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In a world that’s increasingly turning to foods that are low in nutrients, I want to instill the healthy habit of smoothies and fresh juice each day to as many people as I possibly can. I get asked all the time, should I use a juicer or a blender? Especially from people who are starting a plant-based diet journey.
The honest answer is, it depends on what you want to make and how you want to fuel your body. Both are a small appliance that can help you drink more fruits and veggies, but they work in very different ways. Today I’m breaking down the juicer vs blender debate in a simple, practical way so you can decide what fits best in your kitchen, or if you might actually want both.
Table of Contents
Why Use a Juicer or Blender?
Whether you choose to blend or juice, you are gifting your body improved health by using these nutrient-packed drinks. Regularly drinking smoothies or fresh, veggie-based juice will:
- Increase your veggie intake dramatically.
- Make it easier and quicker for your body to absorb nutrients. Blending and juicing breaks down the food into a form that’s easier for your body to process.
- Curb appetite and reduce cravings for sugar and processed foods by nourishing your body with real nutrients.
Now, let’s put the juicer vs blender debate to the test!
Juicer vs Blender: Key Differences
At first glance, juicers and blenders might seem similar. After all, both help you turn fruits and vegetables into a drink. But the way they work and the results you get are quite different. Here are a few quick, easy-to-scan differences:
| Feature | Juicer | Blender |
| Texture | Thin and smooth | Thick and creamy |
| Fiber | Removed | Retained |
| Fullness | Less filling | More filling |
| Best for | Juice | Smoothies |
| Versatility | Limited | Very versatile |
| Cleanup time | 10 minutes | 2 minutes |
| Nutrition | More concentrated nutrients | More complete nutrition |
At the end of the day both options offer great nutritional value. It really comes down to what you want. If you want something filling and satisfying, go with a blender. If you prefer something lighter and more concentrated, a juicer might be your best pick. Let’s break down both.
Benefits of Blending
Spoiler alert—I’m firmly on team blender when it comes to drinking my greens. But there’s a reason for that. Whether you’re using a full-size countertop blender or a personal blender, having plenty of power helps create that silky smooth consistency we all love in smoothies. Here’s why blending wins for me in the juicer vs. blender debate:
- More versatile: Blenders let you combine non-dairy milk, ice, nuts, seeds, nut butter, oils, protein powders and supplements. You can also make soups, protein shakes, sauces—you name it.
- Fiber is your secret weapon: When you blend the whole fruit and veggie, you keep the fiber that helps you stay full, supports digestion, and keeps your energy steady. Plus there’s less food waste since nothing gets left behind
- Cost of the blender is minimal: Most people already have a blender in their kitchen.
- Smoothies are much more kid-friendly: In my experience, kids love smoothies more than veggie-based juice because you can thicken them up to look and taste like a frozen dessert.
Cons of Blending
- Lower nutrient density per sip than juice: Because fiber stays intact, smoothies are more filling, so you may not consume as many fruits and veggies in one sitting compared to juice.
- Some veggies don’t blend well: Root veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets are nutrient-dense but can taste chalky or bitter in smoothies. They’re often better suited for juicing.
But that’s not all… juicers have a lot of great features too. So let’s talk about the flip side of the juicer vs blender debate.
Benefits of Juicing
I may be team blender, but I won’t lie, fresh juice has its moments. It feels fancy, refreshing, and seriously delicious. But is it actually better? Let’s break down the benefits and drawbacks of juicing:
- More veggies per serving: Since the fiber is removed, you can fit more fruits and veggies into one glass, giving you a more concentrated dose of vitamins and nutrients.
- Easier to digest nutrients: Unlike blending, juicing pulls out the vitamins, minerals, and water from fruits and veggies while leaving the fiber behind. That means your body can absorb those nutrients more quickly, without having to work through the fiber first.
- Quicker energy boost: Juice has a higher concentration of veggies (and therefore nutrients) per glass versus a smoothie, and is in an even more pre-digested format than smoothies for quicker nutrient absorption.
- Less heat exposure: Juicers don’t rely on fast-spinning blades, which can slightly warm ingredients during blending.
Downside of Juicing
- Juicing machines are sometimes more difficult to clean: Juicers usually have more parts to clean and take a little longer to clean than blenders.
- Requires more produce (and fridge space): Juicing uses more fruits and veggies per serving, so you’ll need to buy and store more ingredients.
- Can get expensive: It takes a lot more produce to make a single glass of juice, which can add up quickly.
- You don’t get the whole fruit or veggie: Juicing removes the fiber and pulp, so while you still get plenty of vitamins, you’re not getting the whole plant.
As you can see, both juicers and blenders have some great positives. No matter which appliance you’re in the market for, I’ve got my personal recommendations to share.
Best Juicers to Buy
Juicers can be pricey, but there are great options that won’t break the bank. Here’s my recommendations in order for you to explore:
- My top pick is the Nama J2 Cold-Press Juicer (10% off with code: JEN10). It’s a little more pricey, but the hands-free design and high juice yield make it totally worth it. Plus, it’s the easiest to clean and sleekest model ever.
- I’ve also enjoyed the Breville Juice Fountain Plus — it’s the most affordable option, quite powerful and handles leafy green vegetables with ease.
- In the demonstration video, I used the Kuvings Cold Press Juicer, which is also quite powerful, highly rated and very good.
Best Blenders to Buy
While I’m always on the lookout for different types of blenders for smoothies, these are my top picks:
- Vitamix blender is my go-to for the best blender out there—you can’t go wrong with this brand.
- The Breville Super Q Blender is a powerful blender that can handle just about anything you throw in, giving you smooth, consistent results every time.
- You don’t need a high-end blender to get started. Handheld options like an immersion blender or budget-friendly models like Nutribullet can still whip up numerous smoothie recipes.
If you’re new to blending or just want to perfect your technique, check out my guide on how to make a smoothie for tips, tricks, and step-by-step instructions.
Can You Make Juice in a Blender?
Yes—you actually can! If you don’t own a juicer but want to try juice-style drinks, a blender can still work. Here’s a simple method:
- Blend fruits or vegetables with water.
- Pour the mixture through a fine mesh filter, strainer, or nut milk bag.
- Press out the liquid and discard the pulp.
This gives you a homemade juice without needing a separate appliance. You can also check my blender green juice recipe for a detailed guide.
Juicer and Blender Recipes You’ll Love
If you can’t get enough of creamy smoothies and fresh juices, these recipes are about to become your new favorites. Packed with fruits, veggies, and all the good stuff, they’re easy to make, delicious to sip, and perfect for keeping your energy up all day:
If this juicer vs blender guide helped clear things up for you, I’d love to hear which one you prefer in the comment box below. And if you’re interested in more smoothie tips and plant-based recipes, sign up for my weekly recipe newsletter.
Common Questions
Both juicing and blending can be healthy ways to enjoy fruits and vegetables. Juicing provides a concentrated source of vitamins and minerals because the liquid and nutrients are extracted from the produce. Blending, however, keeps the fiber from the whole fruits and vegetables, which helps support digestion and keeps you feeling fuller longer.
Blenders typically retain more of the whole fruit or vegetable because they blend everything together, including the fiber. While juicers still provide plenty of vitamins and minerals, they remove the pulp and fiber during the extraction process.
Yes, you can make juice in a blender. Simply blend fruits or vegetables with a little water until smooth, then strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or nut milk bag to separate the liquid from the pulp. For a more detailed guide, you can check out my green juice in a blender recipe.
If you’re choosing between the two, a blender is often the better first investment. Blenders are more versatile and can be used for smoothies, shakes, sauces, nut milk, and more. A juicer is great for making fresh juice, but it has a more limited range of uses compared to a blender.
Both appliances can handle vegetables, but they serve different purposes. Juicers work well for extracting juice from vegetables like carrots, celery, and leafy greens. Blenders, on the other hand, are great for incorporating vegetables into smoothies while keeping the fiber intact.
Juicing limits you to mainly use fruits. A blender can give you option to use vegetables, which has more nutrients than fruits. Plus, a blender is easier to clean. I still believe blenders are the better investment.
Thanks for sharing Heloise,
We love how you get the entire fruit or veggie as well. You are not wasting anything and getting all that extra fiber that is so important 🙂
I think both have their own qualities and functionalities. I use both for my personal use and I am happy with both of them.
Hey Jennie’s,
That is so great! Juicing and blending are two amazing things for you and such a benefit for your overall health.
Cheers!
Great article! So many people call the Vitamix a “juicer” and it confuses me a lot! I long for the day when I can do both juicing and blending on ONE machine!
Hi Luna,
I love that idea!! I love smoothies, but sometimes a girl just needs a good green juice too + that would make it so easy!
“consuming greens and minimum fruit must be good go you”- Great point
Hi Janet,
Cheers to opening the box + taking your first step! If there’s anything we can do to help you along your health + wellness journey, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Hello Jen,
I really appreciate how honest and balanced this article is. I also love the infographic and pinned it up on our website’s Pinterest account. Early on in my juicing days, I would occasionally have a smoothie, here and there, but I was pretty hard core on sticking with juicing. Now, years later, I love to do both, and I appreciate each of them for the particular health benefits they include. Like you mentioned in the article, one of the benefits with smoothies is that you can add other ingredients, such as, almond milk, etc., that might not go so well with juice. I like to blend in green powdered supplements, now, into my smoothies and spirulina, as well, and, sometimes, I just love the frozen, fruity flavor of a nice fruit-heavy smoothie. When it comes to juicing, I enjoy fruit juices, occasionally, but, usually, I go heavy on the green side. For some reason, I can handle the flavor of a hard-core green juice vs the flavor of a hard-core smoothie. Not sure why; it’s just how I am.
Oh, and amen to the part where you mention that juicer parts take longer to clean than blender parts. Agreed, 100%. I’m looking forward to the day where they figure that out! 🙂
Hi Shawn,
Thank you so much for reaching out! And love that you’re blending and juicing, and reaping the major health benefits! Make sure and keep in touch!
Thank you for sharing, very interesting
You’re so welcome, Adam!
I used kale, frozen blueberries, banana, 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk, 1 cup of ice water, and a vegan protein powder. I drank twice a day, alternating spinach with the kale. I was never hungry and the weight just fell off of me. I use a Ninja blender. I stopped for a dumb reason and because of hormones for cancer treatment I gained the weight back. I had kept it off for 3 years. Starting again because I felt a lot better.
Hi Craig,
So happy to have you back + blendin’ with us!
The blender by Karmin is my favorite 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Shirley! We love hearing about the different blenders our community are using!
Hi there, I became health conscious person and leafy vegetables is one of the main ingredients…I usually boil leafy veggies to kill bacteria before I blend them, because washing them alone wont remove all germs.. would it be ok?
Hi Sharry,
We prefer to use raw leafy greens + use a homemade produce wash. Check out how we wash our greens here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/dirty-dozen-list
Still want to boil your greens? Go for it! Just reach out and let us know how you enjoyed your green smoothie after.
No it’s not a good idea .Boiling the leafy vegetables will reduce 22% to 34% of vitamin C as well as other nutrients in the vegs. Also stick to organic food, there are no
pesticides. Believe me a few bugs on the vegetables won’t kill you, your body can deal with them easily as long as immune system is working properly.
hello I’ve been doing smoothies but I usually buy fresh veggies and fruits in batch then mix them in ziploc for 1 serving per day and freeze it coz the it rotten quick in the fridge is this ok?
mix of 1/2 cup of pineapple,2 small cucumber,2 cups of greens organic from costco(spinach,kale and red collards),1 small fresh turmeric,2 tbsp flaxseed,2tbsp chia seeds. is this good mix
Hi Merry,
That’s more than ok! We love using our freezer to prep green smoothies. It makes blending super easy + keeps good fruits and veggies from going bad. Learn more about our favorite prep tips here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/meal-prep-smoothies/
I juice daily and intend to until I expire. I have no experience with blending to compare, however this article and others confirm my theory; nutrients absorbed quicker, less pulp and more veggies. I’ll add blending to my regimen in the near future to increase my vegetable intake.
Hi Keith!
Thanks so much for reaching out! We can’t wait to hear about your experience of blendin’ your produce :). Welcome to the green smoothie lifestyle!
Cheers!
Hi
I started out juicing many years ago…..then tried blending…..now I use both. Juicing in morning for my kick start. Blending for my smoothies….and ice cream from frozen fruit frozen banana and vary between coconut cream or yogurt.
Which ever way you go …consuming greens and minimum fruit must be good go you….I also add in my OTHER extras into my juice.
Happy happy
Hi Helen,
We’re all about adding fresh fruits + leafy greens to our diet! Thanks for sharing how you add both blending and juicing to your day!
Cheers 🙂
I have the Ninja Pro. It was a gift from my husband. I love it! ( and I don’t mind getting these types of gifts. It was from the heart as I have a digestive disorder) that being said, I hope I’m not missing out on vital nutrients by not juicing. It uses ever part of the fruit and/or veggie, nuts, seeds, etc that you put in. I think because of this that maybe I am getting all of the nutrients. I will warn you that if you like a very liquid consistency, this isn’t going to do it for you. It makes perfect smoothies of any type you can imagine. It’s incredibly powerful and pulverizes ice so well, we got rid of our ice shaver that we used to make our kids Hawaiian shaved ice in the summer. It also comes with a food processor bowl and 2 blades for it and a dough blade to make bread and things like that. I’ve not used either of those so I don’t know if I’d run out and sell my kitchenaid mixer yet. It comes with 2 single serve cups and a blade for them for a quick smoothie for yourself or a pitcher for making them for the family. As I stated before, if you like it very liquidy, get a juicer but if you just use a fair amount of CO onut water, juice or milk, the Ninja Pro is so worth every penny we paid. Mine is a little over a year old and I think I’m giving it to my mom to help her make healthy drinks and splurging on the new improved ninja pro. It’s got digital, easier to push buttons. You push the dezied setting and walk away. It does the rest. The older model causes you to have to hold the buttons in, with quite a bit of force on single serve mode. I do like a smoother drink but I really do think I’m getting more out of my Ninja. And clean up is a breeze. Everything is dishwasher safe. I’ve seen the mess juicers leave behind. I would recommend the Ninja Pro to anyone; definitely worth the money.
Hi Shannon,
Thank you so much for reaching out + sharing your experience blending with Ninja Pro. We’re right there with you, we love blending because you’re not losing any of the fruit, as you might in juicing. Also, blenders for gifts are awesome!! I received an immersion blender from my husband last year for our anniversary! And it’s one of my favorite gifts, perfect for winter soups!
Cheers!
I much rather blend (Blendtec) than Juice. Juicers are a pain to clean, built cheap (for the most part) and only do one single thing. I prefer soup over juice or smoothies. Fruit still has a ton of sugar for diabetics and the fiber from veggies with the soup makes a blender a better deal.
Hi Mike,
We prefer blendin’ too! 🙂
Thank you for being so clear in your article, really clear on the differences between the two and some great advice, if you or anyone else would like some additional reading on blending and juicing check out
Hi Ben,
Great article! Thank you so much for sharing. And keep blendin’ those leafy greens! 🙂
Hi, I have been blending my Vege and fruits for a year with Vees blender.
My base is 2cups pineapple, 2bananas, 1/8 lemon, 1″ ginger, 1″turmeric, 1 whole coconut water and meat.(whenever possible)
With the above, I rotate my smoothies :-
For green (add spinach, or kale or wheatgrass),
For red (add dragon fruit or beet root)
For Orange color (add carrot or oranges)
Occasionally – I would add coconut oil, green apples, or chia seed or almonds or yogurts…
My family of 4 will have a big glass of the above smoothies in the morning.
Wondering if I am doing the right thing?
The above churned out delicious smoothies.
Hi Joanne,
Thanks for reaching out! It looks like you’re blendin’ delicious + nutritious smoothies! Do you include leafy greens in all of your smoothies, or do you rotate between leafy greens and other vegetables?
Check out our formula for the perfect green smoothie here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/how-to-make-a-smoothie
@Joanne,
2 cups of pineapple and 2 bananas = quite a lot of sugar. Unless you’re also intensely exercising I’d cut the sugar back a little
This is a great reference. So, we have the Omega juicer and have been juicing for years. My kids like the ‘no fiber’ easy to swallow green juices.
But, it’s too much work, and I just had a great hot soup from a Vitamix at Costco, followed by a fresh fruit smoothie. Wow, how easy and delicious.
I really want just 1 machine, and am thinking of selling the Omega Juicer for the Vitamix. Do you think the Vitamix will keep juices smooth? Especially the vege juices (kale, cucumber, spinach, carrot, apple kind)?
Hi Sangeeta,
The Vitamix is a powerhouse blender + does an amazing job of breaking down fruits + leafy greens to a juice like consistency! Read our review of the Vitamix 5200 here…
https://simplegreensmoothies.com/blenders-for-smoothies
The nutrients are in the pulp, not the juice as so many people mistakenly believe.
Thanks, Tk. 🙂
That’s why the Nutribullet is what you want because everything is reduced to liquid. It has a very powerful motor nothing gets in its way. By the way the Nutribullet is by no means a blender, it is a juicer it reduces everything to
liquid.
i love your website. Thank you for your work. I have both juicer and I think they work great together. Some veggies are better for one and not so good for another one. The Nutribullet is the closer I have to a smoothie maker because my old blender had not enough power.
I’m thinking about b or v blender but my budget is pretty small hahaha. I hate the tall jar from Vit. But I want it’s sturdiness. I love the blendtec’s jar because it’s easy to clean but I really like the dial.
It’s a complete dilemma. Help! Haha
Hey Marie! 🙂
Thanks for reaching out. Have you checked out this article? https://simplegreensmoothies.com/blenders-for-smoothies
I am a #vitamixgirl 🙂 Can’t go wrong with either.