Best Blenders Under $200 — I Tested 5 So You Don’t Have To
I’ve been meal prepping for a while now, and a good blender has become an essential tool in my kitchen. I recently decided to upgrade my old blender and test out some new options, so I spent a few weeks trying out five different blenders that won’t break the bank. Here’s what I found.
Testing the Contenders
I chose five blenders that are all highly rated and priced under $200: the NutriBullet 600, the Breville BBL910, the Vitamix Explorian E310, the KitchenAid K150, and the Oster Versa 1400. I used each blender to make a variety of dishes, including smoothies, soups, and frozen treats. I paid attention to how easy they were to use, how well they performed, and how easy they were to clean.
Here are some key specs and features for each blender:
- NutriBullet 600: 600 watts, 6-piece set, $100
- Breville BBL910: 900 watts, 60-oz pitcher, $150
- Vitamix Explorian E310: 1200 watts, 48-oz pitcher, $180
- KitchenAid K150: 1200 watts, 60-oz pitcher, $170
- Oster Versa 1400: 1400 watts, 64-oz pitcher, $160
The Winners and Losers
After testing all five blenders, I have to say that I was impressed with the performance of the Vitamix Explorian E310 and the Oster Versa 1400. Both of these blenders were able to handle tough ingredients like frozen fruit and ice with ease, and they were also relatively easy to clean. The NutriBullet 600 was a bit of a disappointment – it struggled with thicker mixtures and was kind of a pain to clean.
The Breville BBL910 and the KitchenAid K150 fell somewhere in the middle. They both performed well, but they didn’t quite have the power and speed of the Vitamix and Oster. The Breville was also a bit noisy, which was annoying.
Real-World Performance
In terms of real-world performance, I was able to make a smoothie in about 30 seconds with the Vitamix and Oster blenders. The NutriBullet took a bit longer, around 45 seconds, and the Breville and KitchenAid took around 1-2 minutes. I also used the blenders to make soups and frozen treats, and the Vitamix and Oster performed well in these tasks too.
One thing to note is that the Vitamix and Oster blenders are a bit larger and heavier than the other three, so they take up more space in the kitchen. However, I think the performance and ease of use make up for this.
So, what’s the best blender under $200? For me, it’s a tie between the Vitamix Explorian E310 and the Oster Versa 1400. Both of these blenders offer great performance and ease of use, and they’re priced reasonably. What do you use for your meal prep blending needs?
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