The Best Blenders for Protein Shakes Tested and Reviewed
One of the best ways to meet your daily protein requirements is, of course, by having a protein shake. However, pulling out a large blender and its heavy base just to make one serving can sometimes be a real hassle and even discouraging. That’s why personal blenders have become so wildly popular in recent years—they make it easy and quick to prepare delicious, nutritious mixes. It’s a game changer, especially for active individuals with health plans and gym schedules.
However, do they perform the same? Testing roughly 40 different models in different designs for over 2 years has revealed that only some models are capable of delivering satisfying, silky-smooth results when handling our specialized protein shake recipe.
The Ninja Fit Blender, for one, is our Best Overall pick thanks to how effectively it handles tricky ingredients while costing only $60 or so. The Nutribullet Pro 900W is also an outstanding option and is an amazing Upgrade pick, offering more blending power and better build quality. Additionally, full-sized models such as the Nutribullet Blender Combo or the famous Vitamix 5200 are excellent choices if you want more servings.
Everything we recommend
Anyone who enjoys daily protein shakes can benefit from this cost-effective product. It features a motor and blade assembly that handles tough ingredients like nuts and dried blueberries with ease. Delivering satisfying build quality for the price, this capable yet compact blender is our Best Overall pick thanks to its versatile, budget-friendly design.
For a more capable motor and better craftsmanship this compact unit packs 900 watts of blending power. It’s cleverly designed with several convenient accessories to make mixing delicious protein shakes and taking them on the go as easy as possible. This is without a doubt the most powerful personal blender we’ve tested.
If you want a full-sized unit for more servings per round, this excellent 1200-watt unit can handle tough and tricky mixtures without hassle. Its top notch build quality allows for a reassuring experience every time it is used. Best of all, the blender doesn’t punch a hole in your wallet, making it a great value.
This blender is the ultimate upgrade pick when it comes to full-sized blenders. Renowned for its efficient design and heavy-duty performance, this is the go-to choice for tough recipes with challenging ingredients. While it’s one of the most expensive models on the market, the kind of quality it offers is unmatched.
How We Test
We design a protein shake recipe using tough ingredients (dried blueberries, almond, oatmeal) to push the limits of these personal blenders. We want to see how capable they are at handling such a recipe to make sure they’ll have no trouble with easier ones. We time the blenders and examine the smoothness of the final results to evaluate their capability. For more information about the testing procedures, you can go to our detailed strategy.
To score full-sized blenders, we double the amount of ingredients to make sure that these bigger units face up to their fair share of challenges. We keep the same ingredients to maintain the difficulty level regarding consistency. Further details about the test and our procedure can be found here.
Ninja Fit Blender
Best Overall
Anyone who enjoys daily protein shakes can benefit from this cost-effective product. It features a motor and blade assembly that handles tough ingredients like nuts and dried blueberries with ease. Delivering satisfying build quality for the price, this capable yet compact blender is our Best Overall pick thanks to its versatile, budget-friendly design.
Things We Like
- Affordable
- Compact, easy to use and clean
- Excellent blending capability
- Dishwasher-safe cup.
- Extra blending cup
Things We Don’t Like
- Press-to-pulse operation
With its modest dimensions, the Ninja Fit stands as a convenient choice for active lifestyles. Its height and width, approximately 13 inches and 4.5 inches respectively, roughly match that of a champagne bottle, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding space for it even in small kitchens.
The blender boasts a sleek body that looks expensive. Despite its mostly plastic build, its motor base feels sturdy and reliable. The blending cup and extractor blade are well-made as we found they can hold up well to ordinary wear and tear.
When it came to performance, the Ninja Fit outpaced its counterparts, producing ready-to-enjoy protein shakes in just 50 seconds. It also boasts superior ice-crushing capabilities, an essential function for anyone who likes chilled, creamy shakes. And if you aim to enhance your beverages by adding nutrient-dense leafy greens, this blender is more than capable.
We also found using the Ninja Fit a breeze. Forget complicated settings, the blender operates with a gentle press of the cup against the base. With small blenders like this one, a little shaking goes a long way to help with the blend, but this is a minor issue at best.
The Ninja Fit is all about quick, effortless servings every single time. And don't be fooled by its compact size; this blender packs a punch with a powerful 700-watt motor that goes toe-to-toe with larger blenders.
Read our full Ninja Fit Blender in-depth review
NutriBullet Pro 900W
Upgrade Pick
For a more capable motor and better craftsmanship this compact unit packs 900 watts of blending power. It’s cleverly designed with several convenient accessories to make mixing delicious protein shakes and taking them on the go as easy as possible. This is without a doubt the most powerful personal blender we’ve tested.
Things We Like
- Affordable
- Compact, easy to use.
- Superior blending capability
- Durable, dishwasher-safe cup.
- Hands-free, lock-to-pulse operation
- Extra accessories
Things We Don’t Like
- It's difficult to clean the blades’ undersides.
In the fewest words possible, the versatility and efficiency of the NutriBullet Pro 900W is unmatched on the current market. It excels at making protein shakes, delivering a lush and creamy drink in just 40 seconds without any hiccups.
Not only this, our experience with the blender has been remarkably pleasant as it churns out consistently smooth mixtures thanks to the 6-prong stainless steel blades and robust 900-watt motor. This is noteworthy because most others found themselves needing a little shake or stir to deal with stubborn, clinging chunks.
The compact design of the NutriBullet Pro, at 14.7 inches tall and 5.4 inches wide, significantly undercuts standard blenders in terms of space requirements. It will fit easily in small kitchens and look good doing it. Even on close inspection, the attention to detail—from the scratch-resistant blending cups to the sturdy motor base—is evident.
With its convenient lock-to-pulse design, the NutriBullet Pro 900W blends quality, convenience, and a healthy lifestyle into one simple package. Whether you're kickstarting your morning with a protein shake or a nutrient-packed smoothie, this blender is a reliable companion.
Read our full NutriBullet Pro 900W in-depth review
NutriBullet Blender Combo
Best Full-Sized
If you want a full-sized unit for more servings per round, this excellent 1200-watt unit can handle tough and tricky mixtures without hassle. Its top notch build quality allows for a reassuring experience every time it is used. Best of all, the blender doesn’t punch a hole in your wallet, making it a great value.
Things We Like
- Exceptional performance in creating smoothies from fresh or frozen fruits, protein shakes, and crushed ice
- User-friendly, thanks to its minimalist design
- Strikes a pleasing balance between price, functionality, and build quality
- Comes with a generous amount of additional accessories
Things We Don’t Like
- Falls short in its performance when making butter
- The blending container tends to detach from the motor during use, causing interruptions
- The cleaning can be frustrating
The NutriBullet ZNBF30500Z breaks away from the "bigger-is-stronger" norm with its compact design, yet houses a powerful 12000W motor. Measuring 16.9 inches in height and 6.8 inches square, it is roughly comparable to a standard coffee maker. However, its height, similar to that of a two-liter water bottle, might be a bit much for low-hanging kitchen cabinets. Despite its low price point, we can’t find any cause to complain about its construction.
What also sets this blender apart are its extras: besides the 64 fl.oz. pitcher, it offers two additional blending cups (32 and 24 fl.oz), an extractor blade, and tumbler lids, making it versatile for individual servings and on-the-go needs.
In terms of user ease, setting up the blender is straightforward, but cleaning can be challenging, with residues often stuck to the blade. Improvements could be made to the lid and the jar-locking mechanism.
The NutriBullet ZNBF30500Z presents itself as a steadfast and economical alternative to the high-end blenders on this list. While it may not rival the Vitamix 5200 in terms of volume, construction, or versatility, it manages to deliver nearly equivalent results at a substantially lower cost, potentially saving you around $400.
Read our full NutriBullet Blender Combo in-depth review
Vitamix 5200 Blender
Heavy-Duty Full-Sized
This blender is the ultimate upgrade pick when it comes to full-sized blenders. Renowned for its efficient design and heavy-duty performance, this is the go-to choice for tough recipes with challenging ingredients. While it’s one of the most expensive models on the market, the kind of quality it offers is unmatched.
Things We Like
- High-quality components ensure longevity and reliable performance.
- The meticulously designed container coupled with sturdy stainless steel blades promises smooth and consistent blending outcomes.
- The inclusion of a generous 7-year warranty, which surpasses the standard warranty length for blenders.
- Designed to safely blend hot ingredients directly in the container
- Rapid and potent acceleration for efficient blending every time.
Things We Don’t Like
- The container’s lack of a locking mechanism onto the base impairs stability during use.
The Vitamix 5200 impresses with its sleek yet robust design. At 7.3 inches in width, 8.8 inches in depth, and a height of 20.5 inches when the pitcher is attached, it occupies a reasonably slim profile. This allows it to integrate seamlessly into your kitchen without overwhelming the space, though the tall stature may not fit well into average-sized cupboards.
Usability-wise, the 5200’s control panel effortlessly integrates into your morning routine, making shake preparation almost as comforting as sipping the shake itself. The narrow design of the blending cup may pose a slight challenge during cleaning, especially for individuals with larger hands, but it’s a minor inconvenience. Usually, it’s enough to simply fill the cup with soapy water and run the blender at a high speed.
The hefty price tag of the Vitamix 5200 might raise eyebrows, but our experience suggests it is justified—at least if you do a lot of blending. Whether you are whipping up a simple shake or venturing into complex recipes, this blender will be your steadfast ally on the road to a healthier, vibrant lifestyle.
Read our full Vitamix 5200 Blender in-depth review
What to Look for When Selecting a Blender for Protein Shakes
1. Understanding Types of Blenders
- Full-Sized blender: Perfect for multi-serving shakes that have a bit of everything—ice, nuts, fruits, and even greens. While it's excellent for families or group gatherings, its larger size can mean more kitchen space and trickier cleaning.
- Personal blender: Designed for on-the-go individuals, these compact blenders suit those with a bustling lifestyle or cramped kitchen. Many come with travel cups and lids for easy transport, which is ideal if you’re frequently rushing to the gym with little time to spare.
- Immersion blender: Also known as stick or handheld blenders, these models can be used with your own containers. They excel with soups and sauces. However, they might not be ideal for protein shakes which often involve tough or dried ingredients.
2. Power and Rotation Speed
- Entry-level blenders (Up to 600 Watts, 10,000-16,000 RPM): Perfect for beginners or those who prefer simple, liquid-based shakes. These blenders are proficient at combining protein powders with liquids like milk or juice, and can usually handle soft fruits. However, they might struggle with harder ingredients such as seeds or raw nuts.
- Mid-Range blenders (600-1200 Watts, 16,000-20,000 RPM): Catering to fitness enthusiasts seeking a bit more versatility and richness in their protein shakes, these blenders strike a balance between power and cost-efficiency. They process a wider variety of ingredients than entry-level machines, including frozen fruits and moderate quantities of leafy greens.
- Premium blenders(Above 1400 Watts, up to 40,000 RPM): The top pick for shake connoisseurs. These masterfully blend even the toughest ingredients into a creamy texture, doing so swiftly—perfect for busy mornings.
3. Preset Programs and Speed Variability
- Multi-speed blenders with preset programs: Versatile and convenient, these models combine the best of both worlds. They typically have pre-programmed settings specifically for shakes. The motor automatically adjusts its speed and time for the perfect blend. Meanwhile, the adjustable speed settings allow you to personalize the texture of your shakes to your liking—from chunky to perfectly smooth. If you like to change things up regularly, these models should be at the top of your consideration list.
- Single-speed blenders: Prefer quick, no-fuss preparation? Single-speed blenders should be your go-to choice. They are typically less expensive and easier to use than others.Their one-speed mechanism can churn out consistent results, ensuring a satisfactory shake each time without the complications of multiple settings—a practical choice if your morning routine is all about speed and efficiency.
3. Blade
Blender blades are made from stainless steel. However, different designs are optimized for specific ingredients. Here’s a breakdown of the prevalent types:
- Cross blade: With four to six prongs in a cross pattern, it's ideal for silky, well-blended shakes. The multiple prongs ensure thorough blending. Just be cautious during cleaning and watch for leaks if they're detachable.
- Stacked blade: Exclusive to Ninja blenders, this tall blade looks striking. It excels at chopping and grating but may not be optimal for shakes with greens, nuts, or dried fruits. It's best for chunkier blends or textured mixes.
- Flat blade: Common in personal blenders, it shines at dry grinding. The two tilted prongs grind grains well, but might not achieve a smooth protein shake blend.
