How do price and quality relate in blenders?
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I've seen blenders for anywhere from $20* to $2,000, and I must say, the variety of marketing-speak has my brain in a tizzy. In plain english, what are the major price levels in blenders (general ranges, obviously there's some variety in quality at each price range) and what sort of features can I expect at each level? For example, I'd not expect a $20 blender to, say, heat up soups like one famous (but more expensive) model is known for.
* I use USD, but I can convert prices easily enough
Best Answer
Like any other product, price and quality don't always relate. However, here are some notes and features to help you:
What food stuffs you can blend in your blender and expect good results, how often, and for how many years depends on the following:
Quality of the motor: When the material you're blending gets hard to blend (say oil separated peanut butter mixed with dry almonds), you can easily send the blender up in smoke. A better blender might hit its maximum-current/temperature switch, shut-down, and protect itself. An even better blender might happily blend (saw a giant one with the motor made by Harley Davidson, it didn't care what it was mixing). See the notes on power/wattage.
Speed of the blade (RPM): Cheaper blenders tend to only reach a couple of thousand rpm. The Brand you're (not)mentioning can go near 30,000rpm. At that spin-rate, frozen fruit starts looking like Gelato (smooth and shiny). In a $20 blender, they look like frozen fruit slushy with ice crystals remaining relatively large.
Wattage of Blender: Generally the higher wattage blenders are more powerful, although not in every case. This is again one of those features that leads to being able to make apple/carrot/beat juice in your blender or make a contribution to your local appliance landfill. Top Gear tried to make a Beef, Bovril and Brick smoothie with a V8 Engine.
Intended use: Commercial blenders are designed to be running practically all the time (like the ones at StarBucks), hence the $2000. The 'Prosumer' ones, might heat up if under heavy and long duration use and shut-down for a few minutes at a time. The low-ends can last you a lifetime if what you're blending is not very thick/viscus and you don't keep it running for long sessions.
Quality of the Jar, Blade, and Gears: In the low-end of blenders, the ones with glass jar might be better since they're easier to clean and don't get foggy. The high-end blender manufacturers (sort of) treat the jar as a consumable that you'll have to buy once in a couple of years. Fresh blade, and clear jar.
Pro-Tip: Sometimes it costs you an extra $250 to get the model with the adjustable speed dial. While there normally is a perfect blending speed for any given 'input', you're looking at diminishing returns since the two-speed type will blend just as well given minimally more effort.
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Quick Answer about "How do price and quality relate in blenders?"
First, you use price to help you judge quality. Chances are, a very inexpensive blender is also a low-quality blender. It may have fewer settings and be made of cheaper materials. An expensive blender is generally assumed to be a high-quality blender with lots of features and solid construction.How can you tell a good blender?
Make it a point to check the capacity of the blender jar. The jar capacity of a blender varies between 0.2L to 2L. To make your work easy, it is advisable to go for a grinder and blender with high capacity. A high capacity jar makes it easy to mix, blend and grind more food items at one go.Which brand is best for blender?
Our top picks- Best Overall Blender. E310 Explorian Blender Vitamix. ...
- Best Value Blender. K150 3 Speed Ice Crushing Blender KitchenAid. ...
- Best Blender with Personal Blending Cups. ...
- Best Personal Blender. ...
- Best Blender for Smoothies. ...
- Best Glass Blender. ...
- Best Blender with a Food Processor Attachment. ...
- Best Large-Capacity Blender.
How much does a blender cost?
You can get a plastic personal blender for as little as $20 or splurge on a multifunction, premium glass blender with Bluetooth that will cost more than $600. Higher price typically means better functionality, versatility, and performance.What is high speed blender?
A high-speed blender is like a regular blender, but stronger, faster, and heftier. \u201cBlenders range from 200 to 1400 watts, which is the reason we call the Vitamix, at 1400, a 'high powered blender,' says Robin Asbell, author of \u201c300 Best Blender Recipes: Using Your Vitamix\u201d and 10 other cookbooks.Blender Buying Guide (Interactive Video) | Consumer Reports
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