A weak blender leaves chunky bites in a jar of pureed carrots. Consumer Reports tested blenders for smooth purees and durability
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A weak blender leaves chunky bites in a jar of pureed carrots, and a poorly built one won't survive years of regular use once baby food duty gives way to smoothies and soups. Puree quality, durability and everyday convenience all factor into which blender is worth keeping around long after the baby food stage ends.
Consumer Reports tested blenders for puree smoothness, durability, ease of use and overall convenience.
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The Cuisinart Hurricane Pro 3.5 Peak HP $HPQ CBT-2000 earned Consumer Reports' recommendation for excelling at both pureeing and smoothies while proving simple to operate. CR found it skips extra accessories and a removable blade, which cuts down on cabinet clutter, and rated it easy to clean overall thanks to a dishwasher-safe jar. Testers noted the blender weighs 11 pounds, on the heavier end of this lineup, making it a candidate for leaving out on the counter instead of storing away between uses. Strong puree and smoothie performance paired with a low-maintenance design makes it a practical everyday pick.
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The Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System BN801 earned Consumer Reports' recommendation for acing tests in both pureeing and durability, along with strong convenience scores based on how easy it is to clean, pour from and read the jar markings and controls. CR found this nine-cup model comes bundled with an attachment for personal-size blending, a pair of 24-ounce cups, a chopper for solid foods and a blade meant for kneading dough for future baking projects. Testers noted the wide accessory set adds versatility well beyond baby food duty. CR's latest member surveys give Ninja as a brand very good marks for both predicted reliability and owner satisfaction.
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The Ninja BN701 Professional Plus with Auto iQ earned Consumer Reports' recommendation for top scores across pureeing, convenience and durability, with CR's surveys showing owners highly satisfied with their purchase. CR found it also performed well in ice-crushing tests alongside pureeing, though smoothie blending came back at only a middling score. Testers suggested keeping that tradeoff in mind for anyone planning to repurpose the blender for smoothies once a child outgrows purees. CR still rated it a strong overall performer for its primary purpose.
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The NutriBullet Smart Touch NBF50420 earned Consumer Reports' recommendation as a powerful 1,500-watt blender that aced testing for puree quality, convenience and durability. CR found it produced icy drinks with an even texture and purees so smooth that testers found virtually no chunks remaining when passed through the sieves used in testing. Testers highlighted touchscreen controls and seven speed settings on this eight-cup model, along with a plastic jar similar to other high-scoring blenders in this lineup. Strong puree results paired with touchscreen convenience make it a standout for parents wanting precise speed control.
Credit: Vitamix
The Vitamix Ascent X2 sits at the premium end of this lineup, a price Consumer Reports acknowledged may challenge some budgets, though it still earned a recommendation for ranking among the top-scoring blenders tested, delivering excellent results in both pureeing and past durability tests. CR found it performs nearly identically to the pricier Ascent X5, sharing the same overall score despite the X2 edging just slightly ahead, and both include a hot soup program, with three options on the X2 compared with 10 on the sibling model. Testers noted a 48-ounce jar, slightly smaller than the Vitamix Propel 750 below, paired with a 10-year warranty longer than the Propel's coverage. CR's member surveys give Vitamix as a brand outstanding scores for both reliability and owner satisfaction.
Credit: Vitamix
The Vitamix Propel 750 sits at the premium end of this lineup and earned Consumer Reports' recommendation, ranking just above the Ascent models in overall score while delivering similarly superb results in pureeing and durability testing. CR found this 1,400-watt blender includes a BPA-free plastic jar holding 64 ounces, along with 10 speed settings and a choice of four blend programs, one of which warms food as it purees. Testers noted a seven-year warranty, shorter than the Ascent models' coverage but still generous by blender standards. CR's member surveys give Vitamix as a brand exceptionally high scores for both reliability and owner satisfaction, consistent with the rest of the lineup.