7 Different Types of Blenders and Their Uses
Having a blender at home simplifies the mixing process of vegetables and fruits. There’s simply no better product when it comes to making smoothies, juices, sauces, or just anything that involves mixing up food.
But as exceptional as this product is, there are several different types you need to know about before buying one.
Usually, most people go for the standard home blender that gets the job done with simple mixes. But sometimes a more powerful or smaller model is a better choice.
Here we’re going over all of the different alternatives for blenders you’ll find – so you can learn more about them and be assured next time you’re buying one that you are buying a blender that will best suit your needs. Keep scrolling, and you’ll learn!
Blender Types and Uses Guide For Beginners
1. Hand Blender
A popular hand blender is the Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick, click here to buy it on Amazon.
When it comes to portable blenders, a hand blender or beater is a must have - they’re so convenient and easy to use.
Design
The design comprises a handle where you grab and control the piece, and on the end of the stick you’ll find a blade. This blade is typically semi-covered in plastic or metal to prevent any unwanted outcome when using.
The material on these blenders is usually plastic or stainless steel in their entirety. As they focus on light designs, you will most likely find plastic models in the market.
Ease of Use
A hand blender offers the chance to move freely around the kitchen, especially if you get a cordless design. Some models even come with several attachments to put on the blade, so you can achieve different results depending on your needs.
You just need to push a button or select the blending level, and the machine will do its job. Just imagine using a grass trimmer but with a way smaller design and for your food – that’s how easy it is to use.
Cleaning
As for cleaning, they don’t take much time either. You just need to use the blender on a pot filled with soapy water and let it clean itself for a few seconds. Then you can simply swipe the residues (if any) from the blades, and that’s it.
Usage
They are perfect for anyone who wants to save installation time (most hand-blenders are cordless) and an easier-to-handle model than the alternatives.
Pastry chefs love these as well because they offer an easier way to blend small amounts of ingredients. But anyone can benefit from having one of these.
From a few egg whites to make whipped cream, or some chocolate with milk for a delicious dessert up to simple scrambled eggs without using a fork. There’s simply no limit to what you can do with one of these.
2. Commercial Immersion Blender
A popular commercial immersion blender is the Waring (WSB50) 12”, click here to buy it on Amazon.
Most people will tell you that a commercial immersion blender is the same as a hand blender – but they’re not the same thing.
A hand blender is designed for home cooking - every kitchen should have one, while a commercial immersion blender is intended for use in much larger kitchens and designed to be used for large quantities of food.
Commercial immersion blenders are especially useful for chefs and semi-industrial usage. Here’s more about this type:
Design
This model is mostly for heavy-duty use in commercial facilities, they are well designed and constructed from top of the line materials.
From stainless steel to titanium, there are several models to consider depending on their usage. But overall, they can go from 12-inches in length up to 2-feet or a little more.
The shaft is pretty long, the motor power tends to be gigantic, and it usually comes with several controls to change speed and more.
Ease of Use
Most commercial immersion blenders come with a grip-oriented handle covered in rubber. This allows secure handling and prevents any misuse.
Some models even come with two handles on each side, similarly to a two-handle jackhammer. But instead of breaking through asphalt, you will blend large amounts of food.
They are reasonably easy to use overall but demand some experience to prevent any accident due to their large & heavy design.
Cleaning
Cleaning one of these is not as easy as it may seem, depending on the size of the unit it may be easy or it may get trickier to clean the larger the blender is.
In contrast with a hand blender, you won’t be able to just stick the piece inside a pot filled with water and blend. Instead, you’ll have to clean it all directly with a towel or with a heavy rinse of water.
Usage
As said before, they are most useful in professional cuisine and industrial environments. In any place where it is essential to blend several dozen pounds or liters of something – a commercial immersion blender is a perfect option.
Still, the smallest 12-inches model can work almost as quickly and effectively as a hand blender for smoothies, soups, sauces, and more.
3. Single-Serve Blender
A popular single-serve blender is the Nutribullet, click here to buy it on Amazon.
For those who are in a rush who just need a little smoothie to keep their day going, a single-serve blender is a fantastic addition to the kitchen.
These are smaller than most blenders, but their design is pretty similar. Most people who have these enjoy them because they are great space and money-savers and because these nifty little blenders can whip up drinks and sauces in no time.
Design
Small as you can think of, their cups are often as small as just 10 ounces. This means you will get just enough for a sauce or a small smoothie to energize you throughout the day.
With this design, someone in a small apartment or with a tiny kitchen can save a lot of space too.
Ease of Use
They are straightforward to use as they come with a straightforward push-to-blend mechanism. You simply place the bladed lid on the cup, and then you attach to the base, and that’s it.
Simply push the cup down, and the base should make the blades turn rapidly. This allows a speedy blending process that time-saving people will love.
Cleaning
The advantage of these blenders is that the cups are a perfect size so you can bring them anywhere you want. You won’t even have to take the lid off before you go out. And that makes cleaning a piece of cake.
This way you won’t have to clean anything until you get back home or you finish your drink. Just blend and pop out of your house.
Usage
You can prepare almost anything with a single-hand server. From smoothies to frappes and much more – they even help to make sauces, grind beans or nuts, and sometimes even chop vegetables if needed.
As most cups are for 1 or 2 serves only – it is unlikely to use one of these to make large amounts of anything. So you will most likely use it for small portions only.
4. Full-Size Blender
A popular full-size blender is the Ninja Mega Kitchen System, click here to buy it on Amazon.
When it comes to offering the maximum amount of capacity, nothing compares to a full-size or homemade blender.
They are magnificently easy to use and provide enough blending power to be used for any type of application.
You could also say they are ideal for households with enough kitchen space, and provide enormous cups for extra capacity.
Here is a better explanation of what one of these offers:
Design
You will find them with different designs and with a wide variety of features. Overall, however, they are large enough to handle most typical home blending jobs.
Some models can be as small as a single-serve blender but without the handiness. And they can also be huge but highly expensive and difficult to clean.
Ease of Use
The advantage of one of these is the use. They stand out because their design is probably the most home-friendly out there.
You will find full-size blenders with simple knob controls and buttons, with different levels and straightforward setup processes.
Most of the time, you will have to just screw the blade on the bottom of a large jar, and then place it on the blender base. Secure the piece, add the ingredients, and start blending however you prefer.
Cleaning
These are among the most annoying to clean. With the large jar and the removable blade base, you will most likely have to invest a few minutes of your life cleaning one of these.
If you know how to look, though, you may find some models with self-cleaning modes in which you just need to place soapy water inside, and it will get rid of most of the residue.
But overall, they will still need a few towel swipes to get completely clean.
Usage
As a common household item, these are mostly used for juices and smoothies. The large design allows them to work for practically anything that’s more than 1 or 2 serves.
From pasta sauce to small amounts of soups up to the simplest veggie drinks – these blenders work for almost anything you put them to. But of course, it all depends on the model you pick.
5. Chef Blender
A popular chef blender is the Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender, click here to buy it on Amazon.
Also known as “specialty” blenders, these magnificent pieces are similar to a full-size option but with extra power and a slightly larger design.
Most chefs prefer this kind of blender thanks to the overall power and efficiency they offer. And of course, the number of options and levels to pick from always gives one of these the perfect performance a demanding person needs.
Here are a few additional things to know:
Design
Not many people will need one of these in their houses. That’s why the design of a specialty blender focuses on being large but also very straightforward.
You will mostly find large jars or cups of at least 48 ounces per model. So you’ll have enough capacity to make a lot of anything.
Apart from that, you will find several buttons and options to choose from, that’s why they are called specialty because they make it easy for people to find an ideal blending mode.
Ease of Use
These can be a little harder to use than a typical household or full-size blender. This happens because they usually come with several more levels and blending modes for all kinds of operations.
Overall, though, they are straightforward enough for most people to use. Just screw the bottom lid with the blade on the jar, place the jar on the base, pour the stuff, close the lid, and turn on the machine. That’s how easy they are to use – just like any other.
Cleaning
These can be annoying to clean due to their large design. But it shouldn’t take much than just a few minutes to get rid of every residue without problems.
Some models, similar to full-size blenders, come with the self-cleaning process that helps to clean them more easily. Go for one of those if you have the chance.
Usage
With one of these, you can crush anything from fruits to vegetables up to the hardest blocks of ice. But people who really know what one of these is for will use them for blending large amounts of stuff.
The power they offer makes them ideal for restaurants where chefs need to blend herbs and veggies to make their sauces. Their system often makes sure that everything that’s inside the cup is eventually blended completely.
Surely, though, they are mostly useful for commercial places rather than households. But they can work anywhere without problems.
6. Commercial Heavy Duty Blender
A popular commercial heavy duty blender is the Hamilton Beach Commercial HBH550, click here to buy it on Amazon.
Immense and magnificently powerful, a commercial blender offers everything you need to work on places like smoothie vendors and large restaurants or bars. You can also find them as “smoothie” blenders.
They are huge, performance-oriented, and go through anything that can be blended. In short, they offer the best results in commercial spaces, especially where speed & power are more demanded.
Design
Commercial blenders are usually produced with the highest-quality materials, making them among the most expensive out there.
But the quality comes with tons of durability, especially in the motors. They can be used up to 200 times every day and last for years without problems.
The jars on these blenders are often no less than 64 ounces, which is enormous. This way, users can blend smoothies that can fill several glasses or bottles.
You will find thousands of models for this type of blender, but most of them offer the same kind of performance. They are also easy to use and typically don’t come with more than just a few modes.
Ease of Use
Most of them are a piece of cake to use, just like any full-size or specialty blender. However, you may find some models with multi-tasking interfaces that offer several modes so you can achieve specific results.
You can find models with both buttons and knobs, and with at least 2 or 3 power levels to choose from. Still, they work similarly, so they don’t demand much of an effort.
Cleaning
Despite their size and seemingly sophisticated design, they are actually pretty easy to clean. You may also find self-cleaning modes with these models, which adds an outstanding advantage when it comes to cleaning.
But be careful, as some models may not have removable blades to clean, so you may need to get inside to get rid of the residue. Still, the large design is not that hard to clean when compared to other models.
Usage
While other blender types may offer potency measured in watts, these heavy-duty commercial blenders are measured in HP. That’s how strong they are.
This helps to use them in any kind of blending application, including frozen fruits & vegetables in large quantities. Apart from that, they can be used for chopping, grinding, ricing, and much more.
You will probably never have a limit in terms of capacity or power. In fact, most users never get the most out of their pieces, mainly because they are produced to handle hundreds of operations every day.
You will mostly find them in large busy restaurants and places like smoothie or ice-cream shops where they need something reliable & powerful.
7. Frozen Drink Maker
A popular frozen drink maker is the Margaritaville Bali, click here to buy it on Amazon.
Now, it’s the time of the less popular models like the frozen drink maker or what many people know as a “margarita blender.”
They are often small and pretty easy to use. But they are not ideal for most applications as they mostly handle small beverages and the like. You can still use them both for residential or commercial applications if needed.
Here’s some more info about them:
Design
The design is simple and often small enough of up to 48 ounces in the largest design. Usually, the focus is to make from 2 to 3 beverages at the same time.
That’s why they are entirely straightforward, with not many features to use and not much to consider apart from the controls which are often just a single button or a knob.
Large models can be decently big, enough to hold several glasses inside. Here, you may also find commercial and residential models, but they still don’t differ much.
Ease of Use
They don’t demand much to operate just a single push of a button or turn of a knob. Similarly to previous blenders, you just need to pour the ingredients inside, and that’s it.
Remember that they aren’t too powerful or too large, so you may have a set limit here. Generally, though, they are totally straightforward.
But it is important to note that many people like them because they make drinks easier to pour. You may not need to grab the jar and serve in a glass. A few models come with pouring systems where you need to touch a button and place the glass below the end to get your drink.
Cleaning
Cleaning one of these can be either a nightmare or a piece of cake. It all depends on the design.
Some models that offer the simple jar design will be easy to clean. You may simply need to grab the cup out of the base, pour some water inside, and wipe it clean.
But the models that are self-pouring can be pretty tough, especially cleaning the spouts and any mess left where the glasses go when pouring.
Usage
A frozen drink maker is ideal for anyone who loves smoothies and frappes. But it is not the most useful option for those who want to make anything else.
You won’t have many modes or power levels to choose from, as they are pre-designed only to make iced drinks.
Apart from that, they usually don’t work well with anything that is not a liquid. So pouring stuff like vegetables and fruits inside with not enough liquid can eventually damage the blender.
But surely, they are still pretty reliable and make the art of making frozen drinks totally easy. Large commercial models can handle several hours of continuous use daily. But you may also find small options for household use that are not as resistant. Be careful before picking.
Bonus Blender!
We promised you 7 different types of blender but we’re giving you 8!
8. Thermal Blender
A popular thermal blender is the Vorwerk Thermomix, click here to buy it on Amazon.
What would you think of a blender that can not only blend but can cook as well? That’s what thermal mixers or blenders are all about. You can use these amazing machines for everything from kneading bread dough to cooking soup and making frozen desserts.
Imagine cooking a risotto without spending hours standing at the stovetop stirring your rice! A thermal blender can do it for you! They truly are amazing machines, the most famous of which is the Thermomix.
The very high price tag might put you off but, if you’re looking for a new blender these thermal cookers can not only blend but cook an entire meal. You could potentially make space in your kitchen by replacing a number of other appliances with this one, nifty device.
Something to think about, especially if you like the idea of cooking things from scratch. These machines are extremely popular within allergy communities where people know they need to avoid certain foods and ingredients.
By cooking everything from scratch at home they know exactly what is in their food and can avoid any nasties and allergens.
Get Yourself a Blender Now!
After learning all about the wide variety of blender options in the market – it is time to make your choice.
You can go for a simple full-size blender if you need a reliable and easy to use product at home. But if you need to save some space, then a small single-serve model will do the job.
Otherwise, if you want something for commercial use a specialty blender or a heavy-duty blender can be your best idea.
But if you are in the search for something that you can use with a single hand, then a hand blender is the go-to option for you.
Whatever you pick, make sure it matches your demands. You won’t like to get something that eventually doesn’t meet your needs.
