Starfrit Nut Milk and Smoothie Blender Review: Does It Deliver, and Is It Too Small?
Homemade plant milk has a reputation for being a project: a full-size blender, a nut milk bag, a sink full of pulp. The Starfrit Nut Milk and Smoothie Blender tries to collapse all of that into one compact jar with a filter built in. After going through the manufacturer’s own manual and the retailer listings, the verdict is simple: it does what it says, and it does it well. The one real drawback is size. This is a small-batch machine, and whether that matters depends entirely on how much plant milk you actually go through.
What works
- Makes and strains nut, oat, and coconut milk in a single jar, no separate bag needed
- Also blends ordinary smoothies, so it earns its counter space twice
- Simple three-control dial: low, high, pulse
- Jar, lid, and tamper go in the dishwasher (top rack)
- Low price, roughly $28 to $55 CAD depending on retailer
What holds it back
- Small capacity: 28 oz jar, with a 750 ml maximum fill line
- Filter batches are capped at 1 cup (150 g) of soaked nuts
- Filter runs are limited to 1 minute at a time, so big batches take several rounds
- 300 W motor is built for soft ingredients, not heavy-duty blending
The Specs That Matter
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Jar capacity | 28 oz (828 ml); maximum fill line 750 ml |
| Motor | 300 W, 120 V, 60 Hz |
| Controls | Low (continuous), High, Pulse |
| Blade | Stainless steel |
| In the box | Jar, removable filter, locking lid with 1 oz (30 ml) measuring cap, tamper, motor base with non-slip suction feet |
| Filter capacity | Up to 1 cup (150 g) of soaked nuts per batch |
| Warranty | One-year limited, covering defects in materials and workmanship |
How the Nut Milk Process Works
The clever part is the filter. Instead of blending, pouring into a bag, and squeezing, the filter sits inside the jar over the blade. Soaked nuts go into the filter, water goes in around it, and the blades do the work underneath. What comes out the spout is already strained. Following the manual’s procedure, the whole thing runs like this:
Soak the nuts first
Overnight, or at least 8 hours. This is the real time cost of homemade nut milk, and no blender removes it.
Assemble and load the filter
Attach the blade assembly to the jar, seat the filter over the blade, then add up to 1 cup (150 g) of soaked, drained nuts.
Add water with a measuring cup
The manual specifically says not to rely on the jar markings when the filter is in. The almond milk recipe uses 440 ml of water.
Pulse, then run on High for up to a minute
Pulse several times to break the nuts down, then High II for no more than one minute continuously.
Pour, then press with the tamper
Turn it off, unplug, pour through the spout, and use the tamper to squeeze the last of the liquid out of the pulp.
Recipes from the manual: almond milk uses 1 cup (150 g) of soaked almonds with 440 ml of water; oat milk uses ½ cup (125 ml) of rolled oats with 2 cups (500 ml) of water; coconut milk uses ½ cup (125 ml) of dried coconut flakes with 2 cups (500 ml) of water. Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 3 days and shake before use. The pulp is worth saving for baking or oatmeal.
As a Smoothie Blender
With the filter removed, it is a perfectly capable personal-size smoothie blender. The manual’s guidance is sensible and worth following: always add liquid, keep the ratio of solids to liquid at no more than 1:1, and put frozen items in last. For frozen fruit, cut it into small pieces, pulse a few times to crush, then switch to High. Soft fresh fruit and leafy greens do fine on the continuous Low setting, with High for a creamier finish.
Where it stops is also spelled out: this is not a food processor. The manual says not to use it to grind meat, mix dough, or blend potatoes, and not to blend hot liquids or hot foods. At 300 W, think of it as a smoothie and plant-milk machine rather than a replacement for a high-powered countertop blender. If you want to know how the two classes differ, our guide to high-speed vs standard blenders covers it in detail.
The One Real Drawback: Size
Everything above is good news. The size is the catch, and it shows up in three separate ways.
Small jar, smaller yield
The jar holds 28 oz, but you can only fill it to 750 ml, and with the filter in place the water goes in by measuring cup, not by the jar’s markings. The manual’s almond milk recipe uses 440 ml of water. By our own arithmetic (not a manufacturer figure), once the pulp has held back some of that liquid, a batch lands at somewhere around a mug and a half to two cups.
Capped nut load
The filter maxes out at 1 cup (150 g) of soaked nuts. You cannot simply add more nuts to get more milk; the batch size is designed around that one-cup limit.
One-minute runs
With the filter in, the manual says not to run the blender for more than one minute continuously, and to let the base rest and cool between runs. It has a resettable thermal cutoff that pauses the motor if it overheats. Several batches back to back means several rest periods.
The flip side: compact
The same small footprint is a genuine advantage. It reassembles for compact storage, fits a cramped counter, and the blade assembly stores with the jar. For a small kitchen, that matters.
⚠ Be realistic about your household. If you drink a glass of plant milk now and then, or you live alone or as a couple, one batch every few days is plenty. If you go through a litre or more of oat or almond milk a week, or you are feeding a family, you will be running multiple batches, and a full-size blender with a nut milk bag will fit better.
What to Expect in Everyday Use
- Plan ahead. The nuts need 8 hours of soaking, so nut milk is an evening-before task. The manual’s oat and coconut recipes do not call for an overnight soak, which makes them the better choice for spur-of-the-moment batches.
- Measure the water. Because the filter blocks the jar markings, keep a measuring cup next to the machine. It is a small step that avoids overfilling past the 750 ml line.
- Check the gasket. The manual says to confirm the silicone gasket is seated evenly in the blade assembly groove before every use. A misplaced gasket is the usual cause of leaks.
- Rinse right away. A quick clean without the filter is built in: one cup of hot water and a drop of dish soap in the jar, then High for about a minute. Do the filter and blade assembly by hand with a brush; pulp dries hard if you leave it.
- Mind the unplugging. The manual has you set the dial to off and unplug the unit before pouring from the jar after a filter run. It is a safety habit worth keeping, since the blades are sharp.
Care and Cleaning
| Part | How to clean |
|---|---|
| Jar, lid, tamper | Dishwasher, top rack only |
| Blade assembly, filter, measuring cap | Hand wash in hot soapy water with a brush, then rinse and dry |
| Motor base and cord | Never in the dishwasher or water; wipe with a damp cloth and dry thoroughly |
Starfrit notes that stains and minor scratches are normal and do not affect performance, and also that failure to clean regularly is excluded from warranty coverage. Starfrit’s own product page adds that it does not offer a repair service, though certain replacement parts are available, so treat this as an affordable appliance rather than a repair-and-keep-forever one.
Price and Availability
Prices vary quite a bit by retailer: listings have ranged from about $28 CAD at Walmart.ca to $54.99 CAD on Starfrit’s own site. On Walmart.ca it carries a 4.0 out of 5 star rating. It is also sold through London Drugs, Linen Chest, and Amazon, so it is worth comparing a couple of listings before you buy, since the spread is wide for the same product.
Who Should Buy It, and Who Should Skip It
✓ Buy it if: you want fresh almond, oat, or coconut milk without a fuss, you are a household of one or two, you have limited counter and cabinet space, or you want a low-cost way to find out whether homemade plant milk is something you would actually keep up.
⚠ Skip it if: you make plant milk in large volumes, you need to crush ice or blend fibrous, tough ingredients every day, or you want a single blender to do everything. In those cases a larger, more powerful blender is the better investment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much nut milk does one batch make?
Starfrit does not publish a yield. The manual’s almond milk recipe uses 1 cup (150 g) of soaked almonds and 440 ml of water, and since the pulp retains some liquid, expect somewhat under that amount, roughly a mug and a half to two cups. The jar’s maximum fill line is 750 ml.
Can I blend hot soup or crush ice in it?
Not hot liquids: the manual says not to blend hot liquids or hot foods. Ice is not addressed directly. For frozen fruit, the manual says to cut it small, pulse to crush, then run on High.
Do I have to soak the nuts?
The manual says to soak nuts overnight or for at least 8 hours before using the filter. Oats and dried coconut flakes in the manual’s recipes do not call for that long a soak.
Is it dishwasher-safe?
Partly. The jar, lid, and tamper are top-rack dishwasher-safe. The blade assembly, filter, and measuring cap should be hand-washed, and the motor base must never go in the dishwasher or water.
How long does homemade nut milk keep?
The manual says up to 3 days refrigerated in a sealed container. It separates naturally, so shake before pouring.
Sources & References
- Starfrit. “Nut Milk and Smoothie Blender” user manual, item no. 024340 (English). Specifications, fill limits, run-time limits, filter procedure, recipes, cleaning instructions, and warranty terms.
- Starfrit. “Nut Milk Maker and Smoothie Blender, 828 ml” product page (starfrit.com). Item 0243400030000, price (CAD $54.99), features, one-year limited warranty, and parts and repair policy.
- Walmart Canada. “Starfrit Nut Milk & Smoothie Blender, 28oz (828ml)” product listing. Price (CAD $28.32), 300 W rating, included accessories, and customer rating (4.0 out of 5).
- Linen Chest (Canada). “Starfrit Nut Milk & Smoothie Blender” product listing. Included accessories and feature description.
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