In the world of personal blenders, Nutribullet was one of the first and has reigned supreme ever since. But, it was inevitable that someone would try to knock the reigning regent off its throne—and it turns out a former Nutribullet creator, Colin Sapire, has a contender: The BEAST (yes, it’s all caps) blender. This modern personal blender is likely meant to appeal to millennial tastes, specifically our penchant for matte neutrals (carbon black, pebble gray, cloud white) and minimalist aesthetics.
It also taps into younger generations’ quest for “wellness” by promising to blitz up “nutrient-rich smoothies and infusions that make you Strong Inside™.” The BEAST is sold standalone or with an accompanying small jar, portable jar lid, and “infusion” bottle, which you cram with macerated matter to infuse water; we focused on the blender, since that’s the main draw. Is the BEAST worth buying? Read on to find out.
Also available at thebeast.com.
Price at time of publish: $165
The Tests
- Mango Kale Smoothie Test: We blended a smoothie of frozen mango, fibrous kale, orange juice, and a frozen, sliced banana.
- Date Peanut Butter Smoothie Test: We blended a smoothie of sticky dates, peanut butter, oat milk, and a frozen, sliced banana.
- Spiced Butternut Squash Smoothie Test: We blended a smoothie of frozen, cooked butternut squash with oat milk, spices, yogurt, and a frozen, sliced banana.
- Basil Pesto Test: We made basil pesto in the blender, noting the final consistency.
- Caesar Dressing Test: We made Caesar dressing in the blender to test its ability to emulsify.
- Leak Test: The blender comes with a to-go container to tote your smoothie, so we poured a smoothie in it, capped it, and shook it around to see if it dripped or leaked.
- Ice Test: We blended two cups of ice to test the machine’s power and durability,
What We Learned
The Ridged Jar Sides Helped For Blending, But Were Hard to Clean
BEAST claims its design is as functional as it is attractive. And yes, the ridged jar looks quite nice, but the design also helps with the blending process, creating “internal turbulence for the smoothest blends.” And it held up to those claims; all of the smoothies and blends we made were super silky, with nary a speck of matter left. In the case of pesto, it was almost too smooth, verging on slimy (we recommend using a mortar and pestle for making pesto). The only big con with the ridged sides is that, while they helped smoothies get ultra smooth, they are a bit of a pain to clean. They were also a difficult to scrape down with a spatula when pouring a smoothie into a glass.
It’s a Smoothie Blender, First and Foremost
As mentioned above, the BEAST will really puree pesto, and it made a silky smooth (if slightly runny) Caesar dressing—but the issue is, both were almost too well integrated. Another problem with emulsified dressings and sauces is that, with the BEAST, there really is no way to drizzle in oil while blending; you just have to toss everything in and hope it emulsifies. We were also disappointed to find out you couldn’t put hot liquids in the blender; there went our chance to blend a super smooth butternut squash soup! (We think you should just stick to an immersion blender anyways.) The machine even has “smart” technology that prevents the blade from spinning if it senses something hot, or if you’ve been running it a while and it starts to overheat. Overall, it’s really a smoothie blender, so if you drink smoothies on the daily, it’s got you covered.
Ice > BEAST
If the BEAST had a Kryptonite, it would be ice. It failed to blend two cups of ice, instead pushing the ice upwards to the top of the jar where it got stuck. The ice that the blade was able to capture was pulverized and powdered nicely, but it was a negligible amount, and the machine’s smart blade stopped the machine twice during the process.
We also had some trouble with the spiced butternut squash smoothie which included one cup of frozen, cooked squash and a small frozen banana; the same phenomenon occurred where the frozen items got stuck to the top of the jar, and we had to shake it to get them to move and get blended up. In the end, while a single frozen banana with liquids added might be manageable, the BEAST just can’t handle a ton of frozen ingredients.
The Interface Was (Almost Too) Simple
With a single safety power button (like the one you press on your hairdryer after plugging it in and before turning it on) and a single on/off/pulse button, the interface wasn’t complicated. We found this both a pro and a con; on the plus side, you don’t have to think too much: if you want to pulse, hit the button in short bursts. If you want to blend, hold down on the button and then release, and the machine will be on its merry way blending. But, we do wish it was a little more customizable. It was also a little confusing at first figuring out how to get the thing to stop blending; if you have it on full-on blend, to stop it you have to press the power button again.
Shake, Shake
The BEAST is beautiful to behold, but we also found it a little tippy; while traditional blenders have stout, boxy bases, the BEAST has a round base that’s almost the same size as the jar, creating a sort of hourglass shape. This caused it to shake a little when we were blending.
The Verdict
If you survive off smoothies (or if you just enjoy slurping a smoothie a few times a week), the BEAST is a solid blender that will ensure silky smooth blends; it easily liquified a sticky peanut butter and date smoothie, and even a frozen banana, mango and fibrous kale smoothie. That said, if you want to load up your smoothies with LOTS of frozen fruit and/or ice, the BEAST isn’t the best choice. For that, we recommend the Vitamix 5200 Professional-Grade Blender—our favorite high-end model.
FAQs
Can I blend hot ingredients in the BEAST blender?
The brand does not recommend blending hot things in the BEAST, saying, “doing so may cause excessive steam and pressure to build up in the Vessel, resulting in the potential risk of the Vessel and Blender Base separating and thereby possibly resulting in personal injury and/or property damage.”
Can I blend carbonated ingredients in the BEAST blender?
The brand does not recommend blending carbonated things in the blender, saying this could cause excessive pressure buildup. They also caution against adding certain ingredients, like whey protein and sea moss, which, surprisingly, have leavening abilities.
What is the max capacity of the BEAST B10 Blender?
The max capacity of the large jar is 700 milliliters (roughly 3 cups), and the small jar’s max capacity is 350 milliliters (roughly 1.5 cups).
Is the BEAST B10 Blender dishwasher safe?
The jar and accessories can be washed on the top rack of the dishwasher, but the blade should be hand washed.
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