Frozen drink maker vs. blender: running cost
A blender is cheaper to run: about $2 a year versus $4 for a frozen drink maker at typical use and 17.99¢/kWh, a $2 difference.
| Frozen drink maker | Blender | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical watts | 400 W | 800 W |
| Watt range | 200–800 W | 300–1,500 W |
| Typical use | 1.5 hours a day, 1 days a week | 3 minutes a day, 4 days a week |
| Energy per year | 22 kWh | 8 kWh |
| Cost per hour | 5.0¢ | 14¢ |
| Cost per day | 1.1¢ | 0.4¢ |
| Cost per month | $0.33 | $0.13 |
| Cost per year | $4 | $2 |
| Per year in Hawaii (43.51¢) | $10 | $4 |
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What drives the difference
- Frozen drink maker: Refrigerated slush makers like the Ninja Slushi run a compressor at roughly 300-500 W for 15-60 minutes to freeze a batch; blender-style margarita machines draw 400-700 W for seconds at a time.
- Blender: Blenders run only a minute or two per use; a high-speed Vitamix peaks around 1,400 W, but a smoothie uses about 0.02 kWh.
Ways to cut either cost
Uses about half the power of a full-size high-speed blender for single smoothies.
See options on AmazonMakes frozen drinks from freezer ice in seconds without a running compressor.
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Frequently asked questions
Which costs more to run, a frozen drink maker or a blender?
At typical use and the U.S. average rate (17.99¢/kWh), a frozen drink maker costs about $4 a year versus $2 for a blender. That's $2 more, or 2.6× as much.
How many watts do frozen drink maker and blender use?
A frozen drink maker typically draws 400 W (range 200–800 W). A blender draws 800 W (range 300–1,500 W). Watts alone don't decide cost. Hours of use, cycling and standby matter just as much.
Rates: EIA, 12 months ending 2026-07. Methodology.