Best Blender for Protein Shakes in 2024: Reviews and Buyer’s Guide

Best Blender for Protein Shakes

Do you wish you could make your own delicious protein shakes at home? 

If so, then we’ve got you covered! 

Choosing a blender for making protein shakes and smoothies can be difficult due to all the factors involved, but we’re going to shine the spotlight on some of the best options to make your life much easier. 

From countertop powerhouses to pleasingly portable designs, we’ll take a look at the best protein shake blenders you can buy. 

👑 Our Pick for Best Overall

⭐ Our Other Top Protein Shake Blender Picks

• Best of the Best: NutriBullet NBR-1201 High-Speed Blender
• Best on a Budget: Kacsoo Portable Glass Blender 
• Best Premium Option: Vitamix 5200

Best Blender for Protein Shakes Reviews

NutriBullet NBR-1201 High-Speed Blender (👑 Top Pick)

Featuring a powerful 600-watt motor, and a blade designed to get all the nutrients from whichever whole foods you put in it, the Nutribullet 12-piece blender is ideal for blending the perfect protein shake. 

The USP of this unit is its power. 

Not only does the Nutribullet NBR-1201 allow the user to make a perfectly smooth protein shake within a matter of mere seconds, but also to add whatever fruit (or veg) they like for a better end result, and without the skins or seeds! 

When you buy this product, you will also receive two portable cups which are very handy for when you’re in a rush and you want to drink your protein shake on the go. 

Features: 

• 600-watt motor 
• Nutrient-extraction blades 
• 2 cups (18oz and 24oz) 

Vitamix 5200 (✨ Best Premium Option)

Next up we have the Vitamix 5200 blender, which boasts variable speed control allowing for a variety of textures for your protein shake or smoothie. 

Vitamix knows that not everyone likes their shake the same way, so they have designed a blender which caters to all tastes and preferences. 

This blender also features a large 64-ounce container which lends itself to large quantities, for those moments when you want to make shakes for you and all your friends post-workout. 

You can even make a big batch in advance, just as you might meal prep for the week, to give yourself more time in the gym and less in the kitchen. 

Features: 

• Various speed settings 
• 64-ounce container 
• Stainless-steel blades 
• Self-cleaning functionality 

Hamilton Beach Power Elite 

The Hamilton Beach Power Elite provides excellent value for money. 

A powerful 700-watt motor and 40oz glass pitcher make this blender a force to be reckoned with. You can rest assured that this blender will take care of all of your smoothie and protein shake needs, and with impressive speed too. 

It also features wave action which, as you can imagine, ensures all non-tough whole food ingredients are dragged down into the blades enough times to be thoroughly liquefied. 

You will have 12 different blending functions at your disposal, to create everything from refreshing smoothies, to nourishing protein shakes, and even ice drinks. 

Cleanup is simple too, so you don’t have to worry about spending your afternoon cleaning up the mess. 

Features: 

• 700-watts 
• Wave action system 
• 12 blending functions 

Kacsoo Portable Glass Blender (💸 Best on a Budget)

The Kacsoo portable glass blender is the best protein shake blender for anyone who enjoys a smoothie or protein shake on the go. 

While countertop blenders provide power and can blend the toughest of whole food ingredients, the incredibly light Kacsoo portable glass blender provides a portable option so you can create your protein shake wherever you are. 

Powered by a rechargeable battery – which should last up to a week at a time – you can even take this blender to the gym with you if you didn’t have time to make your shake at home. When it runs out of power, simply plug it in with a USB and away you go. 

Finally, the blender is cordless and quiet, so it’s not likely to get in your way, or disturb fellow gym goers should you decide to use it mid-training session. 

Features: 

• Rechargeable battery 
• USB slot 
• 16 500 RPM speed 
• Cordless 

Ninja Professional Countertop Blender BL660 

The Ninja Professional Countertop Blender is a highly efficient blender, with more than enough power to take care of frozen ingredients. 

The flavor and nutrition of protein shakes can be enhanced with the addition of frozen food like berries, so why not choose a blender with the ability to deal with frozen ingredients to avoid having to defrost them. 

With a staggering power of 1100 watts, and 3 performance settings, you can make the protein shake of your dreams. 

Included with the blender are two 16oz Nutri Ninja cups, so you can take your smoothies or protein shakes with you wherever you go. 

Features: 

• 1100 watts 
• 72 oz pitcher 
• Comes with two 16oz Nutri Ninja cups 

Oster BLSTPB-WBL My Blend 

The Oster My Blend blender is both a portable blender and a sports bottle. 

This blender allows you to create a protein shake with just the simple press of a button, and since it doubles up as a sports bottle, you can take it with you on your next run or training session. 

Holding up to 20oz, this blender-meets-sports bottle is the perfect size for when you’re out and about and in need of a smoothie or protein shake. 

Operating with 250 watts, you can blend ice and a whole host of whole foods in this blender, ideal for a cold refreshing drink after a challenging workout. 

Features: 

• 20oz bottle 
• 400 watts 

Nutri Ninja Pro BL456 

A powerful blender fitted with a 900-watt motor, you can expect to get all of those precious nutrients and vitamins in your smoothies or protein shakes with the Nutri Ninja Pro BL456. 

This blender features nutrient extracting blades which are perfect for crushing seeds, tearing up skins, and leaving only the good stuff behind for your shake. 

With 2 cups of 18oz and 24oz, you will be able to enjoy your protein shake at home, in the gym, or even in the car should you so desire. 

You also have the ability to manually pulse with this blender, meaning if you aren’t satisfied with the texture, you can do something about it to make the perfect shake for you. 

Features: 

• 900 watts 
• Nutrient extraction blades 
• Manual pulse option 
• 2 cups (18oz and 24oz) 

What to Consider When Choosing a Protein Shake Blender

If you’re looking to invest in the best blender for smoothies and protein shakes, then there are a few important factors you should consider. 

While most blenders will be up to the task of creating great protein shakes, not all of them will be best suited to your personal preferences. These preferences can usually be satisfied with the following 3 factors: 

1. Power 

While power isn’t everything, it counts for a lot when it comes to blending the perfect protein shake. 

You’ll want a blender that’s capable of taking care of any ingredients you’re going to want in your shake or smoothie. 

To that end, a power of around 500 watts is a good starting point. 

With 500 watts the blender will make short work of ice, and most whole foods. If you want to get all the nutritional value from the skins of fruits, and mix up nuts into your shake, you’ll probably want an even more powerful motor. 

Naturally, countertop blenders are more powerful than their portable counterparts, but some portable units hold their own, so which type you opt for will come down to personal preference. 

2. Portability 

If you love the idea of taking your protein shake to the gym with you, or drinking in to or from training in your car, then you’ll benefit from having a portable blender. 

While most blenders come with portable cups that you can take wherever you go, the majority of them will require that you make the shake at home. 

However, if you want to be able to take your blender with you, and make the shake at the gym for example, then you’ll want to choose a portable design with rechargeable batteries. 

With increased portability though you will sacrifice the amount you are able to produce, so bear this in mind. 

3. Size 

If you were wondering if size matters for choosing a blender, it does. 

If you will only ever make smoothies or shakes for yourself, then it won’t necessarily matter which blender you opt for. 

But if you fancy making large batches to save yourself time, or preparing ready-to-go shakes for the week’s workouts, then you’ll want to go for a blender with a bigger container. 

A container of 60oz or more will prove especially useful if you plan on sharing smoothies or shakes with friends and family, or even just if you want to minimise the time you spend in the kitchen preparing them for yourself. 

Related: Best Blender for Bulletproof Coffee

Frequently Asked Questions About Protein Shake Blenders

Can you use a blender for protein shakes? 

Absolutely! 

Blenders are not only great for making all kinds of juices and smoothies, but are also well-equipped to create nourishing post or pre-workout protein shakes. 

If you’re used to drinking protein shakes with extra ingredients like ice or nuts for example, then you will have to choose a blender accordingly, since not all blenders are designed to blend tougher ingredients. 

Similarly, if you like the extra nutrition that can be had from blending whole foods, then you would benefit from picking a blender like the Nutri Ninja Pro BL456 which has specially-designed blades for extracting the most nutrition possible. 

Whichever blender you decide to invest in from the list will be more than capable of making a solid protein shake. 

What is the best blender to make protein shakes? 

The best blender to make protein shakes depends on what you want. If you want to make simple no-frills shakes and not break the bank, then your best bet is the Oster BLSTPB-WBL My Blend, which doubles up as a sports bottle. 

If you prefer your protein shakes to include frozen ingredients or nuts, then you’ll need a more powerful blender like the NutriBullet NBR-1201 12-piece high-speed blender for example. 

Or perhaps you prefer to make big batches so you and all your friends can enjoy a post-workout protein shake, in which case you might be best off with the large Ninja Professional Countertop Blender BL660. 

Once you figure out such factors as what kind of protein shakes you want to make, how much you want to spend, and if you want a portable blender, you will put yourself in a much better position to make an informed decision. 

Is NutriBullet good for protein shakes? 

Yes, NutriBullet is one of the best blender manufacturers out there, and they have a whole range of great blenders which can be used to make the perfect protein shake. 

Take the NutriBullet NBR-1201 12-piece high-speed blender for example (which we covered in this list), which is built to extract all of the nutrients from whole foods, and do so with impressive efficiency. 

It also comes with cups of different sizes, so that you can take your protein shakes with you to the gym. 

You can even blend ice too for those cold protein shakes you crave immediately after an intense session at the gym. 

How do you blend a protein shake without a blender? 

Your best bet to blend a protein shake without a blender is to use a good old-fashioned kitchen whisk. 

Once you’ve added everything you want in your shake to a cup or glass, proceed to stir the ingredients with a (preferably electric) whisk until combined. 

This method might be quite labour-intensive, especially if you only don’t have an electric whisk, but you can certainly get the job done with a bit of elbow grease. 

You likely won’t be able to achieve the smoothest of consistencies without a blender, but if you don’t yet have one, then it’s the best way to create your protein shake at home. 

A Final Word from Energetic Lifestyle

All of the blenders we’ve covered in this buyer’s guide have their strong points, so at the end of the day the decision boils down to what you ultimately want one for. 

Whichever model you choose, I’m sure you’ll be happy that you decided to invest, and you will be forever grateful that you can create as many smoothies and protein shakes at home as you want! 

Related: Best Blender for Juicing