7 best blenders, tried and tested for super-quick smoothies, sauces and more

When it comes to kitchen appliances you’ll get some serious use out of, blenders are up there with the best of them. Not only do they have a (relatively) small footprint for bijou kitchens, they also take the elbow grease out of myriad types of meal prep – from sauces and dips to smoothies and nut butters, blenders are there to deliver at the press of a button.

As we have come to discover, the term blender encompasses a fair few things. First of all, there are stick blenders, which are handy for sticking into a jug or pan to blitz soups and smoothies, for example. Then there are jug blenders, which you might equate with smoothies and milkshakes. Some blenders also cover ground as food processors, offering up grating, slicing and spiralising attachments.

But be not afraid if you’re unaccustomed. When choosing the best blenders, you want to consider how much kitchen space you have. Real estate in our kitchen is a finely balanced thing, and some of these bad boys