Not so long ago, there was typically only one type of blender that just grinds up everything thrown into it and turns solids into liquids.
With the various types of beverages these day that consumers demand, it is no longer enough for an all-encumbering blender to do everything.
This is partly because as cafes and bars start charging good prices for their drinks on the menu, quality becomes a focal point of what is served onto the tables of patrons.
There are generally 5 types of blenders.
1) Smoothie blenders
Smoothie blenders don’t just need speed in rottations per minute (RPM), they need to have high horse power and torque in order to crush ice.
It is best to use the example of a car to explain the difference between RPM and horse power.
Let’s say 2 vehicles are running at 5000 RPM and a horsepower of 100 and 200 respectively. While they can both bring the vehicle up to 70mph, it’s a different story when driving up-slope. At the same RPM, the first car might only be able to run at 50mph due to the resistance caused by gravity, while the second car with twice as much horsepower might continue to easily travel at 70mph.
When blending a smoothie recipe, especially one that requires extra ice, a blender with not enough rotating power will compromise the drink no matter what speeds it is capable of churning.
And because blending smoothies will inevitably require start-stop motions or changing of speed to churn out a high quality glass of goodness, the torque becomes an essential technical specification too.
On top of this, proper smoothie blenders should have spigots, outlets, taps, or whatever you call it at the bottom of it so that smoothies can be dispensed from the bottom instead of pouring out from the top.
This is because the smoothie will be more condensed nearer the bottom than at the top.
In typical blenders wastage is the leftover at the bottom after the drink is poured out. For a smoothie blender, wastage is at the top.
Thus, the need for a dispenser at the bottom.
See the most popular smoothie blenders here
2) General blenders
If you don’t specifically need a smoothie blender and just looking for one in general that mixes food such as fruit and liquids, then a general purpose blender might fit the bill.
This is the most common type of blender sold by merchants and found in kitchens.
Very often, companies market them as smoothie blenders even though they are not really specifically meant for smoothies.
I guess they are indeed capable of churning out smoothies, but are not ideal.
It’s just like using a traditional dial-up modem can get you online, but it does not do it in an optimal manner.
These are the typical countertop blenders that consist of a pitcher and set of blades at the bottom.
While I call them general purpose blenders because they are pretty much used for everything from food to drinks, there are many variations within this range and you don’t need to be a professional to use them.
- Performance blender
- Bullet blender
- Personal single serve blender
- Commercial size heavy duty blender
- Food processors and grinders
- etc
They come in various sizes and shapes. All types of features. And all ranges of spinning power under the hood.
At the high-end segment of these kitchen appliances, they can also incorporate a little artificial intelligence.
Which brings us to the next type…
Here are the most common general blenders
3) Smart blenders
While it’s never a good idea to leave something hazardous like a blender to operate on it’s own, that is exactly where everything at home from furniture to electronics to appliances are heading.
They can resemble the typical appearance of a general blender or designed with elaborate or unique form.
But they are often feature-rich, connect to other smart devices via WiFi, controllable via a mobile app, etc.
Some of the most desirable features are:
- Self-cleaning function
- Variable speed control dial
- Self adjustment of blending time
- etc
Many top-of-the-line high performance blenders are also smart blender as they are built with all these features inside.
However, do note that a smart blender doesn’t necessarily make it a performance blender.
Some models have smart features but don’t measure up to the mark in what it’s suppose to do.
A list of the best smart blenders can be found here
4) Hand blenders
These are the what many people call blending sticks or immersion blenders.
They are basically hand-held on one end, with blades that spin on the other end.
You just put all the ingredients you intend to mix in a durable container, turn on this product and stick it into the pot.
Hand blenders allow a user more control, creating more thoroughly mixed ingredients when used in the right way.
They are also highly portable, easy to store, are are great at various minor cooking tasks like whipping, whisking, and chopping.
Just remember to use a sturdy beaker or jar. And be wary of things splattering all over the kitchen island when using.
They also come in various types:
- Cordless and battery operated
- Big and small
- With and without attachments
- Smart and manual
- Commercial heavy duty
- etc
They are generally great at multi-tasking. But making great beverages with them will probably leave a lot to be desired.
See the best selling hand blenders
5) Margarita blenders
While these machines look and act like regular blenders, they are actually called concoction makers.
A lot of us like to just call them frozen drink machines.
These can be considered one of the specialty blenders with the sole purpose of making ice-blended drinks like margaritas, cocktails, slushies, shakes, etc.
They come with a separate hopper to put in the ice. This means that the ingredients don’t get mixed with the ice at the start.
Then instead of crushing the ice, concoction makers shave the ice and dispense it into the ingredients. After which, it start blending them together.
See what users are saying about this type of machines
Which one to buy?
It really depends on what you are going to use them for.
Many people go for general multi-purpose blenders as they imagine that they might want to use them for food processing as well should they need to when in fact the actual reason for them to buy one is for making green smoothies in the first place.
They then never use it for anything else other than for smoothies. Because… would you really use a blender you use for making beverages for raw food?
If you are basically going to use one for mixing and crushing fruits and vegetables, then a hand blender might be more than enough.
If you want to impress guests who regularly visit your home, then a premium blender with smart features will surely get them salivating.
However, if you need one for the cafe to make blended drinks, a commercial high performance machine is what you need.
Here’s how to choose a blender.
Finally, I still want to come back to the idea that if you solely need a blender for making smoothies, then get a blender for smoothies.
Or you will regret it sooner than you think.