The Best Blenders for Crushing Ice and Frozen Fruit On Any Budget
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If you love smoothies loaded with frozen fruit and ice cubes, finding the right blender to crush through all that frozen deliciousness is key. The last thing you want is chunks of unblended fruit or ice diluting your ideal blend.
So what exactly makes certain blenders better than others when it comes to handling ice and frozen ingredients? Power and blade design. Blenders need a strong motor with enough watts of power to pulverize ice without stalling out. Equally important are the type of blades - blunt blades won't cut it. You need sharp, durable blades that can handle the task without becoming damaged.
In this article, I’ll be reviewing the best 3 blenders for crushing ice and frozen fruit based on my own experience of running a mobile juice bar and what type of blenders it takes to do the job. I’ll provide an in-depth look at the key features you need to look out for when choosing the best blenders to crush ice such as the amount of watts (power) along with pros, cons, and a final recommendation. Let’s get blending!
3 Best Blenders For Crushing Ice and Frozen Fruit: At a Glance
1000 watts motor
Stainless steel blades
3-speed settings
Total ice-crushing Technology
1800 watts motor
Total Crushing & Chopping Blade
Blendsense technology (automatically adjusts speed and time for perfectly smooth results)
10-speed settings
1500 watt motor
Aircraft-grade stainless steel blades
7-year warranty
10-speed settings
How to choose the best juicer for Blenders For Crushing Ice and Frozen Fruit (buyers guide)
You don’t need an exhaustive list of 10+ blenders to find the best one for crushing ice. With so many options on the market, narrowing it down to a select few that cover your lending habits (how much you use it) and budgets makes choosing much easier.
To make it easier for you I've handpicked 3 blenders (best budget, mid-range, and high-end) but first here are some of the main things to look for when choosing the best blender for crushing ice and blending frozen fruit
Motor power
Look for a blender with a motor that is at least 1000 watts or higher. Blenders need significant motor power to handle pulverizing ice cubes and solid frozen fruit. Anything less than 1000 watts may struggle and burn out more quickly. Higher-powered motors in the 1500+ watt range will crush ice with ease.
Blade Design
Sharp, durable stainless steel blades are best for handling frozen ingredients. Blunt blades won't properly crush ice and can become damaged over time. Look for blended specifically designed with ice crushing in mind. Stacked or multi-tiered blades work well.
Brand Reputation
Stick with well-known blender brands that specialize in high-performance models. Vitamix, Blendtec, and Ninja are leading brands with excellent ice-crushing capabilities. Check reviews and opt for trusted brands with a reputation for quality.
Speed Settings
Variable speed settings allow better control over texture when blending frozen ingredients. Low speeds mix and chop while high speeds provide pureeing power. Pulse functions also help provide short bursts of maximum power as needed.
Pitcher Size
Larger pitchers around 64-72 ounces provide the ability to make bigger batches and provide the space to crush ice and frozen fruits more effectively. Smaller "personal" sized blenders under 24 ounces limit capacity but do offer portability. Choose based on your smoothie batch needs.
Warranty
Blenders designed for daily ice crushing should come with a minimum 1-year warranty. More heavy-duty professional models often have 5+ year warranties, indicative of quality construction.
3 Best Blenders For Crushing Ice and Frozen Fruit
1. Ninja BL610 Professional Countertop Blender
Features | Description |
|---|---|
Motor Power | 1000 watts |
Blade Material | Stainless steel |
Pitcher Capacity | 72 ounces |
Speed Settings | 3 |
Pulse Function | Yes |
Special features | Total ice-crushing Technology |
Warranty | 1 year |
PROS
Powerful 1000-watt motor easily crushes ice and frozen ingredients
Large 72 oz pitcher capacity
Total Crushing Technology with 6 blades provides smooth blending
3 speeds + pulse and single serve functions provide versatility
BPA-free and dishwasher-safe parts for easy cleaning
Affordable price point under $100
High customer ratings with over 5,000 4+ star reviews
CONS
The noise level can be high when blending
Short warranty period of only 1 year
Lower end for power (1000 watts)
The blade can fall out if you pour with the lid off
Not the most durable or high-end model available
Summary:
The Ninja Professional BL610 is a budget-friendly powerful 1000-watt blender designed to crush ice into a snow-like texture for frozen drinks and smoothies. Its strong motor and sharp Total Crushing blades can pulverize ice cubes and frozen fruit with relative ease.
It has a good sized 72oz capacity, giving you room to blend large batches of drinks and t break down ice in your smoothie. It also has easy-to-use settings such as low, medium, high, and pulse for making smoothies at the desired consistency.
While this model will do the job of crushing ice and frozen fruits it does lack some versatility compared to more expensive blenders.
For example, being a budget model with basic settings means it lacks some of the features of more expansive models such as settings for hot soups, desserts, nut butter, etc (if these additional features are important to you). And at 1000 watts it's at the very lowest end in terms of power for crushing ice.
The plastic pitcher is also less durable than glass over time (however, you can buy replacement jugs) and it can get a little noisy, especially when crushing ice (the high noise level is a feature of all home-use blenders without notice-cancellation covers).
Despite some of these drawbacks for the budget-friendly price point, the Ninja Professional BL610 delivers where it matters most - pulverizing ice into creamy frozen blends.
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2. Ninja TB301 Detect Duo Power Blender Pro +
Features | Description |
|---|---|
Motor Power | 1800 watts |
Blade Material | Stainless steel |
Pitcher Capacity | 72 ounces (main jar), 24 ounces (personal jars) |
Speed Settings | 10 |
Pulse Function | Yes |
Special features | Blendsense technology |
Warranty | 1 year |
Pros
Powerful 1800-watt motor
Auto-iQ technology for walkaway convenience
Precision heat sensor adjusts blending automatically
Bluetooth touchscreen for control
Multiple smart programs for recipes
Large 72oz pitcher capacity
BPA-free and dishwasher safe
Cons
Higher price than the previous model
Noise level when blending
The blade can fall out if you pour with the lid off
Short 1-year warranty
Summary:
The Ninja TB301 Blender Pro (our pick), is an upgrade to the Ninja BL610 and is a powerful 1800W blender specifically designed for breaking down tougher ingredients. With its strong motor and specialized Total Crushing blades, it excels at pulverizing ice, frozen fruits, and veggies into silky smooth, lump-free consistencies.
The large 72oz plastic pitcher provides ample capacity for blending big batches and gives space to help break down ice and frozen fruits and veggies.
One of the standout features, that the previous Ninja model is lacking, is the intelligent preset programs - with just a press of a button, you can make smoothies, and frozen drinks, or use pulse mode for controlled blending. This takes the guesswork out of some recipes and makes the Ninja easy and convenient to use.
While it delivers outstanding performance for frozen blends, the Ninja TB301 does have a few drawbacks compared to pricier blenders. Again, like the less powerful Ninja blender the all-plastic pitcher may be less durable than glass over time and the noise level can be disruptive
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3. Vitamix 5200 Blender, Professional-Grade Blender
Features | Description |
|---|---|
Motor Power | 1500 |
Blade Material | Stainless steel |
Blade Type | Aircraft grade |
Pitcher Capacity | 64 ounces |
Speed Settings | 10 |
Pulse Function | No |
Warranty | 7 years |
Pros
Powerful 2-peak HP motor
Sturdy aircraft-grade stainless steel blades
Variable speed
Large 64oz container capacity
BPA-free container
Commercial quality and durability
7-year full warranty
Can heat soup by blade friction
The brand has been going for 100 years
Cons
High price over $400
Lower wattage than some cheaper models
Very loud at the highest speed
A tamper tool is required for thick mixtures
Summary:
Vitamix is a well-known quality brand and when it comes to crushing ice, the Vitamix 5200 is in a class of its own. Its powerful 2-peak horsepower motor and aircraft-grade stainless steel blades can pulverize ice cubes into a smooth, creamy texture with ease. The variable speed control allows you to fine-tune the consistency, ranging from chunkier to super fine snow-like texture (pro).
A key advantage of the 5200 is the variable speed control and pulse function which allow you to fine tune the texture. Speeds range from 1 - 10, with 10 being the max speed around 24,000 rpm. The pulse feature gives bursts of maximum power. The 64-ounce BPA-free container provides a large capacity for blending medium to large batches. It has measurement markings on the side for convenience.
This commercial-grade blender offers unmatched performance and durability. The 5200 is engineered to last, with the stainless steel drive system and motor housing backed by Vitamix's industry-leading 7-year full warranty.
On the downside, the Vitamix 5200 is an investment of over $400, which can be a lot if you are using it at home for personal use. Like most blenders without a noise-canceling lid, it is also quite high when running at max speed or using a pulse. It also requires the use of a tamper to process very thick mixtures which increases the time of making a smoothie.
Final Verdict
Any of these blenders on the list will do the job of crushing ice and frozen ingredients. However, If you are on a tight budget and looking for a basic blender that will crush ice and frozen fruit and veggies then I recommend going for the Ninja BL610 Professional Countertop Blender. It will do the job but is at the lower end in terms of power (1000 watts) which means you may not get the smoothie consistency you would with more powerful models.
If on the other hand, you have a little more to spend then I highly recommend going for "Our Pick", the Ninja TB301 Detect Duo Power Blender Pro +. You get a lot more power and features for a little bit more money, and at 1800 watts you shouldn't have any trouble crushing the toughest of frozen ingredients.
Finally if budget is not your primary concern and you want a blender that is made to last and is the closest you can get to a commercial-grade blender for the home, at this price point, then Vitamix is always a good choice. Whilst it is slightly less powerful than the Ninja TB301 Detect Duo Power Blender Pro + it more than makes up for it with its aircraft-grade stainless steel blades and a 7-year warranty.
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About the Author:
Gavin is the owner of Tru Foo Juice Bar. He has over 6 years of experience running a juice bar and creating juice and smoothie recipes for the consumer market
His passion for juicing began in his early 20s as he explored natural ways to boost nutrition and energy. Over the years, Gavin has experimented with countless ingredient combinations to create the perfect juice and smoothie blends and bring them to the masses.
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