Cuisinart EvolutionX Cordless Compact Blender Review

We purchased the Cuisinart EvolutionX Cordless Compact Blender so our reviewer could put it to the test in their kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

Personal-size blenders make it quick and easy to prepare a single-serving smoothie and take it on the go. The blender cups double as travel drinking cups, so they can go from the blender base to out the door with you.

But what happens when you don’t have time to blend at home? Or if you’re traveling and need access to a blender? Cuisinart solves this problem with the launch of its cord-free personal blender.

The Cuisinart EvolutionX Cordless Compact Blender, part of Cuisinart’s new cordless collection of kitchen appliances, is battery-operated, so the entire unit can travel with you. The small size is ideal for offices, dorms, and small kitchens, and it’s not as heavy or bulky as a countertop blender, so it could even be packed for camping or a hotel stay.

Cuisinart claims this blender has enough power to compare to a full-size blender. I gave it a test run to see how it performs. Here’s my review.

Design: Sleek and saves space

The blender base is made from a brushed, graphite-colored material with shiny chrome detail around the edge that makes this appliance look great on countertops and work desks. The look fit right in with the rest of my black and stainless steel kitchen appliances.

The base is durable and feels very sturdy while in use. The blender doesn’t jump or bounce around when powered on. It’s a bit too heavy to carry around comfortably by hand, but not so much that it would be impossible to pack in luggage. 

The blender cup is made from BPA-free plastic, but doesn’t feel as sturdy or durable as other appliances I’ve used that are made from Tritan material. The cup can hold up to 16 ounces, but doesn’t have any measurements or a max fill line on the cup. 

The charging port is located along the bottom edge of the back of the motor base, and a rubber cover keeps it protected from accidental drips and spills.

Performance: Operation could be smoother

The EvolutionX Cordless Blender is powered by a single on/off button, which seems intuitive enough that I figured I could skip skimming over the instruction manual before the first use. This was my mistake, because the first time I filled the blender cup and pressed the button, nothing happened.

It turns out the EvolutionX is turned on by pressing the power button once and blending is activated by pressing the power button a second time. This process isn’t hard or time-consuming, but it feels like an extra and unnecessary step. I’m not sure why it was designed this way other than possibly for safety since this blender has only one blending mode and one speed. 

I started with my standard smoothie: frozen blueberries, frozen spinach, banana, and almond milk. Cuisinart recommends filling the blender cup in reverse order than most blenders, starting with frozen ingredients and solids, and then adding your liquid last. 

I didn’t always follow the recommended order, and it didn’t seem to make a difference. After filling the cup, I screwed the blade attachment on just like a lid and flipped the cup over to lock it into the base. The cup attaches to the base with a twisting motion, and you can hear when it locks into place.

Once the blender starts, it runs for one full minute before automatically turning itself off. The auto shut-off let me fill my cup and walk away to rinse a few dishes or put my ingredients away while my drinks blended. 

When the minute was up, my smoothie turned out almost as good as it does in my high-speed countertop blender. I could still see bits of blueberry skins and spinach leaves in my drink, but they were very finely chopped and didn’t change the texture of the smoothie. 

My results were the same when I made drinks with other frozen ingredients, including strawberries, cherries, and bananas. The blender blades had no problem turning ice cubes into crushed ice as long as I used enough liquid.

If I didn’t add enough liquid, the frozen ingredients would get stuck in the blending cup, but this is true for most blenders. Having the right ratio of liquid to frozen ingredients is key to a good frozen blend whether you’re making frozen margaritas or a thick smoothie bowl. If the blending cup had measurements printed on it, it would make pouring enough liquid in much easier than eyeballing it alone.

Features: Battery operated motor

The Cuisinart EvolutionX Cordless Compact Blender is a personal-size blender equipped with a rechargeable lithium battery. The battery can be recharged via USB cable, so you can use any USB-equipped device to keep it powered. I like the idea of keeping this blender in an office or work desk and using a computer or cell charger to charge it. 

A USB adapter is also included, so you can charge the battery from a standard electrical outlet, too. The blender can also be operated while plugged in.

The blender is partially charged out of the box, and the instructions advise fully charging it before the first use. According to Cuisinart’s product description, a full charge typically takes about two hours and will provide 20 minutes of run time.

In my experience, the blender lasted over two weeks on a single charge. However, I wasn’t using it every single day, so more frequent use will obviously drain the battery faster. 

The battery life light indicator built into the base made it easy to know when it’s time to charge. There are three lights, which are all blue when the battery is fully charged. As the battery life decreases, only two lights will be blue, then one. When only one light remains and begins to flash, it’s time to charge.

With about half the power remaining, the blender took one hour to 90 minutes to fully charge. I find it easiest to charge these types of appliances overnight every few days, so the battery is always fully juiced.

Cleaning: Straight forward

The blender cup, blade, and lid can either be washed by hand or placed in the top rack of a dishwasher. The blender base can be cleaned by wiping with a damp cloth. I liked that the base is fingerprint-proof, except for the shiny bit of trim around the top, which smudges easily and requires frequent wiping.

Like most blenders, I found the easiest way to clean the Cuisinart was to rinse out the blending cup as soon as I finished my drink. Filling the cup with warm water and a drop of dishwashing soap and running the blender to self-clean was sufficient most of the time. 

Powdered ingredients and sticky ingredients, like nut butter, tended to stick to the sides of the blending cup and didn’t come off without some washing by hand. The mouth of the cup is generously sized, though, so I didn’t have a problem fitting my hand or a sponge inside to give it a scrub.

An O-ring is located on the blade attachment. It’s a good idea to remove this once in a while for a more thorough cleaning. I found powders tend to stick in this area, as well, but it’s easy enough to lift the O-ring out with a toothpick or edge of a spoon.

Price: On the high end

The EvolutionX Cordless Blender costs around $80 and is backed by a three-year limited warranty. Additional blender jars and travel lids are available for separate purchase and cost around $15 and $9, respectively.

Both battery-operated and corded personal-size blenders can range greatly in price. You’ll find options anywhere from $30 to $80, but not all of them have cordless functionality. Many are blending systems that include multiple to-go blending cups and lids compared to Cuisinart’s single blending cup.

Cuisinart EvolutionX Cordless Blender vs. BlendJet 2

BlendJet 2 Portable Blender: The BlendJet 2, which I also reviewed, is a battery-operated blender designed to be used on the go. It retails for $50. 

The BlendJet 2 doesn’t have a detachable blending cup like the Cuisinart and other similar personal-size blenders. It’s a one-piece design, so the motor is attached to the blending cup when you’re blending and drinking. 

Like the Cuisinart, it can hold up to 16 ounces, but I found the tall and narrow shape of the blending jar tough to fit solid ingredients into. One perk of the BlendJet 2 is the inclusion of measurements on the blending jar, so you don’t have to use measuring cups.

The BlendJet 2 runs for 20 seconds with each blending cycle versus Cuisinart’s 60 seconds. It’s also lightweight, weighing just over 1 pound, and is recharged with a USB cable. It does not come with a USB adapter for standard outlets.

The BlendJet 2 is a good choice if you’re looking for something smaller and faster than the Cuisinart.