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Blender vs. Juicer: A Super Easy Choice

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If you’re looking to make delicious fresh drinks at home, picking up a blender or dedicated juicer is definitely the way to go. But if you had to pick one, which should you get?

Blenders vs juicers.

This is a super easy decision in my opinion.

A no brainer.

Get a blender.

Sure, juicers might make juice really well, but that’s it. Blenders are way more versatile. You get way more for your money.

blender vs juicer

Quick Summary: What’s the Difference Between a Blender and a Juicer?

Although blenders and juicers can both be used to make healthy drinks, they are actually quite different. By understanding who blenders and juicers are designed for, you’ll be in the best position to make the correct decision.

Blenders and juicers are both used to turn solid ingredients into liquids, but the ways they go about it are very different. Juicers separate the juice from the solids, whereas blenders blitz everything together.

A blender is perfect for…

  • Versatile chefs – People who own blenders will tell you just how helpful they can be for a range of cooking and drink-making purposes.
  • Quick food prep – It’s as simple as chucking your ingredients in the top and blitzing them into your desired consistency. These days, many people buy a blender to make their morning smoothie, which is definitely a great idea.
  • An affordable choice – Thanks to their growing popularity, there are tons of budget blenders on the market to choose from.

A juicer is perfect for…

  • Anyone who wants professional-quality juice – Unlike blenders, juicers are designed to only do one thing. The selling point of a juicer is that it does this one thing very well.
  • Those looking for a simple feature set – We should point out that some juicers have other functions aside from juicing, such as chopping, but the majority don’t. Juicers are absolutely made for juice lovers who want to make their own thin and concentrated liquids at home.

Juicers specialize in making juice, while blenders are more versatile. 

Blenders are able to… 

  • Make soups and sauces
  • Blend smoothies
  • Grind spices and coffee
  • Crushing ice for frozen drinks

If you have to pick one, get a blender.

coffee beans in a blender

Read more: Grinding coffee beans in a Vitamix


Pros and Cons of Blenders

Blenders are extremely versatile tools that can assist with many tasks in the kitchen. Whether you need to chop ingredients, make soups or produce cake batters, a blender will be able to help you out. Blended smoothies are particularly popular and are one of the biggest reasons why people choose to make the investment.

ninja blender

There are two main types of blenders: standard blenders and single-serving blenders. Single-serving blenders have become the more popular choice over recent years, thanks to their exceptional ease of use and efficiency. Standard blenders can be great, too, especially if you want to produce smoothies and juices in bulk.

Pros:

  • Versatile – Blenders can be used for a wide variety of kitchen tasks – from making juices to grinding spices.
  • Easy to clean – There are typically just one or two components to clean after using a blender. Thankfully, some Vitamix blenders are dishwasher safe.
  • Compact – Many modern blenders are very compact and don’t take up much counter space.
  • Affordable – There are tons of blenders available on the market today, and many of them are budget products.

Cons:

  • Non-specialized – You’ll usually be sacrificing specialized performance in return for the versatility.
  • Noisy – Blenders are notoriously loud when in use.

Read more: 5 Best Vitamix Blenders


Pros and Cons of Juicers

There are a few different types of juicers available on the market today, with each using different methods to process fruits and vegetables. Let’s take a closer look at the main types of juicers that you’ll come across.

Juicer juicing green juice

Types of juicers

  • Centrifugal juicers are probably the most common type. A centrifugal juicer works by first chopping up the ingredients with a flat cutting blade before spinning them at very high speeds to extract the juice.
  • Masticating juicers are also widely produced. Also known as “cold press juicers,” these tools use a single plunger to break ingredients down into smaller pieces before compressing the juice out of them.
  • Triturating juicers are a rarer type of juicer, but some premium products may use this design. Triturating devices are similar to masticating juicers but have two separate plungers for extracting. The result is a more consistent juice that has a higher concentration of nutrients.

Pros

  • Produces delicious juice – Juicers create a thin and concentrated liquid that is absolutely delicious.
  • Easy to use – All you have to do is drop your whole fruits and vegetables into the top, and the juicer will take care of the rest.
  • High yield – A juicer can extract more juice from fruits and vegetables than any manual method.

Cons

  • Difficult to clean – There are many components at work inside a juicer, and they all require regular cleaning.
  • Not very versatile – Although some of the more expensive juicers do have chopping and grinding capabilities, the majority just focus on juicing.
  • Can be expensive – Many juicers are quite expensive, but there are some great budget options on the market.
centrifugal juicer

The Best Juicer – Hamilton Beach Juicer Machine 800W Motor

One of our very favorite juicers on the market today is this product from Hamilton Beach. Hamilton Beach is a brand that has made a name for itself by making high-quality, affordable kitchen appliances. Their juicer is a product that fits this description perfectly.

Hamilton Beach added an extra-large feed chute to this juicer, which is actually one of the best things about the appliance. It means you can fit large pieces of fruit into the chute without having to chop them down first.

Juicers are known for being quite difficult to clean, but this particular model makes the process as easy as possible. All of the removable parts are completely dishwasher safe, which saves you a ton of time.

Despite being a large, powerful juicer, Hamilton Beach has managed to keep the footprint of the device relatively small. It’s definitely compact enough to live on your countertop, but it wouldn’t take up too much cupboard space either.


Blender vs. Juicer: The Main Differences

It’s probably already obvious to you that there are some big differences between blenders and juicers. These products are clearly designed for different consumers, and we want to help you work out which one has been made for you.

Below, we delve into the main differences between the two products and how they actually affect the user on a day-to-day basis. We recommended thinking carefully about each of these categories and deciding which product you prefer within each one.

Durability

Durability is definitely something to consider whenever you’re making a significant investment in a product. In the context of blenders and juicers, durability is less about which type of device you have and more to do with the brand and build quality.

One of the best ways to work out how durable a kitchen appliance is is to study customer reviews. Customers are usually the most honest about the quality of a product and will give you an idea of how it’s going to hold up in the long run.

Juice Quality

For many people, the thin and concentrated liquid that a juicer makes is preferable. As we’ve mentioned many times, a juicer is able to achieve this because it directly separates the juice from the pulp.

A juice made in a blender will have the solids mixed in with the liquids, resulting in a much thicker juice. The benefit of this nutritious drink is that it retains 100% of the fiber and nutrients that went into it. Since a juicer is removing some parts of the fruits and vegetables, you’re always going to lose some of the nutritional value.

Juice will last longer if it’s made from a true juicer.

When it comes to nutrient value, blenders don’t destroy fiber while juicers remove more fiber from the liquid. 

Juice and smoothie side by side

Versatility

Versatility might well be the biggest differentiator between these products. Considering versatility is a straightforward way to decide whether you should invest in a juicer or blender.

As great as juicers are, they are only designed to perform one function: make juice! Blenders can also make juice (albeit not to the same standard) and have a huge range of uses beyond that. With this said, it’s worth pointing out that some juicers do come with additional attachments for grinding spices or chopping ingredients.

If you’re simply looking for the device that is going to save you the most time in the kitchen, then a blender is undoubtedly the way to go. As we’ve alluded to plenty of times in this article, a juicer is mainly for those who want to produce professional-quality drinks.

Blenders such as Vitamix can be used as a food processor – making it more versatile. 

Ease of Use

Blenders and juicers are both very intuitive and easy to use. There’s no steep learning curve with either of these products, and you’ll be able to use them both to their maximum potential straight away.

With that said, being able to chuck everything into a blender in one go can save quite a bit of time. This is especially true if you’re trying to make juice or smoothies in bulk. Making large quantities in a juicer can be a slow and tedious process.

Size

Most people don’t have an unlimited amount of space on their counters, so size is a super important factor to consider.

In general, juicers have a larger footprint than blenders. Of course, there are examples of very large blenders and some compact juicers, but if saving space is your number one concern, then a blender is usually the way to go.

Nutribullet blender

Cleaning

The first thing to note about the maintenance of blenders and juicers is that they both need to be cleaned out after every single use. Fresh fruit and veg can go bad very quickly, and you really don’t want any rotting food to be settling inside your device.

In general, blenders definitely come out on top when it comes to ease of cleaning. With a juicer, there are more components to maintain, and pulp is more likely to get deeper into the device. When you use a blender, you typically only have to clean out a single container.

Cleaning your blender or juicer containers with hot soapy water is the best practice to prevent them from collecting food remains. Some products will also be dishwasher-safe, so look out for that if you want to keep your maintenance as straightforward as possible.

Cost

You can find reasonably priced juicers and blenders on the market. However, if you’re working on a tight budget, you’ll be able to find more cheap blenders around than juicers. Blenders have become extremely popular over recent years, and this has led to many budget brands getting into the market.


FAQs

Is it worth buying a juicer?

If your goal is to make professional-standard thin and concentrated juice, then a juicer is definitely worth the expense. No other product on the market can replicate a juicer’s function; a juicer can separate the juice of fruit and vegetables from their solid parts and extract it.

Can you juice veggies in a blender?

Yes, when you blend vegetables in a blender, you get a thick liquid that is the combination of the juice and solid parts. This liquid can definitely be considered a juice, but it will never be as thin as what you get from a juicer.

Is Nutribullet a blender or juicer?

Nutribullet is a company known for producing some of the best blenders on the market. They have recently released their first juicer, which is quickly becoming a consumer favorite. Whether you’re in the market for a blender or a juicer, Nutribullet is always a brand to consider.

Do blenders destroy fiber?

One common myth about blenders is that they “destroy” the fiber and all the nutrients in fruit and vegetables. Fiber is an extremely resilient carbohydrate that even stomach acid cannot properly break down. It’s safe to say that a few seconds in the blender isn’t going to damage it.


Final Verdict

Blenders and juicers are both great tools to have in your kitchen. If you love making homemade juice, then go with a juicer. If you want more versatility, get a blender. 

Photo of author

Richmond Howard

Richmond Howard started World of Blenders in 2022 to help people solve all their blender issues and buy the best blender for their kitchen! He's tested dozens of blenders and on his other site, Meal Prepify, he's helped over 3 million people learn how to meal prep.

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