Types:
Immersion Blenders - Blades on the end of a stick - $60-$180
Regular Blenders -
Full size - 4-8 cups $100 - $800
Personal - 2.5-4 cups $100- $200
Features:
Power:
More powerful blenders will crush harder foods, leafy greens, fibrous ingredients with skins and seeds such as entire pieces of fruit and vegetables, in seconds. They can puree almonds into almond milk.
Some have dough blades so can work like a food processor for mixing bread dough.
Their high speed can also heat up soups.
They are typically rated at 1,400-1,600 watts or 2 horespower.
1 electrical horsepower, or hp(E), is equal to 746 watts.
The Blendtec Classic lists a peak horsepower of 3 and the Cuisinart Hurricane Pro lists 3.5 HP, but that is only in a short burst.
Many blenders with 300 to 500 watts are just as capable of crushing ice and making smooth purees as the expensive blenders with 1000 watts.
With more power comes much more noise.
Variable Speed:
Microprocessor-controlled blenders have advantages, because they have the ability to vary the speed during a specified blend cycle to help move the contents around the pitcher more thoroughly, which tends to avoid having to remove pitcher from the base to shake it or use a tamper to get complete blending.
The end of the 4" blade on the Vitamix 7500 is going 270 MPH at 22,700 RPM.
Blender vs Food procesor vs Mixer:
A blender is better for liquids and can do things like salad dressings and some have dough blades.
A food processor is better for chopping, shredding, dips and butters.
A mixer is better for baking tasks such as whipping eggs, creaming butter and sugar, and mixing batters and doughs.
The vitamix Pro 750, 7500 and Pro 300 were top rated, but all over $500.
The 700 watt Electrolux Expressionist ELJB56B8PS at $170 got a very good rating and was also recommended
The 1,600 watt Ninja BlendMax Duo BL2013 for $220 got a very good rating.
Blender Ratings & Reliability | Consumer Reports
1. Personal Jar - Comes with a separate 16-24 oz jar with its own blade for smoothies etc.
2. Ninja Auto-iQ Boost - Timed pulsing, blending and pausing patterns for different functions.
3. 1500 watts peak power
4. 1200 power watts and 900 watts of ice crushing power?
Other features:
A plastic jar is safer than a glass jar.
Touchpad controls are easier to clean the pushbutton controls.
Links:
Immersion Blenders
Blender Ratings & Reliability | Consumer Reports (requires subscription)
The Best 3 Blenders of 2016 and Blender Reviews - TheBlenderReview.org
Ninja vs Vitamix: Comparing Two Top Blenders | Juiced Body
The truth about horsepower in blenders and food processors - CNET
Vitamix 7500 review - Page 2 - CNET
Should I Get a Blender, a Food Processor, or a Mixer? | The Sweethome
last updated 5 July 2017
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