What Blender Should I Get?

 

 

When it comes to smoothie-making there is one simple rule by which all smoothies abide: a good smoothie requires a good blender!

A smoothie needs to be smooth — I mean, come on, it’s in the name. To help make that smooth, rich, milkshake-like texture happen, you’ll need to invest in a good quality blender.

 

The Right Blender Makes All the Difference for Smoothies

If you already have a blender, then that’s cool, you can carry-on if it suits your needs, especially when first starting out with smoothie-making. But pulverizing vegetables and ice is tough work, and you really want a blender that can handle those thicker ingredients.

The cheaper blenders may not completely liquidize your drink, and there is also a risk in burning out the motor or even stripping the coupler.

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“…blenders are an absolute necessity for smoothie-making,
but there can be so much to consider before purchasing”

Over time, as you become more advanced in your blending, you’ll find that you become not only more adventurous with your ingredients, but also more of a smoothie aficionado — and then you might be ready to upgrade.

 
It sounds like a funny thing to say, I know, but the fact is that an excellent blender can be life-changing.

Vitamix and Blendtec are the current dueling-champions of the blender world. There are many things to consider when buying a blender so let’s take a look at your options.

Best Blender Reviews 2013

When comparing blenders the general consensus — among people who are passionate about freshly made green smoothies and healthy living — are that these are the favorite, most-cherished brands:

• Vitamix
• Blendtec
• Magic Bullet

I would say that Vitamix is probably the winner. The manufacturer is very good about honoring the warranty (should anything happen to your blender) and Vitamix owners are generally very enthusiastic about their blenders — and that’s an understatement! Look for the coupon code near the bottom of this article if you think a better blender would make your kitchen healthier!

I encourage you to get the blender that matches your unique needs.

What size blender do you want?

If you and your family are all having smoothies you probably want a huge one.

Vitamix has an 8-cup carafe (the jug) which can easily be split four ways. Blendtec now has a 4-quart carafe size — that’s absolutely massive.

If your household doesn’t have the same tastes (and what family does?), then there is a Magic Bullet Blender with multiple smaller carafes allowing each family member to make their own smoothie without having to wait for the other to finish and wash up the carafe.

You might also want to choose the blender size based on the available space in your kitchen, as your counter might already be crowded and it can be frustrating trying to fit a blender into an already-crowded cupboard.

Super Strength: Make Sure the Motor has some Serious Horsepower!

The power of the motor and the sharpness of the blade are really important.

Generally, the stronger the blender the more expensive it is, but it will save you time when your powerhouse of a blender can obliterate your veggies in 30 seconds! The extra-smooth texture is also fantastic.

Though I personally prefer Vitamix, Blendtec is another brand that is also famous for its strength, and for the funny video series ‘Will It Blend?’ which shows many “scientific” experiments where they check to see if things like a Justin Bieber doll or the latest iPad will blend (the answer is usually: yes).

Smoothie and Beyond

Be sure to check the other functions as a blender isn’t just for smoothies. They can do a variety of other things, so see which one suits your culinary likes (Vitamix, for instance, will heat-up if left on for a few minutes. This is a great way to make warm soup in five minutes). A blender with a power-dial is great, as you can use it like a food processor on the lower settings.

Other Blender Tips

There are other things you may want to think about when purchasing your blender:

• ▸ Dampener: The Vitamix comes with a dampener which is a sort of prodding stick to allow you to push all the ingredients down. Very helpful at times
• ▸ Base Size: Blendtec has a wide base which means things are less likely to get clogged up at the base
• ▸ Warranty: Which ever blender you get, check the warranty with the supplier — the more expensive blenders come with a long warranty so you know you’ll get your money’s worth.
• ▸ Refurbished: Consider talking to the manufacturer’s sales office to see if they offer refurbished models. These are models that have been returned to the store and then cleaned and checked over by the manufacturer. They are in excellent condition and you get a nice discount. They also come with the same warranty as a new model!

Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Blenders will definitely give you more menu options if you’re committed to adding more fresh vegetables into your daily diet!

If you want to get an excellent blender (sorry, but the $40 blenders you get at the box stores are not going to cut it) to help you in creating your new, positive nutritional habits (and delicious, healthy smoothies!) you can use this coupon checkout code: 06-007861 and that will give you FREE standard shipping (a savings of $25 in the US or $35 in Canada)! To shop, click on the VitaMix image in this post or phone 1-800-848-2649.

Blenders are an absolute necessity for smoothie-making, but there can be so much to consider before purchasing. Do your research online, and feel free to ask me any questions in the comments section below.