When you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you understand the importance of having the right appliance for the job. If, like me, you’re a health enthusiast who loves delicious, cold smoothies, you know that a blender which handles ice and frozen fruits with ease is vital.
Nobody likes a lumpy smoothie! I’ve made it my mission to find the best blenders for crushing ice and frozen fruits, and found some great products that I’m going to share with you.
Quality Counts When it Comes to Blenders
Nothing is more frustrating than heading to the kitchen in the morning only to have to battle your blender to chop ice and blend ingredients. That’s what it was made to do right? Not always!
In the not too distant past, you had to drop half a grand on a blender that could create restaurant-standard smoothies. The home models didn’t do an adequate job of liquefying ice or whole frozen strawberries and bananas – leaving you with a grainy, lumpy mixture.
That’s certainly not the case anymore. The good news is that there are plenty of heavy duty blenders on the market that are cut out for making frozen blends.
Why Blend Ice and Frozen Fruits?
The Food Guide Pyramid produced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends that we eat 3-4 servings of fruit every day. It’s not always possible to get your favourite fruits in season, so frozen options are becoming more and more popular.
Frozen fruits are a great choice as they can contain more vitamins and antioxidants than their fresh counterparts. This is because they are picked when fully ripe, unlike fresh fruits which are picked early so they don’t expire during transport. (source)
Another advantage of using frozen fruits and ice is the delicious, milkshake-like texture they give to your drinks. Thick, slushie-like smoothies make it easy to get picky children to eat their daily allowance of fruit. They’re also helpful when trying to cut down on junk food as an icy smoothie can work as a sweet but healthy dessert.
What to Look for in a Blender for Crushing Ice and Frozen Fruits
There are blenders on the market nowadays that have been designed especially for smoothie fanatics. However, with so much choice it can be hard to pick the right model for your needs. There are some important factors to consider when choosing a heavy duty blender for crushing ice and frozen fruits – especially if you’re going to use it on a daily basis.
1. A Powerful Motor
The more powerful the motor, the better the blender will be at liquefying your frozen fruits and ice. It will also do a better job breaking down whole foods such as tough, raw veggies and small seeds like chia and flax.
Some people don’t mind having to chew their smoothies a little bit, but if you’re picky you’ll need a blender with muscle – look for a blender with as close to 1000 watts motor power as you can get.
2. Daily Use?
If you plan to use your blender every day, you need a long-lasting, high quality blender. You will typically need to pay a little more for this level of quality, as cheaper blenders will burn out and need a replacement after a year or two.
When you consider the nutritional benefits this appliance brings for you and your family, there’s no doubt it’s worth coughing up the cash for a product that will stand the test of time.
3. Warranty
Another consideration is the length of the warranty. Read over the warranty carefully to see exactly what is covered and for how long. Sometimes the motor and the glassware are covered for differing amounts of time. Look for warranties lasting one year or more, as this is the danger zone for appliance burn out.
4. Clean Up Time
One of the main reasons people make smoothies is because it’s a quick meal. You’ll want the clean up to be just a quick. Look for a blender that can be disassembled easily and has dishwasher safe parts for an easy clean up.
5. Capacity
Capacity refers to the size of the blending vessel, or how much smoothie you can make a time. If you’re using frozen ingredients, you should only make as much as you’re going to drink immediately. The crushed ice will melt if they’re left in the fridge, so the consistency won’t be as nice.
Reviews
Karmin makes the best blender in my opinion =D