The kitchen appliance market is populated with a multitude of blenders serving a variety of functions. Some people can’t live without a blender in their kitchen and use it almost every day to prepare smoothies, milkshakes, soups, salsas, dips, and more. Other people don’t even own one!
If you enjoy a good margarita like the rest of us, then you can up your game by investing in a decent blender to help you create frozen margaritas for you and all your friends. We researched and reviewed five blenders to find the best blender for margaritas of 2019.
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Best Blender for Margaritas: Brief Reviews
1. Oster Reverse Crush Counterforms Blender
Oster have been producing high-quality kitchen products for over 70 years and unsurprisingly, are now one of the most widely recognized blender brands in the USA.
Product Highlights
The first blender that made it to our list is the Counterforms Blender from Oster since it provides a good balance between performance and price.
- Performance
With 1000 watts of power, the Oster Reverse Crush Counterforms Blender delivers 600 watts for blending at seven different speeds from low to high pulse. The Crush Pro six-point design stainless steel blades will pulverize and chop anything you need with precision, so working on the ice needed for frozen margaritas is easier and faster.
The pre-programmed smart settings will also help to take the guesswork out of blending with an easy-to-use one-touch button for frozen drinks. There is another one for chopping food so that you can use this blender for many of your kitchen needs, not just cocktails!
- Ease of Use
This blender has been built with a two-ounce filler cap with built-in markers so that you can more readily measure and pour ingredients into the blender. The dual direction blade technology also means that the blades move in reverse to prevent any jams from occurring which makes blending dryer foods easier. The six cup (48 ounces) Boroclass glass jar is also dishwasher-safe making for easy cleanup.
- Inclusion
With Oster’s ten-year limited warranty on the Duralast all-metal drive, you also know that you’re getting a blender that will last you for years to come. No other blender on this list offers such a long warranty and it really makes a difference when you’re investing in a long-term purchase such as this.
The Good
We love the fact that the Oster Reverse Crush Counterforms Blender's lid doubles as a measuring device. We also love its easy one-touch “frozen drinks” button which blends cocktails to perfection with no guesswork needed.
The Bad
The only thing we don’t like about the Oster Reverse Crush Counterforms Blender is that it’s quite noisy against some other blenders. Also, the base is very bulky when you compare it against the other blenders on this list.
Pros:
- Easy to use and clean
- Versatile
- Prevents jamming
- Dual-purpose lid
- Risk-free purchase
Cons:
- Bulky base
- Noisy operation
- Basic, common design
2. Cosori Upgraded Personal Blender
Cosori products are designed in the USA and manufactured in China to offer innovative products to suit your lifestyle, at prices everyone can afford.
Product Highlights
The second blender on our list is the personal blender from Cosori which, despite being called a personal blender, is the ideal size for preparing margarita’s for two to four people at a time (depending on how large you like your margaritas!). With two x 24 ounce containers and one twelve-ounce container, you can match your container size to your party’s needs.
- Performance
This 800-watt machine is equipped with overheat and overload protection and will help you with any of your ice-crushing, blending, and pureeing needs. This also allows you to use it for many drinks as well as food.
The Cosori Upgraded Personal Blender features three different blade edges to best suit a variety of different ingredients to get them into their most absorptive state. The sharp edges are good for your veggies and fruits and the blunt edges are great for ice, seeds, and nuts.
- Ease of Use
This blender is extremely easy to operate with just three pushbuttons. A start-and-stop button controls a long continuous blend while the auto mode button will pulse blend ingredients together for three seconds with a one-second break. Lastly, the pulse button will pulse blend your ingredients together while you hold it down for the highest speed settings.
- Inclusions
The Cosori Upgraded Personal Blender comes fully equipped with the three containers as well as storage and travel lids, a cleaning brush, and recipe book. The containers are 100% BPA-free and dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
Cosori also provides a two-year warranty with a 60-day money-back guarantee if you’re not completely happy with the device which again, offers great peace of mind when purchasing.
The Good
We love the accessible, low price of the Cosori Upgraded Personal Blender. If you want to impress your friends by making perfect margaritas every time and think you’ll get more use out of blender for drinks rather than food, then this is an ideal option.
The Bad
This blender wouldn’t be ideal for larger parties since the maximum blending capacity at any one time is just 24 ounces.
Pros:
- Great size for frozen drinks and smoothies
- Three different containers
- Easy to use and clean
- Free recipe book
- Risk-free purchase
Cons:
- Containers are limited in size
- Not as versatile as some others
3. Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker
Global lifestyle brand Margaritaville started out back in 1985 by singer and songwriter Jimmy Buffet. His motto? "When life gives you limes, make a margarita", and this Frozen Concoction Maker will certainly help you do that!
Product Highlights
This Frozen Concoction Maker from Margaritaville is the perfect machine for making pitcher-fulls of fun, tropical party drinks that will be as good as you’ll find in any restaurant or bar.
As our premium pick, this product is quite pricey but it will look stylish on your kitchen counter. The design is such that it wouldn’t be suitable for anything but drinks, but if it’s in your budget, then it will make a great addition to any party.
- Performance
The Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker delivers 400 watts of ice shaving and blending power and with a 36-ounce jar, you can make perfect margaritas, Pina Coladas, or daiquiris for quite a few people in a matter of minutes.
The no-brainer mixing tool accessory will help you to measure out your cocktails at a glance. Its automatic shave and blend cycle will mix in the correct proportion of ice with the ingredients every time.
- Ease of Use
If you prefer to add some originality to your drinks, then there are also manual blend and shave-only options to change your drink consistency. Once they’re ready to go, the easy-pour jar allows you to open up the top and pour it straight into glasses without having to remove the lid.
- Inclusion
You can buy the Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker with peace of mind as it comes with a one-year limited warranty.
The Good
The Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker is a real splurge for hardcore margarita lovers since it has been designed specifically for the making and serving of frozen cocktails at parties!
The Bad
We don’t like the fact that the Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker won’t replace the need for another blender in your home. It wouldn’t be any good for blending or chopping foods, so you’d need a sizable kitchen to accommodate two blenders.
Pros:
- Specially made for margaritas
- Stylish design
- Easy to use
- Dishwasher safe
- Best for getting perfect consistency every time
- Risk-free purchase
Cons:
- Can’t be used as a normal blender
- Quite expensive
4. KitchenAid Five-Speed Classic Blender
KitchenAid is a fantastic heritage brand that has been operating since 1919, helping you get the most out of making food and drinks. This classic five-speed blender has a variety of uses which will make it an excellent all-round addition to your home.
Product Highlights
Jumping straight from a specific concoction or margarita maker to a classic all-rounder, this blender from KitchenAid can stir, chop, mix, puree, and liquefy on five different speed settings. It also features a special “crush ice” button which will automatically work to achieve optimal ice crushing results for your all-important margaritas.
- Performance
The build of the KitchenAid Five-Speed Classic Blender can’t be faulted with stainless steel blades, a robust motor, and a steel-enforced coupler to transfer power from the motor to the blades more efficiently. The coupler is coated for quieter operation too.
The motor also features a soft start feature which draws the ingredients into the blades before speeding up to your chosen setting. The intelligent-speed motor control will also sense the contents and maintain the optimal speed setting needed to work on all of your ingredients, whether they be food or drink related.
- Ease of Use
The 56-ounce pitcher is BPA-free, dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning, and has a useful two-ounce ingredient cap which is perfect for measuring out your tequila.
- Inclusion
KitchenAid also supplies a one-year limited warranty on all of their products to offer you peace of mind when purchasing. If anything should go wrong with the machine in the first year then KitchenAid will repair or replace the item for free.
The Good
We love the intelli-speed motor on the KitchenAid Five-Speed Classic Blender. Sometimes we’re not sure what speed to blend things on, but this blender will work it out for us.
Also, having the ice crushing option as a separate button is perfect for making margaritas and so straightforward that you can even trust your friends to make the next round!
The Bad
As the name suggests, this blender does look like a classic one so after looking at the Concoction Maker from Margaritaville, it does look quite plain and basic, like the one from Oster.
Pros:
- Robust intelligent-speed motor
- Soft start feature
- Easy to use ice crushing button
- The base is smaller than the blender from Oster
- Reputable, heritage brand
- Risk-free purchase
Cons:
- Basic design
- Large container; not ideal for single-serve
5. Ninja Professional Countertop Blender
The Ninja brand is owned by pioneers in the small household appliance industry that provides solutions to fit the lives of busy people. It manufactures state-of-the-art blender systems and this professional model really stands out from the crowd.
Product Highlights
This countertop blender from Ninja allows you to make more margaritas at one time. It is the largest blender featured on our list.
- Performance
This Ninja Professional Blender has 1100 watts of high-performance power, offering three speeds and a pulse function. It has a 72-ounce pitcher, with a 64-ounce maximum liquid capacity. This blender can pulverize ice to snow in just seconds for a variety of smoothies and frozen drinks.
It also features a single-serve blending button and comes complete with two 16 ounces “Nutri Ninja Cups” so that you can make smaller amounts when appropriate. They also come with to-go lids which make them perfect for making and carrying out your favorite drinks with ease.
- Inclusions
All of the blending containers, namely the pitcher, cups, and lids, are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning, and BPA-free for safe use with food and drink. This blender also comes with an inspiration guide to help you get more use out of the machine, offering up ideas for various drinks, smoothies, and different ingredients that you could incorporate.
The Good
We love the fact that you have the option to make a lot of margaritas with the Ninja Professional Countertop Blender's pitcher, as well as make just a single-serve without having to wash up the pitcher since you can make it straight in the takeaway cup provided.
The Bad
Unfortunately, this blender is pretty noisy and the blades and three-speed settings aren’t really made for pureeing food so it is best used for drinks only.
Pros:
- Opportunity to blend large or small amounts
- Takeaway cups with lids included
- Dishwasher-safe
- Fast at crushing ice
Cons:
- Noisy operation
- Not very versatile
Buyers Guide
If you’re on the hunt for the best blender for margaritas and haven't been able to choose between the blenders featured here on our list, then use our buyers guide below to work out more precisely what it is you need and want from your blender.
1. Function
Thinking about the main functions of your blender is important. Will its main function in your life be to blend drinks or will you want it for food also?
You can buy blenders with a variety of functions: immersion hand blenders, personal blenders suited for making smoothies and milkshakes, conventional models, and high-performance units.
The premium or high-performance blenders also find other functions for their base and may have multiple accessories for chopping and processing, often utilizing the same base with different blades.
2. Power
Looking at the power of any given blender before buying is imperative to ensure that you buy something powerful enough for your needs. Typically a 400 or 500 watts blender will be enough for making frozen drinks, milkshakes, and smoothies. However, if you also want to use it for other things, then you may want to look for a blender with a bit more “oomph”.
When looking at power, you should also make sure that there are a few different speed settings available. Again, if you’re just making drinks, then two or three settings will suffice.
For blending other foods, though, you want a blender that offers around six speeds. More than ten is probably just for show and a bit of a waste.
3. Style
Style or design is important in a blender due to the way it looks, the way it pours, and the size. If you want your margarita mixer to stand out from the crowd and provide a feature at your next party, then you’ll also have to consider the style of the blender.
Some blenders can be distinctive and unique and you may even have them on display in your kitchen at all times. On the other hand, some blenders might be best stored in a cupboard in the kitchen as their style and design are more basic and functional.
Some blenders have easy-to-use pouring spouts built-in to the design but can be more difficult to clean. The size of your blender should be a big consideration here and you should think about your storage options before choosing an appropriately sized blender.
Some blenders are bulkier than others and will require larger storage spaces. Also remember that you might have a height limit between your countertop and cupboards.
4. Cost
As with everything, the cost will be a huge considering factor when choosing a new blender for your home. Take time to work out what you can afford within your budget, and see if it accommodates all your needs.
Generally, the more functions a blender has, the more expensive it will be, but it may save you from buying other appliances down the line. You should also expect to pay more for premium market brands.
5. Technology
The technology available in each blender will differ so you’ll need to ask yourself if a particular blender is equipped to dealing with ice properly. Some blades are better suited to shaving and crushing ice, and others are better suited to chopping and pureeing food. Thus, the first thing you’ll need to decide on is if you will be making margaritas exclusively or if you’d also like to use the blender in making other things such as salsa, soups, and dips.
You can also find blenders that offer soft starts to help draw ingredients towards the blades before speeding up. Some blenders also feature reverse blade technology and they are particularly great for blending dryer food ingredients without jamming up.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can you Blend Ice Cubes in a Blender?
You can crush and blend ice in most blenders. The best way to do so is to add ice cubes to the device and then blend it on the pulse setting. Usually five to seven, two-second pulses will be enough to crush the ice down to be used in drinks.
2. Can You Crush Ice With a Hand Blender?
From their original ice cube state, it’s probably not wise to try using a hand blender to crush ice. If you can break it down a bit first, such as trying to put the ice in a bag and hitting it with a hammer or mallet, then you can add it to a drink as ice chips and blend it with a hand blender.
3. What’s the Difference Between a Mixer and a Blender?
A margarita mixer or shaker will effectively just “mix” or “shake” your ingredients together whereas a blender will use blades to cut ingredients, namely ice in the case of a margarita. The motion of the blender will also mix the ingredients but mixing isn’t the primary goal of a blender.
4. What Are the Ingredients for Margarita?
To make a classic margarita, you’ll need two ounces of tequila, one ounce of Cointreau, and one ounce of lime juice.
5. How Do You Serve a Margarita?
There are a few different ways you can serve margaritas. Classic margaritas are served on the rocks which means over cubes of ice, but you can also serve a margarita over crushed ice, or frozen (made with ice in a blender).
Conclusion
Despite initially falling in love with the Frozen Concoction Maker from Margaritaville, if we wanted a blender specifically for drinks, then we’d probably go for the Ninja Professional as it has a greater capacity and the option for single serves.
Our favorite blender, though, was the one from KitchenAid since we love that it has other functions, which means we can get more use out of it. You may not want or need these features now but it could save you a bit of money in a few years time if your situation changes and you suddenly have a desire to blend food!
Considering that we were on the hunt, specifically, for the best blender for margaritas of 2019, we have to make the Ninja Professional Blender our overall winner. Just don’t blame us if you have to buy yourself a second blender in the near future. Cheers!