Which blenders pulverize ice and which melt down?

Whether you're fixing a pitcher of margaritas or making a batch of homemade hummus for guests, one thing's certain: You need a good blender to be successful. The good news? You don't need to spend a lot of money -- though you certainly can if you opt for the best overall multipurpose blender, the Vita-Mix 5200 (*Est. $450). High price is just about the only drawback you'll find there, however, as the 2-horsepower Vita-Mix excels at everything from crushing ice and making fruit smoothies to grinding grains into flour. Just cover your ears -- some reviewers compare the noise it makes to that of a jet engine.

A runner-up to the Vita-Mix is the BlendTec Total Blender (*Est $400) -- star of the hilarious "Will It Blend?" viral videos -- which is called "absurdly powerful" by one reviewer. Reviews say it's even even louder than the screaming Vita-Mix, though, and its clunky design would look right at home in some 1970s sci-fi picture. On the other hand, the Blendtec's perfect if you feel like whipping up some granulated iPhone.  If the Vita-Mix and Blendtec are too pricey, however, you have other attractive options at a fraction of the cost.

The best-reviewed budget blender, the Kalorik BL-16909 (*Est. 40), is good-looking, easy-to-clean, a competent ice-crusher, and a generally good all-around light-duty blender. Long-term durability may be a concern, though. The Oster Classic Beehive Blender (*Est. $65) would look equally at home in Betty Draper's kitchen as it would in yours, and reviewers like its throwback styling, overall simplicity (there's just an on/off/pulse toggle switch, after all), and reliability. Feedback's mixed on its ice-crushing performance, though.

Both the Oster and Kalorik are dinged by critics for being loud -- a trait that seems to afflict most blenders, regardless of price point. One easy solution? Throw a kitchen towel over the machine while you're blending -- it acts as a cheap and reasonably effective muffler.

For additional information on the best blenders, as well as more aspects to consider when shopping for one, be sure to check out our newly-updated full report.