BlenderCap by Cruz Review: Don’t Leave Home Without It If You Enjoy Smoothies on the Go!

The Lowdown

The BlenderCap by Cruz is an exceptionally well-made portable blending device that is perfect for use at home, on the go, or when traveling. If you’ve been looking for a powerful portable blender that doesn’t look like a cheap, disposable plastic toy, is easy to clean, and will last for years, this is the one to get!

Overall
5

Pros

  • Extremely well made and built to last
  • Battery lasts long enough to make up to ten 32-ounce smoothies
  • Perfect for home, travel, or on-the-go use

Cons

We’ve reviewed portable blenders before, but the BlenderCap by Cruz is something else. Designed by two former Apple Engineers, BlenderCap is one of the most functional and best-designed solutions we’ve yet seen for making smoothies, shakes, frozen drinks, or flavored ices while traveling or on the go. All you need to create your favorite concoctions are the ingredients, some ice, a wide-mouth bottle, and the BlenderCap by Cruz will do the rest.

BlenderCap by Cruz Review: Don't Leave Home Without It If You Enjoy Smoothies on the Go!

Whether you’re a college student in need of brain food in between classes, a parent who wants to enjoy a nutritious snack while running errands or someone who’s trying to add more vegetables and fruits to their diet, smoothies are an easy and tasty way to do all of that and more.

Unlike when you’re at home, where it’s easy to whip together a frozen drink with a refrigerator full of ingredients and a full-size blender at your disposal, enjoying a smoothie on the go or when traveling usually means having to pay someone else to blend together your chosen ingredients.

The BlenderCap by Cruz makes it possible to create your favorite drinks just about anywhere — even in places where there’s no electricity.

Sure, the option to use a battery-powered portable blender like the BlendJet 2 exists, but whether it’s fair or not, I’ve always thought that portable plastic blenders like that look cheaply made (even though they aren’t cheap!) and are ultimately meant to be disposable. No thanks.

The BlenderCap by Cruz is something else entirely, as you’ll soon see.

Rather than a plastic cup with an integrated blender at the bottom, the BlenderCap system involves using a wide-mouth, insulated stainless steel bottle and the BlenderCap itself. Because BlenderCap was designed to fit common bottle threads, you can use it with the bottles that Cruz sells or with a wide-mouth bottle that you already own.

Your ingredients are blended in the bottle; you can either leave them in there to enjoy throughout the day, or they can be poured into others’ cups when you’re sharing.

The $129 starter kit includes a BlenderCap, a 32-ounce stainless steel vacuum-insulated wide-mouth bottle in Cortez Silver, a collapsible silicone funnel, a blade cap, a USB-A to USB-C Charging Cable, a user guide, an info card, and a Cruz logo sticker.

Including the blades, the BlenderCap measures approximately 4″ tall by 3″ wide; with the protective cap in place, it weighs one pound and 9.5 ounces.

Inside the attractive, aircraft-grade 6061 precipitation-hardened aluminum alloy enclosure, the BlenderCap holds an 18,000-rpm motor powered by nine lithium-ion cells; blending is accomplished with a set of kitchen-grade 304 stainless steel blades.

The BlenderCap is substantial, and it feels like it is built to last.

The BlenderCap’s impressively sharp blades are intended to slice and dice through just about anything, so it should go without saying that when you’re not actively blending something, the blades should either be covered with the included cap or stored inside a bottle.

Lest you think that the BlenderCap without its cover is just waiting for exposed digits to mangle, there are several safety features in place: When the BlenderCap is plugged in and charging, the blades can not be activated (with or without the cap in place).

And while you shouldn’t press the power button unless the BlenderCap is properly screwed onto a wide-mouth bottle, there is a safety switch mechanism built under the cap’s gasket that keeps the blades from activating unless and until a bottle is securely fastened to the BlenderCap.

BlenderCap is meant to be safe and simple to use, and it is, although Cruz rightly recommends adult supervision if children are using it.

On the top of the BlenderCap is a grippy silicone ring (helpful when you set it down while blending) and two LEDs; on the front, there is a USB charger port and a silicone-covered power button.

It takes up to six hours to fully charge a fully depleted BlenderCap using the included charging cable and any USB Type-A power source. While charging, the right LED will flash blue, switching to a solid blue once charging is complete; fully charged, the BlenderCap can blend up to ten 32-ounce bottles.

I have an early model of the BlenderCap, and I try using a high-capacity USB-C to USB-C cable to charge it, the LED won’t come on, and it does not appear to accept a charge without using the included cable. I have been told that the version now shipping will work with any USB-C cable, so that’s a welcome improvement.

BlenderCap by Cruz Review: Don't Leave Home Without It If You Enjoy Smoothies on the Go!

Once the BlenderCap is charged up, it’s time to make a smoothie!

While the included 32-ounce stainless steel bottle is perfect for keeping your ingredients or frozen drink cold for up to 24 hours, it’s not the best for being able to see what’s going on inside when the BlenderCap is working. Thankfully, I was also sent the optional 34-ounce clear bottle for this review, so that’s the one I used for these photos.

Kev’s usual morning shake is composed of a blend of soy milk, meal-replacement protein powder, chia seeds, turmeric powder, acai powder, unsweetened cocoa powder, and blueberries.

BlenderCap’s mixing instructions are simple; they say to add the liquids before the solids like ice, fruit, or powders. They also recommend that you not overfill the bottle, as the blades need room to fit and work their magic.

This was our first attempt with the BlenderCap, and we may have overfilled the bottle a little bit, but you can see that there is still plenty of room for the blades.

Placing the BlenderCap by Cruz on top of the bottle of raw ingredients before making a smoothie

To blend, you can press and hold the power button from continuous blending, or you can double-click it to start a ten-second blending cycle. With the BlenderCap tightened securely to the bottle’s top, you’ll flip everything upside down so that the blender’s blades are on the bottom and they can get to work.

Cruz mentions that you should not run the BlenderCap longer than one minute continuously, and you shouldn’t run it dry. In about 30 seconds or so, your ice will be completely crushed …

In just a short time, the BlenderCap by Cruz will make a smoothie!

… and your smoothie will be ready to drink.

Mmmmm a delicious smoothie made with the BlenderCap by Cruz

Here’s what’s happening when the blades are whirring.

A gif of the BlenderJet in action

That’s pretty impressive!

I’m not a morning smoothie person, but I enjoy using BlenderCap to make frozen lemonades with the juice from a large lemon, a scoop of collagen powder, a tablespoon of agave nectar, a bit of raw ginger, ice, and water.

BlenderCap by Cruz Review: Don't Leave Home Without It If You Enjoy Smoothies on the Go!

I can sip on one of these for hours!

It’s worth mentioning that all of the Cruz bottles come with a dual twist cap that has a built-in spout for easier drinking, or you can remove the cap fully when you prefer the wide mouth opening.

I brought the BlenderCap to Barcelona with me (in a checked bag*) to use during Mobile World Congress. When booking my hotel, I had asked for an in-room refrigerator; there was an ice machine downstairs and a Super Mercat two doors down, so sourcing and keeping locally purchased smoothie ingredients on hand was easy. When Kev joined me later that week, he brought his usual morning powders, and the BlenderCap did an exceptional job for both of us.

That Kev’s smoothies were made in an insulated bottle and ready to go on our morning adventures was fantastic, but carrying the BlenderCap and an insulated bottle in my day bag meant I could make my own frozen concoction with a few simple ingredients at any time.

I have to admit that I prefer using the BlenderCap at home because it’s easier to manage and clean than pulling out our full-size blender. The 32 or 34-ounce bottles make large enough batches that the contents can be easily shared or sipped on all day.

Although the BlenderCap shouldn’t ever be submerged in water, cleaned with high pressure, or put in the dishwasher, it is easily cleaned by rinsing it with cool tap water immediately after use. This helps keep it ready for the next use while keeping your last drink’s ingredients from sticking to the blades, threads, gasket, or cap.

In addition to the 32-ounce stainless steel insulated bottle and the 34-ounce BPA-free Tritan clear bottles ($22) shown in this review, Cruz also offers the 32-ounce insulated bottle in six other colors for $44, a 22-ounce stainless steel insulated bottle in seven colors for $38 and an $18 silicone protective cover if you’re worried about scratching the aluminum.

The BlenderCap by Cruz is an exceptionally well-made portable blending device that is perfect for use at home, on the go, or when traveling. If you’ve been looking for a powerful portable blender that doesn’t look like a cheap, disposable plastic toy, is easy to clean, and will last for years, this is the one to get!

It comes with a 30-day no-hassle return policy (you just cover the return shipping) and a one-year limited warranty. According to the user manual, Cruz will, “for the period of one year, repair or replace, free of charge, any part of the equipment that is defective in material or workmanship or both, providing that use of the equipment complies with the instructions in the instruction manual.”

The BlenderCap by Cruz sells for $129; it is available for pre-order directly from the manufacturer, with shipping starting this month.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: Extremely well made and built to last; Battery lasts long enough to make up to ten 32-ounce smoothies; Perfect for home, travel, or on-the-go use

What Needs Improvement: It might not properly charge if you’re trying to use a high-powered USB-C to USB-C charging cable

This review was updated on 03/21/2023 to reflect that the version I reviewed was an early one; the version shipping will work with any USB-C cable, not just the one that’s included.

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About the Author

Judie Lipsett Stanford
Judie is the co-owner and Editor-in-Chief of Gear Diary, which she founded in September 2006. She started in 1999 writing software reviews at the now-defunct smaller.com; from mid-2000 through 2006, she wrote hardware reviews for and co-edited at The Gadgeteer. A recipient of the Sigma Kappa Colby Award for Technology, Judie is best known for her device-agnostic approach, deep-dive reviews, and enjoyment of exploring the latest tech, gadgets, and gear.

4 Comments on "BlenderCap by Cruz Review: Don’t Leave Home Without It If You Enjoy Smoothies on the Go!"

  1. Thomas Gibson | May 4, 2023 at 9:57 am |

    Easy to clean!

  2. What a great idea!

  3. I would love to take this on our camping trips!

  4. I can think of so many uses for this cool blender

Comments are closed.