The better your blender the better the blend! Sounds like a no-brainer really. Do a little research. I know you can find a good blender at many price points.
When I say a good blender the only thing that matters is the result you get. Generally the better blenders are more powerful (upwards of 1000 watts). They may or may not have programs for smoothies or other foods that you will make.
Most importantly you want them to give you the possibility of a smooth blend. My old blender did an OK job. My less expensive new one is brilliant. Read the reviews on Amazon as a good starting point. Look for those that have consistent 4 and 5 star reviews. If they have lots with 1 and 2 stars then see if there are any recurring issues and if you would live with them. For example, you may be fine putting up with a glass jug if that’s a reason for a low review.
The very popular brands that are most recommended for blending are Vitamix and Blendtec. These tend to be more expensive. There are very well reviewed alternative choices that sell for under $60 (US dollars). For a mid-range and probably better choice of options and power you can pay up to $120.
Other brands are Hamilton Beach, Froothie, Mixtec, Omega, Magic Bullet, Oster and Sunbeam. There are plenty more.
Generally a lower price blender will not stand the test of time. So be aware that buying a cheaper blender may mean you have to replace it or upgrade sooner. I know people who have top of the range blenders (such as Vitamix and Blendtec) that have lasted many, many years.
Can you use the blender that comes with your food processor?
Yes you can, however I have found that the best blenders are those purpose-built. If that’s what you’ve got now, then start with that and upgrade. I don’t advise buying a food processor and attached blender.
Can you use a food processor instead of a blender?
That does not work well. The blend will not be smooth and while it could work as a stop gap, you’ll find many food processors neither have the jug shape nor the power or the blade configuration to cope with the vigors of blending.
Choosing Your Blender
Here Are The Best Things To Look For In A Blender:
- Over 1000 watts of power if you can afford it. Your blend is likely to be less smooth if you buy blenders of lower power. More powerful blenders will easily crush ice and pulverize berries.
- I prefer a BPA-free polycarbonate (plastic) jug. Pay particular attention to the blender specifications to check the quality of the plastic. Check for dishwasher safety. You will have to remove the blades if you want to put the jug in the dishwasher.
Because of the secure and stable way most plastic jugs fits over the motor you may find it easy to keep the part of the coupling that fits into the motor unit (that sits on the bench) completely dry. This may prolong the life of your unit. With my blender I can easily clean the jug with water, mild detergent and still keep the bottom of the jug out of water.
Plastic jugs may not stay crystal clear forever. They are not entirely resistant to scratches. Small price to pay if you have everything else you need. - Glass jugs are heavy even when empty. They can be prone to breakage. You don’t want to be stuck with a glass pitcher that shatters. Read all reviews to see what people complain about. Once you remove the blades you can easily clean a glass jug in the dishwasher.
The thing I really disliked about my glass jar blender was having to use the sealing ring between the jar and the blade unit. The seal progressively failed over time and this created mess. I prefer the way the plastic jugs are molded and the unit fits over positioners on the base and there is no fiddling around. The seal is evident. - If you look for a machine with a wide stable metal base then it will be more sturdy.
- A blender with a tamper that fits into the lid is ideal. A tamper will allow you to guide food onto the blades while the blender is in operation without risk of damage to the unit or the tamper. It also creates a seal that will largely stop any food from being expelled out of the top during use.
- Choose a blender that’s easy to clean. Touch pads are far easier to clean because of their smoother profile than their cousins; push buttons. Clean up spillages or drips as soon as you can and you will be able to keep most blenders clean.
- The better blenders will have one-touch operation for different programs. You will find smoothie, ice crushing, cleaning programs among others. It’s nice to have infinite speed dials in addition to preset programs.
Various Blenders And Price Indications
Here are just a handful of suggestions listing the inexpensive brands first. I have provided links for them so you can look at the features and of course the reviews (handy to check on the issues and the great stuff that other customers experience).
- Hamilton Beach has a personal single serve blender from about $20 up to low to mid-priced blenders
- Oster Fusion Blender (only 600 watts of power)
- Oster Beehive Blender (600W) from around $55
- Magic Bullet (a personal use small capacity blender with great reviews) around $50, but you do need to trim things down a lot to fit ingredients in.
- Kitchen Aid Blenders start from $99.
- JTC Omniblend has models starting at $250 (3 HP motor, the information says it is more powerful than both Vitamix and Blendtec). This looks like a great place to start.
- Blendtec: Many models ranging from about $370
- Vitamix: Many models ranging from around $450 to high end prices
I actually live in Australia and brands like Vitamix are much more expensive than in the US and therefore prohibitively expensive for many. I decided to test drive a lower priced blender for the purposes of reviewing a different model. I spent only $200 on a fantastic Sunbeam blender (Café Series, PB9800) with 2000W of power and a 2 liter jug. So I am very happy.
Blending Techniques
So, you have your blender and it’s time to use it. For the most part you can put your ingredients into your blender and press the go button! Some blenders have a smoothie program which you can deploy and your smoothie is done. For a smoother result you may even choose to put it through that program more than one time.
For the sake of this discussion, my blender’s smoothie program is only 23 seconds and works very well even on one press.
The more powerful or higher quality your blender the less blending steps. In my old blender I would first have had to blend the harder or more fibrous components with some water. If nuts were in the recipe I would certainly have had quite obvious yet small chunks of nuts. The blend was inconsistent.
This is why if I suggest nuts or seeds in one of the Green Smoothie Magic recipes, and if your blender is perhaps not as powerful or effective as you like, you should blend those nuts or seeds first with water to make a milk. Then, without straining the pulp out you add your other ingredients and blend again.
However, if you have a good blender you may only need to pop everything into the jug at one time, put the lid on and press the go button!
What Do I Do If The Blend Is Not Smooth Enough?
If your smoothie doesn’t look or feel smooth enough then re-blend. Sometimes you will crave or enjoy a smoothie that is not completely smooth. You can pulverize your ingredients without blending them into a creamy consistency if you wish. Remember you can add dates, cacao nibs, dried figs, apricots or raisins right at the end (instead of along with the other ingredients). It’s really enjoyable to have a tiny speck of texture that provides a different consistency and flavor burst. See what you enjoy.
