Does blender wattage matter?

Less than the listings suggest. Watts measure what the motor draws, not what the blades achieve — jug shape and blade design decide performance, and a good design at lower wattage beats a poor one at higher.

Glass or plastic jug?

Glass does not scratch or stain and feels better; plastic is lighter and safer if dropped. Check dishwasher compatibility either way, because that decides how often you use it.

Is a high-power blender worth it?

Only for crushing ice, nut butters and very smooth soups. For everyday smoothies a mid-range jug blender does the same job for much less.

Cheapest place to buy a blender in the UK

Wattage sells blenders. Blade and jug decide whether one works.

Updated 25 September 2026 · 1 min read

Wattage is the headline and the least useful number

Watts measure what the motor draws, not what the blades do with it. A well-designed jug and blade at lower wattage regularly outperforms a higher-wattage machine with a poor jug, because blending is about how the food circulates rather than raw power.

Personal, jug and high-power are different products

A personal blender makes one smoothie into a bottle you drink from. A jug blender does soup and batches. A high-power machine crushes ice and makes nut butter. They appear side by side at prices that look like quality tiers and are actually different appliances.

What actually drives the price

Type. Personal, jug or high-power — decide this first.
Jug material. Glass is heavier and does not scratch or stain; plastic is lighter and does both.
Whether the jug is dishwasher safe, which decides how often you actually use it.
Bundled accessories, frequently cheaper bought separately.

Before you buy

Decide the type from what you will actually make.
Check jug material and whether it goes in the dishwasher.
Ignore wattage until everything else matches.
Compare the total including delivery.