Best Blenders for Crushing Ice & Frozen Foods - Reviews

Do you love ice-cold smoothies? Are you tired of your blender breaking down in the middle of the job? Here’s everything you need to know about finding the best blender for crushing ice and frozen fruit.

W hile shakes are excellent, there’s nothing like an ice-cold smoothie. There’s something about the texture of an ice-blended drink that makes it taste so much better. I know I love going to coffee shops to get an ice-blended drink as a treat every once in a while. But with the right blender, you can make your smoothie just the way you like it whenever you like it!

Some blenders are better than others at crushing ice and frozen fruit. It takes a lot of power and strength to blend something frozen. It would help if you were sure your machine is up to the job. In this article, we’ll go over everything you should know about blending ice and frozen fruits to make the perfect smoothie.

When Do You Need The Ice And Frozen Fruit Crushing Blender?

Traditional countertop blenders are an incredible addition to any kitchen. Not only can they whip you up a delicious smoothie, but many also come with additional attachments. These allow you to make anything from hot soup to salsa.

But if you’re looking for a blender to make a delicious frozen smoothie, you’ll need one that’s strong enough.

If your blender is too low a quality, it may leave you with a chunky smoothie full of bits of ice. Or, worst-case scenario, it will break on you in the middle of blending, forcing you to toss the whole thing. No one wants that hassle!

Avoid this scenario by choosing a blender that’s got the quality and design to handle the job. If you love a frozen smoothie that’s perfectly blended, you’ll need the ice and frozen fruit crushing blender.

What Makes A Blender Good At Crushing Ice?

To crush ice, you need a blender that’s got a solid construction. The first thing you’ll want to look at is the blade construction.

Tough blades made from a durable material such as stainless steel will be able to cut through almost anything. You’ll also want a motor with enough power to blend through your frozen ingredients. If the motor isn’t powerful enough, it can stall out or overheat halfway through.

What Key Features And Factors Should I Consider Before Buying A Reliable Blender For Ice Crushing?

Size and Weight.The size and weight of the blender will impact how easy it is for you to store. If your kitchen is limited in space, you’ll want something smaller that you can stow away if need be. Smaller sizes can also help if you want more room on your counter for food prep.

However, you’ll need something heavy enough that it’ll be stable while you’re blending the ingredients. You don’t want the blender to slip off the counter because it’s too light to stay in place.

Motor Power. A high-powered motor is the biggest thing you’ll want to look for in a blender for crushing ice. The higher the motor power, the quicker and more efficiently the blades will spin. The blender should be a minimum of 700 watts, and anything over 1000 watts is ideal.

Various Speeds.This helps to give you more control over your smoothie’s consistency. You want a higher speed for drinks with more ice or frozen fruit. You also want the pulse feature to smooth out any remaining chunks at the end of the blending process. The more speeds and auto-blending features your blender has, the better the consistency your drink will have.

Blades. Blades designed with a hard and durable material are necessary to blend ice. Stainless steel is an excellent and sturdy material that is more than capable of doing the job. Specific blades are even designed for crushing ice, with a blade assembly strong enough to handle the force.

Jar Material and Capacity. Blades aren’t the only things that need to be durable in an ice-crushing blender. You’ll want a blender with a durable jar that can handle ice being tossed around inside it. Anything made from polycarbonate is going to be too cheap to handle crushing ice. Blenders with a glass or heavy copolyester jar will be better at handling the impact. You’ll also want to make sure any plastic is BPA-free to avoid toxins entering your smoothie.

The pitcher capacity depends on your particular needs. If you only make a single size smoothies one at a time, you can settle for a smaller blender. A smaller blender may be a better option, as it’ll be easier to clean and store.

However, if you like making smoothies that’ll serve multiple people, you’ll want something big enough for a family. You’ll also want a bigger blender if you plan on making smoothies for numerous meals ahead of time.

Keeping It Clean. Cleaning the blender can be a time-consuming process if you’re not careful. No one has time to spend half an hour making a smoothie and cleaning out the blender.

Find a blender that’s dishwasher-safe to make cleanup much more manageable. Some blenders even come with self-cleaning buttons that will clean the blender for you. All you need to do is add a little soap and water and let the blender do the rest!

Price. Your budget will determine what kind of quality blender you get. If you can afford something a little more expensive, you may get a more durable and versatile blender. You don’t always have to break the bank to find something sturdy and trustworthy, however. Many middle-of-the-road options get the job done in a less flashy way but still last you a good long time.

Warranty. Machines are notorious for breaking down, and blenders are not immune to this. Find a blender with a generous warranty to cover any broken parts or malfunctions. This will protect your investment and allow you to splurge on a blender without the fear of wasting your money.

Best High-End Blenders for Crushing Ice and Frozen Foods Reviews

Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container, Self-Cleaning

Why We Like It: Versatility, the Vitamix 750 comes with several pre-programmed settings that give you the option of making anything from hot soup to frozen sorbet. With the considerable price tag, it’s essential to have something that you can use for more than just making smoothies.

The Vitamix 750 has a removable plug in the lid that lets you add ingredients during blending. This is great for those who like an incredibly smooth consistency in their frozen drinks. It also has a cool-running motor to maintain an even torque and a cold temperature.

At 12.5 lbs and a height of 17.4 inches, the Vitamix 750 is a pretty strong blender. With a 64 oz pitcher made from BPA-free Eastman Tritan polyester, you’ll be able to make smoothies big enough for a family. And throw in as much frozen fruit and ice as you want. The stainless steel blades and 1200 watt motor can handle almost anything you put into it.

This Vitamix blender comes with five pre-programmed settings that let you push a button and walk away. You can make the blender do the hard work for you! It even comes with a pulse feature to help get rid of any remaining chunks at the end of the blending process.

One downside to this blender is that it’s hand wash only, making it a little more challenging to clean. Its high price tag helped by the 7-year warranty that comes with it. This lengthy warranty makes the Vitamix 750 an investment worth making.

Key Features

• Aircraft-grade stainless steel blades
• Ten speeds
• Pulse function
• Five pre-programmed settings
• BPA-free Eastman Tritan polyester 64- oz pitcher
• 1200 watt motor
• 7-year warranty

Blendtec Total Classic Original Blender – Fourside Jar (75 oz), Professional-Grade, 6 Pre-Programmed Cycles, 10-Speeds

Why We Like It: Motor power, this blender has a motor power of 1560 watts! With one of the most powerful motors on the market, this blender is perfect for crushing frozen fruit or ice.

The Blendtec Total Blender stands at the height of 15.5 inches and weighs only 7.28 lbs. This makes it considerably smaller than the Vitamix 750, but no less powerful. It’s motor power of 1560 watts, and stainless steel blades can easily blend frozen fruit into a delicious smoothie.

The Blendtec Total Blender comes in black, red, or white. It’s also got a dull blade, so you don’t have to worry about cuts or scrapes while cleaning it. It also has a self-cleaning feature that cleans it in as little as one minute.

It’s also got a 75 oz pitcher made from BPA-free Tritan copolyester plastic. However, the fill capacity is 32 oz, so it doesn’t make quite so big a smoothie as the Vitamix 750. Its jar does come with fitting vented lids that let you add more ingredients while blending.

With a pulse feature, ten speeds six pre-programmed cycles, this Blendtec blender offers you maximum control over your smoothie.

It’s also dishwasher-safe, making it super easy to clean. It’s a more affordable option of the high-end blenders. It also comes with an 8-year warranty to cover any malfunctions.

Key Features

• 75 oz pitcher with 32 oz fill capacity
• Six pre-programmed cycles
• Ten speeds
• Pulse feature
• 8-year warranty
• Stainless steel blades
• 1560 watt motor

Vitamix 5200 Blender Professional-Grade, 64 oz Container, Self-Cleaning

Why We Like It: The self-cleaning feature, unlike the Vitamix 750, this blender is incredibly easy to clean. All you have to do is add a drop of dish soap and some warm water. The Vitamix 5200 will clean itself in 30-60 seconds!

Vitamix is one of the leading brands of blender for a reason. Its blenders are built to last, and the Vitamix 5200 is no exception. This blender is made with aircraft-grade stainless steel blades and a 64 oz copolyester jar that can withstand almost anything.

The blades in the Vitamix 5200 can reach speeds fast enough to create heat from friction. This allows you to make cold ingredients hot in about six minutes, perfect for making soups. It also comes with a getting started guide and DVD to help you learn more about using it.

The Vitamix 5200 stands tall at the height of 20.5 inches, but its lower weight of 10.5 lbs makes it easy to move if need be. It comes with a motor power of 1,490 watts with a radial cooling fan and thermal protection to prevent overheating.

It also comes with a set of ten different speeds, although there is no pulse feature. The self-cleaning feature alone makes this worth the relatively high price. It also has a 7-year full warranty. The full warranty is excellent, as it covers any breaks or malfunctions of the blender.

Key Features

• 64 oz jar
• Ten-speed settings
• Radial cooling fan and thermal protection system
• Hardened stainless steel blades
• Self-cleaning feature
• 1,490-watt motor
• 7-year full warranty

Best Mid-Range Blenders for Crushing Ice and Frozen Foods

Cleanblend Commercial Blender, 64 Oz Countertop Blender with 1800 Watt Base High Performance Ice Crusher

Why We Like It: The tamper wand, Cleanbend’s blender comes with a tamper to give help when blending smoothies. This can be especially handy in dislodging frozen fruit that can get stuck during the blending process.

Cleanbend’s blender has a height of 18 inches and a weight of 13 lbs, making it a reasonably significant appliance. However, its 1800 watt motor requires a little pressure to handle all of that horsepower. With a food-grade stainless steel eight blade system, this blender can easily cut through frozen fruit and ice.

It comes with a 64 oz jar made from food-grade BPA-free plastic and has a stainless steel bearing to give it extra traction. Cleanbend’s blender also has a pulse feature and a variable speed setting that allows you to use it for making more than just smoothies.

This blender is pretty easy to clean and has much of the same versatility as some of the higher-priced blenders. It comes with a 5-year warranty. Although the plastic may not be as durable as some of the higher-end blenders, the warranty should cover it if it breaks.

Key Features

• 1800 watt motor
• Pulse feature
• Variable speed setting
• Food grade stainless steel eight blade system
• 5- year warranty
• Tamper wand
• BPA-free 64 oz container

Ninja Professional Countertop Blender with 1100-Watt Base, 72 Oz Total Crushing Pitcher (BL660)

Why We Like It: “To go cups,” this blender comes with two 16 oz to-go cups with lids that make it easy to take your smoothie on the go. This comes in handy if you like making single-serving smoothies without having to worry about the cleanup.

The Ninja BL660 is an all-around awesome blender. It’s got a 1,100-watt motor power that makes it just powerful enough to blend ice without overheating or tiring out. At 17 inches tall and only 7.6 lbs, it’s easy to move around on the counter if you need to make room.

Its 72 oz pitcher has a 64 oz capacity, meaning you can make smoothies for a family if you want. The two 16 oz to go cups come with their single-serve blade that allows you to make an individual smoothie as well. This Ninja blending machine even comes with a recipe book to help you try out some new tasty smoothie recipes.

One downside is that there are only three different speeds on this blender, and there’s no pulse feature. However, all the parts are dishwasher-safe, and it’s incredibly affordable. It also comes with a 1-year limited warranty.

Key Features

• 1100 watt motor
• 72 oz pitcher
• Two 16 oz to go, pitchers,
• Three speeds
• Dishwasher-safe parts
• 1-year limited warranty

Ninja Mega Kitchen System (BL770) Blender/Food Processor with 1500W Auto-iQ Base, 72oz Pitcher

Why We Like It: It’s super versatile for a mid-priced blender. The Ninja Mega Kitchen System comes with an 8-cup food processor bowl to help you chop food and make a dough. It also comes with a 72 oz pitcher and two 16 oz to-go cups that allow you to use it for all sorts of purposes.

The Ninja Mega Kitchen System is tall at a height of 17.75 inches. However, it’s not all that heavy, with a weight of only 9 lbs. It also has an incredibly powerful motor of 1500 watts. The 72 oz BPA-free pitcher has stainless steel blades at multiple levels to help evenly blend the ingredients.

The Ninja Mega Kitchen System also has a reversible slicing and shredding disc, as well as a grating disc that allows for even results. While this blender can easily crush through ice and frozen fruit, it shines in its food processing capabilities. If you love the homemade dough, you’ll love this blender!

It comes with a pulse feature and several presets that allow you to vary between different food processes. However, it doesn’t have different speed settings. The Ninja Mega Kitchen System comes with dishwasher-safe parts. It’s on the higher end of the mid-priced blenders. The warranty also only covers the operating motor, not the entire blender.

Key Features

• 8-cup food processor bowl
• 72 oz pitcher
• Two 16 oz to-go cups
• 1500 watt motor
• Pulse feature
• Four food processing settings

Hamilton Beach Professional Quiet Shield Blender, 1500W, 32oz BPA Free Jar, 4 Programs & Variable Speed Dial (58870)

Why We Like It: The noise level, this blender is super quiet, unlike most of the ice crushing blenders on the market. Even with its powerful 1500 watt motor, the Hamilton Beach blender is silent due to its removable quiet shield.

The Hamilton Beach blender is average-sized with a height of 17 inches and a weight of 9.7 lbs. It’s got a powerful 1,500-watt motor, although the pitcher is on the smaller side at only 32 oz. The hardened stainless steel blades can chop up frozen ingredients in seconds.

It comes with four pre-programmed settings, including smoothie, ice crush, puree, and clan. It also has ten variable speeds and a pulse feature, giving you extensive control over the consistency of your smoothie. The speed ranges from a low of 3,000 RPM to a high of 18,000 RPM.

This blender is a powerhouse, with a shatterproof jar made of BPA-free ingredients. All the parts are dishwasher safe, and it’s very affordable. It also comes with a limited 5-year warranty.

Key Features

• 1500 watt motor
• 32 oz pitcher
• Quiet shield
• Dishwasher-safe
• 5-year limited warranty
• Pulse feature
• Four pre-programmed settings
• Ten variable speeds

Most Affordable Blenders for Crushing Ice and Frozen Foods

Ninja® Fit Series Personal Blender with 700-Watt Bas (QB3001SS)

Why We Like It: Easy to store, essentially the size of a coffee cup, this blender is super easy to store in your kitchen. It’s also fine to leave out, as it takes up very little counter space. If you want something you can take with you when you travel, this blender will work correctly.

The Ninja Personal blender is definitely on the smaller side, with a height of only 13.7 inches and weighing only 4.6 pounds. It’s got a high enough motor power of 700 watts that allow it to crush through frozen fruit and ice pretty well.

The signature Ninja blade will give your frozen drinks a smooth consistency. It also comes with two 16 oz Nutri Ninja cups made from dishwasher-safe plastic. The lids come with two sip and seal lids, allowing you to take them in a bag or backpack. They’re also designed to fit in most car cup holders.

The Ninja Personal blender doesn’t have a pulse feature or allow for different speed settings. However, it’s incredibly affordable and has a 1-year limited warranty. It also comes with a 50-recipe cookbook for experimenting in the kitchen.

Key Features

• Two 16 oz pitchers with two sip and seal lids
• 700-watt motor
• Dishwasher-safe parts
• 50-recipe cookbook

Ninja Professional 72 Oz Countertop Blender with 1000-Watt Base and Total Crushing Technology (BL610)

Why We Like It: Blender pitcher capacity, it comes with a 72 oz pitcher that can make large smoothies for a family. However, it’s got a low enough price that your wallet won’t hurt as much as it would with a Vitamix.

This blender has a sleek design that makes it an attractive addition to any home. It’s perfect for ice crushing, blending, pureeing, and controlled processing. Although it won’t make a smoothie quite as well as a higher-priced blender, it will do a pretty good job.

The Ninja BL610 is pretty big, with a height of 15.75 inches and a weight of 9.5 lbs. It’s got a powerful 1,000-watt motor and a six-blade assembly that will crush through loads of frozen fruit and ice. The 72 oz professional blender jar can fit a ton of ingredients and make you several smoothies at a time.

It comes with a pulse feature and three different speed settings, and it’s pretty easy to clean. The Ninja BL610 is a much more affordable option than some of the high-performance blenders. It comes with a 1-year limited warranty.

Key Features

• 72 oz pitcher
• 1,000-watt motor
• Six blade assembly
• Pulse feature
• Three-speed settings

Oster Reverse Crush Counterforms Blender, with 6-Cup Glass Jar, and 7-Speed Settings

Why We Like It: Variable speed selection, the lower-priced the blender, the less control you tend to get over smoothie consistency. The Oster Reverse Crush blender has seven different speeds to give you your smoothie the way you want it.

This blender is on the smaller side, with a height of 13.8 inches and a weight of 9 lbs. The motor starts up at 1000 watts and then settles to 600 watts to blend, giving you a better consistency of your smoothie. It also comes with a 6-point stainless steel blade and a 6-cup glass container to pulverize frozen ingredients with ease.

The Oster Reverse Crush blender has seven-speed settings, including a high and low pulse setting. It also has a 2-oz filler cap with markings to help you measure and add your foods. The jar is dishwasher safe, and it comes with a 10-year limited warranty.

Even though the warranty is limited, it provides a three-year guarantee. This blender is one of the highest quality affordable options out there.

Key Features

• 6-cup glass pitcher
• 7-speed settings
• 10-year limited warranty
• 3-year satisfaction guarantee
• 1000 watt motor
• Stainless steel blades

How To Crush Ice In A Blender

Crushed ice is an excellent addition to any beverage or cocktail. If you’re looking to wow your guests, try using your blender to break some ice for their drink.

The first thing you’ll want to do is take the ice out of the freezer. Leave it on the kitchen counter for about five minutes before putting it in the blender.

Once you’ve let it rest, fill the pitcher with the ice cubes to about a third of the way full. You’ll need to leave some room for the ice cubes to bounce around in the blender during the process. If you want to speed it up, you can add a little bit of water or fruit juice.

Now, you’ll want to put the lid on and quickly pulse the blender in bursts of two seconds each. Do this about five to seven times. Then, set the blender to either the chop or the crush setting at a medium speed.

While the ice is churning, gently shake the pitcher. Do this for about 15-30 seconds. If your blender has a tamper, you can use this to move the ice around and aid the crushing process. Once the crushed ice has reached the desired consistency, you can go ahead and stop the blender.

You’ll then want to transfer the crushed ice immediately into an insulated ice bucket to keep it at the right consistency. If you’re not going to use it immediately, you can store it in the freezer for later.

How To Clean Your Blender

Many blenders come with a design that you can stick their parts right in the dishwasher. However, it can be not very pleasant having to wait that long in between uses. Some blenders come with a self-cleaning feature that allows you to clean the blender in between batches.

Even if the blender doesn’t have a self-cleaning feature, you can do a similar process to give it a quick cleaning between uses. All you need to do is add a little bit of soap and some warm water to the blender.

Then, pulse it a few times to cover the whole blender in soap. Next, you can rinse the blender out with water, and it should be ready to reuse.

Once you’re finished using the blender, you’ll want to give it a deeper cleaning. Take the jar and the blade assembly apart to clean. Don’t ever immerse the blender’s base in water, as this can damage the electrical components.

Instead, take a damp cloth and wipe the exterior and any spills inside the base. Make sure you’ve unplugged the blender before doing this to avoid the possibility of injury.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can all blenders crush ice?

A. No, not all blenders are powerful enough to do this. Always check out the owner’s manual before you try to crush ice in the blender.

If your blender can not handle it, you might break the blades or cause other damage to the blender.

Q. What motor power should you look for in a powerful blender? Is a higher watt blender better?

A. Typically, a motor power between 1,000 watts and 1,500 watts is enough to crush ice and frozen fruit. Anything less than 1,000 watts generally will be less efficient at handling more substantial amounts of frozen ingredients.

A higher watt blender isn’t always better, as sometimes the motor can overheat or tire out. Look for a blender with a cooling fan to ensure it runs smoothly.

Q. Can you use a blender for other purposes besides ice crushing?

A. Absolutely! Many blenders come with various food processing options that make ice crushing only the start of what they can do.

Some blenders have capabilities for making nut butter, hot soups, baby food, frozen sorbets, milkshakes, dough, juicing, or even grinding coffee. Most ice-crushing machines will at least allow you to make a variety of smoothies, both frozen and otherwise.

Q. How do you blend ice smoothly?

A. There are a few different ways you can tackle this. Always start by adding the ice slowly if you put too much in at one time when things begin to get clogged, and the ice will not blend nicely.

You could also use ice made from fruit or veggie juice. This is easy to make; all you need to do is pour your fruit juice into a tray and let it freeze. Going through this extra step gives you a smoothie with the ice well blended and keeps it from becoming watered down.

Finally, do not use ice, but use whole frozen fruit instead. Banana slices and strawberries are the perfect sizes for freezing into ice cubes. As they are blended, they leave no trace behind. This makes the perfect smoothie!

Q. Do you put ice in the blender first?

A. You always want to add in any frozen ingredients, such as fruit or ice, last. Your softer foods should go into the jar first, and then add harder ingredients until you get to the jar’s top. 

So, no. You want to put the ice in the blender last and not first.

Q. Can a stick blender crush ice?

A. This depends on the size of the cubes and the wattage of your stick blender. You will want to check your owner’s manual before you try to crush any ice.

Whole ice cubes are challenging for a stick blender to crush. You can guide the process along by breaking up the ice before you try to blend. You can also try using smaller ice cubes in smaller amounts. It is better to add ice slowly while you blend so that it can be crushed smoothly.

Conclusion: Which Blender Is Right For You for Ice Crushing?

Of the three categories of blenders— high-end, mid-priced, and affordable— some blenders stand out more than others. If you’re looking for a high-end blender, then the Vitamix 5200 is an excellent choice. It’s on the more expensive side without being too outrageous.

It has the blending power and versatility to make it worth the price and a warranty that will cover it. When it comes to mid-priced blenders, my favorite is the Hamilton Beach Professional Blender.

It’s very affordable, blends well, and I can’t get over the quiet shield. If you’re all right with a smaller smoothie, this one will do just fine.

As for affordable blenders, it depends on the size of the smoothie you’re making. The Ninja fit series personal blender has the best value, but the Ninja Professional (BL610) is good enough to compete with some of the more expensive appliances.

No matter which machine you choose to get, you’ll be sure to get something that can easily crush ice and frozen fruit. As long as you choose a blender designed to handle frozen ingredients, you can’t go wrong. Get the frozen smoothie you’ve always wanted. Choose one of these blenders today!