Testers evaluated how well they made icy drinks and smoothies, crushed ice, and grated cheese, as well as puréed. Crushing ice didn't come easy for all the blenders. With one, even after a minute, hardly any of the ice was crushed.
And testers also use ice to check durability. Several blenders failed the test. On some the gears broke, while with others the motor burned out and they wouldn't even turn on. And the task of grating cheese separated the great from the not-so-great.
Blendtec's Countertop Total Blender was included in the tests. Blendtec uses wacky videos to promote its blenders. Those super successful viral videos are getting millions of viewers on YouTube. They show the blenders blending everything from iPads to golf balls. In Consumer Reports' tests, the Blendtec Countertop Total Blender did a very good job with food, but it costs $400.
The good news is that testers found a Best Buy that did just as well for one-tenth the price. It's the Oster #BCBG08, which goes for just $40.
There's also a blender recall you should be aware of: The Haier Commercial model HB500BSS was recalled due to the risk of laceration from a faulty blade assembly. If you have that blender, you can call Haier America at 866-327-6147 to receive a free replacement blade assembly.
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