Best Portable Blenders of 2026: Ninja, Nutribullet, Beast

Cordless Portable Blenders didn’t really exist ten years ago, or maybe even three years ago. But battery technology continues to improve. This means the best portable blender I’ve tested, the Ninja Blast Max ($100), is now fully capable of whipping up a six-pack of shaved ice margaritas at your next picnic or whipping up a berry protein shake at the gym without breaking a sweat. Meanwhile, the ingeniously designed Nutribullet Flip ($115) offers more torque than previous generation blenders, plus enough insulation to keep ice cream frozen until lunch (or even dinner) time.

Does this not match your past experience with cordless blenders? Reader, I agree. This is young technology, and most past (and current!) wireless blenders are disappointing, especially compared to the best blenders which plug into the wall, which are often up to a hundred times more powerful. But I found our top two cordless blenders to be far superior to the rest, after testing eight of the most promising competitors in terms of battery life, ice crushing, smoothie and milkshake consistency, and full blender vortexing.

That said, it’s worth asking whether you really need a cordless blender for blending on the go or just a small personal blender that works much better and whose blending chamber can magically transform into a to-go cup. WIRED has been testing personal blenders for years, and our top pick, the Nutribullet Ultra ($164)might just be the high-powered desktop solution of your dreams.

Don’t forget to also check out more from WIRED wellness coverageincluding our guides on Best juicers, Best Protein PowdersAnd Best Workout Apps.

Best Portable Blender Overall: Ninja Blast Max

The Blast Max is a titan in the world of pipsqueak-powered cordless blenders, each the pitiful “before” in a Charles Atlas comic strip. This is partly a result of pure horsepower, when horsepower is measured in two-digit horsepower. The Ninja’s 13.3-volt battery was the most powerful I tested, made possible by a proprietary charger instead of the USB-C cable preferred by most wireless blenders.

The Max can of course make protein shakes: almost all of these cordless blenders can. But the Cordless Ninja is also good at plowing through almond butter without getting stuck. And it’s the only portable blender I’ve tested that can crush ice without starting. Indeed, it can turn ice cubes into fluffy snow without any unsightly bits, a feat no other cordless blender has even managed to achieve. If you add tequila and a splash of margarita to the blender and take it on a picnic, the results are even more satisfying.

It still takes up to three hours to charge, alas. But the Blast Max can mix seven to 10 drinks on a single charge, depending on the amount of mixing needed, enough to reliably make a byte of mixed cocktails or smoothies. The blender’s trio of settings also sets the Blast Max apart, from an efficient crushed ice setting to an AI setting that adjusts power based on the strength of different ingredients.

My colleague Adrienne So told me that the Ninja Blast Max’s predecessor, the no-max Ninja Blast, was life-changing for her morning rituals when it arrived in the doldrums of 2023. The new Max’s specs mean it could change lives almost twice as much.

Best Insulated Portable Blender: Nutribullet Flip

Portable blenders have a very simple problem: ice. Ice is what provides much of the satisfying texture that makes smoothies fun. But if you’re going to a place without electricity, you’ll probably also go to a place without a freezer. This Nutribullet Flip cleverly solves this problem by using the same double-walled vacuum technology that keeps your coffee hot and your water cold in your favorite travel mug.

Half filled with ice and only ice, the Nutribullet Flip was able to keep most of its ice intact after eight hours in my testing. Of course, adding liquid complicates things, unless the liquid is already ice cold. But as long as most of the blender’s components are cooled, you have a good chance of having a successful lunch with a few ice cubes still intact.