7 Best Blenders for Milkshakes (50+ Tested)

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There’s nothing better than the smooth, rich, and ice cold taste of a milkshake.

Chocolate, vanilla, strawberry or oreo if you’re feeling fancy. Every flavor is simply amazing.

We’re big fans of Chick Fil A shakes when we’re on the go, but nothing beats the perfection you can get at home when you make your own milkshakes.

If you’re making milkshakes at home – then you’re going to want to use a blender to get the best results.

We’ve got an epic list of the best blenders for milkshakes for you to pick from.

Picking a new blender for your kitchen is a huge decision. Quality blenders are expensive and last forever so whatever you buy, you’re going to be stuck with. 

The right blender will be powerful, durable, and won’t break the bank. If you plan to make milkshakes (or anything else in the blender) on a regular basis, we recommend spending a little bit extra to get a Vitamix or a Blendtec.

The team at World of Blenders (a master home cook and a professional chef) used 3 criteria to find the best blender for milkshakes.

1. Power
2. Price
3. Capacity

You can scroll down to our buyers guide to see why these criteria matter. Our motto is “buy it once” and that means investing in a higher end blender. 

That’s why our top three picks are:

• Overall best – Vitamix E310. This is the best blender for milkshakes on the market! It’s powerful and holds 48oz. We use our E310 almost every day because it’s so versatile!
• Most powerful – Blendtec Professional 800. This blender is the most powerful on our list and is wicked effective. Not gonna lie though, the Blendtec is pricey.
• Most affordable – Ninja BL610. If you’re tight on funds, but need a new blender–this is our go to option. 

What Makes a Blender Best for Milkshakes? More Power = Better

The MOST important thing to making amazing milkshakes is getting a smooth consistency.

You don’t want an icee where you’re having to chew through ice cubes and chunks while trying to enjoy the savory goodness of a milkshake.

You want it to be perfectly smooth so it has the amazing mouth-feel flavor explosion.

Milkshakes are basically milk, ice, and whatever flavorings you want blended up until they are silky smooth. You need a blender that can easily crush ice.

Texture matters the most and the key to getting the right texture is having a powerful blender. You need a blender that can run at a high speed and completely blitz out all the ice until the milkshake is perfectly smooth.

That’s why most of the blenders on our list are at least 1200 watts. We do recommend going for at least 1000 watts, but we included a couple of cheaper options that aren’t as strong.

Here’s a chart from our full post on blender wattage:

Wattage	Our Opinion
0 – 500 watts	Not worth buying. Avoid.
500 – 800 watts	Decent blenders for blending simple ingredients, but won’t puree or blend super smoothly. Not good for frozen fruit smoothies. We don’t recommend confidently.
800 – 1000 watts	This is is the lowest wattage of blenders we can confidently recommend. This will work for anything except the hardest frozen fruit smoothies. Expect some chunks, but overall a solid option.
1000 – 1500 watts	This is a great range for home blenders. These will be powerful enough for anything you need and super affordable.
1500+ watts	Anything over 1500 watts will work incredibly well! You’ll get the smoothest texture possible.

Quick Summary: 7 Best Blenders for Milkshakes

Here’s a quick overview showing all of our top picks and the factors we looked at in our research. You can click through on any model to check out the recent price. You can also take a look at other customer’s reviews to get a more full picture. 

Product	Best for	Power (HP)	Capacity	Price
Vitamix E310	Overall Best	1500 watts	48 oz	$$
Ninja BL610	Most affordable	1045 watts	72 oz	$
Blendtec Professional 800	Most powerful	2830 watts	90 oz	$$$$
Vitamix A3500	High tech	1640 watts	64 oz	$$$$
Vitamix 5200	Balanced option	1500 watts	64 oz	$$
Vitamix V1200	Most versatile	1440 watts	64 oz	$$$
NutriBullet 1200	Best NutriBullet	1200 watts	32 oz	$

7 Best Blenders for Milkshakes

1. Overall Best Blender for Milkshakes: Vitamix E310

If you are looking for the best blender for milkshakes, then the Vitamix E310 blender is the perfect choice for you. Its large 48-ounce capacity is perfect for multiple shakes if you’re making them for the whole family!

One of the best features of this fantastic blender is its blender pulse function. This setting is normally used to make things chunky, but it’s also quite helpful in breaking up ice!

The pulse feature isn’t the only additional feature offered by the Vitamix E310. It also features a variable speed control system letting you quickly select the blending speed you need to create the perfect consistency every time.

Durability was clearly a large consideration when crafting the Vitamix E310, as both the blender jar and the blades used are incredibly strong. The blades themselves are made from aircraft-grade stainless steel, which is one of the most durable options on the market.

In terms of design, the solid black look is a little plain, but if you’re not concerned with aesthetics, then this shouldn’t be an issue. The Vitamix E310 is by far one of the best blenders for milkshakes.

Although it could be cheaper, especially when compared with the Ninja BL610 this is still the best blender available.

	Vitamix E310
Power	1500 watts
Capacity	48 oz
Price	$$

Pros:

• Incredible durability – The blades and the blender itself are extremely strong and should for many years.
• Large 48-ounce blender jar – The 48oz container is a great size for making milkshakes for a group.

Cons:

• A little expensive – Vitamix blenders are on the expensive side compared to a few budget models that are on the market.
• Can get loud – The 1500 watt blender is powerful, but noisy. Something to be aware of if you’re making shakes late at night.

Read More: Vitamix E310 review

2. Most Affordable – Ninja BL610

This Ninja blender is powerful and has a 1.4 HP base with strong steel blades, great for blending up ice. You shouldn’t have to spend hundreds of dollars in order to get a quality blender for milkshakes and this model is much more affordable than the Vitamix or Blendtec.

You can play around with texture by changing up how much liquid you add. If you prefer your shakes to be super thick, use less liquid. If you want them thinner, add more. Either way, the Ninja BL610 can get it done. 

This countertop blender is easy to use, dishwasher safe, and BPA-free. Compared to its competitors, such as the Blendtec model, this blender is not self-cleaning and requires disassembly, which can be time-consuming.

	Ninja BL610
Power	1.4 HP
Price	$
Capacity	72 oz

Pros:

• Powerful motor base and blades – Easily crushes ice for silky smooth milkshakes.
• Dishwasher safe and BPA-free – No need to spend time cleaning manually.

Cons:

• Only one size container – Does not include convenient cups or smaller jars for convenience.
• Not easy to clean – Has to be disassembled and put in the dishwasher to clean, unlike self-cleaning competitors.

3. Most Powerful – Blendtec 800 Professional

The Blendtec 800 is one of the most powerful and elite blenders on the market. It’s strong, high capacity, and quiet.

If you want a top-notch blender and have money to spend, this is the one for you.

The power behind this thing makes it crazy effective at crushing ice. No other blender will get your milkshakes as smooth and creamy as this one, not even the Vitamix blenders on the list.

It’s hard to believe this Blendtec 800 can be built with a 3.8 peak horsepower motor and still be quiet- that’s 2,830 watts! The noise level of the blender is below 65 decibels compared to 88 decibels which is the normal noise level for other blenders.

What makes the blender this quiet? It features noise reduction of the 360-degree sealed sound enclosure to reduce the noise. Also, the container is further enclosed with a second jar designed to stop the noise. Additionally, there is an advanced sound dampening airflow technology.

Honestly, a Blendtec blender is what you’ll most often see in coffee and smoothie shops, for the excellent power without excessive noise that they deliver.

Another small feature that might throw you off — this blender has a USB port. But don’t get excited; it’s a carryover from its commercial model cousin, and it just uploads programs.

When you aren’t making milkshakes, you can use the Blendtec for everything else you’d want to blend.

It comes with 6 popular pre-programmed settings for different recipes. You choose from smoothies, whole juice, soups, margaritas, bread dough, frozen desserts, and even whip egg whites in this blender! The ability to simply touch a button and walk away while it blends is incredible for getting more done in the kitchen, in less time! 

After testing this blender, we’re planning to update our list of the best blenders for frozen fruit smoothies to include it! 

Check out our full Blendtec 800 review for more info!

	Blendtec 800
Power	3.8 HP or 1800 watts
Price	$$$$
Capacity	90 oz
Warranty	10 years
Blades	Stainless steel
Other Features	BPA free, 11 speed slider, pulse function, 6 pre-programmed settings, touchscreen interface

Pros

• Power – It comes equipped with a 3.8 horsepower motor that makes it one of the most powerful blenders on the market, more than most Vitamixes. 
• Noise level – The Blendtec comes with a sound reducing shield that makes it one of the quietest blenders you can buy. 
• Warranty – The 10 year warranty is one of the longest warranties you can get on a blender! It makes the high price tag a better value. 

Cons

• Expensive – This is one of the most expensive blenders we’ve tested so if you’re on a budget, it’s probably not the one for you. 
• No Tamper – The Blendtec 800 doesn’t come with a tamper to push the food down so it can be tough to make thicker milkshakes. 
• Bulky – The 90 oz container + the soundproof case gives this blender a large footprint on your counter. You really won’t be able to put it away, so you’ll need designated countertop space. 

4. Most High Tech: Vitamix A3500 Ascent

The Vitamix A3500 is the most high-end blender on our list. If you want to buy the best of the best, this is the blender for you. It’s powerful, it’s the most technologically advanced, is dishwasher safe, and comes with a ton of features.

The Vitamix A3500 is the Cadillac of blenders. But it comes at a steep price.

The Vitamix ascent series is the high-tech line of Vitamix blenders. The A3500 comes with a digital touch screen, 5 programmable settings, and a 10 year warranty. The Vitamix A3500 also ranks on our list of the least noisy Vitamix blenders!

It’s also got a 2.2 HP or 1640 watt motor which makes it the second most powerful blender on our list here.

The powerful motor can make fine work of even the toughest ingredients, grinding frozen fruit, berries, and even nuts down to the ideal consistency.

If you want to get a super effective blender, this is the one for you.

If you are worried about spending too much on your first blender, then be sure to check out the NutriBullet 600 Watt Version above or get the Vitamix E310 which is the most affordable Vitamix blender.

	Vitamix A3500 Ascent
Power	1640 watts
Capacity	64 oz
Price	$$$$

Pros:

• Innovative touch-screen control – The control panel is incredibly simple to use and is perfect for a busy kitchen setting.
• Powerful 1640-watt motor – This blender will easily blend any ingredient you add to this commercial-grade blender.
• Quality stainless steel blades – Blades are extremely sharp and rust-resistant, so they should last for years to come.
• Dishwasher safe – The Ascent series containers are one of the few Vitamix blenders that are dishwasher safe.

Cons:

• High asking price – This is the second most expensive blender on our list.
• Few container options – No additional containers means you will need to look into buying a set of containers.

Read More: Vitamix A3500 review

5. Balanced option: Vitamix 5200

Vitamix blenders are known for their professional design, and the Vitamix 5200 is just one example of this. This high-quality blender is perfect for use in a professional setting and has everything you need to make perfect milkshakes.

One of our favorite features of this professional-grade blender is its self-cleaning function. Simply add hot water and dish soap to the blender jar and leave it to run for 60 seconds and you’ll have yourself a spotless container.

The 64-ounce container has been designed with professional kitchens in mind, as this capacity is perfect for large quantities. This makes it an excellent choice if you’re making shakes for a big group.

On top of this, Vitamix has also included an extremely useful tamper system. This will let you stir the contents of your blender and scrape liquids from the side of the jar without removing the blender lid.

Check out our full Vitamix 5200 review for a deeper dive into this awesome blender.

This blender is versatile and also ranks high on our list of the best blenders for crushing ice. 

	Vitamix 5200
Power	1500 watts
Capacity	64 oz
Price	$$

Pros:

• Self-cleaning function – No need to spend minutes scrubbing away tough stains as this blender can clean itself in 60 seconds.
• Tamper system – Allows you to push down the ice towards the blades so you can get the perfectly smooth milkshake.
• Extremely durable design – Comes with a 7-year warranty and high-quality construction. This blender has been built to last.

Cons:

• Produces heat – When using the fastest settings, this blender can heat your liquids which isn’t ideal for milkshakes.
• Expensive model – The purchase price puts this on the higher end of blender options.

6. Most Versatile: Vitamix V1200

The Vitamix v1200 is one of their first high-tech blenders. It’s got the standard 2 HP motor which makes it one of the more powerful blenders on our list. The Vitamix V1200 features a range of blending settings, letting you quickly choose the one you need.

One of the first features you will notice is the digital timing function. This lets you select the ideal blending time for your milkshakes so you don’t need to stand around and wait for them to get done.

The variable speed settings and pulse features are also handy bonus features, offering you a way to blend your shakes to the perfect consistency.

The only downside is that some of the settings take some time to learn how to best use.

If you are struggling with the versatility this blender provides, then consider trying the auto-detect feature. This will automatically pick the ideal settings depending on the weight of the blender jar, so you don’t need to spend hours getting to grips with your new blender.

Check out our full review of the Vitamix V1200 for a deeper dive into this awesome blender!

	Vitamix V1200
Power	1440 watts
Capacity	64 oz
Price	$$$

Pros:

• Self-detect technology – Will quickly select the ideal settings depending on the weight of your chosen ingredients.
• Additional smoothie cup – The extra cup is the perfect size for making single serve shakes to drink on the go.

Cons:

• Advanced settings – Great if you know what you’re doing, but the multiple settings can be tricky for beginners.
• Inconsistent locking system – Sometimes require a little more effort than usual to lock the container in place.

7. Best NutriBullet for Milkshakes: NutriBullet 1200 Watt

NutriBullets are great blenders for the price. They are powerful, high quality, and come with perfect sized containers for personal blending.

The only downside is that they aren’t as powerful as Vitamix blenders, but they are quite a bit cheaper.

The NutriBullet 1200 has 1200 watts, hence the name. It’s the most powerful NutriBullet blender that they offer. At 1200 watts, its powerful enough to blend up your shakes with ice.

This NutriBullet combo pack comes with a range of containers, including a 64-ounce cup, a 32-ounce cup, and a 24-ounce cup. The flexibility here to make single serve or a batch of shakes is perfect.

NutriBullet offers some of the best affordable blenders on the market, and this 1200-watt version is more than worth the asking price! It’s also versatile and is #1 on our list of the best blenders for hummus!

	NutriBullet 1200 Watt
Power	1200 watts
Capacity	32 oz
Price	$

Pros:

• Multiple containers – Allows you to choose the right container capacity for however much you’re making.
• Simple user interface – Select from a range of control settings with the press of a button.
• Affordable price – This blender is powerful enough and one of the more affordable on our list! It’s the perfect blender for anyone who is on a tight budget.

Cons:

• Loud blender – On the fastest settings, this NutriBullet blender can get pretty loud.
• Heat generation – Sometimes the blender can overheat if you run it for too long. The high power can also warm up whatever you’re blending which isn’t ideal if you want colder shakes.

What Type of Blender is Best for Milkshakes?

There are several different types of blenders out there for you to choose from.

The key to making milkshakes is getting a really powerful blender. You need to be able to completely blend the ice until it’s totally smooth.

The only blenders that are strong enough for this are countertop blenders. Personal blenders and immersion blenders don’t have enough blender wattage to get the job done.

You also want a blender with decent capacity. Ideally at least 48oz so that you can make blenders for the whole family or group of friends.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Pick the Best Blender for Milkshakes

Buying the right blender is tricky. You definitely don’t want to get a blender that won’t last or else you’re just wasting money.

We have covered every factor you will want to consider to help you pick the right blender.

Power

The power of your blender and the blades it uses is the main factor that decides how well your chosen model blends ingredients. Power is determined by the number of watts or horsepower a blender has.

You should try to get a blender with at least 1000 watts, but ideally 1500.

In terms of power, we would either recommend the Blendtec Professional 800 or the Vitamix A3500.

We’ve done a full breakdown of how many watts every Vitamix has if you are curious!

Price

Price is always going to be a factor when picking a blender. These powerful machines aren’t cheap.

The reality is that the more you spend, the better of a blender you’ll get.

An average blender for milkshakes can set you back anywhere between $200 to $400 depending on its brand. If you are on a strict budget, the Ninja BL610 is a fantastic choice that’s both powerful and affordable! It’s one of the best blenders under $200 you can get.

We love the Vitamix E310 because it’s the most affordable Vitamix. If you want to know why Vitamix is so expensive it’s because of the quality of materials they use and the fact that Vitamix blenders are made in the USA.

Capacity

The right capacity for you will just depend on how big of shakes you’re making.

If you are planning on only making shakes for yourself, and you don’t plan on making extra for later, then a 24-ounce capacity blender should be enough. But if you’re making milkshakes for more than one person, then I’d get at least a 48-ounce capacity blender.

I’d highly recommend the Vitamix E310 – its 48-ounce capacity is perfect for most uses!

Build quality

You don’t want to purchase a brand new blender only for it to break in a couple of weeks. This is why the quality of your blenders is one of the most important factors.

Typically, the more expensive the blender is, the better its build quality will be – but this isn’t always the case. There are a few budget options out there such as the NutriBullet 1200 which offers incredible build quality for a low cost.

Do your diligent research to ensure your blender doesn’t crack under pressure when it’s put to the test. Vitamix has different ‘series’ of blenders so it could be good for you to dig into which one is right for you! Check out our Vitamix Ascent vs Explorian comparison to get started. 

The good news is that Vitamix offers an incredible warranty so even if you have issues, you can always get them replaced.

Common Questions About Blending Milkshakes

Final Verdict: Which Blender Is Right For You?

Milkshakes are a family favorite dessert, especially in the summertime.

If you don’t mind spending a little more on a quality blender, we highly recommend the Vitamix E310 as the best blender for milkshakes. It’s powerful, durable, has the perfect capacity, and its the blender my wife and I use almost every day in our kitchen.

However, if you’re on a tight budget, you can go with the Ninja BL610. It’s still powerful and has great capacity. The only downside is that Ninja blenders don’t last as long as Vitamix blenders do.