Juicer vs. blender: What's the difference?

What is a blender?

As a versatile and valuable tool in any kitchen, a blender will blend, crush ice and emulsify ingredients for countless different recipes. There are several different types of blenders available for purchase which usually consist of a blending jar with shaft-driven blades and a base with a motor.

• Countertop Blenders - These blenders can range from standard blenders that are great for basic kitchen needs like crushing ice, making smoothies or pie fillings (like for this delicious chocolate coconut custard pie), to the more advanced, high-powered blenders that come with pre-set programs, the ability to heat ingredients, and more powerful motors that break down tougher ingredients (think nut butters and fresh, hot soups).

• Personal Blender - A small-scale version of a conventional blender, these are wonderful appliances that let you blend your drink and take it on the go within the same jar, or make a small batch of your favorite blender recipe. If you want the flexibility to choose between a personal and full-sized blender, select KitchenAid^® blenders are compatible with a personal blending jar that lets you blend your ingredients and take it on-the-go.

• Immersion Blender - Immersion blenders feature a motor at the end of the blending arm, and the blade is immersed into ingredients, so you can blend directly in the pot as you cook.

What is a juicer?

A juicer, otherwise known as a juice extractor, is a small appliance that will separate the juice from the rest of the fruit or vegetables, leaving behind the pulp, seeds and skin to be discarded. Juicers work one of two ways:

• Centrifugal Juicer - This is a common way to juice your fruit–using a blade that quickly spins against a mesh filter. One drawback is that the heat from the blade may destroy some of the enzymes of your fruit and veggies, or oxidize the nutrients in your juice.

• Masticating Juicer - This is more commonly known as a cold-pressed juicer. This type of juicer will first crush the fruit or veggies, before pressing down on the fruit to extract as much juice as possible. They generate less heat than centrifugal juicers.

What is the difference between a blender and a juicer?

A juicer will extract the juice from fruits and vegetables, separating them from the pulp by crushing, grinding or squeezing the liquid out, leaving behind just the thin juice without any of the fiber. Blenders don’t separate your ingredients, instead they blend them together for a thicker consistency.

Reference the chart below for a quick overview of features that you would typically find in blenders and juicers. Note: This chart is just a reference, and does not apply to every model on the market.

What does a blender vs juicer do?

What does a blender vs juicer have?

Benefits of using a blender

• Versatility - You can use your blender for more than just juices and sauces.

• Less waste - Because you use the whole fruit, there is less food waste.

• Keeps you fuller - Since the fiber is processed along with the rest of the fruit, it takes longer to digest, leaving you fuller for longer.

• Cost-effective - Some blenders are not as expensive as juicers, so you can find a blender that works for you within your budget.

• Clean up is a breeze - Most blenders don’t have as many parts as juicers tend to have, so they can be quicker to clean.

Benefits of using a juicer

• Makes it easy to incorporate more produce in your diet - If you’re not a huge fan of produce but still want the nutritional value they offer, juicing can let you add them without having to fill up on vegetables.

• You can pack in the produce - Because juicers only leave behind the thin, concentrated juice of your fruits and vegetables, you can pack in a lot of produce and their nutrients into a single glass of juice.

Can you use a blender as a juicer?

As versatile as a blender can be, they do not have the same functionality as a juicer. If you’re looking for that thin consistency, a blender won’t be able to provide it on its own. With a few extra steps, you can still enjoy fresh juice by cutting up your fruit and removing seeds, blending thoroughly and then straining through cheesecloth or a fine sieve to remove the pulp.

Making juice with a KitchenAid^® blender

View the full recipe for this Carrot Ginger Elixir for step-by-step instructions, or explore this guide to making green juice with your blender.

Types of blenders for your countertop

From simple blenders for everyday use to high-powered blenders that can crush and transform hard ingredients with ease, there are many different models to choose from.

Standard blenders

If you're just starting to experiment with blender techniques, you may not need a high-powered blender right away. A standard blender will still have a number of speeds that will allow you to blend, puree and liquify a range of ingredients.

With the K150 3 Speed Ice Crushing Blender from KitchenAid, you’ll be able to crush ice in under 10 seconds¹ for delicious smoothies. The three different speeds also make it easy to blend lots of ingredients, and the Soft Start^® Feature will start the motor slowly so that all ingredients are pulled down to the blade and ensure complete blending. _{1. Half tray of ice}

High-powered blenders

If you’re looking to do a little more with your blender, like create recipes with tough ingredients, then a high-powered blender has a lot to offer. They usually have powerful motors that can crush and blend to a silky smooth consistency a number of challenging ingredients (think nuts, kale and seeds).

The High Performance Series Blender from KitchenAid will offer you plenty of power and speed. With nine different speed settings and tamper to push down ingredients, you’ll get an ultra-smooth consistency to your recipes, even those with tougher ingredients.

Variable speed blenders

While most conventional blenders have 2-3 set speeds, variable speed blenders can have over 10 speeds and the ability to adjust continuously between them. This allows you to fine-tune your blending speed for a number of recipes and blending techniques.

The KitchenAid^® K400 Variable Speed Blender, for example, is able to blend ingredients to various textures, and it also features three different recipe programs–Ice Crush, Icy Drink and Smoothie. The Intelli-Speed^® Motor Control senses the ingredients in the jar to keep the optimal speed to thoroughly blend all your ingredients.

Specialty blenders

These blenders are the ones you reach for when you’re ready to explore the pinnacle of blender techniques. They have heavy duty motors capable of very high speeds for effortless blending in larger quantities. Usually, you’ll find several speed settings and advanced features to help create meals from start to finish.

You’ll get amazing results with the KitchenAid® Pro Line Series with Thermal Jar that comes with 11 speed settings, three different recipe programs and Intelli-Speed^® Motor Control; this powerful appliance can handle just about any recipe you’re ready to take on. The thermal control jar lets you heat and blend soups in under five minutes, all while the jar stays cool to the touch.

KitchenAid® Juicer attachments

If you’re curious about juicing and you have a KitchenAid^® stand mixer, you can also purchase additional attachments that have similar functions as some juicers.

Citrus juicer attachment

The KitchenAid^® Citrus Juicer Attachment lets you enjoy freshly-squeezed juice from oranges, grapefruits, limes and lemons, and the strainer catches pulp and seeds. Learn more about how to use the KitchenAid® Citrus Juicer Attachment.

How to attach your KitchenAid® Juicer attachments

The versatility of the KitchenAid^® stand mixers means that connecting your juicer attachments is easy.

1. Unplug your stand mixer.

2. Remove the hub cover and insert the attachment shaft into the universal power hub and rotate until it attaches correctly.

3. Rotate the thumb screw clockwise to tighten the attachment until completely secure.

4. Place your desired bowl underneath the attachment.

5. Check the instructions to your specific attachment for additional information and recommended speeds.