Blender Buying Guide
Before you buy, assess your needs. Consider how you will use your blender. For simple blending, a hand blender may be all you need. Varying from 200-550 watts with two to nine speeds, a stick blender handles light to medium tasks, depending on the features. Some offer interchangeable blender parts. Kitchen blenders range from 300-700 watts and 3-16 speeds, with models that chop ice. Blender jars come in stainless steel (expensive/limited visibility into container), plastic (scratches and holds odors), and glass (breakable on strong impact). Choose a kitchen blender with 500-600 watts for the best results when crushing ice. Attractive Features A pulse button is a valuable feature; it allows you to stop and start the blender for greater control and combined with crushing features, turns out smooth blended drinks. Oster blenders with high/low buttons actually provide two speeds for each button, doubling the speeds of your machine. |  |
Designer colors/finishes and fancy displays are available if design is a priority.
Unattractive Features
More features carry an increased price tag; buy according to your needs. Black and Decker blenders with fewer speeds have a noticeable drop or increase in power when speed is changed.
Stay away from jars that do not fit securely into the blender base and jar lids that do not fit tightly. Bargain brands are disappointments if lacking in weight to keep them stabilized on the counter. Blenders that do not have removable blades are difficult to clean, even in the dishwasher.
Mini-blenders are handy for singles, but are designed to mix and whip. Motors of some hand blenders burn out if the task is too strenuous in comparison to the wattage and if they are not intended to chop ice.
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