Best Blender and Food Processor Combos

These two-in-one appliances save space and offer top blending and chopping performance

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No matter how you slice it, there are limits to what blenders and food processors can do on their own. While they both can expertly turn out purées and salsas, even the best food processors are lousy smoothie makers, and the best blenders won't get far with shredding carrots. But that doesn't necessarily mean you have to shell out for two counter-hogging appliances. Blender and food processor combos—which combine their capabilities into one appliance—perform well on both sets of tasks.

While blenders and food processors function differently and use different blades, the motors that power them are essentially the same, so they can share the same motor base and save you some room and even money, depending on which model you get.

"There's still a trend in small appliances where people prefer a multipurpose machine that can do it all," says Marion Wilson-Spencer, a CR home testing market analyst. "It's true for blenders, food processors, toaster ovens, and air fryers. For instance, with the right combination blender and food processor, you can make your favorite strawberry daiquiri, salsa salad, or hot butternut squash soup."

Below, we highlight blender and food processor combos from Cuisinart, Ninja, Oster, and Vitamix (listed in alphabetical order)—each of which performs well in our tests for both blender and food processor. To test each machine's blending capability, we assessed how well it purées, makes smoothies, and crushes ice. For food processing, we assessed how well each model chops almonds and onions, grates Parmesan cheese, and purées peas and carrots.

CR members with digital access can see the ratings for individual tests for blenders and food processors. For more on each of these small appliances and how we test them, see CR's blender buying guide and food processor buying guide.

This Cuisinart model comes with three attachments to convert the 40-ounce CFP-800 blender to an 8-cup food processor or a juice extractor. When it comes to our blending tests, this model earns the top mark for puréeing, a near top-level mark for making smoothies, and a passable score for crushing ice. As a food processor, it earns very good scores in our slicing, shredding, and chopping tests. Cuisinart blenders received lukewarm ratings for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction in our member survey, putting them in the middle of the pack among the brands in that survey. (CR doesn't rate food processors for reliability.)

Most blenders and food processors have a motor base with attachments that sit on top, but the Ninja Master Prep Professional's upside-down design puts the motor on top, incorporating it into the lid. All you have to do is place the motor over the blending container and press down to activate it. There's only one speed and no programs—it's like a fixed-gear bike in the appliance world.

The 6-cup blender earns strong ratings for convenience and for whipping up smoothies with ease, but you’ll want to avoid blending hot soups because it doesn't have a vent hole to release steam. The blender and food processor combo includes 2-cup and 5-cup food chopper bowls. It earns a stellar rating for grating cheese, chops onions and almonds impressively, and does a decent job at puréeing peas and carrots in our tests. Ninja full-sized blenders garnered very good ratings for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction in CR's member survey.

In addition to the 6-cup glass blending jar and 5-cup food processing bowl, the Oster Pro 1200 includes a 3-cup blending container for to-go smoothies. In our blending tests, the Oster aces the purée test and earns very good ratings for making smoothies and crushing ice. For food processing, it boasts a standout rating for grating hard cheeses, and nabs very favorable ratings in our tests for slicing, puréeing, chopping, and shredding. Oster earned a very good reliability rating for its blenders, but its owner satisfaction rating was just passable.

Unlike the Cuisinart and Ninja sets, which are complete packages, you have the flexibility of buying the Oster blender on its own or the blender plus a food processor attachment.

The Vitamix Ascent 3500 full-sized blender features technology that adjusts blending programs, speed, and power based on the blending vessel you use, whether it's the full-sized 8-cup jar, the smaller cups, or the food processing bowl. The Vitamix 12-cup food processor attachment and blending cups don't come with the blender; they’re sold separately.

This blender is one of the top-rated models from our lab tests, earning shining marks for making icy drinks (like smoothies) and purées. It's also super durable. The attachment chops and shreds impressively, even compared to the best of the full-sized food processors, and slices capably. Yes, the Vitamix system is a big investment—about $800 for the blender and food processor—but it doesn't disappoint.

Vitamix also stood out as one of only two blender brands to earn top-notch ratings for both predicted reliability and owner satisfaction in our member survey. That means these machines last and their owners highly recommend them.