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A blender is an essential kitchen appliance. It can do a variety of tasks from whipping cream, making smoothies, food processing, and crushing ice.
Selecting a blender usually depends on what tasks you intend to do with the blender. Some blenders offer multiple features for a high price. Be wary then that you may not need some of these features.
So go for a blender that does what you need it for.
Here are a few tips on what to consider before buying a blender.
* Capacity
The blender’s capacity may vary from one to three liters. It may be advisable to get a bigger one if you have the space.
However, the first thing that you need to consider here is how much food you are going to blend at the same time. Some small blenders offer ease of storage due to its small capacity. Do not get these if you know you will be blending large amounts of ingredients.
* Material
The material, particularly, the footing has to be sturdy. Make sure that the footing is stable enough that the blender will not topple off the table while it is filled with contents and performing its tasks. Stainless steel is the best material for this.
The containers may be glass or plastic. The ones made in glass are heavier, and sturdier but are more expensive than the ones with plastic containers.
* Functions
Some blenders have multiple attachments for different functions. You might have to change an attachment to whip cream or chop herbs. Make sure that if you needed these functions, the attachments are easy to detach and replace. Evaluate the difficulty of fitting another attachment. Also check if the attachments have sensitive parts that may break if it is improperly attached.
Some blenders also have an ice button which will be perfect if you need to crush ice. Also, there are blenders that have a small opening at the top to allow you to add small amounts of ingredients while blending.
* Wattage
This can vary from 500 watts for the smaller food processors to 1200 watts for the larger blenders. One with high wattage can blend quickly and easily. The only concer
n is that these blenders cost more.
* Settings
Choosing a blender with a variety of settings (speeds and pulse actions) allow you mix a variety of ingredients at different textures.
* Safety
The blender has to be easily and safely cleaned and stored. Since many people leave their blenders on the countertop, it will be good if the blender has cord storage spaces with lids to prevent the cord from being wet.
Some models are also labeled as dishwasher safe. These are better particularly when using a dishwasher. These containers can usually be opened at the top and the bottom to facilitate the cleaning.
Many processors also have safety locks to prevent the machine from starting to process without the lid on.
* Countertop or immersion blenders
Countertop blenders are the most commonly known design of blenders. These have a base and a container in which the materials are blended. Since most people just leave these blenders on the countertops than store these in the closet, these blenders come in a variety of color and design. The price ranges from $10 to $400.
The immersion blender, on the other hand, is a stick-shaped handheld device that has a swirling blade at the bottom. These consume less power, about 200 watts; thus, it is limited to a few tasks and for blending some ingredients. These are usually used for pureeing, mixing soups and chopping vegetables. These blenders are now, also being paired with whisks, beaters and attachments for cleaning baby bottles.
Since these blenders are not to be left on the countertop, it has fewer options for color and design. The price for immersion blenders ranges from $10 to $100.
Now, that you know what you need to consider before buying a blender, when you go to a store, check also the warranty to protect your rights as a consumer. If possible, you may also want to try the blender first, as some blenders that claim to crush ice either fails to do so, or liquefies the ice instead. If you weren’t able to try the blender first, make sure you will be able to return it if it doesn’t function as promised.
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