Blender

A blender is a stationary electrical kitchen appliance that blends or puree ingredients with a electric mixer power.

A typical blender is built around a vessel for the ingredients to be blended. At the top of the vessel is a cap to prevent ingredients from escaping when the blender is switched on. At the bottom is a blade assembly, typically removable for cleaning purposes. The bottom seal is most likely watertight. The vessel rests upon a base containing a motor (for turning the blade assembly) with controls on its surface. Most modern blenders offer a number of possible speeds.

Blenders normally have between three to 16 speeds. Their Power Rating range from 300 to 500 watts. Manufactures claim that higher wattage translates into better performance but some tests show that lower-wattage models often outperformed beefier ones, turning out icy drinks faster and leaving them smoother in consistency.

Containers are made of glass, plastic, or stainless steel, and have a capacity of about 5 to 8 cups. A glass container is heavier and more stable. In tests, the blenders with glass jugs tended to perform better because they didn't shake. Glass is also easier to keep clean. Plastic may scratch and is likely to absorb the smell of whatever is inside. Stainless-steel looks good, but prevents you from seeing how the blending is going. The jars vary from 1.5 to 2 liters

Touchpad controls are easy to wipe clean. A blade that's permanently attached to the container is harder to clean than a removable blade.

Stephen Poplawski in 1922 was the first to put a spinning blade at the bottom of a container. He used his appliance to make soda Fountains drinks. In 1935, Fred Osius improved on Poplawski's idea and invented the famous Waring Blender. In 1910 L.H. Hamilton, Chester Beach and Fred Osius formed the Hamilton Beach Manufacturing Co that became well known for their kitchen appliances. Fred Osius later began working on ways to improve the Poplawski blender.

Fred Osious in 1933 patented the blending machine after making some improvements to Fred Waring blender. The blender was still suffering some technical difficulties and a lot of money was being spend for the research, so Fred Waring redesign the machine one more time without the help of Fred Osious this time. Waring renamed his Miracle Mixer Corporation as the Waring Corporation.

The Waring Blender became more and more popular in American homes and very important as a hospital tool for the implementation of specific diets, as well as a vital scientific research device. For example Dr. Jonas Salk used it while developing the vaccine for polio.

In 1954, the millionth Waring Blender was sold, and it is still as popular today.

The most recent developments of Blenders have between 5 to 16 speeds, have a 550 watts motor and count with Digital Timers with soft grips. Almost all of them have weightless Glass Jars with fingerprints resistant finish. The glass jars sizes still varies but nowadays almost all Blenders have ice-crushing funtion.

For Safety features, new Blenders ensure that blade action will stop if the jar is not seated properly.

There are two types of blenders: Standard countertop machines, which are the classic stationary blenders and the Handheld models, also called immersion blenders.

There are a lot of available options in the market for Standard blenders, these are some types that you might find:

Removable and Dishwasher-proof parts, will make the cleaning of the device easier.

Jar materials: Glass will be more scratch resistant and will maintain a better temperature of the mixture. Plastic Jars can scratch easier but lighter and unbreakable.

Buttons or Touch pad switches: Touch pad switches will be easier to clean.

Different blending Speeds: If you'll only mix drinks, a model with just two speeds (low and high) may suffice. The average cook will probably be satisfied with just five speeds (stir, mix, blend, puree and liquefy) and perhaps a 'pulse' control, which provides a burst of power when activated. There are a lot of colors and metallic finishes. Hamilton Beach and Oster account for more than 40 percent of countertop-blender sales. Other brands include Black & Decker, Braun, Cuisinart, GE, KitchenAid, Krups, Proctor-Silex, Sharp, Sunbeam, Vita-Mix, and Waring, a product pioneer.

Handheld blenders are stick-shaped small and lightweight handhelds, easy to use and can be stowed in a drawer or cabinet. Immersion blenders are popular for stirring soups and puréeing and chopping vegetables. Increasingly, they're being paired with accessories such as beaters, whisks, and attachments to clean baby bottles. Braun controls the handheld segment of the market.

They consist of one or two parts: the grip that houses the motor and displays the controls, and the shaft to which the blade is attached. Some models come with a detachable blade and a variety of chopping and whipping attachments; a dishwasher-safe mixing/storage container is another plus. They are easy to grip, operate and clean.

Consider cooking tasks.

Check the number of settings available and decide which most closely fit your needs

Consider budget. With blenders, power, performance, and price don't always go hand-in-hand. Spending more will typically get you touchpad controls, extra speeds and power, and perhaps designer styling or colors to match your kitchen's décor. You'll pay more for a blender with a stainless-steel or other metallic jar than you will for one with a plastic or glass container.

Measure the space where the blender will be store. Pay special attention to height.

Design and Color are very important for the kitchen’s appearance.

Best blender overall - In the most recent blender reviews, the Braun MX2050 finishes ahead of every other blender. Although this model has had a lot of trouble in the past with breaking drive-wheel teeth, the latest coverage reports that the problem has been corrected, and recent owner-written evaluations are much better than in past years. The Braun blender is especially good at crushing ice in small batches and blending smoothies with no hidden "icebergs" left behind. The heavy base won't "walk" across the counter, and its carafe is designed to channel food into the blade assembly for even chopping.

Best bar blender - Most blenders, such as the Braun above, can handle routine tasks, but when it comes to heavy-duty ice crushing, reviews agree this machine performs. The Waring has a retro look that appeals to owners, who say it looks equally at home on a countertop or behind a bar. You get two speeds with the Waring Pro (reviews say that's all you'll need), and while some owners say it's loud on high speed, this comes with the territory when crushing ice.

Budget bar blender - The Oster isn't quite as stylish as the Waring, but it's a near clone, with a heavy, industrial-looking base, two-speed operation and a heavy, 40-ounce glass jar. Reviews say the Oster makes a fine frozen margarita and owners posting to Amazon.com and Epinions are also fans. If you can live without the Waring's high style and professional build quality, the Oster is a good alternative at a lower price.

Hand blender - Immersion blenders can't take the place of a full size blender, but they are handy for small batches (like dips) or pureeing soup while it's still in the pot. The Braun hand blender comes with a mini chopper for small jobs, and a whisk attachment for whipping cream or eggs. Review say that although the Braun is pricier than some others, it is better by far than the competition.

Multifunction blender - If price is no object, the Vita-Mix 5000 is the most souped-up model you can find. The Vita-Mix 5000 is a variable-speed blender that boasts a 2+ horsepower motor, a blade tip speed of 249 mph, and a five-year warranty. More than your average blender, it blends frozen fruits and vegetables in seconds sans leftover frozen chunks. It can also make peanut butter from peanuts, flour from wheat berries and can even knead small batches of dough.

Safety Tips

Never immerse a blender and processor’s base in water. Clean with a household cleaner applied to a cloth. The rest of the blender can be washed normally.

Never direct spray of any kind at any electrical appliance or component.

Do not reach for an appliance that has fallen into water. Unplug immediately.

Never operate the appliance if it has a damaged cord or plug, if it is not working properly, if it has been dropped or damaged, or dropped into water.

Blenders: not only for cutting and mixing ingredients.

Blenders primary purpose was cutting and mixing ingredients. But many other interesting and healthy appliances have been developed over the past couple of years. Blenders are increasingly used to make smoothies, ice-coffee, shakes, and cocktails.

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