What Makes a Good Blender?

A blender is definitely one of those must-have kitchen appliances, right up there with the toaster and the coffee maker.  A blender can be used anytime, day or night.  Make a healthy fruit smoothie for breakfast.  Create creamy soups for dinner, and then whip up some home-made margaritas at night.  But what should you look for when buying a blender?  There are certain features that separate the quality ones from the cheapos.  Here are some tips to help you.

The Blender Motor

First of all, the strength of the motor is a huge factor.  Most cheap blenders have smaller motors, which just aren't powerful enough to turn the really thick or hard stuff you put in there.  Sure, they will blend bananas and water fine, and you can toss in a few ice cubes as well, but you probably won't be able to do some of the things a better blender can do.  Try to find a blender with a motor size of at least 500 watts. 

The Jug

The next part to look out for is the jug, which is the pitcher of the blender.  There are basically two types of jugs that come with blenders:  glass and plastic.  Cheaper models will have plastic jugs, and more expensive blenders will usually have glass ones.  When ice is spinning around at warp speed, you don't want it to take some of the plastic off the jug and mix it in with your milkshake.  There are exceptions to this however.  Arguably the best blender you can buy, which is the Vitamix, does not have a glass jug.  But it isn't regular plastic either.  It is made of ultra-hard co-polymer, which they think is superior to both glass and plastic.

Blender Blades

The blades of the blender are actually an important part of the machine.  Some blenders seem to have lousy blades that can break off after a while.  Quality blenders will say that they have ultra-strong blades that chop through anything.  Some Hamilton Beach blenders feature what they call "wave action" blades, which suck whatever is in the jug downward, which eliminates the top just sitting there while the bottom spins. 

Blender Drive System

Finally, one of the most important features to look for is a metal drive system.  The drive system is the part on the bottom of the jug that attaches to the base of the blender.  Cheap blenders will use plastic, and good ones will use metal.  Think about it:  With the blades turning around so quickly, plastic will tend to wear out after a while, causing the motor to run, but the blades won't turn correctly anymore.  With an all-metal drive system, it won't wear out for a long, long time.