9 Best Blenders For Margaritas
A classic margarita is fairly easy to make but if you want an extraordinary glass of frozen margarita, then you need the right blender for it.
What are the best blenders for margaritas? Margarita blenders should have excellent ice-crushing capabilities, a high-wattage motor, durable and high-quality blades, and a large glass jar with a wide input chute.
Read below to learn more about what it takes to make a fantastic serving of your favorite beverage in the least time and effort possible!
Tools Of The Trade
Margaritas are not complicated cocktails but they do require some best practices to get the most out of their flavor.
There are primarily two versions of margaritas:
- Classic Version – Shaken, served straight or on the rocks
- Frozen Version – Blended with ice, served as a smooth mixture
The classic version is a simple concoction of tequila, orange-flavored liqueur, lime juice, ice, and a sweetener – mix all of these ingredients in a shaker and enjoy a freshly made margarita in a salt-rimmed glass.
This basic version can either be served on the rocks or straight off the shaker – there really is no “right way” to do this! But what if you want a bit more texture in your beverage?
This is where the frozen version comes in. Frozen margaritas are a replica of the classic version but with a few notable differences.
The first difference is that this beverage is not shaken, but is rather directly mixed and aerated in a blender. A blender is an excellent tool for this job because it can homogenize all the ingredients without over-aerating the ingredients.
Aeration is an important step in making margaritas because it can affect the subtle notes of the lime and even the liquor.
Too much aeration can mask the subtle notes in the beverage while less aeration will lead to an inadequately mixed margarita – which will likely have an appealing look and flavor.
The second thing about frozen margaritas is that they require crushed ice – and we don’t just mean blended ice, no! The ice needs to be crushed just perfectly so that it adds that distinct and signature texture to the beverage.
Frozen margaritas are usually consumed slowly via a straw or the rim of a glass. If the ice isn’t crushed properly then the beverage will become difficult to consume and may even become diluted as you wait for it to melt.
Making Margarita – The Right Way
Before we get into the best blenders, let’s first learn how to properly make an immaculate glass of margarita at home.
Here is what you need:
- A great blender – preferably from our recommendations below.
- High-quality tequila
- Cointreau or Triple Sec
- Lime Juice
- Sweetener
- Ice
Instructions
- Start by measuring out all the ingredients. As a basic rule of thumb, always go with a ratio of 2 :1: 1. This is the ratio of tequila, Cointreau or triple sec, and lime juice. Use this ratio for any version of tequila for the best results!
- Prepare the glass beforehand as you should ideally serve the beverage immediately after it has been blended – because it takes only a few seconds to make a great glass of margarita!
- Start by running the edge of the glass with a lemon wedge. The idea here is to get some lime juice or moisture around the rim so that the salt adheres to the edges. Now gently dip the wet edge in a salt-filled saucer or only rim half of the glass – which is also a great etiquette that allows for choice.
- Now it’s time to make the tequila. Cut around a fresh lime to remove its skin. Get all of the skin off the lime before adding it whole to the blender. The skin will impart a bitter flavor to the beverage so don’t forget to remove all of it!
- Add the measured liquor to the blender along with the sweetener and ice. Try using agave syrup as it will provide a wholistic flavor since the tequila is also made from the same plant.
- Blend using the pulse (or margarita) setting until smooth! Serve the mixture in the prepared glass and enjoy with a separate lemon wedge or lime wheel on the side.
Buyer’s Guide for Best Margarita Blenders
This buyer’s guide is designed to help you pick the best blender for the job. To make things easier, we have divided our guide into different sections.
Each section will discuss an important feature that any good margarita blender must possess.
Here is what you need to look out for:
- Ice Crushing Presets
- High-Quality Blades
- Jar Size and Nozzle Attachment
- Wattage
- Warranty
Ice Crushing Presets
The first thing that you need to look for in a blender is its ice-crushing features or capabilities.
A blender with a dedicated ice-crushing setting will prove to be a huge bonus, especially if you want to primarily use the blender to make margaritas!
Features like a built-in ice cube reservoir or an attached ice shaving mechanism can come in use for not just making margaritas but for shakes, smoothies, slushies, and all kinds of cold beverages.
These specialized blenders are very easy to use. All you need to do is add the ice to the reservoir and then turn on the relevant knob to begin shaving the ice.
The accumulated ice can then drop down into the main jar or chute where it is then mixed with the margarita.
While these dedicated blenders may be a bit expensive, they are worth every penny, especially when you are looking for restaurant-level beverages without all the guesswork.
If you don’t have the budget for dedicated margarita blenders, then you can also settle for a bit less.
For the best results, we recommend purchasing a blender that features at least some ice-crushing presets – but you may also make do with a basic pulse setting too.
This will require some guesswork and you might need to practice a bit before you start making delicious margaritas, but you will save up a lot in the long run in the context of depreciation, potential repair costs, and initial investment.
Don’t know where to start? You can find many blenders under $100-200 with basic features on our list below!
High-Quality Blades
This is an absolute necessity for many reasons. Not only will high-quality blades play a pivotal role in crushing ice but they will also be important in blending lime and other ingredients into a smooth and homogenized slurry.
Make sure to pick a blender that has stainless-steel blades with a preferably all-steel enclosure – where the parts connecting the blade to the motor are also made of steel.
This will enhance the blending capabilities of the blender and will also increase its overall durability.
Remember that cheaper does not always equate to low quality. You can easily find a few excellent options with top-notch blades within your budget. But please try to stay away from the uber-cheap 100W blenders that come equipped with dulled blades.
In most cases, these low-quality blades will not be able to crush ice – especially in large qualities.
If you do want to go with small and compact blenders with a low wattage, then we recommend that you use pre-crushed ice or shavings for more or less the same effect.
Jar Size And Nozzle Attachment
The perfect margarita requires room to “breathe” while blending.
A very compact jar will lead to less aeration and will also put stress on the blade and motor – and then there’s also the thing about not being able to make enough servings in one go.
Any size between 32-65oz should be enough for most people but you can always purchase a bigger blender if you plan to make a lot of margaritas for parties or small events.
Having measurement marking on the side of the jar is also a huge plus in making great margaritas.
Some blenders also come equipped with an attached nozzle on the side that makes it easier to pour out the drink without lifting or tilting the jar. It’s a small addition but adds a lot of convenience, especially in a party setting!
A larger input chute may also come in handy, especially when you want to mix in more ingredients to the margarita or when you just want to use the blender for general blending purposes.
Wattage
The higher the wattage, the more powerful the blender. Luckily, you don’t need a lot of power to make margaritas. Keep in mind that most of the time, you would only need to blend a margarita for no more than 10 seconds.
It is important, though, that you make those 10 seconds count!
There are a wide variety of high and low-wattage blenders that you can choose to make margaritas. Try to look for a blender that falls between 700-1500W for the best experience.
If you are into making small servings and are looking for a more personal and compact blender then you can also go below 500W. There are even some blenders that can get the job done in 150W.
Will these be able to churn up professional-grade servings? That’s doubtful, but you can still get well-blended margarita!
Warranty
This is perhaps one of the most important aspects to look out for when purchasing a blender. With great ice crushing and blending, comes great wear and tear!
Most blenders are highly capable and can handle everyday tasks but for other more affordable varieties, you might need to look into the warranty and its fine print.
Go for trusted brands with a lot of reviews. These products will be statistically more reliable than cheaper alternatives thanks to an abundance of feedback from customers who have used the product.
The warranty should cover the motor, the blades, and everything between. In many cases, brands will provide a full warranty – which is a huge plus. But a limited warranty that only covers either the motor or the blade will also be highly welcome.
You can try your luck with non-warranty products but if you plan to make a lot of frozen margaritas and blend hard food, then it would generally be a good idea to get a cushion in the form of a warranty.
Best Blenders For Margarita
Now that you know exactly what to look for in a margarita blender, it’s time to make a purchase decision.
Our recommendations below are handpicked by our staff using the buyer’s guide above. Rest assured that you would be getting your money’s worth regardless of what you choose!
Rank | Product | Key Features |
---|---|---|
1. | Margaritaville Bali Frozen Margaritas | Built-in ice reservoir, perfectly smooth margaritas |
2. | Nostalgia 128-Ounce Margarita Maker | Gallon capacity, detachable jar with carry handle |
3. | Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker | The default margarita maker, ice reservoir, highly durable blades |
4. | Hamilton Beach Professional Quiet Shield Blender | All-purpose 1500W blender, 5-year limited warranty |
5. | Hamilton Beach Ice Crushing Blender | 12 functions, durable blade system, powerful motor |
6. | Margaritaville Signature Edition Frozen Margarita Maker | 3 pitchers, highly convenient and efficient blender |
7. | Margaritaville Tahiti Margarita Machine for Margaritas | Automated ice reservoir, 3 pitchers |
8. | Nostalgia Taco Tuesday Frozen Margarita | Simple and efficient, large 64oz jar with attached nozzle |
9. | Vitamix Explorian Blender | 10 variable speed options, low-profile and sleek body |
1. Margaritaville Bali Frozen Margaritas
Robust design, high-quality stainless-steel blades, and a dedicated reservoir for ice. This is the ultimate margarita-making machine!
If you have been looking for a one-stop solution for making restaurant-level margaritas then start here.
This machine brings technology and convenience together in an amazing package that is designed to provide you with world-class margaritas right from your kitchen counter.
The ice reservoir can easily hold 2-3 cups of ice that can be shaved or crushed in a separate compartment.
All you need is to add the ingredients to the blender and set the ice and mixing settings separately. Wait a few seconds and voila! Enjoy fresh, delicious margaritas without any effort.
2. Nostalgia 128-Ounce Margarita Maker
The Nostalgia Margarita maker is designed to make up to a gallon of your favorite margarita – perfect for parties or even small events.
The jar on this machine comes equipped with a handle on top and a nozzle at the bottom. Just make your favorite margarita in the blender and then detach the top and take it with you!
It’s made from high-quality materials and its superior blade system is designed to outlast other similar blenders in the same category.
It may not boast an overcharged power rating but its 150W motor can make quick work of hard ice and other ingredients with ease.
3. Margaritaville Bahamas Frozen Concoction Maker
You are going to see a few Margaritaville products on our list, that is because this brand specializes in providing exceptional blenders that are fine-tuned to make the perfect margarita!
This blender is no different! It provides all the basic features you would need to make a fresh glass of your favorite margarita – but at a lower price!
The beauty of this blender is that it is super simple and offers a no-frill approach to making great margaritas.
You get two straightforward settings: blend and shave. The shave setting will precisely create fine ice particles that will then drop down to the main jar. Just set the blender to the “blend” setting and get fresh margaritas in under a minute!
4. Hamilton Beach Professional Quiet Shield Blender
A high-RPM motor and a super sharp and durable blade system ensure that you get perfectly crushed ice and equally mixed margaritas within no time.
Hamilton Beach is known for its range of affordable and high-quality appliances and we think that they have hit it out of the park with this amazing blender.
It checks all the checkboxes in our buyer’s guide and is perhaps one of the best every day-use blender.
If you are worried about sluggish results then rest assured, this blender will provide up to 1500W of power which is enough to homogenize any frozen margarita – and it also comes with a 5-year limited brand warranty too!
5. Hamilton Beach Ice Crushing Blender
Here’s another excellent and affordable all-purpose blender that can be used to make customized glasses of frozen margaritas.
The great thing about this blender is that it has a large 40oz jar and several presets that you can use to crush ice as per your liking.
The 700W motor is attached to a high-quality stainless-steel blade that can pulverize anything you throw at it.
With its adjustable speed settings, you can aerate your drink without masking its overall subtle flavor notes.
6. Margaritaville Signature Edition Frozen Margarita Maker
Take the guesswork out of making the perfect margarita with this signature edition margarita maker.
This model is perfect for anyone who is looking for a mid-range blender that can shave or crush ice and can make about 3 pitchers worth of beverages!
With a highly sharp stainless-steel blade and a 450W motor, this is truly a very efficient and capable margarita maker that can also be used for generic blending purposes too.
It may look tall over a counter but you can expect any great margarita maker to have more or less the same dimensions due to the added ice reservoir on top.
7. Margaritaville Tahiti Margarita Machine
This is the ultimate margarita machine. You get three 24-ounce pitchers set side by side on a large base machine with 700W of combined blending and shaving power.
The Tahiti Margarita machine is specifically built for power users who want to make not one, not two, but three different types of beverages in one convenient machine.
To reiterate how awesome this machine is: you get around 72 ounces of beverages on a single cycle along with 6 different beverage presets. That’s enough booze to keep your party going!
It also has an ice reservoir on top that can hold enough ice to fill up 3 pitchers. The best part?
The ice reservoir chute will move to each jar automatically! Just fill up each jar, set the presets and make professional-level margaritas with a press of a button.
8. Nostalgia Taco Tuesday Frozen Margarita
Simple, straightforward, and highly convenient. The Nostalgia Margarita maker is designed to make either slushes or margaritas. It has a 220v motor that can easily crush and shave ice within seconds.
You can finally forget about dealing with large and small chunks of ice in your margarita, this blender will homogenize the mixture so that you get an amazing glass of your favorite beverage every time!
The jar has a capacity of around 64 ounces which should be enough for a small-scale party at home!
The attached output nozzle will also come in handy when you want to conveniently pour out a glass without making a mess.
9. Vitamix Explorian Blender
We love the Vitamix Explorian blender for two reasons.
For one, it has an extremely attractive and sleek design that can add class to your kitchen décor. And secondly, it is one of the most versatile margarita makers in the market.
It has ten variable power settings that can provide you with full control over the ice shavings and while it doesn’t have a dedicated ice reservoir, you won’t need to continuously add more ice to it thanks to its large 64-ounce jar.
The great thing about this model is that it has a low-profile design that won’t make you uncomfortably reach for the top. Just load up all the ingredients in one go and let the stainless-steel blades do the rest.
If you have been looking for an excellent margarita and all-purpose blender, then the Vitamix will prove to be an excellent investment!
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