Choosing your blender

Choose between the blender types

Blenders can be broadly classified into 2 types. There are those standard blenders that you see in most kitchens across the country. These blenders have a typical structure where a transparent jar sits atop a base where the blender operating buttons are also located. The blender blades are located at the bottom of the jars. The other blender types are the immersion blenders, the ones that have a baseball shape and can be hand operated easily. The immersion blenders, as the name suggests, need to be immersed into a container where the food items are kept and the blending can be done using the buttons on the apparatus.

Blender settings are important

Speed settings are something you need to closely look at before you decide to invest in that expensive blender. There are some blenders that have 12 speed settings. But think, “do you actually need 12 speed settings?” Such blenders could be useful for commercial use, but when you need to buy a blender for your home, you often don’t really need such blenders. Opt for one that has up to five speed settings and you can blend any ingredient that you normally need in your cooking. Particularly look for the inch setting in which the blades don't run till you hold the knob in that place. This is useful when you need to run it for just a few seconds.

Consider the blender jar types

The blender jars also need to be considered. Essentially you have 3 options in blender jars – plastic, glass and stainless steel. Plastic jars are the most inexpensive ones and they are rather durable. The only issue with these jars is that they tend to get scuffed over time as you wash them with detergents. Glass jars are tougher and can be cleaned in dishwashers. They also look better than plastic jars. However, as is with glass, you drop a jar accidentally and it is bound to break. Stainless steel jars are the toughest of the lot and they tend to last you for years. The only con associated with these jars is that they don’t let you see inside. You will need to open the cover to find out if the blending has been completed or not.

Get a proper base

The size of the base is another important consideration for buying a blender. If you don’t have a large countertop, you should not buy a blender with a large base. On the other hand, you should not buy a blender with a small base. This is because you want the base to be stable. Imagine the blender toppling over when you are blending something. The mess will be ‘royal’. Make sure that you strike a balance in terms of the size of the base.

The jar sizes and the blade types are important to choose

The other two important considerations are the jar sizes and the blade types. Ideally you should buy blenders with multiple jars of different sizes. Choosing the right sized jar is important because the contents may spill out of a smaller jar than what you should have chosen. Also, try to look for blenders with removable blades so that you can clean up the blender easily.

Which blender for which use?

If you want to do a lot with your blender, including dough making, it is best to look for food processors. These blenders are much more elaborate than standard blenders and they come equipped with a wider range of accessories. The Prinetti Multi Function Food Processor should be a good buy. Apart from the standard blender functions, you can use this food processor for crushing ice or grinding coffee and herbs and so on.

If you primarily want to make juices using your blender, the Bullet Blender is an excellent choice. This 350-watt blender makes delicious juices in seconds. It comes with five tall cups and one short cup. All you need to do is add the ingredients to the cup, choose your blade and that’s it. Your delicious orange juice could be served straight from the blender, all vibrant and fresh.

For the most basic chopping of most of the food items, a 300-watt blender is enough for you. An excellent product in this category is the George Foreman GFBL300 Mix & Go blender. If you also want to make those delicious smoothies, opt for a blender in the 500 to 600 watts range. For grinding coffee, a 700-watt blender is required. You also get to buy blenders that are in the 1,500-watt range and more. These are higher end blenders.

Last but not the least, make sure you find out the names of the popular brands and look at their blender models.