Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Pinterest Twitter Instagram RSS Facebook
    Buy GO DAIRY FREE and EAT DAIRY FREE today!
    Go Dairy Free
    • Need to Know
      • Newbies Start Here!
      • Take the Challenge!
      • Dairy-Free FAQs
      • Latest News
      • Milk Allergies
      • Lactose Intolerance
      • Other Health Issues
      • Testimonials
      • Calcium Guide
      • Holidays & More
      • Best Books
      • The Community
    • Recipes
      • Recipes by Category
        • Alisa’s Recipes
        • Sarah’s Recipes
        • Appetizers
        • Beverages
        • Bread
        • Breakfast
        • Cheese Substitutes
        • Condiments & Dressings
        • Cream Substitutes
        • Desserts
        • Entrees
        • Kids Can Cook
        • Milk Substitutes
        • Pasta
        • Salad
        • Sandwiches
        • Sauces
        • Sides
        • Snacks
        • Soup
      • Full Dairy-Free Recipe Index
      • Gluten-Free Recipe Index
      • Vegan Recipe Index
    • Reviews
      • Dairy Substitutes
        • Butter
        • Cheese
        • Cream
        • Creamer
        • Dessert Toppings
        • Ice Cream
        • Ice Cream Novelties
        • Milk
        • Yogurt
        • More Kitchen Essentials
      • Sweets & Snacks
        • Protein Shakes
        • More Creamy Beverages
        • Snack & Protein Bars
        • More Snacks
        • Chocolate
        • Cookie Dough
        • Cookies & Brownies
        • Pies & Cakes
        • Pudding & Mousse
        • More Sweet Treats
      • Meal Makers
        • Baking Mixes
        • Bread Products
        • Breakfast Pastries
        • Cereal & Granola
        • Cheesy Pasta & Rice
        • Frozen Pizza
        • More Entrees
        • Dip and Spreads
        • Salad Dressing
        • Sauces
      • All Product Reviews
        • New Product Reviews!
        • Browse by Product Type
        • Full Review Index
        • Gluten-Free Review Index
        • Vegan Review Index
    • Grocery Guide
      • Alisaโ€™s Dairy-Free Kitchen
      • Brands We Love
      • Dairy Substitutes
      • Dairy Ingredient List
      • Understanding Food Labels
      • No Dairy Product Lists
      • Ordering Specialty Foods
      • Best Grocery Stores
    • Eating Out
      • Fast Food Listings
      • Recommended Restaurants
    • My Books!
      • Go Dairy Free 2nd Edition (best seller!)
      • Eat Dairy Free 1st Edition (full color!)
      • eBooks & Printables
      • Book Supplements & Resources
    • About Us
      • Meet Us
      • Contact Us
      • Join Us
      • Work With Us
    Go Dairy Free
    You are at:Home»News»In The News»The Best Blenders for Dairy-Free Living on a Budget

    The Best Blenders for Dairy-Free Living on a Budget

    6
    By Alisa Fleming on December 16, 2013 In The News, News, Non-Food Product Reviews, Product Reviews

    In every big block store, there are hundreds of small appliances vying for space in your kitchen. And every year the latest “must have” trends are pushed via food blogs – stand mixers, air fryers, sous vide cookers … Unfortunately, most become albatrosses that simply take up space. But in my opinion, blenders are forever. Especially on a dairy-free diet. And you don’t need to pay fad prices for this everyday necessity.

    The Best Blenders for Dairy-Free Living on a Budget

    The Best Blenders for Dairy-Free Living on a Budget

    Blenders are the key to making creamy sauces, smoothies, and even homemade cheeses. But it’s important to find one that fits your needs and your budget. The following includes practical picks from my home and from Sarah’s household. Note that the price listed is roughly what you can expect to find these blenders on sale for. They might go on even cheaper, and they do have higher “full retail prices” via some stores.

    Bella Personal-Size Rocket Blender (12-Piece Set)

    Typical Price: $30

    Let’s start small. Literally. We’ve tested more than a dozen different blenders over the years, from basic to high-powered machines, and this is still our favorite. Perhaps it’s my ability to relate to this pint-size powerhouse, but it really does get the job done.

    What I love most about this product is the small cups and the dual blades. It comes with a grinder blade that pulverizes nuts into nut butter. It’s perfect for making homemade dairy-free cheeses and sauces, since it can do the work of a food processor, but in much smaller batches.

    The blender blade and cup are great for making smoothies, since we always make our own anyway. And it comes with two cups, so we can each have our own without having to wait for the other person to finish. But this might not be the best option for larger households or batch cooking.

    The Best Blenders for Dairy-Free Living on a Budget

    Oster Blender Pro 1200 with Glass Jar

    Typical Price: $70

    I’ve used quite a few $20 to $40 full-size blenders over the years, and really can’t recommend any of them. Special diets require a sturdy machine that can chop, puree, grind, and avoid a melt down. All of the really cheap ones I’ve dealt with started smoking, cracked, or simply stopped working within a few months to a year. At that rate of replacement, the price starts adding up.

    So my baseline big blender recommendation is for this Oster. It’s actually quite powerful and well built for a modestly-priced blender. It also boasts various blending functionalities, from pulse to chop to high speed. And it comes with a bonus large smoothie cup. But the coolest part, is their demo video is actually for making dairy-free cashew cream!

    The Best Blenders for Dairy-Free Living on a Budget

    Ninja Professional Countertop Blender

    Typical Price: $100

    Despite the reasonable price, this is a high-speed blender that can compete with luxury brands. My husband randomly gifted this blender to me more than a decade ago when he spotted it on a holiday sale for just $80 (he didn’t wait for Christmas!). It’s still going strong. This workhorse has 1100 watts of crushing power, and the model we have includes both a big pitcher and two personal smoothie cups with their own blade.

    If you only need a full-size blender, they have a basic Ninja Professional without the extras. But the upgrade to the cups is worth it for small batch dairy-free recipes. I’ve never needed a food processor with this machine in our kitchen. But if you still feel like you need a full-size food processor, they sell a Ninja Blender with Food Processor attachment, too!

    The Best Blenders for Dairy-Free Living on a Budget

    Instant Pot Ace Blender

    Typical Price: $90

    Sarah raves about this machine, which blends and cooks all in one spot.

    I never had a high-powered blender before; it’s really handy! I also like that you can cook right in the blender. It makes great dairy-free cream soups.

    The full retail price is a bit higher for the extra functionality, but it’s usually on sale, and the discounts can be steep.

    The Best Blenders for Dairy-Free Living on a Budget

    Alisa Fleming
    • Website

    Alisa is the founder of GoDairyFree.org, Food Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and author of the best-selling dairy-free book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living, and the new cookbook, Eat Dairy Free: Your Essential Cookbook for Everyday Meals, Snacks, and Sweets. Alisa is also a professional recipe creator and product ambassador for the natural food industry.

    Related Posts

    TCBY Dairy-Free Menu Guide with Vegan Options

    TCBY adds Oat Milk Froyo Flavors to this Extensive Dairy-Free Menu

    Dairy-Free Oreo Cookies Guide and news on Gluten-Free Oreos

    Oreo Offers The Most Dairy-Free Cookie Flavors

    Over 50 Dairy-Free Valentine's Day Treats you can Buy at the Store with Allergen Notes and Vegan Options!

    50 Dairy-Free Valentine’s Day Treats you can Buy at the Store

    6 Comments

    1. Deanna Martin on December 21, 2013 11:04 am

      I have the Ninja blender and I love using it for so many different recipes. Especially now during the Holidays.

    2. Johann on December 19, 2013 3:03 am

      Hi Alisa,

      I am all about blenders! Nice review!

      I have a blender website in which i do all kinds of blender reviews and articles!

      Now, when i was trying to decide which blender i was going to buy for my mother in law, i struggled a lot in between the Ninja BL660 and the Ninja BL770. In the end, i bought the Ninja BL770 because i thought it was a better deal for your money.

      Anyways, the Ninja BL660 is also an amazing machine!

      Have an awesome week!

      V/R

      -Johann

    3. Shirley @ gfe & All Gluten-Free Desserts on December 16, 2013 10:16 pm

      Go, Tony! What a deal! Sounds like you’re really having fun with this Ninja, Alisa. ๐Ÿ™‚ I love getting great gifts any time of year vs waiting for Christmas or my birthday. ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Shirley

    4. Sarita C on December 16, 2013 8:31 pm

      We bought a Ninja Mega Kitchen System about a year ago & it was the best kitchen purchase I have made other than my Kitchen Aid mixer. It is 1500 watts & has a food processor insert, 2 sizes of pitchers & 2 single serve cups. It does everything we need & you can put all the components in the dishwasher except the base. It is big but we found a great spot for it on our counter. We bought it on sale for $200.00 (we are in Canada) & have no regrets. Enjoy your Ninja!

    5. Milk Allergy Mom on December 16, 2013 7:36 pm

      I got a good deal on a Ninja once. But when I got it home, it was huge! It didn’t fit under my kitchen cabinets, either. I was so disappointed. You must have a better spot for one than I did. I wanted something high powered that looked “normal”. So after doing more research, I found the Breville was chosen by America’s Test Kitchen and went with that. It was under $200, maybe $160? I know, still double the price of the Ninja. But still not $500 like some. We’ve been really happy with it and I like that it fits under my cabinet. ๐Ÿ˜‰ It’s the little things…. I love hearing what others love and recommend!

      • Alisa Fleming on December 16, 2013 7:47 pm

        I hear you on this! The Ninja we got is actually rather narrow, but it is tall. I was nervous at first that it would be awkwardly placed in the kitchen, since it didn’t fit under the cabinets, but we fortunately found the perfect spot.

        Good to hear about the Breville though – I didn’t realize they had a high power blender, let alone such a highly rated one!

    Go Dairy Free - The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance and Casein-Free Living
    Over 50 Dairy-Free Valentine's Day Treats you can Buy at the Store with Allergen Notes and Vegan Options!

    50 Dairy-Free Valentine’s Day Treats you can Buy at the Store

    Guide to the Best Dairy-Free Valentine Chocolate: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Food Allergy-Friendly, Organic, Fair Trade & more!

    The Best Dairy-Free Valentine Chocolate To Give and To Receive

    Enjoy Life FoodsFames Chocolates. From Brooklyn with loveEat dairy free bookChocolate Emporium
    Go Dairy Free is the leading website for information on the dairy-free diet. We share dairy-free recipes, product reviews, news, recommendations and health guides to aide those with milk allergies, lactose intolerance or a general need or desire to live without dairy. Dairy-free does include milk-free, lactose-free, casein-free and whey-free, too! We also offer ample resources for gluten-free, soy-free, food allergy, vegan and paleo diets. Please note that ingredients, processes and products are subject to change by a manufacturer at any time. All foods and products should be considered at risk for cross-contamination with milk and other allergens. Always contact the manufacturer prior to consumption. Disclaimer - All Rights Reserved - Privacy Policy Go Dairy Free ยฉ 2005-2022 Fleming Marrs Inc.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.