Blender Brands and Links

Blending alternatives

A food processor can perform many of the same tasks as a blender -- pureeing soups, whipping up dips, even grinding peanuts into peanut butter. Food processors balk at crushing ice, however. 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.

Hand blenders, also known as stick or immersion blenders, conveniently blend the ingredients in the pot and work well for tasks like pureeing soups. Although hand blenders cannot replace traditional blenders, they are good for tackling smaller jobs, including emulsions and purees. See our report on hand blenders for more information.

If you can't do without frozen drinks when you are camping, boating or picnicking, there are several options. The Vortex Hand Crank Blender (*Est. $80) from GSI Outdoors has two gear positions for low and high speeds. The base is stored 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 powered by the human body. These blenders can be difficult to find (though they are not discontinued), and they are often on back order. If you're interested in purchasing one, do so far in advance. 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 Pro (*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 11 blenders, including specs and features at EverythingKitchens.com, a site that sells blenders and other kitchen gear.

The housewares topic at About.com offers several articles about blenders, including buying and cleaning tips and common uses. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

An About.com article on what to look for when purchasing a home blender is particularly helpful.

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

Good Housekeeping explains how to make a cappuccino in your blender in this brief article. And they share some blender tips.

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 a Blendtec blender, most recently an iPad.

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 a Blendtec blender.

The Learning Channel offers a helpful Q&A article for making the most of your blender, including tips on uses and safety.

The popular women's lifstyle magazine Real Simple offers several easy blender recipes.

Blender brands

Blendtec

Breville

Cuisinart 

Hamilton Beach

Jarden (Margaritaville)

Kalorik

KitchenAid

Ninja

Oster

Vita-Mix

Waring