your classical idea of a blender. It’s actually easier to use the the smaller bullet blenders. There is not much to figure out. And it’s easy to clean. What I do is fill it up with soap and water after I’m through making my smoothie, and then run it through a blending cycle. Then rinse it out and let it dry.

Pros

Super easy to use. The best “value” blender out there. If you’re looking for the best blender for the money, this might be it. Excellent blending ability. You can make super smoothie frozen fruit smoothies in minutes. It’s not going to leave any large chunks. And you can also use this blender to make hummus, nut butters, and green smoothies.

Cons

Not the best at making heavy duty green smoothies that are made up mainly of leafy greens. If you’re looking to make a green smoothie, i’d look at the higher priced VitaMix. Also, while this blender is great at making sauces that are tomato based, or even making hummus, it’s not perfect at making green sauces.

So, if you are looking for a blender that not only can make frozen fruit smoothies but also make pestos and other herb sauces that include basil and parsley, it would be better to look at a VitaMix.

This Blender is Best For: The Gung Ho First Time Smoothie Maker

Anyone who is serious about blending and is looking to venture a bit beyond frozen fruit. Experimenting with hummus, blended soups, and also large batches (it’s got a really large jar).  It’s not too expensive as to be something you’ll regret buying if you don’t use it everyday (I’m looking at you Vitamix).

Verdict

The Ninja Professional is a perfect entry level blender for people who want to get healthy and who are serious about blending, but who are not ready to make the full investment of a top of the line juicer. Estimate 7 frozen fruit smoothies a week, with some pasta sauces or nut sauces at night.

Oster Blender Pro 1200: Decent Budget Blender For Kitchens

Oster is a versatile and popular brand when it comes to blenders. This one in particular I like for anyone looking to make frozen fruit smoothies.

It’s got the perfect size, and it has a good combination of power and size.

The upside to this blender is that it also handles things such as salsa, and frozen fruit sorbets.

At left, you will see the included smoothie container. This is perfect for taking your smoothie on the go. It’s BPA free and is great for people who are looking to minimize their dishwasher load (no extra blender bottles).

Cost 

One of the cheaper blenders on the market. Cheaper than Ninja, Vitaminx, and many others.

East of Use

Easy enough to use for everyday use. The addition of multiple speeds tends to complicate things.

Pros

It’s cheap, which is perfect for people who are on a budget. It also comes with extras such as a second cup.

Cons

It’s fine if you’re blending simple frozen drinks with soft fruit (things that don’t have lots of fiber such as pineapple) but if you are planning on making frozen drinks that have fresh fruit such as mango, pineapple or even berries that can be tough to break down, then this isn’t the perfect blender for you to get.

Also, it can be tricky to break down ice into a super smooth consistency. So, if you are making something that has a lot of ice (such as a frozen margaritas or frozen strawberry daiquiris) then you should look for another blender.

This Blender is Best For : Anyone who wants simple frozen fruit smoothies once in a while.

Verdict: A simple blender that can make frozen fruit smoothies, and is great for the price point.

Hamilton Beach Best Travel Size Blender: Best Travel Blender

One of the special types of blender that you might be looking for is a travel blender. These are designed for people who are going to be traveling somewhere and want to bring a blender with them to make frozen drinks and frozen fruit smoothies.

So, you might be heading to a beach house, or camping, or somewhere else where you might not have access to a blender. What you want to have in that case is a travel blender that can be easily packed up with your luggage.

This is my choice for the best travel sized blender.

Cost: Very affordable price point. You will be able to afford this as an additional blender to your normal blender. You will not have to choose between a travel blender, and a regular counter top blender.

East of Use: Extremely simple. It’s designed with a one touch blending button. There are no multiple settings, not extra add ons that you have to use. All you have to do is fill the blender with your frozen fruit or ice and liquid, and push the button and you are set.

Pros: BPA free. Stainless Steel blending blade. Small and easy to carry in a suitcase. It’s completely dishwasher safe. It comes with a cary along jar with a spill proof cap. It has a strong motor, which means you won’t end up with large chunks of frozen fruit or ice that is not sufficiently blended up.

Cons: It is limited in size. That’s to be considered if you are limiting your search to a travel blender. By design they are not large.

This Blender is Best For : Anyone who needs a blender for travel and is more concerned with small size, convenience, than with making a huge amount of smoothies or frozen drinks. This can make several servings, and won’t take up space.

Verdict: A perfect choice for a small, portable travel blender for making frozen fruit smooties, frozen drinks, or even protein shakes.

Ninja Blender 24oz : Best Small Countertop Blender

This blender is one of the better options for people who want a countertop blender, but do not want something that takes up too much space.

If you have limited counterspace, but want something with more power than the smaller bullet blenders or travel sized blender, then this is a great choice.

Cost: A medium price point. You can find it for sale on Amazon. It’s going to be less than the price of a night at a normal restaurant, and with the Ninja brand, you can rest assured it will last you quite a long time.

Pros: There are couple of major benefits to this model. First, it has a very powerful motor for a small blender. It has 900 watts. This means you are not going to have any trouble blending up frozen fruit. In fact, you might even be able to blend up greens if you would like to have a green smoothie once in a while. You can even add additional things to your frozen fruit smoothies with this blender. For instance, you could add chia seeds, nuts, nut butters, or oats. The motor is powerful and will blend it all up. Secondly, it’s BPA free. Finally, it has a really sleek and small design for such a powerful blender.

Cons: The only con for this model is that you can’t make huge servings. So, if you are buying a blender for large parties where you will have the occasion to make frozen fruit smoothies and frozen drinks for a large number of guests, then you will want to choose the larger Ninja model. Also, it does not come with extra jars, so you will have to get them seperately if you want to have matching containers.

Best For: Anyone with limited counter space who wants the best blender for frozen smoothies designed for a small number of servings.

Verdict: This one gets my recommendation. It’s perfect unless you are in the market for blending multiple frozen fruit smoothies  at a time.

Cleanblend Commercial Blender

This commercial style blender is designed for people who want the performance of something such as a Vitamix, but don’t want to shell out the bucks for an expensive blender.

It has a large blending jar, is easy to clean, and simple to use.

Cost 

The cost is one of the more attractive points of this blender. It’s not going to really set you back too much. It’s at the higher end of the price point, but when you consider that you’re getting a commercial quality blender, it is a understandably compromise.

Pros

An excellent warranty. This blender has a 5 year warranty. That’s an excellent length warranty.

It also has a 64ounce BPA free blender bottle. This is perfect for making frozen smoothies that are

Cons 

While it is on par with big name blenders such as Blendtec and Vitamix, there is one glaring issue that some people do find a bit troublesome. That issue is that stability of the machine. Several people have noted that the base isn’t totally secure when blending, which means that you will have hold down the blender while you are making a smoothie. This shouldn’t be too troublesome, but it is something to be aware of.

Best For 

People who want a blender like the Vitamix, but don’t want to spend the same amount of money.

Vitamix Explorian Blender: Best Top Of The Line Blender For Frozen Fruit

This blender is one of Vitamix’s best and most user friendly of the brands blender models.

Cost 

It’s expensive, but not prohibitively so. This blender is actually the perfect price point for anyone who is serious about blending.

Pros

First, it’s going to blend anything. So, if you are planning on making frozen fruit smoothies, then this blender is perfect. You won’t have any issues with chunks of unblend ice. But it’s also good for lots of other things. You can make dip for a party the night before, things like hummus or guac. This is where the Vitamix excells over other brands at making hard to blend items such as chickpeas (for hummus) spinach and kale (for smoothies with leafy greens) or even pesto sauces. So, I consider it one of the better all around blenders.

Cons 

Nothing aside from the fact that it’s a bit pricey, but that is the simple fact when you buy quality.

Best For 

People who want to throw big parties and entertain and make a lot of their own food and beverages. You can make hummus, tomato sauce, frozen drinks, and countless other items.

Verdict

This is a classic blender for smoothies, and a mainstay in any discussion about the best blenders on the market. Even though it is expensive, I will say that it’s a strong contender for the best blender for the money even though it does cost more than the others. So, if you really want the best blender on the market, there isn’t real competition. And it does make the best frozen fruit drinks. Perfect with no chunks left unblended.

KitchenAid 5 Speed Blender: Best Blender Option For Home Cooks

Cost 

This is a decent mid point priced blender. It’s affordable but not “cheap” as in cheaply made.

Pros

It has a stainless steel blade. The blending jar is 56 ounces, which is large enough to handle most recipes.

Cons 

The power on a blender such as this can be a bit underwhelming when compared to Ninja and Vitamix. That’s one thing to keep in mind. It might make excellent smoothies if you’re using fresh fruit such as blueberries and bananas, but it can be insufficient

Best For 

People on a budget who are looking for a simple, all purpose blender. It’s not suited for heavy duty blending. And is only good for blending frozen fruit drinks in a pinch, not all the time.

Do You Have To Thaw Frozen Fruit For Smoothies?

Most people don’t think about whether or not they have to thaw their frozen fruit before making a smoothie. However, when they first unpack the blender, wash it out, and start getting ingredients out for their smoothie, they might hesitate. You might be that person. Is it safe to blend frozen fruit in a blender for a smoothie?

The simple answer is yes. Blenders make frozen drinks using ice, and frozen fruit is no different. You can certainly take frozen cherries, berries, or other fruit, and blend it up. In fact, there are some benefits to using frozen fruit in your smoothies. First, it eliminates the need to have to add ice to make the smoothie cold.

The main concern that people have is whether or not the frozen fruit will dull their blender blades of even break them. While ice can dull blender blades (as will any hard material) it’s not going to break your blender unless you have decided to buy a really cheap blender (which hopefully you have been convinced not to do).

So, as long as you have picked out a good blender, there is no reason to thaw your fruit before hand. Unless you like lukewarm fruit smoothies!

Blending Frozen Fruit vs Blending Ice

In some ways frozen fruit and ice are very similar and you use them in your smoothies in the same way. The blender that handles frozen fruit is going to also handle ice well.

But there are some differecnes:

Frozen fruit is softer than Ice. It also melts a bit during the blending process. It creates a liquid texture faster than ice does.

Ice is harder than frozen fruit and it is used primarily to create liquid and make your smoothie cold. Some people also believe that ice can sharpen the blades in your blender. That’s up for debate, but what is known is that as long as you get a blender that is designed to handle frozen fruit smoothies it will also blend up ice without any problem!