How to Choose the Best Blender for You
Before buying any blender, do your homework: research, read consumer reviews and comparison-shop for the best deal. With a little effort, you’ll find a righteous beast that serves you well.
Before you select a blender, ask yourself the following questions:
What’s my budget?
How powerful does my blender need to be?
How much space do I have?
How many people am I blending for?If you’re into baubles and bonuses, many of these blenders come with accessories. As you rely on your blender for a variety of culinary creations, don’t be surprised if stuff breaks or wears out over time. For your basic needs, a lower price-point blender can certainly do the trick. But as I mentioned above, when finances allow, you’ll definitely want to upgrade. Another benefit of high-speed blenders is that they’re better at pulverizing produce and extracting more nutrients from the fiber/pulp. They’re also good at blending trickier ingredients like nuts and the aforementioned dates. FYI—soaking your nuts (I always laugh when I type that) and dates definitely makes them easier to blend.
Okay, smoothie sweetheart, you now have all the info you need to make a wise blender purchase. Go forth and blend, blend, blend!Source
Blender Buying Guide
From performance to durability to convenience, Consumer Reports runs through the most important things to consider when shopping for a blender.
What the Best Blender Has
A tight-fitting lid. There were more than a few blenders that were downgraded in professional tests because of splattering. In addition, lids should be easy to put on and take off and, ideally, be dishwasher safe.
A pour spout. A pour spout in the lid — usually a removable plug — can make it easier to add ingredients for things like emulsions or cream soups.
A stable base. Blenders that feel wobbly or vibrate a lot when they blend are likely not performing at peak efficiency, which means they take longer to blend.
Easy cleanup: Some blenders require a whirl of soapy water in the pitcher immediately after using, while others can be loaded straight into the dishwasher. Shy away from jars that have to be hand washed — you’re in danger of cuts from the sharp blades.
Versatility. If you only want a blender to make smoothies, or to perform other single tasks, stick with a cheap blender with just a few settings, but if you want one that can perform a wide variety of blending, mixing and chopping jobs, buy the best blender you can afford.
A good warranty: Because blenders take such a heavy beating, the standard one-year warranty is a must, but heavy-duty blenders carry much longer and more appealing warranties. Some experts say that the longer warranty is worth the extra money.Know Before You Go
How will you use the blender? If you’re looking to blend basic smoothies and shakes, there’s no need to invest in a heavy-duty blender. Stick with an inexpensive, single-serve blender, or buy a cheap full-size blender, there are plenty out there. If you want to do a variety of tasks, and perhaps save having to buy another tool to do them, buy the best general-use blender you can. If you’re a serious from-scratch baker and want to grind grains to make your own flours or nuts to make nut butters, a heavy-duty blender will be your best friend.
Are you blending for a crowd — or for one? Full-size blenders can hold anywhere from 5 to 9 cups. They’re great for families or if you often blend drinks at parties. Single-serve blenders hold 2 cups or less, plenty if you want to blend one shake — and you can drink straight from the blending jar, so there’s less cleanup.
How often will you use it? If you plan to blend the occasional milkshake or batch of soup, experts say a good, inexpensive blender will suit you well. But if you use your blender on a regular basis, you’ll be better off with a sturdier, more powerful model.Source
How To Choose The Right Blender
If you are in the market for a new blender, then you probably understand how difficult it can be to choose one. With so many options out there, how do you decide which is the right one for you?
The first thing you need to ask yourself is what your main use of the blender will be. Will you be making smoothies? Looking to cook hot food? Will you be crushing a lot of ice? These are all questions that need to be answered before making any kind of decision.
Food Processor vs. Blender
Many people make the mistake of thinking that blenders and food processors are one and the same. These two devices do look similar, and they both have the same uses, but there is still a difference between them.
