Head-to-head · Best Blenders for Smoothies

Ninja Professional Plus BN701 vs Vitamix Explorian E310

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Vitamix Explorian E310 comes out ahead by a clear margin (4.3 vs 4.7). The gap is mostly about one-to-three-person households who want Vitamix smoothie quality without paying flagship 5200 prices — read the strengths below before deciding.

Ranked #4 in Best Blenders for Smoothies

Ninja Professional Plus BN701

4.3

$99.95as of Jun 7

The Ninja Professional Plus BN701 is the budget pick and America's Test Kitchen's value choice. With 1400 peak watts, Total Crushing blades, and three Auto-iQ presets, it makes excellent berry smoothies and milkshakes for around $100, though it leaves small pieces of kale in green smoothies. TechGearLab calls it "an absolute steal" for smoothie and blended-drink enthusiasts. Best for budget buyers who blend mostly fruit-based drinks.

Strengths

— America's Test Kitchen's budget pick — "makes solid smoothies, crushed ice, and mayo, and it's relatively quiet"
— 1400 peak watts and Total Crushing blades make excellent berry smoothies and milkshakes
— Three Auto-iQ presets (smoothie, frozen drink, ice) for one-touch blending

Watch-outs

— Struggles to fully puree leafy greens — small kale pieces remain
— Louder and harder to clean than the Vitamix and Breville picks
— Stacked blade assembly takes care to wash safely

$99.95 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Higher ratedRanked #2 in Best Blenders for Smoothies

Vitamix Explorian E310

4.7

$379.95as of Jun 7

The Vitamix Explorian E310 is the value Vitamix: it delivers the brand's signature smooth texture and the same manual variable-speed control as the 5200 for around $100 less. TechGearLab scored it 85/100 — higher than the 5200's overall in their rubric — and RTINGS calls it "remarkable for multi-purpose use." The 48 oz container is smaller, so it suits one-to-three-person households more than large families.

Strengths

— Nearly Vitamix-5200-level smoothie texture for roughly $100 less — TechGearLab scored it 85/100
— Same simple variable-speed control philosophy as the flagship, with a 2-HP motor
— Compact 48 oz container fits more cabinets than the 5200's tall jar

Watch-outs

— No smoothie presets — you run the dial manually
— 48 oz jar is smaller than the 5200's 64 oz for big-batch households
— Green smoothies take a little extra run time to reach silky texture

$379.95 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Ninja Professional Plus BN701

The power-per-dollar pick: around $100 with a bigger 72 oz pitcher than the Breville Fresh & Furious, and it crushes ice as well as anything here. But it leaves kale pieces the Breville's green-smoothie program smooths out, and it can't match the Vitamix 5200 or Vitamix Explorian E310 on texture or durability.

Vitamix Explorian E310

The value-Vitamix: nearly the Vitamix 5200's texture for about $100 less, but in a smaller 48 oz jar. Smoother and far more durable than the Breville Fresh & Furious and Ninja BN701; bigger and far more capable than the single-serve NutriBullet Pro 900.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Ninja Professional Plus BN701	Vitamix Explorian E310
Power	1400W peak (1200W base)	1491W (2 HP)
Capacity	72 oz (64 oz liquid)	48 oz
Speed Control	3 speeds + Pulse	Variable 1-10 + Pulse
Programs	3 Auto-iQ (Smoothie, Frozen Drink, Ice)	None (manual)
Container Material	BPA-free Total Crushing pitcher	BPA-free Tritan
Dishwasher Safe	Yes (pitcher, lid, blades)	Self-cleaning
Warranty	1-year limited	5-year full
Footprint	17 in tall	17.5 in tall docked

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