It could be used to prepare smoothies, however the Protein powder Personal Blender would be more appropriate. The Personal Blender, which I own, is made exclusively for smoothies. It is highly strong and capable of handling some food preparation tasks, such as grinding coffee or crushing nuts and spices. Its compact footprint is an added benefit. Also, cleanup is quick and simple. The nutribullet food processor, however, offers a lot of power and value for the money. I use mine for slicing, grating, and spiralizing, but I’m too lazy to clean it up every day, especially if you keep the blades according to the instructions. In terms of these two things, I am beyond pleased!