Best Blender Guide: Vitamix E310, Ninja, and BlendJet Reviews
Tired of chunky smoothies? We review the Vitamix E310, Ninja Professional Plus, and BlendJet 2 to find the best blender for soups, ice, and travel.
By Team Gimmie
Updated September 2, 2026
THE SMOOTHIE BETRAYAL AND THE SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT BLEND
There is a specific kind of morning frustration that occurs when you take a big, expectant gulp of a smoothie only to find a whole, frozen strawberry lodged at the bottom of the glass. Or worse, you hit a gritty shard of un-crushed ice that ruins the texture of your expensive protein powder. It is the ultimate kitchen fail-state: an appliance that promises total pulverization but delivers a chunky, disappointing soup.
Finding a blender that actually does what the box claims is harder than it looks. The market is saturated with machines that boast high-wattage motors but struggle to handle a handful of kale. We are moving past the glossy marketing videos of perfectly swirling liquids and getting into the grit of what makes these machines work—or fail—in a real kitchen. Whether you are buying for yourself or looking for a gift that won’t end up in the back of a closet, you need a machine that passes the vibe check of both performance and durability.
THE UNTOUCHABLE WORKHORSE: VITAMIX EXPLORIAN E310
If you are the type of person who wants to make your own almond butter without the motor emitting a smell of burning electronics, the Vitamix Explorian E310 is the definitive choice. While many modern blenders have moved toward slick, capacitive touchscreens that become unresponsive the moment your hands are wet, the E310 stays true to its roots with heavy-duty physical switches and a central dial. There is a satisfying, mechanical tactile feedback when you flick the power on—a low, purposeful growl that feels more like a piece of industrial equipment than a kitchen gadget.
The Vitamix is not just a smoothie maker; it is a culinary multi-tool. Its real stress test is high-friction blending. You can throw in raw vegetables and broth, turn it to its highest setting, and the sheer speed of the blades will generate enough heat to turn those ingredients into a steaming, velvety soup in about six minutes. It handles frozen fruit and fibrous greens like ginger or celery with a level of smoothness that cheaper models simply cannot replicate.
Crucially, the E310 addresses a major pain point of its predecessors: height. While the classic Vitamix 5200 is legendary, it is also too tall to fit under standard kitchen cabinets. The E310 uses a 48-ounce container that is shorter and wider, meaning it actually lives on your countertop rather than being banished to a pantry because it won’t clear the upper cabinetry. It is a high-conviction investment for the person who plans to use their blender every single day.
