The Best Portable Blender for Smoothies and Blended Drinks on the Go

Aug 12, 2023

By Amanda Shapiro

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If you love smoothies, protein shakes, and frozen bevs as much as I do, you know there's no telling when the urge to blend will strike. So, when my ancient Nutribullet Pro finally bit the dust this year, I decided to replace it with a portable blender: something I could easily take on road trips, vacations, or just to my co-working space. After trying five of the highest-reviewed travel blenders on Amazon—and dealing with dead batteries, chunky green smoothies, and overheating motors—I can confidently say that the Cuisinart EvolutionX Cordless Rechargeable Compact Blender is not only the best portable blender but the only one worth your money.

Before we get into what makes the Cuisinart EvolutionX blender great, let's review some kitchen appliance terminology. What's the difference between a personal blender, a portable blender, and a cordless blender? Compared to full-size blenders—which have powerful motors and, as a result, a large, heavy base—personal blenders have a smaller footprint and come with, yes, personal-size cups. Nutribullet, for example, sells primarily personal blenders. (Full-size blender systems like Vitamix may also come with personal-size cups.)

For the most part, portable and cordless blenders are one and the same. But some blenders advertised as "portable" are really just "personal," meaning they’re small and light but still require AC power to run. Personal blenders are portable in the sense that you can stash one in your beach bag, but you’re not going to be able to use it once you’re on the beach, unless your beach has a power outlet.

Cordless blenders are the only true portable blender since they can be used anywhere, as long as they’re charged. (Though "cordless" is a bit of a misnomer because a cord is essential for charging the lithium batteries they run on.) So, ahem, in conclusion, not all personal blenders are cordless, but all cordless blenders are personal and portable. For this story I reviewed cordless blenders only.

Now you may be wondering: "Why would I need a cordless portable blender?" It's a fair question, and one that I heard often when I mentioned I was reviewing portable blenders. So before we get into it, here are just some of the places a portable blender could come in handy:

One Amazon reviewer even reported taking it to restaurants for his wife, who has a medical condition that requires her to eat puréed food.

In short, not everyone needs a cordless blender, but for some it can be an indispensable item.

The Cuisinart EvolutionX was the most reliable, indestructible, and easy-to-use portable blender I tried. It blends frozen fruit and ice as well as my Nutribullet and almost as well as a Vitamix. It charges quickly and easily via USB cord (under two hours for a full charge), and provides 20 minutes of continuous blending per charge. That may not sound like a lot, but consider that most smoothies take 10 seconds max to blend. Also, if for some reason you did try to run the EvolutionX for the full 20 minutes of battery life, it would automatically shut off before it overheats. The EvolutionX is also the quietest blender I’ve ever used, including both personal and full-size.

The single-button control is dead simple, and there are three LED lights along the base, which indicate the battery level so you’re never stuck with a dead blender. And even if that happens, you can quick-charge the unit for 15 minutes and get enough juice for one or two smoothies.

At just over two pounds and with a compact design, the EvolutionX came with me on two airplanes and multiple road trips, and it survived being dropped on the floor at least once. Meanwhile its closest competitor, the BlenderX (which weighs twice as much) came on all those journeys too and stopped charging after a few weeks of use.

I also like that, unlike other portable blenders like PopBabies, the EvolutionX's blade can separate from the cup for easy cleaning. And the 16-ounce, dishwasher safe blender cup is ample compared to other single-serve cups and comes with a travel lid for mess-free transport.

When it comes to blenders, more power = more effective crushing and blending. And because cordless portable blenders run on rechargeable batteries, they’ll never have as much wattage as corded ones. For reference, your kitchen's power outlets supply 120 volts, while even the most powerful cordless blender I tried supplied only 24.

That said, I tested the Cuisinart EvolutionX on a six-week trip, and it worked beautifully for my needs. I used it daily for protein shakes (milk, protein powder, frozen banana, and frozen spinach) and once or twice a week for salad dressings and simple sauces. What's more, I only had to pull out the charger once. I never had to stir or scrape down the sides, and I didn't notice a difference in efficiency between the Cuisinart and my Nutribullet Pro. Neither can compete with my Vitamix in terms of smooth, even texture, but the EvolutionX comes pretty close.

The Cuisinart EvolutionX has now replaced my Nutribullet. I keep it on my kitchen island, which isn't close to power, and charge it monthly. But if you’re using your blender for things other than fruit smoothies, soups, or baby food purées (e.g. crushing large quantities of ice cubes or pulverizing fibrous vegetables) or if you need to blend in bulk, a portable blender won't replace your full-size blender.

As I mentioned above, the battery-powered EvolutionX doesn't quite reach the textural standards of a high-quality, full-size blender. There are no measurements on the side of the blending cup, which is typical for personal-size blenders and annoying if you’re following a recipe. It also won't turn on while the USB port is in use. Lastly, at around $75 to $80, it's more expensive than most competitors, but after experiencing frequent glitches and poor blending with other portable blenders, I can safely say the effectiveness, longevity, and versatility of the EvolutionX makes it worth the price.