Are you ready to live a healthier lifestyle? Implementing juices and smoothies into your diet could be a fantastic way to do just that. After all, the more vegetables and fruits you get into your system, the more you fill your body with healthy nutrients designed to keep you feeling fresh and youthful for longer.

There are plenty of ways that juices and smoothies can help you to fight back against chronic health conditions, reduce your chances of illness, and even lose excess weight. Of course, before you can start making the most out of the best juice recipes on the market, you need to find a blender that’s going to get the job done well. The most popular high-end blenders are Vitamix and Blendtec which seem to be a great investment to many blender enthusiasts. But for those that want to spend a bit less but still get a great smoothie, we’ve compiled pros and cons for other popular blenders. Here are our insights, created to give you great results, without breaking the bank.

1.     The Magic Bullet Blender

One of the best low-price blenders on the market, the Magic Bullet Blender is a professional centrifugal blending device, ideal for beginners who want to make smoothies in a hurry. This powerful blender can chop through even the toughest fruits and veggies, to give you a smooth drink just in time for breakfast.

Pros:

• Great for smoothies
• Dishwasher safe cups and lids
• Comes with a recipe book

Cons:

• Only one setting to choose from
• The larger cup isn’t as good for consistency

2.     The Ninja Professional Blender

A powerful blending machine for a great price, the Nutri Ninja is great if you’re looking for a quick and simple way to get into blending. The machine is mostly made out of plastic – which is part of what makes it so cost-effective, but it’s still durable enough to ensure that you’re going to get great results for years to come.

Pros:

• Highly affordable
• Easy to use
• Sharp blades and powerful motor

Cons:

• Loud performance
• Plastic parts

3.     The NutriBullet

Another great bullet-style blender, the NutriBullet is a popular household appliance which is good for people who are trying to enjoy healthier eating on-the-go. It’s not great at blending ice and tougher materials, but it’s still a very good blender for the price, and it’s perfect for when you want a smoothie in a hurry.

Pros:

• Quick and effective
• Easy to clean
• Looks great in any kitchen

Cons:

• Can’t blend ice well
• Slightly less durable due to plastic parts

4.     The Ninja Nutri-Bowl

An incredibly high-tech piece of equipment for the price, the Nutri-Bowl has two interchangeable vessels, and a processor and vitamin extractor setting. You can break down everything in this machine for a truly holistic and nutritional juice. Of course, it’s not the biggest juicer in the world, so you might have to make multiple batches.

Pros:

• Easy to use and wash
• Great vitamin and nutrient extraction function
• Auto-IQ technology

Cons:

• Quite small
• Ingredients need to be chopped small

5.     The Juice Bullet

The juice bullet is big enough, and powerful enough to crush your entire recommended daily serving of veggies and fruits in one sitting. The machine comes with a feed-tube pusher to ensure that you fit everything into the mix, and a cleaning brush too. The biggest problem is that there are so many different pieces to clean!

Pros:

• 700-watt motor which is great for powerful juicing
• Perfect for storage in three parts
• Juice recipe book included

Cons:

• Tough to clean
• Slower than other centrifugal juicers.

6.     The Nutri Ninja Blender Duo

This is the kind of blender that you should go for if you’re looking for commercial quality at home. The Ninja Duo gives you a range of incredible features, such as the Auto IQ solution which combines pulsing and chopping for a smoother result. Plus, you get a range of cups to choose from so you can make enough smoothie for the whole family when you want to.

Pros:

• Range of pre-programmed settings to choose from
• Auto-IQ technology makes it easier to create great smoothies
• Display timer to show you when your recipe is ready

Cons:

• It’s quite loud
• It can be difficult to clean due to a large blender attachment

Choosing the Best Blender

The best blender for you will depend on your individual needs, and budget. However, the options above were all chosen because they combine affordability with exceptional function and practicality. If you’re just getting into smoothies for the first time, then each of the models we’ve covered today could be a great way to start your new habit. Try this recipe to get you started:

Blueberry Spinach Smoothie

Blueberries are always a great fruit to add to any smoothie because they’re packed full of antioxidants. They’re also a great source of fiber, vitamin K, vitamin C, and manganese, which means you get a lot of nutrients in every gulp.

Ingredients:

• 1 scoop protein powder
• 1 cup of coconut milk
• 1 cup of spinach
• 1/2 cup of frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup of blueberries
• 1/2 banana

 

Guest Blogger Rebekah is a passionate writer and healthy-eating advocate. She’s always keen to try out the latest foods and recipes, explore new information about health and fitness, and expand her understanding of the world around her with constant learning. (thanks Rebekah for sharing your findings with us)

 

Linda is an author, speaker and teacher passionate about educating the importance of food on our overall health bringing empowerment and good health to those willing to learn. Linda’s motto, “Attaining health one bite at a time,” is achieved through simplifying nutrition and healthy food preparation without sacrificing taste. Ask about personal plant-based cooking instruction and health consultations.