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Green smoothies and green juices are two of the Ahealthiest drinks you can ever make at home.
The great thing is that you don’t need to spend $5 to $8 per cup for this. In this article I’ll talk about the best tools to make green smoothies and these are blenders.
Now before you tell me that $20 Oster blender would be able to make that hear this. It won’t be as consistent.
Avoid the chunky mess
More often than not instead of making a smoothie you have a clunky mess with bits and pieces of un-chopped ingredients.
Eating healthy does not need to be a chore. You can eat healthy and enjoy it at the same time.
What you need is the right combination of food and the proper tools.
This is where a blender comes in.
I’ll share with you 5 of the best blenders for making green smoothies.
No, these productrs aren’t the cheap $20 you’ll find in Macy’s.
You need something with power
The blenders you’ll see are robust machines capable of chopping produce consistently without bogging down.
You don’t need to buy a Vitamix just to enjoy the benefits of a high powered motor.
If you look hard enough you’ll see brands like CleanBlend and Oster selling products that matches a Vitamix in terms of power but at a more affordable price.
Some of the products you’ll here will be about to make more than just smoothies so you’ll get a lot for your dollar.
To help guide you through this article, I’ve created a table of contents section for you to go directly to the section you want to read. But I’d prefer you read the whole article.
Spec Comparison
| Rank | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | |||||
| Pitcher capacity | 64 ounces | 64 ounces | 90 ounces | 62 ounces | 40 ounces |
| Height | 17.6" | 20-1/8" | 15" | 19" | 14.69" |
| Preset blending cycles | Rotary control - Medium, High and Pulse Preset controls - soup, smoothie and dips/spread | None | Batters Ice Crush Smoothie Ice Cream Whole Juice Soups | None | Mix/Milkshake/Easyclean Puree/Smoothie/Icy Drink Dice/Chop/Salsa Grind/Crush Ice/Grate |
| Tamper/Plunger |  | | | |  |
| Smoothies | | | | | |
| Juice | | | | | |
| Warranty | 7 years | 7 years | 7 years | 5 years | 3 years |
| Motor | 1,400 watts | 3 HP | 1,560 watts | 1,800 watts | 700 watts |
How to choose a blender for green smoothies?
Unlike fruits that are easy to blend, green leafy vegetables are tough and fibrous.
Powerful motor
This means you’ll need a blender strong enough to cut through fiber so the motor won’t bog down and overheat.
If the motor is weak consistency will be an issue and it will take longer to blend because you will have to stop, open the pitcher and move around ingredients just to complete the blending cycle. This is very time consuming.
Blade design
Also look at the blade design. One thing that separates a good blender and inferior one would be whether or not the blades create a vortex that push ingredients down.
It’s important because it reduces blending time. Less time means less oxidation and a fresher juice.
Pitcher size
Another feature you should look at is the size of the pitcher.
If you have a big family you will need a something with a big pitcher.
The Blendtec Wildside has one of the largest pitchers you’ll find at 90 ounces (that’s over 2 liters), great for families of 5 or more.
If you only plan to make smoothies for yourself then get something compact like the Hamilton Beach 58148A.
Our Pick: Oster Versa
Just when you think that 1,400 watt blenders would cost you at least $300 think again.
The Oster Versa with its 1,400 watt motor and 64 ounce BPA free jug will only cost less than $160.
What is this number one?
Despite the low price it still comes with a 7 year warranty! How crazy is that?
Let me give you an example, the Breville Hemisphere priced at around $190 only has a 750 watt motor and a 1 year warranty.
Between the Breville and Oster, I’d pick the latter because it has more power and longer warranty.
There is a caveat however
Oster source their products from China. So if this is a big concern obviously you’d have to choose another brand. But when you look at the price and features, the Versa Pro 1400 offers a lot of value.
In terms of making smoothies, it will not be as smooth as a $500 Vitamix but it is pretty close.
Preset controls
Unlike the Vitamix that does not have any pre-programmed controls, this one has three – (1) Smoothies, (2) Soup and (3) Dips/Spreads.
What the pre-programmed controls do is start and stop the motor for you so all you need to do is press the button and nothing else.
Here’s the Oster in action versus the Blendtec…
Now if you look at the amount of greens and the type of greens put inside the blender, this would seize up the motor of an underpowered blender but these two handled it easy.
You’ll also notice that the Oster finished faster and was more stable (not shaking as much). In terms of smoothness, Blendtec’s was slightly smoother but it was hardly noticeable.
All Around: Vitamix 5200
The Vitamix 5200 is the cream of the crop of blenders. If you’d compare this to a car, it’d be like a Ford pickup truck.
It doesn’t have the fancy features like an LED screen or preset controls that that you can set and forget.
Interface
What you see upfront is an on/off button, a dial to adjust the speed and high/low speed options.
Looks old fashioned but these controls work as they should.
Built to last
Like a Ford pickup truck, this machine is simple to use, reliable and built to last. It’s a big reason why it’s so popular.
It has a torquey 2 HP motor that pulverizes leafy greens into a consistently smooth smoothie every time you blend.
Consistent results
You don’t need to worry about getting a clunky drink that will have a lot of bits and pieces of celery that plague a lot of underpowered blenders.
Because of its strong motor, you can make smoothies that contain a lot of leafy greens. And with the tamper you don’t have to stop, open the lid and move around ingredients around just to get everything blended up.
All you need to do is add liquid and the 5200 will make green smoothies in under 30 seconds.
Some issues
The biggest downside for me is the price, at close to $400 or so (depending on where you buy), this machine isn’t cheap. But it does come with a long 7 year warranty on the entire machine.
What’s great about this is that you can make more than just smoothies.
More than just a smoothie maker
The strong motor, clever jug and blade design allow you to make nut butter, baby food, salsa, chop veggies, crush ice and much, much more.
It will easily replace a food processor and dough mixer so it is an investment for a homemaker who loves to cook.
There are cheaper options that will do almost as good a job as this so I could not put this on the top spot. But if you have a big family and looking for a multipurpose tool that can chop, puree or mix dough then have a look at this.
For Large Families: Blendtec Designer Series Wildside
If you have a family of 5 or more, the Blendtec Designer Series Wildside could be the right blender for you because of the generous 90 ounce pitcher.
Large pitcher
That’s over 2.6 liters of fresh green smoothie.
Powering this monstrous blender is a 1,560 watt motor that produces 3 horsepower of blending power capable of pulverizing not only green smoothies but also mix batters.
This shows you the amount of torque this machine produces.
All digital
Unlike the Vitamix 5200 that uses manual controls the Blendtec took another direction and made it all digital. You can say that this blender is the iPhone for blenders thanks to its sleek LED lighted control panel.
On top of it you’ll find a circular display that displays the time left in the blending cycle. It also tells you how many times you’ve use it.
This Blendtec also has 6 preset controls that do the following:
- Crush ice
- Mix batter
- Blend smoothies
- Make ice cream
- Soup
- Make whole juice
It also comes with a pulse option and you can adjust the speed by sliding your finger across the space between the “x” and the pulse button below the preset buttons.
A demo
Here’s a demo on how it made a green smoothie that includes banana, kale, lemon, dates, chia seeds, hemp hearts and ice…
For a juice-like consistency you’ll have to select the juice preset. If you want a thicker texture use the smoothie preset.
Some issues
The biggest downside of this Blendtec would be the price. At close to $370, this product is expensive but it’s actually cheaper than the Vitamix 5200. Consider this an investment because it can replace a food processor and mixer.
The people who would benefit most by this are moms or dads who have 3 or more kids that love to cook and need a machine that will help them cut down on prep time.
This will not blend small quantities well as the pitcher is large and you’ll need to fill it up to maximize it.
Vitamix Alternative: Cleanblend Blender
Earlier in this article, I’ve featured the Vitamix 5200 and if you’re going to buy this in Amazon, expect to spend close to $450.
Cheaper than a Vitamix
If you can’t afford a Vitamix, there is another brand in the market that could rival it in terms of performance but at half the cost.
Let’s have a look at the Cleanblend brand created by Doug Hall and Alex Podell with the vision of offering affordable alternatives to high priced health and nutrition products.
Same power
Feature wise it is similar to the Vitamix in terms of power and interface.
Powering this blender is a 1,800 watt motor that makes 3hp and if you look at the controls it looks similar to the Vitamix 5200, at least the placement of it.
Pulse option
One feature it has over the 5200 is the availability of a pulse option.
Great for smoothies
As for making green smoothies, watch this demo on how it was able to turn kale, spinach, frozen bananas, avocado, celery, flax seed, chia seeds and honey to a smooth and delicious blend…
This machine is also capable of making nut butter, frozen yogurt, soups and crush ice. Pretty much anything a Vitamix does, this machine can do it as well.
Great warranty
Cleanblend stands by their product with a 5 year warranty. Customer service is outstanding based on early reviews.
And since they’re trying to a slice of market share, they’ll do whatever it takes to win customers. So this is high time to purchase this product.
Budget Option: Hamilton Beach 58148A Elite
If the idea of spending between $150 and $400 for a blender is unappealing to you, this option should brighten up your day.
Budget option
The Hamilton Beach 58148A is a great budget option that provides decent blending power to make you green smoothies.
Unlike other budget blenders that only has 450 watts, this machine adds 300 watts more – just enough to make green smoothies.
But you’ll need to stop it and move things around a little bit. A tamper would be a nice addition to this.
Great smoothie maker
Here’s how it did blending a mix of fruits and spinach…
This would be best for one or two person households as the pitcher that comes with it is only 40 ounces.
The 40 ounce pitcher means a lower height, this allows you to store this blender under your low clearance countertop – great for small homes.
Warranty
Hamilton Beach backs this up with a 3 year warranty. This is a generous warranty considering its price point and you should take advantage of it.
Other brands like the Nutribullet will only give you a 1 year warranty.
Conclusion
In my opinion these 5 blenders are the best at blending green leafy vegetables.
Why the Oster Versa
In terms of performance, price and power, the Oster Versa proved to be a great option for the purpose of making green smoothies.
While it isn’t the most powerful, it’s hard to argue with the value you’re getting for a sub $200 blender. It has a powerful 1,400 watt motor, durable glass pitcher and it’s got a tamper. And here’s the best part, you don’t have to pay over $400 for it.
Make no mistake, the Versa isn’t as versatile but if you don’t need the versatility but just want something more affordable that handle even the most fibrous greens then this is your best option.
5200 is great if
But if you love to cook and need something that will help you make a number of dishes at home, then the 5200 would be a more viable albeit a more expensive option.
If a Vitamix is too expensive for you then the Cleanblend would be the next best option thanks its powerful motor and tamper – both of which Vitamix inspired.
Budget option
The Hamilton Beach is the cheapest option with the weakest motor. It struggles with leafy greens but I had to add it here because of the 3 year warranty.
There will be other options and if you feel I’ve missed any blender, please let me know in the comment section and I’ll have a look at it.
And the Karmin blender? I personally love it :)