If you're interested in purchasing a blender, there are several different things you'll have to look at before making a decision. It's more complicated than simply choosing one which you think will look good. Performance is key and you'll need one that is capable of performing the duties which will be asked of it.

Purpose

You have to think about just what you'll need your blender to do. Some blenders are designed for relatively light duty like pureeing softer foods, some are made to crush ice and yet others are capable of nearly any job from light to heavy. Before you start looking, you need to know exactly what you'll be using your blender for. This will help you decide which features you should be looking for and which can be skipped without compromising performance.

Features

These are a few of the most important features to look at when you're trying to decide on a blender.

1. Motor Speed. The higher the motor speed, the more tasks the blender will be capable of.

2. A feeder cap or tube. You'll want to be able to add ingredients while you're blending; a small opening on the lid which allows this is a feature you'll almost certainly want; or regret not having at some point if you choose a model without one.

3. A pusher. Something which fits the feeder opening on the lid which can help you to push ingredients further down in the blender as needed is a nice extra. Never use your hand to do this; a pusher helps you to keep things going without having to stop the motor (or risk your safety).

4. A pulse button. Most blenders do include this feature; this button will be right along with the other speed buttons. Pulse is a manual blending button which is perfect for when you only need to grind an ingredient for a second or two.

5. Touch pad. While many blenders feature raised buttons for speed controls, a touch pad-style set of controls is a lot easier to keep clean.

6. Wattage. You'll need a blender which is powerful enough to perform the blending jobs you're buying a blender to do in the first place. Make sure that any blender you purchase is powerful enough in terms of wattage to be equal to the tasks it will be doing in the kitchen.

7. Accessories. Find out what (if any) accessories or attachments come along with the blender. Ask questions or do research if necessary to find out how to use all of the included accessories. These accessories and attachments may extend the capabilities of the blender and allow you to make better use of it.

8. Capacity. Blenders come in every size imaginable, from handheld models to enormous industrial scale units. Make sure to purchase a blender with a capacity which is large enough to accommodate the amounts of blended food and drinks which you plan to prepare with the appliance.

9. Price. Last of all is price. It's not the most important consideration, but for many price does matter. According to consumers, Cuisinart and Kitchen Aid are the most popular brands on the market - they're certainly not the cheapest, but again, performance trumps price when it comes to kitchen appliances.

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: $42.15 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: $15.98 Used From: $15.99 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: $49.95 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...