How to choose a KitchenAid blender

What you can really do with a blender

Before you hit that add-to-cart-button, let’s make sure you’ve got the right intel on what you can actually do with a blender.

Smoothies, soups and dips? That’s just chapter one. Your blender has a much bigger repertoire. It can also chop your onions, carrots and herbs in a flash and turn your oats and almonds into flour. Pancake or waffle batter, perfectly mixed with no lumps in sight? Easy. Homemade almond, oat or cashew milk for tomorrow’s breakfast? Also done in minutes. 

A blender is the kind of tool that helps with your everyday basics, but also nudges you into trying the fun, creative stuff you never thought you’d make yourself. But how do you choose the right one for you? Fair question. It’s one we’ve been asked many times. Here’s our take. 

How to choose the blender that matches your day-to-day

Think of choosing a blender like choosing your kitchen wingman. You want it to match your pace, your cravings and your habits. 

So start by thinking about what your go-to dishes are. If you regularly throw in ice cubes, nuts or a mountain of kale, you’ll want something with extra power. Do you run on smoothies in the morning or iced coffees in summer? Then presets might be handy. More of an “I’ll handle the texture myself” kind of person? Then manual speeds are the way to go. 

And then there’s the practical stuff, which matters just as much. If you’re a grab-and-go person, a personal jar or travel lid can take the faff out of leaving the house. Tight on counter space? Then a small blender or portable model will earn its keep. 

Thought everything through? Great. Now let’s take a look at your options.

Pure Power blender: the all-rounder you’ll use every single day

If you simply want to make your everyday cooking easier, start here. The Pure Power blender is the kind of all-rounder beginners trust and busy households lean on. Steady, simple to use, and happy to help with whatever you throw in next.

What it brings to the kitchen table:

• Hot & cold blending done well. 

One minute it’s working through hot roasted veg for tonight’s soup, the next it’s cutting through frozen fruits for your morning smoothie. And your Pure Power blender? It doesn’t even flinch. In fact, this is what it does best. Its vented lid lets steam escape, so you can blend hot ingredients* the second they leave the oven or hob. And the asymmetrical blades crush ice so fast it practically snows in your jug. Hot, cold, sweet, savoury, it all blends beautifully. 

*For hot liquid do not exceed 1.1L

• 10 speeds. Full control.

Do you prefer your pesto rustic or slightly more silky? Either way, with 10 variable speeds and a control knob that lets you smoothly glide between all of them, you can blend it exactly how you like it. And that applies to all your dressings, dips and sauces. 

• A smoothie programme.

For when you want your morning blend ready at the push of a button. Zero guesswork. Just smoothie perfection.

• An ice-crush programme.

Slushies, frosty smoothies or frozen cocktails on the menu? The Pure Power blender turns cubes into snow and cuts through frozen fruit before you’ve even grabbed the glasses.

• A self-clean programme.

Because there’s always one kitchen job no one wants to do.

K400 Artisan blender: the powerhouse you’ll trust with every texture

you’re the kind of person who’s always blending something, the K400 Artisan blender is your go-to. It’s the most powerful of the bunch, so it blitzes through everything from a pile of stubborn kale to a handful of sturdy nuts. No need to babysit the controls either. It comes with 3 handy preset modes that nail the texture for you. 

What it brings to the kitchen table:

• 5 speeds. Loads of power.

Sure, it doesn’t have as many speeds as the first one, but each level packs far more force. Enough to tackle thick soups, batters and dips or muscle through nuts for some homemade pistachio milk or sticky-date cashew butter. 

• 3 preset programmes. Spot-on textures. 

Too early, too tired or too busy? Just hit the smoothie, ice-crush or ice-drink button and let your blender handle it. Whether you’re taming a fibrous spinach smoothie or blending something icy, like this fabulous Paloma mocktail, you’ll get the texture right every single time. And when you’re done, the self-clean cycle takes care of the aftermath.

• Handy accessories.              

Fresh OJ straight from the citrus press for weekend brunch? A personal jar you can throw in your bag on a busy weekday? These little extras will give your current blending routine a certified upgrade.

Personal blender: the sidekick for single serves and busy days

If you’re often cooking for one, rushing out the door or working with a small kitchen, the Personal blender was made with you in mind. It’s quick, compact, portable even and surprisingly powerful for its size. Want the silky-smooth textures, but not the whole big-blender production? Say no more.

What it brings to the kitchen table:

• Small size. Big help. 

This blender doesn’t ask for room it doesn’t need and still handles your single-serve smoothies and small-batch pasta sauces with total ease. 

• Cord-free blending. Heaps of freedom. 

Go on, make a bowl of tzatziki out on the patio or a quick shake at the breakfast table. No socket required.

• Travel lid. 

Blend straight in the cup, twist on the lid and you’re out the door. Perfect for post-gym shakes or that small portion of fresh salad dressing you want to take to work for lunch.

The best blender? The one that fits your routine

As you’ve seen, there’s no wrong pick here. Every KitchenAid blender will make your kitchen life smoother, faster and a whole lot easier. The trick is finding the one that matches how you get things done in the kitchen… your weekday rush, your Saturday experiments, your “I need food now” moments. That’s when a blender stops being a tool and starts feeling like your wingman. 

So have a browse through the table below, see which one fits your routine, and then trust your gut. It usually knows what you need in the kitchen.