I Asked 4 Food Editors To Name the Best Blender—They All Said the Same Thing

This is the blender that really does it all.

It began innocently enough with a simple desire to whip up a morning smoothies. Yet, my blender quickly evolved into an essential kitchen tool, far surpassing its original purpose. From sauces and creamy soups to fresh pestos and homemade mayo, my blender has endured its fair share of culinary adventures.

There was even an incident with the golden milk, a turmeric-staining catastrophe. In a desperate bid afterward to restore my blender to its former glory, I left it basking in the sunlight (thanks for the tip, Reddit), and like magic, the yellow tint faded away. My blender and I are ride or die.

Given my blender's central role in my kitchen, I couldn't help but wonder if professional food editors felt the same way. Did they, too, have a blender they couldn’t live without? To find out, I reached out to four top food editors. They all declared the same blender the ultimate kitchen essential.

The 4 Food Editors I Asked

• Breana Killeen M.P.H, RD: Food editor of Food & Wine, recipe developer, farmer, and dietitian

• Chandra Ram: Associate Editorial Director of Food & Wine

• Sarah Crowder: Art Director of Simply Recipes

• Myo Quinn: Associate Editorial Director of Simply Recipes and Gramercy Tavern alum
  

The Best Blender, According to Food Editors

The winning make and model among food editors is the Vitamix 5200. Why do they all favor this blender? It boils down to several key factors, including durability, power, and versatility.

Whether these pros are experimenting with new recipes or replicating traditional dishes, this Vitamix blender offers the reliability and efficiency they need. “It’s never failed me,” Breana declares.

Of course, the Vitamix 5200 is ideal for professional restaurants, notes Myo, because the motor is super powerful, and the speed is easy to control. But it’s also suited to home cooking. “At Gramercy Tavern, we blended everything under the sun, and the motor never overheated. So I knew it was the only blender I’d buy for my own kitchen,” she says. “There’s no need to pay up for pre-set functions—This one has an on/off switch and speed level, and that’s really all you need in a blender.”

“I've used it for everything from making smoothies to grinding coffee beans, and blending soaked rice and legumes to make dosa batter, which you can't do with a regular blender. It's such a workhorse in my kitchen,” says Chandra, “but I feel like it is tough enough to last forever.”

It’s not only versatile and durable, notes Sarah. It’s also easy to operate. “I love the simple interface. For cleaning, I usually follow their recommendation of adding a few drops of dish liquid to water and whirring it together—easy!”

The Vitamix is so convenient that Sarah stores the heavy appliance on her countertop alongside the other equipment she keeps in heavy rotation. “I use it almost daily for soups, salad dressings, homemade nut milk, and nut butter. I use the tamper tool instead of adding liquid when I want a thick mixture because I love thick shakes and blender banana bread.”

She has just one caveat: “It's so powerful that it's not always a great substitute for a food processor because it tends to obliterate whatever you put in it.” Pulsing, she notes, helps keep ingredients from getting too hot or liquefied.

After hearing raves from my food editor pals, I popped into my favorite bakery in San Francisco, Jane the Baker, and learned that owner Amanda Michael’s favorite is also the Vitamix 5200. “Hands down!” she says. “We use it endlessly in the kitchen and in the bakery.”

With all of those professional endorsements, it’s clear to me which blender I’m purchasing next. I’m already taking notes about grinding coffee beans in my upcoming Vitamix 5200!

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