Blender Information

A food processor can perform many of the same tasks as a blender -- pureeing soup, whipping up dips, even grinding peanuts into peanut butter. Food processors balk at crushing ice, however. So if you want slushy drinks, a blender is your best bet. If not, you may want to buy a food processor instead. For some solid choices, see our report on food processors.

Another product category, hand blenders, also known as stick or immersion blenders, are also convenient -- just blend the ingredients in the pot and rinse. Although hand blenders cannot replace traditional blenders, they can handle smaller jobs, including emulsions and purees. See our report on hand blenders for more information.

If you can't be without frozen drinks when you are camping, boating or picnicking, there are several unique options. The Waring Tailgater Blender TG15 (*Est. $120) plugs into 12-volt cigarette outlets on cars and boats and a 15-foot cord. The 48-ounce carafe is shatterproof plastic, while the base is heavy chrome. The Waring blender weighs less than 6 pounds. The Totally Portable TailGator (*Est. $300) doesn't need a source of electricity -- it is gasoline powered, with a 24 cc two-stroke engine. It also has a 48-ounce plastic pitcher. This blender receives a fun write-up from About.com's guide to cocktails, Colleen Graham.

If you're ready to work for your smoothie or margaritas, the Vortex Hand Crank Blender (*Est. $80) from GSI Outdoors has two gear positions for low and high speed. The base stores inside the pitcher to make the 6-pound unit easier to pack. A C clamp is used to secure the Vortex when in use.

The Bike Blender, made by The Juice Peddler, is completely powered by the human body. There are several options with the Bike Blender. There is one version for an Xtracycle (*Est. $225) and one for any type of bike (*Est. $250). There's even the Fender Blender (*Est. $1,900), a stationary exercise bike with a blender on it. The faster you pedal, the faster the blender spins.

We also found a helpful comparison chart of blender specs and features at EverythingKitchens.com, a site that sells blenders and other kitchen gear.

The housewares channel at About.com offers several articles about blenders, including buying and cleaning tips and common uses.

Food & Wine magazine offers tips for getting the perfect consistency when blending frozen drinks.

Good Housekeeping magazine explains how to make a cappuccino in your blender in this brief article.

About.com's cooking equipment guide lists several recipes for use with a blender.
(Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

WillItBlend.com is a collection of marketing videos for the Blendtec Corp. featuring its "Will It Blend?" campaign, in which several odd items are shredded in the Blendtec blender.

If you like to know exactly how things work, this slideshow by IFixIt.com will allow you to see the inner workings and components of the Blectec blender.

Manufacturer links:

Bike Blender

Blendtec

Braun

Breville

Cuisinart

Hamilton Beach

KitchenAid

L'Equip

Oster

Vita-Mix

Waring