Best portable blenders of 2026: Ninja, Nutribullet, Beast

Wireless portable blenders It wasn’t a real thing a decade ago, or maybe even three years ago. But battery technology continues to improve. This means that the best portable blender I’ve tested, the Ninja Blast Max ($100), is now fully capable of making a six-pack of crushed iced margaritas on your next picnic or blending up a berry-infused protein shake at the gym without much effort. Meanwhile, the ingeniously designed Nutribullet Flip ($115) delivers more torque than previous-generation blenders, plus enough insulation to keep ice frozen until it’s lunch (or even dinner) time.

Doesn’t this fit in with your previous experience with cordless blenders? Reader, I agree. It’s a new technology, and most previous (and current!) cordless blenders are a disappointment, especially compared to the best wall-mounted blenders—which are often up to a hundred times more powerful. But I found that our top two cordless blenders were much better than the rest, after testing eight of the most promising contenders in terms of battery life, ice crushing, consistency of smoothies and milkshakes, and overall blender whirl.

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

Also be sure to check out more of WIRED’s health-related coverage, including our guides to the best smoothies, best protein powders, and best workout apps.

Best portable blender overall: Ninja Blast Max

The Blast Max is a giant in the world of crap-powered cordless blenders, each one of which was a pitiful “before” in a Charles Atlas comic. This is partly due to sheer power, when power is measured in tens rather than hundreds of watts. The Ninja’s 13.3-volt battery helped make it the most powerful battery I’ve tested, and it was helped by a proprietary charger instead of the USB-C cable that most wireless blenders prefer.

The Max can make protein shakes, of course: almost all of these cordless blenders can do that. But the Ninja Cordless is also good at plowing through almond butter without interference. It’s the only portable blender I’ve tested that was able to crush ice without turning it on. In fact, it can turn cubed ice into fluffy ice without any unwanted chunks, a feat that no other cordless blender comes close to achieving. If you add tequila and a little margarita mixer and take it to a picnic, the results will be even more satisfying.

Charging still takes up to three hours, unfortunately. But the Blast Max can blend between seven and 10 drinks on a single charge, depending on how much mixing is required — enough to reliably make eight batches of cocktails or blended smoothies. Triple blender settings also set the Blast Max apart, from an efficient ice crushing setting to an AI setting that adjusts power according to the resistance of different ingredients.

My colleague Adrienne So told me that the Ninja Blast Max’s predecessor, the Ninja Blast, was a life-changing addition to her morning ritual when she hit the slump in 2023. The specs on the new Max mean it could change people’s lives by 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 enjoyable. But if you’re going somewhere without electricity, you’ll probably also be going somewhere without a refrigerator. The Nutribullet Flip, quite 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.

The Nutribullet Flip was only halfway filled with ice and snow, and was able to keep most of the ice intact after eight hours, in my testing. Adding liquid complicates matters, of course, unless the liquid is already cold. But as long as most of the ingredients in the blender are chilled, you have a pretty good chance of eating lunch with some ice cubes still intact.