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Blenders Overview and Purchasing Tips
Home » Small Appliances » Blenders » Blenders Overview and Purchasing TipsA blender is a simple appliance. A power base sits atop the counter and supports a glass, plastic, or stainless steel container, into which you pour ingredients. At the bottom of this container sit permanently attached blades, and on the top of the container rests a cover and a pour spout.
Walk down the kitchen appliances’ aisle at any general retailer, and you will have several blenders from which you can choose. Hamilton Beach, Oster, Braun, Cuisinart, and GE are only five of the scores of blender manufacturers. While these companies may boast the superiority of their product, in reality, you do not have to look hard or spend much money to obtain a quality blender. Most blenders cost between ten and four hundred dollars.
In most cases, a simple blender is the best choice; Consumer Reports’ “Quick Pick” is a Braun model that costs only fifty dollars. Blenders have between three and sixteen different speeds and anywhere from three hundred to five hundred watts of power. In actuality, however, three speeds (or a few more) are usually plenty, and more wattage does not mean that an appliance does a better job blending. Your blender should, however, have at least the three basic settings: high, low, and pulse. In addition, most of the best blenders also offer an ice-crushing setting. The more complex blenders basically offer other levels between high and low, but at a certain point, these differences become semantic; there is not much difference, for example, between speed #10 and speed #11.
Instead, purchase a blender that meets your needs. Some blenders are ideal for certain functions, such as making fruit smoothies, so if you use for blender primarily for one or two purposes, look for blenders that are designed for these uses. Also, keep in mind that blenders, unlike other appliances, may stay on your countertop during the day, so if you want your blender to match your kitchen décor, you will need to choose accordingly.
In a similar vein, consider the different features that a certain blender offers. A filler cap, for example, allows you to add ingredients without removing the entire lid, and thus, you can add ingredients as the blender runs. Touch-pad controls, another feature, are easier to clean than push-button controls and easier to operate than dial controls.
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