No kitchen is complete without a blender. Whether you’re making a soup, sauce, or smoothie, these appliances are absolutely essential to many kitchen tasks.
Various types of blender are available. Stick blenders, for example, are handy for blending things while they’re still in the pan, such as a soup, and which would be difficult or too large to transfer into the blender jug. Conventional blenders consist of a base and a jug which can be removed for easy pouring and cleaning. The base generally offers a few different speed settings, along with possibly a pulse button, which spins the blades only as long as the user keeps the button pushed down.
Various familiar names are active in the blender market: Black & Decker, Cuisinart, KitchenAid, Breville, and Dualit, to name just a few.
When you’re choosing a blender, the first thing to consider is what you’re going to blend. People who often make large volumes of curry sauce, for example, will need a large jug and, if they want it to be fast, a powerful motor. If you’re just planning on making the occasional milkshake, you can buy lower-power blenders with a small jug and save some money.
The jugs can be made from plastic, glass, or metal. Obviously, you can only see through the first two, but they’re less durable too. Although a metal jug stops you seeing the blending process, they’ll probably save you money in the long run.
If you have a dishwasher, check whether the blender’s parts are dishwasher-safe.