Recommend a Blender?

Hi all,

My fiancee loves smoothies. We are searching for a great blender.

We received the Cuisinart Smart Power as a gift, but reports are that this one really doesn't do a good job for smoothies. Don't want to open it & use it to prove the reports right.

I'd also like to make stuff like hummus, gazpacho, soup, etc. in the blender, but for now, the smoothies are the first priority!

Thanks all!

Personally, I love our classic Osterizer for smoothies and blending of hard things (like ice). I make smoothies every day in it, and you can buy replacement blades when they dull in a few years. Throw in my fruit, liquid, and ice on hot days, blend, pour and rinse with water.
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=blender+osterizer&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=13394501241911988779&ei=cjANTKT7IYH_8AbniKGPBw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CEIQ8wIwAg#


Making soup or hummus in a blender is a huge mess and hassle. I use an immersion blender for this kind of stuff. This is no good for ice or really hard stuff, but great for softened/cooked veggies, etc.

Mine is something like this one
http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=immersion+blender&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=2832401583612442604&ei=-DANTP7TGcT38AaOvemNBw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CFkQ8wIwBQ#

I also have a Cuisinart Immersion blender and it rules. I use mine for smoothies daily. I keep some fruit in the freezer rather than try to blend up ice with it.

I love my immersion blender. (I do the same thing with frozen fruit) It makes great smoothies and also works well with soups and other purees. In fact, an immersion blender would be my desert-island appliance! Don't buy a cheap one, spring for a good one.

Waring is where it's at. It's the original, and there is no better blender.

OpossumQueen wrote: Personally, I love our classic Osterizer for smoothies and blending of hard things (like ice).

I have the same one in red and love it. Also, I love all things with toggle switches. But yes- it blends really well.

Vitamix.

whatever you get, don't get a breville ikon blender, will leak some kind of gross axle/blade turner thingie grease into your smoothies after the rubber seals decay/retract over a few seasons.... I learned this the hard way...