Vitamix 5200 Blender
If you鈥檙e going to drop half a grand on a 颅kitchen appliance, it better deliver, and the Vitamix 5200 does just that. It grinds almonds for almond milk and purees vegetables for soups as effortlessly as it minces garlic without crushing it. It鈥檚 all thanks to a 10-speed control that spins the 1,380-watt machine鈥檚 four stainless-steel blades anywhere from 11 to 240 miles per hour. Making ice cream or nut butter? The 5200 comes with a tamper that can be inserted through the lid to break up air pockets. If you鈥檙e looking for the ultimate do-everything blender, this is it.
KitchenAid KSB560 Blender
Hesitant to drop a hefty portion of your paycheck on a blender, but still want something powerful enough to dice fruit and crush ice without burning out the engine in a matter of months? The 550-watt KSB560 offers a good balance. In addition to turning out great smoothies, it chops onions, emulsifies salad dressings, and liquefies vegetables for soups. Five speeds, from Stir to Liquefy, mean you don鈥檛 get quite as much variety in power as some of the fancier models give you, but if all you want is a quick shake after a particularly tough training session, you probably aren鈥檛 looking for a switchboard of blending 颅options, either.
Oster Classic Beehive Blender
If you can do without bells and whistles, the Beehive is a smart bet. With 600 watts of blending power, a stainless-steel blade, and an idiot-proof dashboard consisting of a single two-speed toggle (for on and pulse), the Beehive easily handles the important stuff, like fruit-heavy breakfast smoothies and frozen margaritas on weekends. Plus, the chrome styling makes for a classier counter ornament than the high-end 颅monsters. Our only complaint: it sounds like a cement grinder.