There are blenders and then there are ‘serious” blenders that are intended to make baby food everyday or whip up wholesome and nutritious homemade soup. Most blenders are more than capable of making a smoothie once in a while or a milkshake, but for heavy duty everyday use, you need a multi-functional Vitamix 5200 which is consistent and reliable.
Basic blenders can be purchased from any appliance store and most hardware and departments stores. They are usually in the range of 450 to $75 and for most people they are great. However, if you are looking for a heavy duty blender, the type you may see behind a bar, then you are looking at more money, perhaps as much as $500 but they are well worth it under certain circumstances.
When you have your mind set on a heavy duty commercial blender there are a few things that you should take into account, one is a pulse function, this is ideal for chopping ice. As a blender must be kept immaculate, look for a machine that not only has a rugged blade, but one which can be removed for cleaning as well. Although many people like blenders with multiple functions, in many cases it is really only a matter of small variances in the cutter speed. A good commercial blender with three speeds is more than enough in almost every case. There are a number of different jars available, the best for commercial use is one made from impact resistant polycarbonate with a wide, drip proof spout.
Many of the best Vitamix 5200 blenders take full advantage of modern micro-processing and have pre-determined settings that result in repeatable results every time. This is extremely important when you are creating smoothies, frozen cocktails and frappes. There are other models that eliminate the push buttons in lieu of touch pads, this makes cleaning much easier as there are no buttons for food to accumulate around.
Commercial blenders are often larger than their domestic counterparts; they may be higher or larger in footprint. Before you buy, take a quick measurement of where the Vitamix 5200 will sit so that there is ample space between the blender and other kitchen cabinets and counters both in use and when stored.
