Buying guide
Compact Blending & Prep
Updated How we research
Small blenders and choppers for tight counters. The page is split into four sections (Blender and processor combos; Personal blenders; Immersion blenders; Mini choppers), followed by every pick ranked by our score so you can compare them in one place.
The short version
We compared 12 picks. Our scores range from 7.0 to 8.6 out of 10, across $, $$, See on Amazon price bands.
- Best overall:Ninja Nutri-Plus Personal Blender. Highest overall score in this guide at 8.6/10.
- Also great value:Turelar 1100W Corded Immersion Blender, 5 in 1. Value score of 9/10, overall 8.4/10.
- Solid build:Cuisinart RMC-100 EvolutionX Cordless Mini Chopper. Build and materials score of 8/10, overall 8.4/10.
- Feature-rich:KOIOS 1000W 3-in-1 Immersion Blender. Features score of 9/10, overall 8.4/10.
Scores are our editorial assessment, not customer ratings. How we score
Blender and processor combos
- Turelar 1100W Corded Immersion Blender, 5 in 1Our score8.4/10
- KOIOS 1000W 3-in-1 Immersion BlenderOur score8.4/10
- Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Hand BlenderOur score7.9/10
- MasterChef 400W Immersion Blender with WhiskOur score7.0/10
Personal blenders
- Ninja Nutri-Plus Personal BlenderOur score8.6/10
- iCucina 1000W Smoothie Blender with 2 CupsOur score8.4/10
- Ninja BC151NV Blast Portable Blender, 18 ozOur score8.0/10
- Hamilton Beach 51101RV Portable Blender, 14 ozOur score7.3/10
Immersion blenders
- Turelar 1100W Corded Immersion Blender, 5 in 1Our score8.4/10
- KOIOS 1000W 3-in-1 Immersion BlenderOur score8.4/10
- Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Hand BlenderOur score7.9/10
- MasterChef 400W Immersion Blender with WhiskOur score7.0/10
Mini choppers
- Hamilton Beach 3 Cup Electric Vegetable ChopperOur score8.4/10
- Cuisinart RMC-100 EvolutionX Cordless Mini ChopperOur score8.4/10
- EASY SPEED Electric Garlic Chopper, 250mlOur score7.4/10
- Reemix Electric Food Chopper, 1.5 Cup, RedOur score7.3/10
All 12 picks, ranked by our score
Every product from the sections above, listed once. Sort by the criterion you care about most, or tick up to three to compare.
Ninja's Nutri-Plus personal blender with compact push to blend, three 20oz to-go cups and 900 peak watts.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + 900 peak watts crush ice and frozen fruit with ease
- + (3) 20oz to-go cups let you prep several smoothies ahead
- + Push to blend control is simple and intuitive
- - Higher price than basic personal blenders
- - Extra cups and lids need a spot in a small cupboard
Turelar's corded 1100W 5 in 1 immersion blender with chopper and whisk attachments for soups, sauces and prep.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 9/10
- + 1100W motor tackles thick soups and sauces with ease
- + 5 in 1 kit includes chopper and whisk to replace other gadgets
- + Handheld blender stores in a drawer instead of on the counter
- - Extra attachments need their own drawer or storage bin
- - Powerful motor can splatter if lifted out while running
KOIOS's 1000W anti-scratch 3-in-1 hand blender with 12 speed settings, turbo mode and whisk attachment.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 9/10
- + Anti-scratch blade guard protects nonstick pots during blending
- + 12 speed settings plus turbo give fine control over texture
- + 1000W power at a low price makes it strong value
- - Many speeds are more than most simple soup blending needs
- - Budget brand, so motor longevity is less certain
iCucina's 1000W personal smoothie blender with 2 x 37oz portable cups, a powerful single serve blender.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 8/10
- + 1000W motor blends frozen fruit and ice for thick smoothies
- + 2 x 32oz cups let two people blend and take drinks to go
- + Blend-in-cup design means fewer dishes to wash afterward
- - Large 32oz cups make the blender taller on a counter
- - Loud operation is noticeable in a small apartment
Hamilton Beach's 3 Cup electric vegetable chopper and mini food processor in black with 350 Watts and stainless blades.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 7/10 · Value 9/10
- + 350 Watts handles onions, nuts and firmer vegetables
- + 3 Cup bowl is roomy enough for salsa or pesto batches
- + Stainless steel blades stay sharp with repeated use
- - Larger than tiny garlic choppers on a crowded shelf
- - Basic pulse controls give limited texture variety
Cuisinart's RMC-100 EvolutionX cordless mini food processor and chopper in black with a 4 Cup bowl.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 9/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Cordless EvolutionX design works anywhere without an outlet
- + 4 Cup bowl handles bigger prep than most mini choppers
- + Cuisinart build quality feels solid and dependable
- - Costs noticeably more than corded mini choppers of similar size
- - Battery needs recharging before big prep sessions
Ninja's BC151NV Blast portable cordless blender in denim blue, with an 18oz vessel and USB-C charging.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 8/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 8/10
- + Cordless design blends at the gym, office or on the go
- + USB-C charging works with common phone chargers
- + 18oz vessel makes a full single-serve smoothie
- - Battery power is weaker than corded blenders for ice
- - Must remember to charge before morning smoothies
Cuisinart's CSB-179 Smart Stick variable speed hand blender in stainless steel, a reliable brand-name stick blender.
Fit for the job 9/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 8/10 · Value 7/10
- + Variable speed control lets you blend gently or at full power
- + Stainless steel shaft resists stains from tomato soups
- + Cuisinart Smart Stick is a long-trusted stick blender line
- - Check whether whisk or chopper attachments are included or sold separately
- - Pricier than budget sticks with bigger accessory kits
A cordless 250 ml garlic chopper with a 37W motor, 304 stainless steel blades and USB-C charging from a 1200mAh battery. Sized for garlic, ginger, chili and small portions of onion or nuts.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 8/10
- + USB-C rechargeable with a 1200mAh battery, so it works anywhere on the counter without an outlet nearby
- + Motor runs only while the head is pressed down and the button is held, and stops the moment you let go
- + Blade, lid and bowl come apart for rinsing, and the whole unit is small enough to keep in a drawer
- - The 250 ml bowl holds about one cup, so it suits garlic and small portions, not a full batch of salsa
- - Little-known brand, and the motor head must not be soaked, so only the food-contact parts can be rinsed
Hamilton Beach's 51101RV red portable blender with a 14 Oz travel cup, a simple budget blender for shakes.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 9/10
- + 14 Oz travel cup doubles as a lid-on drink bottle
- + Tiny base takes almost no space on a small counter
- + Very affordable for daily protein shakes and smoothies
- - Low-power design struggles with ice and frozen chunks
- - Single small cup means no extra for a second drink
Reemix's red 1.5-Cup one-touch electric chopper with a 100W motor, a tiny colorful mincer for garlic and herbs.
Fit for the job 8/10 · Features and specs 6/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 9/10
- + Red finish is easy to find in a cluttered appliance cupboard
- + 1.5-Cup size is ideal for mincing a few garlic cloves
- + One-touch press gives quick bursts without complicated settings
- - 100W motor is underpowered for carrots or hard nuts
- - Same design as the stainless version, so pick by color
MasterChef's 400W handheld immersion blender with electric whisk and milk frother attachments for light prep tasks.
Fit for the job 7/10 · Features and specs 7/10 · Build and materials 6/10 · Value 8/10
- + Milk frother attachment adds coffee drinks to its uses
- + Electric whisk handles cream and eggs without a mixer
- + Lightweight handheld design is easy for quick jobs
- - 400W motor struggles with ice or very thick mixtures
- - No chopper bowl, so it cannot mince herbs or nuts
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Tiny Kitchen Picks curates picks for US shoppers. Scores are our editorial assessment. We may earn a commission from links on this page.