Whether you’re looking for a heavy duty kitchen crusher or a simple smoothie maker, blenders are there for duty. The concept of blenders remains much the same as it always has. Blenders help chop up and blend solids into tiny bits or liquidish forms. Blenders are surprisingly versatile. They are great for making soups, salad dressings, pestos, puree, sauces and even peanut butter! A good blender should be easy to use, do a good job and be easy to clean.
When choosing which blender to buy you need to consider the size. Smaller ones can be mobile and put away. Larger blenders will likely need a near permanent space on your countertop. Consider the height as well, since sometimes they won’t fit beneath overhanging cabinets. The blending area will be made of glass or plastic. While glass may seem better, it’s not shatterproof, even if it’s been treated. The best often use Tritan plastic. Sharper blades aren’t always a good thing either. They can become dull. It’s better to have strong blade for the long term. What follows are some of the best blenders. This isn’t a “very best” list, since many of these are in very different price range competitions. Ideally, there should be a blender on this list that is beneficial for anyone!
1 - K400 Variable Speed Blender
This is a powerful and professional level blender. There’s very little that it can’t get through, including hard nuts like almonds. One of the best tests is how a blender crushes ice, and this blender powderizes that pesky frozen water. It has excellent preset modes and even has a self cleaning cycle. It has a great design and adds to the decor of any kitchen.
2 - My Blend
This is a smoothie machine pure and simple. You blend your smoothie straight into the bottle before you head out. All you do is replace the blade with a lid when you are ready to head out with your drunk. It’s not particularly large and struggles with some of those tough greens like kale. But if you’re looking for a smoothie machine for around $40, it's basically a perfect choice.
3 - Ace 60 Cooking Blender
Why blend up various items to make a soup, then remove it to cook it. The Ace 60 was created by Instant Pot and actually cooks whatever is inside up to 200 degrees. It can also help make ice cream, nut milks and other items. This may seem like a novelty, but is really perfect for soup lovers.
4 - XL Blast Drink Machine
This is a quality blender and comes in at a bargain price. The XL Blast is only going to set you back $70 and is made by those oh so reliable people at Black + Decker. It has a large 8 cup capacity, meaning it can take even the largest smoothie order. When the party's over and it’s time to clean up, everything is dishwasher safe, making this a breeze for cleaning. If there’s one complaint, it’s that some consumers haven’t had the longest lifespan compared to some of the top of the line models.
5 - Hurricane Compact Juicing Blender
If you don’t have a whole lot of space in your kitchen, then you want a blender that’s compact and can be stored elsewhere if necessary. The Hurricane has a standard blending jar of 32 ounces, but also a couple of travel cups with lids so you can take some drinks to go. The size means a smaller motor, so it may not provide as smooth a final result as some of the others on this list, but it’s a fair compromise.