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" What We Discovered  A hefty price tag and big-time wattage don&amp;#039;t always equal a high-quality blender. Use a blender to chop onions only in a pinch. Blenders don&amp;#039;t turn out evenly shaped and sized pieces with clean edges. Most blenders do an excellent job of grinding coffee beans \u2014 although you&amp;#039;ll probably want a dedicated bean grinder if you grind beans every day. Running a blender daily won&amp;#039;t drive up your electric bill. Making one batch of smoothies once a day for a year will cost you about 39 cents.  What We Looked for in Blenders GHRI evaluated the blenders for:  Ability to grind coffee beans Ability to chop onions Ability to prepare a smoothie Ability to prepare a frozen margarita Ease of using the controls Ease of positioning the jar on the base Ease of assembling blade parts Ease of putting on and removing the jar lid Ease of reading the measurement markings on the jar Ease of using the pulse feature How easy they were to clean Results of dishwasher cleaning Loudness Stain resistance Whether they have the potential to cause injury Helpfulness of owner&amp;#039;s manual and customer service options       How We Tested Blenders  We performed several everyday tasks with each blender: grinding coffee beans, chopping onions, and preparing a smoothie and frozen margarita. After each task, we evaluated how smoothly and/or evenly things were blended. To evaluate each blender&amp;#039;s ease of use, we assessed the helpfulness of the manual and how easy it was to assemble the blade parts, position the jar on the base, read measurement markings on the jar, put the jar lid on and off, use the controls, and clean the blender. We noted whether the blenders had pulse features. We measured each blender&amp;#039;s loudness during operation. To determine durability, we ran each blender jar that the manufacturer claimed could be cleaned in the dishwasher through 14 normal cycles in our lab and looked for changes that would affect appearance or use. We filled each blender to half its capacity with hot tomato sauce, whirred it for one minute, poured the sauce out, and let the jar sit overnight before washing it. Then we evaluated the jars for staining. We measured the amount of energy each blender used to prepare a smoothie with a data acquisition system. We called each manufacturer&amp;#039;s toll-free customer service number with a troubleshooting question. We timed how long we waited before speaking with a representative and evaluated how helpful the response was.  Next:  What to Consider When Buying a Blender  You don&amp;#039;t have to pay big bucks for a good blender. While a hefty price tag can sometimes get you a sleeker design and higher-quality parts, it doesn&amp;#039;t always guarantee better results. Instead focus on a blender&amp;#039;s overall design \u2014 it&amp;#039;s the best indicator of how it will perform. When you&amp;#039;re considering a blender&amp;#039;s weight, think about where you&amp;#039;ll keep it and how you&amp;#039;ll use it. Unless you&amp;#039;re going to lift the appliance in and out of a cabinet often, go with a model that has a heavier base. It keeps the blender from moving during use. By the same token, a glass jar may seem better than a plastic one, but might be more difficult to lift and pour from when full. Don&amp;#039;t let multiple settings fool you. There&amp;#039;s usually not a noticeable difference between adjacent speeds. One important feature to look for: pulse, which gives you better control over the blending.  Tips for Using a Blender  Cut vegetables, fruit, and cheese into one-inch chunks before chopping them in a blender. For best results, use the pulse feature. If the blender doesn&amp;#039;t have this feature, stop and stir the mixture occasionally. This keeps it from becoming overprocessed. When buzzing a hot mixture, remove the filler cap from the cover to reduce steam buildup and help prevent spurting. Don&amp;#039;t leave the appliance unattended during use, especially if you&amp;#039;re blending without liquids or on pulse, when the blender is most likely to &amp;quot;walk&amp;quot; on the countertop. If liquid stops moving in the blender before the mixture&amp;#039;s fully pureed, stop blending and stir. Remove stuck food from underneath the blade by using the pulse feature to jog it along. To clean, fill the jar halfway with water, add a drop of liquid dishwashing detergent, then blend for a few seconds.  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/appliances/blender-reviews/a18908/best-blenders-reviews-testing/>