One of my favourites small kitchen appliances in the kitchen is a blender. A kitchen blender can be used for all sorts of meals and drinks preparation.
Smoothie blenders, food blender and margarita blender all have the same basic parts and can often accomplish all these different tasks. A blender can be a “buy me once” items that will mix your margaritas and fruit smoothies for decades to come. But choose wisely, big motor, high-quality pitcher and good button design are the big things to look for.
Buying Guide for your kitchen blender
When choosing a blender to make a smoothie then power is essential for chopping the ice. Power is measuted in watts and in this case a 500 watt blender motor will do the trick for making smoothies. The idea is not to overheat the motor, which in turn will reduce the life of your belnder considerably of even make it inoperable. No blnder motor is “too big”, the bigger the better.
Keep in mind that here at buy it once, buy it for life, we will never say that a “product will last forever”. Our kitchen blener recommendations will allow you to read the reviews and check out which one suits you the most.
While some would say that a kitchen blender is not an essential, others rely heavily on their blender and would be lost without one. A kitchen blender can make food preparation more efficient, thus saving time in the kitchen. And once you start using one, you’ll be reaching for it more often for various uses. Buying a kitchen blender sounds like a simple task, but with different types and functions available, it takes some consideration to ensure your appliance purchase meets your needs.
But, that’s where I come in – to help you sort it all out, so you can make the right blender choice. Also read Blender 101 for more about buying and caring for a blender.
Types of Blenders
There’s quite a variety of blenders available to buy, some with basic functions while others can process hard foods or cook soup. Jar blenders are the most popular with features, capacity and prices that vary depending on power, function and blade design. Multifunction blenders are more versatile but costly. Hand or immersion blenders usually have basic pureeing, mixing and blending features, unless accessorized with a chopper attachment or special blade design. While most hand blenders are electric, cordless models add another level of convenience to this kitchen tool. Personal blenders have various functions.
A kitchen blender for margaritas is the number one reason to buy a blender in Mexico!
Compare Prices of Blenders
Blender Reviews
Blender & Processor Resources
What Blender Functions Are You Looking For?
If you want a blender mainly for making smoothies and frozen drinks, choose one with at least 500 watts of power and an ice-crushing blade. Ice-crushing blenders are available in full-size models or lower-powered personal blenders. For chopping/grinding tasks, you’ll need one with a chopping blade and processing functions, otherwise a standard blender will usually be adequate for most blending, pureeing, stirring and mixing tasks, such as making baby food or creaming soups.
Blender Tips – How to Use a Blender
Easy Blender Cleaning
Blender – Definition
Blender Jug or Jar Features
Since blenders vary in capacity, choose one that best suits your needs. Jars come in glass or plastic, with higher end models usually being glass, while budget or dispensing blenders have mostly plastic jars. Personal blenders usually have plastic cups. There is a mix as to spout design. For best pouring, choose a blender with a prominent curved pouring spout. Those with a flat design make pouring difficult and messy. Some blenders have no spout and pouring must be from a corner of the jar, which is hard to do without dripping. A stainless steel blade is stronger and more durable, especially for ice-crushing.
Blender Jars – Glass vs Plastic
How Blender Spout Design Improves Pouring
Blender Jar – Definition and Use
Immersion or Hand Blenders Features
Hand blenders are different from jar blenders. Often referred to as stick blenders, they offer the convenience of blending, pureeing and mixing right in a bowl or hot pot on the stove. With a smaller blade foot, they can more easily handle smaller amounts. They’re compact and easily stored in a drawer and some models have handy wall racks. Available in electric or cordless power they are ideal for pureeing cooked foods, creaming soups, blending a drink and other uses.
Some hand models have extended functions such as ice crushing or include chopping accessories.
Certain models such as the BlendTec or Vita Mix blenders offer much more than the standard variety in terms of function. While more expensive, they’re powerful units with a commercial-grade construction that can cook soup, process foods, make juice and a multitude of other functions. These units can replace several appliances in a kitchen and are a worthwhile investment. Another type of multifunction blenders are models that have accessories for chopping or processing, using the same base unit.
Food Processor Buying Tips
Compare Price of BlendTec Blenders
Compare Price of Vita Mix Blenders
Cool Blender Features
A pre-set function for frozen or iced drinks is a nice feature. The reversing blade of the Oster Fusion Blender improves the flow of food drawn into the blade and adjusts the speed as needed for better blending. Hamilton Beach has a few models that use wave-action technology to move foods into contact with the blade and a model with dual-wave action to better blend contents. The popular Oster Beehive blenders come in a variety of colors/finishes to suit every taste. A dispensing feature can be very handy, but requires more cleaning and blending capacity must be greater than the level of the dispenser.
Generally, the more functions rather than speeds, that a jar blender has, the higher the cost. Decide first what type of blender you want, then look for the features most important to you. Also consider the advantage of certain accessories, which may save buying another appliance later. Hand or immersion blenders are available in corded or cordless models, with or without chopping accessories. Bar blenders generally have good ice-crushing capabilities.
What should you do if your purchase does not meet your expectations or has a defect? These tips will explain why the manufacturer needs to know there are problems with your purchase. Need to dispose of unwanted appliances? There are options to consider. And should you consider an extended service contract? In some cases, the cost can be substantial but may be worth it in the long run. Buying other appliances? This appliance buying tips index can help you find what you need. After your purchase, remember to read your product manual for care tips and instructions. They’re there for a reason.
Ninja Professional Blender (BL610)
5 used from $65.77
Amazon.com
- 1000 Watts of Professional Performan
Ninja Professional Blender with Nutri Ninja Cups (BL660)
8 used from $62.00
Amazon.com
- Ninja Professional Blender with Nutri Ninja Cups has 1100 watts of professional performance power with 3 speeds, pulse, and single-serve functions.
- 72 oz. Total Crushing Pitcher pulverizes ice to snow in seconds for creamy frozen drinks and smoothies.
- Two 16 oz. Nutri Ninja Cups with To-Go Lids are perfect for creating personalized, nutrient-rich drinks to take on the go.
- Dishwasher-safe and BPA-free parts.
Blendtec Total Blender Classic, with FourSide Jar, Black
1 used from $299.00
Free shipping
Amazon.com
- Commercial-quality 1,560-watt countertop blender with 3 peak horsepower direct-drive motor
- Preprogrammed blending cycles, digital touchpad controls, auto shutoff
- BPA-free Tritan co-polyester jar with patented cold-forged wingtip blades
- Includes FourSide blending jar, secure-fitting vented lids, user guide and recipe book with more than 230 great tasting recipes
- 7-Year manufacturer warranty, for in-home use in the USA.Dimensions(inches): 7 wide x 15 tall x 8 deep
Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher Blender with 40 oz Jar & 20 oz Single Serve Blend-in Travel Jar (58161)
1 used from $35.31
Free shipping
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- Blend in the travel jar
- Perfect for smoothies, shakes & icy drinks
- 700 watt peak-power motor
- Blend in either the 40 oz. or 20 oz. jar
- Mess-free lid spout for easy pouring
Oster Pro 1200 Blender with Glass Jar PLUS Smoothie Cup & Food Processor Attachment, Brushed Nickel
9 used from $67.71
Free shipping
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- The Oster Pro 1200 Blender Plus Food Processor starts with 1200 powerful watts, and lets you use the blender and food processor features interchangeably to make everything from smoothies to salsa to soup with ease
- Blender and food chopper feature Smart Settings Technology and 7 speeds, including 3 pre-programmed settings for one-touch salsas, milkshakes, and smoothies, plus pulse for added control and precision
BLACK+DECKER Countertop Blender with 6-Cup Glass Jar, 10-Speed Settings, Black, BL2010BG
Free shipping
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- 4-Tip Stainless Steel Blade - The multi-level stainless steel blade blends at multiple levels to improve efficiency and blending power
- 10 Speed Settings with Pulse - Find the right consistency for everything you make with a range of blending speeds and a 550-watt motor
- 6-Cup Glass Jar - Easy to handle with a PerfectPour spout that eliminates drips and spills
- Dishwasher-Safe Parts - Every removable part is safe to clean in the dishwasher, further simplifying the juice-making process
Hamilton Beach Power Elite Multi-Function Blender with Glass Jar (58148A)
5 used from $22.49
Free shipping
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- 700-watt of peak blending power
- 12 blending functions
- Unique, no-mess pouring spout
- Wave Action system. 40 oz. dishwasher safe glass jar
- Please review the user manual and Use & care tips under product details for hustle free usage of the product
Hamilton Beach Personal Single Serve Blender with Travel Lid, Purple (51131)
6 used from $13.25
Free shipping
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- Great for fruit smoothies, icy drinks, shakes & moregreat for fruit smoothies, icy drinks, shakes & more
- Stainless steel blades
- One-Touch blending
- Compact storage: jar stores upside down and cord wraps around base
- Bpa free in food zones
KitchenAid KSB1570SL 5-Speed Blender with 56-Ounce BPA-Free Pitcher - Silver
Free shipping
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- Stainless Steel Blade
- Intelli-Speed Motor Control
- Soft Start Feature
- Die Cast Metal Base
- Varied settings to easily blend a variety of food
NutriBullet 12-Piece High-Speed Blender/Mixer System, Gray
5 used from $47.30
Free shipping
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- Effortlessly pulverizes fruits, vegetables, and superfoods for nutritious protein shakes and green smoothies
- High-torque power base and 600-watt motor
- Power, patented stainless steel blade design with cyclonic action
- Includes power base, 1 tall cup, 2 short cups, 1 flat blade and 1 emulsifying blade, 2 re-sealable lids, pocket nutritionist and manual with recipes
- Includes 1-year warranty and access to hundreds of smoothie recipes
Nutri Ninja Pro Blender, Silver (BL456)
4 used from $42.99
Free shipping
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- Nutrient & Vitamin Extraction
- BPA Free Nutri Ninja Cups
- Nutri Ninja Pro Extractor Blades break down whole fruits, vegetables, ice and seeds for nutrient & vitamin extraction*
- (1) Regular 24 oz. and (1) Small 18 oz. Nutri Ninja Cup with Sip & Seal Lids allow you to take nutrient-rich super juices on the go
- 75 Recipe Guide
