As most of you know I’m a blended foods fanatic! One of the best ways to get more greens into your diet in an easy and delicious way! Well in order to get that blended goodness into you, you will need a piece of equipment which is probably the most important piece of equipment other than maybe a good chef knife in a green or raw kitchen a good Blender!

When it comes to choosing the best blender for your needs (smoothie making!), here are some suggestions for what to look for:

• Look for blenders with a wide, metal base for stability. 
• The best blenders to use for smoothie-making should have a high powered motor with 500 watts or more. You are going to want a blender that can easily handle frozen fruit, berries and ice. You also want a high-powered blender to puree and liquefy a variety of ingredients to make a creamy, flavorful smoothie. 
• I recommend finding a blender with a large, glass pitcher for scratch-resistant durability and easy cleaning. Plastic pitchers on low-end machines are prone to scratching and are not usually dishwasher-safe. 
• Touch pads are easier to clean than push buttons. My blender has touch pads on the base which make the buttons much easier to wipe off spilled residue. 
• High-end blenders such as the Vita-Mix usually come with a plunger attachment which is indispensable for pushing down leafy greens and larger chunks of fruit that can get caught in the pitcher above the blades. Trust me, if you spring a little extra for a blender with a plunger, you’ll have a much happier time making green smoothies!

If you can afford a Blendtec Total Blender
or Vita-Mix 1700 Turbo Blend 4500 Countertop Blender  they will generally be your best bet in terms of consistency, they’re also a time saver, and personally I wouldn’t want to live without my blender now that I’ve had it.  They are definitely an investment however so if that’s not a possibility for you to purchase now than a regular blender can do in the meantime. 

A couple of blenders that get honorable mention are:

Blenders under $150 Tribest Single Serving Blender/Grinder
(this is a personal travel blender)

This is great for smoothies on the road! If you’re staying in a hotel and don’t want to lug your vitamix there then take this blender with you.

 Oster 4093 Classic Beehive Blender, Chrome

Oster BPST02-B Professional Series Blender, Black

This blender is good for the under $100 category, and is 1/2 horsepowerand has received overall good reviews on amazon. It does decent on smoothies unless you’re using a lot of frozen fruit which is common, if that’s the case than it’s best to purchase this blender with a “ice-crusher” blade. Cons: short warranty, noisy, not as powerful as blendtec/vitamix, may need to purchase ice chopping blade if have trouble with frozen fruit or ice. 

Ice crusher blender blade cutter for Oster & Osterizer

Another honorable mention under $200 is the:

  L’Equip 306500 RPM Blender
This is between 150-200 typically and is 1hp

Features and Specifications:

• 1 Horsepower
• 900 watt motor with 500-20,000 revolutions per minute.
• Brushed aluminum motor base with rubber container pad.
• Variable speed knob with + and – markings.
• On/Off toggle switch.
• Polycarbonate blending container with 1.75 liter or 7 cup capacity. Container positions on base at any angle and is dishwasher safe.
• 100% Stainless steel blades and shaft. Replaceable.
• Black rubber zero leakage lid and insert plug.
• Funnel cone for adding oils, tinctures, and syrups.
• Ratings: UL/CUL for 120 volt
• Three foot power cord with a 3-prong grounding type plug.
• The Lequip Blender no longer incudes the Tamper.
• 6-year warranty and registration card.

Hope this helps!

Happy Blending!