A blender is one of the most common kitchen appliances in the world. If you've never used one before, there's no time like the present. These appliances can be used to create some of your own unique creations; more so than most other kitchen gadgets, they invite creativity.

The modern kitchen blender was invented by Wisconsin engineer Stephen Poplawski in 1922; Poplawski intended his invention as a means of making soda fountain drinks in restaurants. The original design consisted of using a tall container with a blade at the bottom; a design which hasn't really changed significantly since.

A blender has many uses and more likely than not, you already have one in your kitchen whether or not you actually use it. If you don't happen to have one, this article will give you the information you need to decide which type of blender is right for your needs.

One thing you may want to take into account is the power consumption of the blender you're looking at. You'll probably want one which uses less than 750 watts. It's extremely unlikely that you'll need one for use in the home which is more powerful than this and you may have an unpleasant surprise when the electric bill comes if you choose one which uses a lot of power.

Make sure to properly maintain your blender, checking the appliance regularly to ensure that everything is working properly. If you notice something not working properly, you can have it replaced. This will ensure longer life for your appliance and reduce power consumption as well.

You should also look at what accessories are available for the blenders you're thinking about purchasing. You'll want to be sure that you'll have the right blade to perform the tasks you want your blender to be able to do. You'll probably want to make sure that your appliance can at the very least chip vegetables and other ingredients as well as being able to deal with ice and/or frozen fruit for smoothies.

Make sure that the blender is large enough for the purposes that you have in mind as well. You should try to determine how large of a carafe you'll need to handle the volume of blended drinks and food that you anticipate needing to make with your new blender.

Lastly, there is price to think about. Although blenders aren't terribly expensive as far as kitchen appliances go, you definitely don't want something which is outside of your means; it's best to go for the best model you can afford rather than going too cheap or straining your budget for this appliance.

All of these are factors to consider when shopping for a new blender. Think about what you need a blender for, how often you will use the appliance and how powerful it needs to be to get the job done as well as what you can afford to spend. With all of this in mind before you go shopping, it should be easy to find a blender which meets your needs perfectly.

Shop for discount brand name blenders at Amazon.Com below:

	Oster 6812-001 Core 16-Speed Blender with Glass Jar, Black List Price: $73.13 Sale Price: $39.95 Used From: $36.99 Average Rating:
	16 Speed Black Blender

	Hamilton Beach 51101B Single-Serve Blender with Travel Lid, Black List Price: $21.99 Sale Price: $13.25 Average Rating:
	* Take your drink to go * Use the travel lid to drink from * Great for fruit smoothies, icy drinks, shakes, and more * Stainless steel blades * One touch blending * Easy storage * Less cleaning * Single serving size

	Hamilton Beach 54615 Wavestation Express Dispensing Blender with 48-Ounce Jar, Black List Price: $32.99 Sale Price: $21.45 Used From: $34.75 Average Rating:
	Equipped with 500 watts of power, this countertop blender works great for liquefying frozen fruit, whipping up creamy smoothies, making pureed soups, and more. Its revolutionary WaveAction blending system continuously forces the mixture down into stainless-steel ice-crushing blades for thorough blending from top to bottom--every time...

	Oster BPST02-B Professional Series Blender, Black List Price: $169.99 Sale Price: $61.35 Average Rating:
	The Beehive Professional Series Blender is the ultimate bar blender machine. It is a must have for those who enjoy entertaining and being king of the bar. The black matted fingerless print base finish helps give it that rugged but reformed classic Oster design...

	KitchenAid KSB560OB 5-Speed 56-Ounce Blender, Onyx Black List Price: $129.99 Sale Price: $70.25 Average Rating:
	KitchenAid Blenders combine outstanding performance, durability and an easy to clean design to perform everyday kitchen tasks from making smoothies to pureeing vegetables for soup, to crushing ice and making pesto...