Best smoothie maker to give yourself a boost

A premium appliance, the Haier Blender, I-Master Series 5 is a large capacity blender that has a blending jug and portable smoothie cup, so whether you're experimenting at home or want a smoothie to go, it's got you covered. There are premium recipes created by professional chefs available on the hOn app. Plus, there's other stand-out features, such as Auto-Clean that can clean the blades and blending jug in 30 seconds.

Reviewed by homes & garden product writer Natalie Knowles: "Well, this is my top recommendation if you're serious about making smoothies. It's a premium blender with a dial that allows you to turn up the power. The six laser-sharp blades blitzed ingredients; I've blended ice cubes, frozen strawberries and frozen banana with no trouble. In addition to the dial, there are three pre-set functions: Ice, Smoothie and Auto-Clean. Press the function, then use the dial to increase the power. There are five speed settings, plus Pulse. The instructions are completely pictorial and very easy to follow, so you'll be up and running within minutes.

"It's a stylish Jade Black and Black Coal appliance that perfectly fits my modern kitchen aesthetic. In terms of size it's somewhere in-between a compact portable smoothie maker and a full-size blender. There is a 1.7L glass blending jug that can accommodate seven cups worth of liquid. Plus, it comes with a 0.6L portable bottle that's specifically for blending smoothies on the go. Everything except the base can be cleaned in the dishwasher.

"Just bear in mind, that while this is a fantastic and premium blender, it is not a food processor, so don't expect it to have the same functionality."

The Morphy Richards Blender & Smoothie Maker is a versatile small appliance with three pre-sets and two blending jars. You could devote one jar to savoury pesto and sauces and the other to sweet smoothies and desserts. Just be sure to only use room temperature ingredients. It has three buttons: Start/Stop, Auto-Blend or Pulse. Start/Stop for 30 seconds is great for smoothies and drinks. Auto Blend is ideal for creating a smoother consistency or making sauces. It automatically blends for three seconds, stops for two, and stops automatically after ten cycles. Pulse gives you more control when you are chopping – just press and hold the button. It has the added bonus of being able to crush up to six ice cubes. Plus, the beakers and lids are dishwasher-safe.

Reviewed by homes & garden product writer Natalie Knowles: "The Morphy Richards blender is a great mid-range, medium-sized smoothie maker that makes short work of frozen fruit. It has a generous 700ml blending cup that's ideal if you're potentially making a meal-replacement smoothie.

"While the two cups are portable, the appliance itself is too large to take to work. And you need to factor in a countertop space to use it. I store it in the cupboard and get it out when I want to use it.

"I made a Green Goddess smoothie with frozen mango and banana, yoghurt, fresh apple and spinach, plus orange and mango juice as liquid. It got a tougher test than some of the other blenders on dealing with chunky frozen and fresh ingredients.

"In terms of build quality, I'm impressed with the details, such as the suckers on the base to keep it steady. The base is robust, with easy-to-use buttons. Click the blending jar in – it beeps so you know when you've done it correctly. It blends various frozen and fresh ingredients with ease on the 'Auto-Blend' setting. I do wonder if the plastic beakers might taint over time, or if particularly strong ingredients, like garlic and chilli are blended in it.

"I decanted a smoothie from the 700ml beaker into the portable plastic cup, which comes with two types of lid: a sports lid and a normal lid. I thoroughly enjoyed my thick and refreshing Green Goddess smoothie while sunbathing in the garden."

"All-in-all, I'm impressed – it's one of the more powerful smoothie makers I've tested."

From an iconic Italian brand: blend and pulse la dolce vita with the attractive Smeg Retro blender and smoothie maker. As well as pink, this small blender is available in a range of colours so you can theme it to your kitchen décor. It comes with two portable bottles, which is great if you want to keep separate sweet and savoury creations separate. It has a safety feature that automatically switches the blender off when a bottle is removed, which is a good touch, considering the majority of other blenders don't seem to have a safety shut-off.

Reviewed by homes & garden product writer Natalie Knowles: "Without a doubt, this Smeg blender exudes style from the packaging and branding to the appliance itself. Each high-quality part is wrapped in a branded cloth bag rather than plastic. The sheeny-shiny 600ml BPA-free Tritan Renew bottles and lids feel robust. The base has a premium retro aesthetic in candy-floss pink, chrome trim, and a dial control on the side. It comes with thorough instructions, that interestingly point out that this appliance is not designed to work with external devices and remote control systems... imagine operating a blender via an app and smart plug!

"I highly recommend that you follow the instructions because any recipe requires 50 per cent liquid before blending. I was surprised I couldn't blend semi-frozen watermelon, but it began to blend just fine once there was enough liquid. Fix the bottle in position on the base and use the dial to select the speed. Then, gently press down on the bottle to activate the blender. Use for up to 60 seconds at a time, then wait a further 60 seconds before using again.

"My watermelon smoothie was cool, delicious and refreshing on one of the hottest days of the year. Smeg advise a maximum of four ice cubes can be blended, but you must have liquid in the bottle too. And blending hot liquids is an absolute no-no. Finally, you must clean the bottle immediately after use to prevent residues from hardening inside the bottle as they can become difficult to remove.

Although the Smeg looks gorgeous, this is not a powerful blender, and it's on par with my Tower Personal Blender, which was a quarter of the price. I do love it, but it is designed for easy-to-blend ingredients only."

"The original nutrient extractor", this nutribullet 600 Series Starter Kit claims to be an intuitive and compact blender for daily use. The blades are designed to extract nutrients; it's USP is that it can "turn ordinary food into superfood". Make nutritionally dense beverages that are packed with essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. There's no buttons, simply twist it into position and gently press on the blending cup. It's versatile and can be used to make sauces and dips, smoothies and desserts. Just remember: Never operate the nutribullet for more than 60 seconds and give it time to cool down between each use as the friction from the blade creates heat.

Reviewed by homes & garden product writer Natalie Knowles: "On first impressions the motor base of the the nutribullet is much bigger than my (well-used) existing Tower blender. Also, it has suckers on the base to stabilise it, so, I was expecting the nutribullet to be more powerful – and it is! It blitzed some crushed ice and I was able to make my favourite Frappuccino for a fraction of what it would cost in a coffee shop… okay, not as virtuous as a smoothie, but testament to the nutribullet's power and versatility. That said, other reviews don't recommend trying to blend ice cubes with it.

"Continuing with my not-so-virtuous, but delicious iced beverages – I made mango lassi smoothies. I had frozen some cubes that were a mixture of creamy yoghurt, mango and passionfruit juice. I threw a couple of those cubes into the nutribullet, along with frozen tropical fruits and some fresh juice. I placed the extractor blade on the cup and twisted until it was tightly sealed. It's easy to use: Turn the cup upside down and place on the motor base. It will lock in place when you gently push on it and twist.

"It made light work of the mixture. The frozen cubes of lassi were fairly large, and it blended them in seconds. As with any smoothie maker, it's important to add 50 per cent liquid to frozen or solid ingredients. Plus, you must not attempt to blend hot or warm ingredients. Similarly, never use carbonated, effervescent or ingredients that ferment as the pressure from gases can cause the cup to burst.

It's a doddle to clean; twist off the blade and rinse with soap and water. Or, pop the cups in the dishwasher for easy cleaning.

Nutribullet cups, a milling blade for grinding nuts and To-Go lids are available to purchase separately.

It's larger than other single-serve smoothie makers, but the sleek and classy VonShef UltraBlend Smoothie Maker is unlikely to find itself at the back of a cupboard, thanks to its versatility and accessories. There are no buttons; apply pressure to the top of the blending jar when it's locked onto the motor unit, and it engages. You control how much you want your smoothie blended. You can take the blending jar off the base, shake it, and pop it back on for another blitz.

Reviewed by homes & garden product writer Natalie Knowles: "Yes, this in an impressively easy-to-use smoothie maker that could also be used for many more culinary creations in the kitchen. Its 1000W motor has enough oomph to blend ice, so if iced lattes are more your vibe, this blender has enough kick to deliver that blended iced coffee goodness, too.

"I like that it comes with 500ml and 800ml blending jars and two types of lids. With a spill-proof lid and a sip-and-seal lid, you can take the smoothie out and about and make two drinks if you fancy treating a loved one.

"At the height of summer, smoothies are very welcome. On the way to the office, I packed more ice in my blueberry, banana, spinach, and oat milk smoothie; over the course of the journey, it melted down, and I had a filling and refreshing drink.

"The instructions are diagram-based, and you really can't go wrong. The blending jars rinse clean easily. They are plastic, and I wonder if they might taint over time, especially if my partner starts blending up pesto!

"In conclusion, I can feel and see the difference in using this powerful blender compared to a handheld stick blender and, shall we say, models that are lacking in performance. I can see myself using this in the kitchen to make my favourite blended berry and silken tofu dessert and blended ice coffees for the foreseeable."

At a respectable price and easy set-up, it's no surprise that the Ninja Smoothie Maker is a top pick. The QB3001UKS is available from good old John Lewis and has simple touch-blend functionality, making super smooth drinks in seconds. Though compact, this smoothie maker has a powerful 700W motor and Ninja's top-quality blades for easy blending. Perfect.

This Ninja Smoothie Maker is highly praised in customer reviews. All the parts are high quality. Customers rate the small appliance for being compact and ideal for making daily smoothies. Interestingly, a customer review comments that the bottles became tainted, even after being cleaned with bleach, when used to create a ginger and turmeric drink. However, for less pigmented drinks, the bottles wash up very well.

Experience unparalleled blending performance and versatility with the ProCook Blender and Smoothie Maker. With precision speed control and versatile operating modes, it can help you effortlessly create everything from silky smoothies to finely crushed ice. It's your ultimate blending companion, built to last with a powerful 2000W motor and a durable Tritan plastic jug. We love this one.

Online reviews praise its versatility and powerful motor. They use it to blend nut milk and make coffee shakes and smoothies. It can crush ice in seconds, and it's less noisy than other major competitors.

Experience effortless blending with the Philips ProBlend Plastic Jug Blender. Equipped with a powerful 450W motor and innovative blade design, it effortlessly tackles all ingredients, even crushing ice. Though simple and easy to use, you can use the NutriU app for recipes. Plus, the MTP tech sensor ensures safe usage. Its 1.9L capacity and dishwasher-safe parts make it perfect for everyday use.

Customers say the glass jug is large and can be heavy when full. While the blender is adequate for making smoothies and protein shakes, it's not got the power for blending anything that's too solid.

Next, we have the Salter NutriPro Portable Smoothie Maker. It's your go-to for nutritious smoothies anytime, anywhere—whether relaxing at home or in the morning rush. With its unique blade, this Salter pick maximises vitamin and nutrient release whilst effortlessly chopping and crushing ice. Smart, right? Plus, the BPA-free blending cups and easy-drink and storage lids have helped us make up our minds.

This is an Amazon's Choice recommended product. Customers praise it for being powerful and great value for money. Bear in mind its beakers cannot be cleaned in the dishwasher.

Another stylish pick, why not consider this Laura Ashley USB Smoothie Maker? With this gadget, you can experience intimate portability. This USB rechargeable device allows you to enjoy smoothies, juices and shakes on the go. Amazing. Its one-touch operation and powerful 25,000-rpm motor make blending easy as pie. With a decent 450ml capacity and LED indicator, it's more than perfect for your lifestyle.

There's not many online reviews for this nifty little smoothie maker, so we'll get back to you once we've tested it.