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Let's be honest: when you make a smoothie, do you dump everything into your full-sized blender or personal blender and hope for the best? You’re not alone—I did the same in my early smoothie-blending days: a little of this, a lot of that, then more liquid or more blending, and sometimes a chunky compromise. Those days are over for both of us.
As a reviews analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, I've tested more than 100 blender models and counting (making at least one smoothie in each). In the past decade, I also trained in health‑supportive culinary arts and developed recipes for a New York City smoothie shop. I've blended more smoothies than I can count—professionally and in my home kitchen—and the biggest and most surprising game‑changer was how I layered the ingredients. Read on for my team's top‑tested techniques that turn guesswork into a smooth, reliable blend.
Jump to:
- Yes—there’s a right way to layer your smoothie ingredients.
- What about with a personal or portable blender?
- Your ratio of ingredients also matters, and this is ours:
- And don't forget to balance your blend.
- If you're gotten this far and you still don't like your smoothies—it might be your blender.
- Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Yes—there’s a right way to layer your smoothie ingredients.
Every single blender that gets tested in the Kitchen Appliances Lab gets tested with the same standardized smoothie recipe, but the technique for filling the blender is also standardized. This is the standardized layering technique we use:
- Liquid (milk, alternative milks, juice, yogurt)
- Soft fruits and veggies
- Leafy greens
- Dry and sticky (seeds, protein powder, nut butters)
- Ice, hard or frozen fruits and veggies
TL;DR: Layer liquids and soft ingredients on the bottom, powders and sticky add‑ins in the middle, and hard/frozen items on top. This strategic layering helps create a vortex in the blender that gently pulls everything to the blades for a smoother, more cohesive blend. It also prevents powders from flying up or clumping around the blades, reducing motor strain and blade wear.
What about with a personal or portable blender?
Simply reverse the order of your layering with a personal blender (if and only if your blender requires that you flip it upside down and onto a motor base). The key is to always place your softest ingredients around the blade and the hardest on top.
If you're using a personal or portable blender, you might also have to halve your favorite smoothie recipe for it to fit nicely in your blender cup, and so that there is enough space to form that vortex.
Your ratio of ingredients also matters, and this is ours:
Chief Food Director Kate Merker shared the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen's basic smoothie ratio that they utilize for most smoothie recipe development.
- ½ to 1 part liquid (the amount will depend on the fruit being used)
- ½ part yogurt *
- 1½ to 2 parts frozen fruit and/or vegetables
* If not using yogurt, increase the liquid
Smoothie additions:
- Nut butter or avocado: Add 1 tablespoon for a healthy fat addition.
- Leafy greens: A handful of baby spinach or kale.
- Sweetener: Don't add anything until you taste, since fruit already contains natural sugars. However, if you need more sweetness, maple syrup is Merker's go-to, but you can also add honey or agave.
- Spices, citrus zest, herbs, extracts, or even a pinch of salt: Smoothies don't have to be boring. I love adding cinnamon, lemon zest, mint, or vanilla extract to jazz up the flavor of my smoothies. You can really get creative here.
And don't forget to balance your blend.
According to Stefani Sassos, the director of the Nutrition Lab at the Good Housekeeping Institute and a registered dietitian, "I aim to make my smoothies both balanced and satisfying. I always start with a base of antioxidant-rich fruit, but make a point to include vegetables too, like a handful of spinach or some frozen riced cauliflower." She notes that by adding leafy greens or riced veg, she's adding additional fiber and nutrients to her smoothie. Sassos also likes to switch up the fruits and veggies so that she's getting a varied range of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants in her beverage.
"Protein is the key piece I focus on, since so many smoothies are lacking in it," states Sassos. "I’ll add Greek yogurt, a scoop of protein powder, or even chia or hemp seeds, as well as a source of healthy fats like almond butter or avocado to round it out." Added protein will keep you feeling satiated for longer, which is especially important if your smoothie is a meal for you.
She also recommends skipping the added sugar if possible,"Rely on fruit for natural sweetness, and also use lightly sweetened yogurt, cocoa powder, cinnamon, or vanilla extract for flavor," says Sassos.
If you're gotten this far and you still don't like your smoothies—it might be your blender.
Consider replacing your blender if you still get chunky blends despite proper layering and ratios, or if the motor struggles—abruptly shutting off or smoking within a minute of blending. I’ve tested dozens of blenders, and my team has tested even more. Here are my top blender recommendations to turn your smoothies from meh to divine:
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Eva Bleyer has professionally tested all kinds of kitchen equipment, from oven ranges to juicers. Eva has rigorously tested over 100 blenders in the Good Housekeeping Institute in the past four years. As a trained chef from the Natural Gourmet Institute with a background in health-supportive cooking, she has extensive experience using blenders.
For this story Eva consulted with director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition Lab, registered dietitian Stefani Sassos. She oversees all of GH's nutrition content, product testing and evaluation and stays up to date on the latest research to provide evidence-based reporting on all things diet and nutrition. Eva also consulted with Kate Merker, Chief Food Director for Good Housekeeping as well as other brands like Women’s Health, Prevention, Woman’s Day and Country Living. She oversees the team that produces food content for all brands, including countless smoothie recipes over the years.
Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.
