The Smeg PBF01 Personal Blender oozes the kind of style only Smeg appliances have and is surprisingly robust for a slimline blender.

Smeg PBF01 Personal Blender

Pros:

  • Stylish design
  • Compact but robust
  • Two bottles with handles

Cons:

  • 300W motor lacks blitzing power

Power: 3.5/5
Blending: 4/5
Crushing: 3/5
OVERALL: 4/5

The Smeg PBF01 is by no means the most powerful personal blender, or the one with the largest capacity. But what it lacks in oomph, it more than makes up for in convenience and style. So you can still make short work of whizzing up smoothies using the best protein powders. There are five colours to choose from – pink, black, cream, blue, red, green or white. So you can pick one to match your kitchen or any other Smeg appliances you might own.

Smeg PBF01 Personal Blender features

It takes up little space on the worktop, looks great (it’s a Smeg, what do you expect?) and makes quick work of berry smoothies and protein shakes. It comes with two 600ml (20oz) bottles which have sipping lips, robust caps and handles. Having two bottles is a big plus here if you’re one half of a protein shake-loving couple, or, as I discovered, you’re just good at leaving one at work. The plastic is robust, dishwasher-safe and made from 50% recycled content.

To use, you simply fill the cup with ingredients, screw the stainless steel double blade attachment to the bottle, select one of two speeds and press down. For such a small unit I expected a bit of wobble, but the non-slip feet and stainless steel body keeps everything reassuringly stable. You can’t, however, leave the blender to do its thing. Instead, you need to press the bottle down to engage the motor. Call it a mindful moment, instead of an irritant.

With only 300W it doesn’t really enjoy blitzing nuts, and can’t obliterate ice like the Nutribullet can. But it will pulverise soft ingredients, and while it takes a bit longer, it works well with frozen berries and bananas. Adding a few ice cubes is fine too, but you may occasionally find a few chilly lumps.

The order you add ingredients is also key, so if you add powder first – I used the excellent 33 Fuel Premium Protein Powder – expect some to stick, which makes cleaning harder. I was, however, impressed by how smooth it made powder-based shakes.

The Smeg PBF01 is expensive, and does feel underpowered compared to the cheaper Nutribullet 900, but it’s convenient, compact and the most stylish option available.

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