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We still haven’t met anyone who doesn’t enjoy a sweet and icy Starbucks frappuccino every now and then. Though what we don’t always like is driving to our local coffee shop to get one. Luckily, you can blend your own right at home, as long as you have a blender that’s up to the task.
Finding the best blender for making frappuccinos is about considering all the relevant factors. Below, we’ve compiled a list of the best five blenders for Frappuccinos money can buy, carefully chosen for their power, durability, speed settings, and design. See which of our picks fits best into your kitchen.
The Best Blenders for Making Frappuccinos
Making authentic frappuccinos means finding a blender that’s powerful enough to crush ice but with the right settings to get a perfect consistency. See how these top models stack up against one another.
Ninja BL770
What we Liked:
- Total Crushing Pitcher is specially designed for ice
- Many different attachments for versatility
- Nutri-Ninja Cups for small, convenient servings
What we Didn’t Like:
- Fewer speed settings
- Louder than some other models
The first blender that comes to mind for crushing ice for frappuccinos is the Ninja BL770. Equipped with its signature Total Crushing Pitcher, it is the best option when crushing ice quickly and evenly. However, that’s not the only trick this blender has up its sleeve, as it also features an impressive selection of blades and other attachments to improve its versatility.
Behind all these blades and blending cups, this Ninja blender is powered by a 1500-watt motor. That puts it on the higher end of the power scale for personal blenders and makes it powerful enough to chew through ice, dry ingredients, nut butter, or anything else you want to use it for.
The only major downside of this blender is its lack of speed settings. It has four in total, including a pulse setting. It’s just enough for most everyday uses, though fans of Vitamix blenders may find themselves wishing for a few extra options.
Blendtec Classic 575
What we Liked:
- Blade never needs to be replaced or sharpened
- High-power motor
- Durable plastic pitcher
What we Didn’t Like:
- More expensive
If you’re planning on making frappuccinos regularly, one factor you should probably consider is blade replacement. Blenders that use sharp-edged blades will eventually dull, and when they’re cutting through ice, probably sooner rather than later. That’s why the Blendtec Classic 575 is such a great pick, as it uses a thick and durable stainless steel blade that never needs to be replaced or sharpened.
The way it works is by using its powerful motor to pulverize ingredients rather than cut through them. The results speak for yourself, and if you’re not convinced, you can see it in action for yourself in any of the Will It Blend videos below!
It’s a great all-around pick. The only thing you might not like about it is the price tag, which may be a bit high for some people’s budgets. Though when you consider the money you’re saving on replacement blades, you may find it worth the extra cost.
Ninja BL660
What we Liked:
- Affordable
- Single-serve blending cups
- Relatively quiet
What we Didn’t Like:
- Less powerful than the BL770
- Relatively few speed settings
Ninja blender models are known for being a bit low in power, which they make up for with razor-sharp blades that cut through ice, frozen fruit, nuts, and more. Just like the 770 model, the Ninja BL660 is ideally suited to making frozen drinks like frappuccinos. The main difference is that it has a lower-powered motor and fewer accessories.
Though just because it’s not as strong as the more expensive options doesn’t mean it can’t hold its own. Its 1100-watt motor is perfectly capable of making frappuccinos and may even do so more quietly than other blenders. It also comes with a good selection of add-ons, like the Nutri-Ninja cups, which let you blend individual servings that you can take on the go.
However, it has the same overall design as other Ninja blender models and is great at crushing ice in the blink of an eye. It’s the ideal choice for anyone who has their heart set on this particular brand but needs to cut down on price.
Vitamix E310
What we Liked:
- Highly durable
- Good number of speed settings
What we Didn’t Like:
- Louder than other blenders
Vitamix blender models are known for their durability, which makes them a great choice for frappuccinos and other frozen drinks. Even with regular use, their thick plastic pitcher and stainless steel blades will stand the test of time, cutting down on replacement costs. The Vitamix E310 is the company’s flagship personal blender and offers everything you need to make authentic frappuccinos.
One of our favorite things about this blender is the number of speed settings it offers. With ten settings in total, plus a pulse feature, it’s easy to get your frappuccino exactly the consistency you like. It also makes it more versatile, letting you whip up everything from smoothies to nut butter in a flash.
Cleanblend Commercial Blender
What we Liked:
- 1800-watt motor
- Affordable price
- Range of variable speed controls
What we Didn’t Like:
- The automatic shutoff feature sometimes gets in the way
As the most powerful personal blender on our list, it’s easy to understand the appeal of the Cleanblend Commercial Blender. By bringing professional-level power into home kitchens, it may be the best option to get commercial results when making frappuccinos and other frozen drinks.
The added power of this blender will let you make frozen drinks faster and more consistently than the competition. With a full 1800 watts at your fingertips, you’ll never struggle to crush ice in seconds. But beyond its power, it also has a good range of speed settings, which give you full control. For fine-tuned blending, you can even use the pulse setting.
It comes with an automatic shutoff feature which is designed to prevent the motor from overheating. However, in some cases, it can be a bit of a nuisance, as it may shut off your blender if you’re working on high speed for too long.
Best Blender for Making Frappuccinos – Buyers Guide
Blending your own frappuccinos is as much an art as it is a science, which means you need a blender that is versatile, powerful, and well designed. To help you make the right choice, we’ve broken down all the most important factors that go into the perfect choice.
Speed Settings
The key to making a perfect frappuccino is all in the ice. You need a blender that’s powerful enough to crack through it, but more importantly, you need one that can get exactly the texture you need for authentic results. That means speed settings that can give you precise control over your blend.
Generally, the best way to make crushed ice in a blender is with the pulse setting. This lets you toggle the blades on and off at the press of a button, which is a great way to ensure you don’t over-blend and accidentally make snow cone ice.
Jar Material
Blending ice for frappuccinos can definitely take a toll on your blender, which means you want to choose one that can stand up to heavy-duty use. Plastic is a great choice for this as it can withstand wide swings in temperature and won’t shatter if accidentally dropped. However, plastic has a tendency to scratch after a few uses. This won’t affect how well it blends, though it looks a bit shabby.
Tempered glass is the other blender jar material to consider. While it is used commonly in many high-end designs, it comes with a major disadvantage when making frozen drinks. Even when properly tempered, glass can break when it undergoes quick changes in temperature. This applies to both hot and cold temperatures, which can pose a risk when making shakes, smoothies, and frappuccinos.
Power
The power of your blender is measured in watts and should be one of the first things you look for when making your choice. Different blender models’ power output can range widely, from as low as 300 watts for cheap $20 blenders, up to 2000 watts for commercial blenders. For a home-use personal blender, you’re looking for something in between.
When crushing ice for a frappuccino, you’ll want at least 700 watts at your fingertips. This will ensure the blades spin fast enough with enough force to crush the ice without jamming. A more powerful engine will also help prevent burnout. When a weaker blender tries to tear through materials like ice or nut butter, they risk overheating and ruining the motor permanently.
Noise
One factor to keep in mind when gauging your blender’s power output is noise. Generally, a more powerful blender is going to make more of a racket, so it’s best to weigh these two factors against one another. Rather than simply choosing the most powerful blender, you might prefer a middle-range one.
However, the amount of noise a given blender will make is actually a bit more complicated than simply looking at the wattage. A well-made blender with the right sound-dampening design can actually run quieter than a less powerful one.
So what’s the best way to know for sure? Take a look at customer reviews. If a blender is loud, it will be one of the first things a buyer will mention.
Blade
When working with tough materials like ice or dry ingredients, you want to make sure your blender’s blade is highly durable. There are a few factors that go into this, like shape and material, but the most important is the blade’s thickness. Of course, a thicker blade is going to be more durable than a thinner one.
The blade’s type is also worth considering. Some blenders use fine, sharp blades to cut through ingredients, while others use flat, dull ones to pulverize them at high impact. Both styles have their advantages and disadvantages, though for crushing ice, the second type is probably the most useful. The reason for this is that sharp blades will dull quickly when used to crush ice on a regular basis, forcing you to replace them after only a short time.
Price
Generally, the more you pay upfront, the better value you’ll get for your money. While this is true of most kitchen appliances, it’s especially so of blenders as they tend to have a shorter lifespan than most others. In fact, you can expect a high-end blender to last an average of two years longer than a mid-range one.
While price makes a big impact on quality, you’re generally safe as long as you look for models over $100 or more. What you want to avoid are budget blenders which will break more easily and are usually not powerful enough to crush ice for frappuccinos.
How to Make Your Own Frappuccino
As long as you have the right blender, making a frappuccino at home is simple and only takes a few minutes. Start by gathering all your ingredients and follow this step-by-step frappuccino recipe.
- About two cups of ice cubes (the smaller the better)
- ½ cup espresso grounds (or instant coffee)
- ½ cup milk or almond milk
- 3 TB superfine sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- Whipped cream, caramel sauce, chocolate syrup, or other toppings
- Make Your Espresso
There are many different ways to make espresso, and if you’re feeling like taking a shortcut, feel free to buy an instant espresso mix and just add water. Whether you use this method, a fancy espresso machine, or a french press, you want one full cup when all’s said and done. Set your espresso aside to cool.
- Blend
Once your espresso is cool, pour it into your blender along with the ice, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Use the pulse setting on your blender until you have an even consistency.
- Pour, Top, and Serve
Choose your favorite glass and pour the contents of your pitcher into it. The classic frappuccino is topped with whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel. Though you can also try cocoa powder, cinnamon, or any other topping that sounds good to you. Enjoy with or without a straw.
Choosing the Best Blender for Making Frappuccinos
You won’t go wrong with any of our five top picks, though if you’re still having trouble deciding between them, we might be able to help narrow it down even further. While all are more than capable of making authentic frappuccinos, we found the Ninja BL770 to stand a bit taller than the competition.
The reason has to do with this Ninja Blender model’s Total Crushing Pitcher, which is specially designed to make crushed ice in seconds. It gives it the edge needed to eke out a win, and we’re confident that if you try it for yourself, you won’t be disappointed.
