This Overrated Appliance Can Be Replaced With A Good Blender

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When it comes to must-have, multi-purpose, small kitchen appliances, few rival the almighty blender. Beyond smoothies, blenders are a real powerhouse in meal prep and can whip up everything from nut flours to doughs to sauces, soups, and cocktails with the press of a button. Thanks to today's high-powered blenders, there's virtually no need for a food processor anymore. We wondered if a blender could replace a bulky one-trick pony: the household juicer. 

"I think this comes down to what your definition of juice is and what you're looking for," says Alana Kysar, a recipe developer and author of the forthcoming cookbook "Aloha Veggies," releasing April 28. Born and raised in Hawai'i, Kysar celebrates the islands' multicultural culinary heritage through veg-forward twists on Hawai'ian classics. "You can absolutely make juice in a powerful high-speed blender, and I prefer this because you retain more fiber when you blend rather than extract," she says. "However, if you want a pulp-free or super-liquid juice, it requires a little extra work. You'll need to blend your ingredients, then strain them through something super fine, like a nut milk bag."

The straining feature is the one thing a juicer has that a blender doesn't. But the multifunctionality of a blender more than makes up for it. If straining the juice is a top priority for you, your juicer may deserve its spot on your counter. Otherwise, a high-powered blender is a worthwhile replacement.

Power matters when it comes to shopping for a blender, especially if you're looking to replace a juicer. "You're looking for a powerful, high-speed blender like a Vitamix," Kysar says. The premium brand blenders are highly rated and considered the gold standard among many for their superior blending power. However, they range from $380 to $750, so if that's beyond your budget, you can shop around for other high-powered blenders, or even consider buying the little heavy-duty appliances secondhand.  But how much power do you need? According to Kysar, if the blender passes the smoothie test, it can replace your juicer. "If it can blend up a good smoothie with lots of frozen ingredients, it should be able to make a good juice," she says.

In addition to power, keep an eye out for some popular blender settings that will make juicing a breeze. While some blenders stick with the basic low, medium, and high settings, others come with programmed speeds specifically for chopping and grinding, which can be helpful to break down certain fruits and vegetables. Settings like "liquify" and "soup" on top-quality blenders are going to provide a nice juicing effect.