I use a blender or food processor nearly every day of my life. Most mornings I drink a smoothie, at lunch I like to whip up a quick salad dressing, and if I’m feeling fancy I even like to blend a quick-frozen cocktail. And as much as I look forward to an invigorating smoothie, sometimes I think twice about having to go to the pantry to pull out the big stand of my blender, clear space on the countertop, plug it in, and start my routine – only to have to start it all over again when I’m done. Somehow I always hoped for an easier way.

Recently, Nutribullet launched the Flip, a portable blender with a super-insulated 20-ounce blender cup that doubles as a drinking cup. It’s a great new contender in its price range.

Portable Blender Nutribullet Flip

Luckily, Nutribullet sent me one to test out for my smoothie routine (and more). So far, this compact device has many benefits and I’m looking forward to discovering even more as I prepare new dishes.

For one, its footprint is actually very small and it’s extremely easy to store. All in all, it’s basically the size of a large water bottle, and since the blending motor screws into the top of the cup, there’s only one part to store. Its stainless steel blade has destroyed every frozen fruit, seed, and veggie I’ve thrown into it so far; whether it’s a smoothie, tomato sauce, or salad dressing, I’ve gotten a pretty nice consistency out of everything I’ve made. There’s definitely a bit of a learning curve, since it’s not see-through like a regular blender or Vitamix pitcher, so if you want to make sure everything is blended evenly (pun intended), you’ll have to stop blending and unscrew the lid. But it’s pretty easy to get the hang of once you get a feel for how much liquid to add and what your ideal consistency sounds like when blending.

With that in mind, my smoothies were delicious, if a little thick. So far, no portable blender I’ve come across can compete with my 1,200-watt Beast Blender, but the trade-off is absolutely worth it if space and speed are important to you. With the Flip, once you’re done blending, you can unscrew the motor, rinse it, and sip your drink from a metal straw (included, of course) in a matter of seconds. There’s even a second, lighter lid you can screw on in place of the motor if you’re sipping on the go (or transporting something you made yourself, like hummus or dressing). And no matter what components you’re cleaning, a quick rinse always does the trick.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly (at least for the cold drink lovers out there), the insulated stainless steel tumbler keeps my drinks extremely cold. I love it when a smoothie is still cool at the end, and this tumbler provides just that experience.

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At the time of publication, the price was $100..