Smeg Personal Blender review: a fun retro-styled blender for making single serve drinks to-go
One-minute review
Smeg is an appliance brand that needs little-to-no introduction. But, with that being said, when you’re thinking of buying one of the best blenders, it might not be Smeg that springs to mind first.
However, this is the go-to brand for some of the best-looking retro-style appliances including some of the best juicers and best espresso machines. And with a big range of matching 50’s style appliances, you can invest in several products in the range to keep your countertops looking coordinated.
This is Smeg’s only personal blender, though the brand does offer a full-size model and you can read the full review for that here. The Smeg personal blender comes with two to-go cups with leakproof lids. There are two blending speeds to choose from and the cup simply needs to be pressed down to initiate blending. It’s a pretty simple appliance.
On test, I found it easy to use and easy to clean. Blending was a bit hit-and-miss though, not all drinks were completely smooth and lump free. But a second one-minute blending cycle will usually do the trick to get rid of most remaining chunks. However, considering its okay performance, it’s an expensive choice - you’re paying for the appearance and brand name rather than a top performer.
Smeg Personal Blender review: price and availability
- List price: $169.95 / £109.95
The Smeg Personal Blender is widely available direct from the Smeg store on Amazon or via other independent retailers. The price is a bit steep in comparison to leading brands such as Nutribullet and Ninja. To some extent, you’re paying for Smeg's signature retro style.
On the plus side, the brand sells a whole host of small appliances styled to match, so you can kit out your kitchen with coordinating retro appliances in your favorite Smeg color.
- Value score: 3/5
Smeg Personal Blender review: specifications
Smeg Personal Blender review: design and features
- Two 20oz / 600ml cups
- Two blending speeds
- BPA free Tritan Renew cups
The overall size of this personal blender was around what I expected. It measures 13.2 x 5.6 x 5.4 inches / 33.5 x 14.2 x 13.6cm (h x w x d). And at 4lb / 2.5kg it’s easy to move around, so if you’d rather keep it in a cupboard than out on your counter you won’t struggle to move it.
It’s available in six colors; black, pastel blue, pastel green, pink, red, and white. In the UK there’s a cream option instead of black. I was sent the pink color for the review, which is definitely a love-it or hate-it color. Meanwhile, the curvy shape has a distinctly retro vibe that’ll suit some kitchens more than others.
It comes with two clear plastic blending cups that have a screw-on cap with a large drinking spout. A lid with a silicone seal can be screwed on top to seal the cup. The lid has a looped top that can be clipped to your bag, or it acts as a handle.
The cups are made from BPA-free Tritan Renew - so they’re shock and breakage resistant as well as made from 50% recycled content. There is something about the look of the bottle and spout, that reminds me of a baby's bottle though.
A blade assembly is attached to the bottle and then it’s upturned and placed on the base. A dial on the base of the blender offers two blending speeds. There’s not a start/stop button though - the blender starts when you push down on the bottle and stops when you release it. It’s not too hard on the arms for short bursts, though anyone with arm or wrist mobility issues will probably be better off getting a blender with a start/ top button.
The manual advises not blending for more than 60 seconds at a time, with 60-second breaks between each blending cycle. It can’t blend hot liquids, and only 4 ice cubes in a drink are recommended. It makes no mention of how much frozen fruit can be used though. But it does say hard ingredients should be cut into 0.4 inch/ 1cm pieces.
- Design score: 4/5
Smeg Personal Blender review: performance
- Doesn’t liquidize seeds
- Mixes powders well
- Simple to operate
For my first drink, I chose a simple combination of mixed frozen berries including raspberries, blackberries, and blackcurrants, and I blended these with almond milk and a scoop of protein powder. Opting for the higher of the two blending speeds, I pressed down on the upturned cup and blended for the maximum allowable time of 60 seconds.
The resulting bright pink drink was pretty well mixed, but the texture was somewhat gritty because it hadn’t succeeded in pulverizing the tiny berry seeds. What’s more, pieces of blackcurrant skin were also floating around in the drink.
For me, the drinking spout was comfortable to drink from and the bottle was comfortable to hold too. I also left the drink on its side for ten minutes to check the lid didn’t leak and thankfully nothing came out.
I tried a banana and chocolate shake which I made using milk, one sliced banana, a scoop of protein powder, four ice cubes, and 1 tbsp cocoa powder. This time, since it was mostly soft and powdery ingredients, I blended it at a lower speed and stopped it after 45 seconds when it looked like everything was well mixed.
I think because you’re having to push down on the top, the temptation is to stop sooner than you otherwise might. In hindsight, I should have left it blending for a bit longer, because when I got to the bottom of the drink there were some chunky banana pieces. The ice had been pulverized though and the powders were thoroughly mixed in too.
Lastly, I made a smoothie that we make in all of our blender reviews, it contained pineapple chunks, greek yogurt, fresh spinach, apple juice, and banana. This time I blended it for the full 60 seconds on the higher speed setting.
Afterwards, there were still some lumps in the cup so I blended for a further 60 seconds. The finished smoothie had a fibrous, pulpy texture but no lumps and no unblended pieces of spinach leaf. It wasn’t super silky smooth but had a thick texture that I think most people would be happy with.
On the lower speed, the noise level is about 80dB, and although the pitch changes at higher speeds, my noise meter didn’t record a louder decibel figure. Naturally though, if you're blending hard frozen ingredients it’ll be louder.
- Performance score: 4/5
Should I buy the Smeg Personal Blender?
Buy it if...
Don’t buy it if...
Also consider...
If you’re not sure about the Smeg Personal Blender, here are a couple of other options to consider...
How I tested the Smeg Personal Blender
- I used it to blend a variety of drinks
- I checked the noise level
- I assessed how easy it was to clean
I used the Smeg personal blender in my own home for a week to make smoothies, protein shakes, and milkshakes. And while the pink color isn’t to my taste, I can see the appeal of the pastel colors and curvy design. Especially when so many other personal blenders are black or metallic colors
Aside from using it as a blender, I assessed the overall ease of use, ease of cleaning, and noise levels. And I drank every drink from the cups provided to check they were comfortable to drink from and didn’t leak.
I’ve been reviewing home and kitchen appliances for over 10 years and have a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw on when assessing how well a product such as a blender performs.
Read more about how we test.
[First reviewed June 2023]
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