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PHILIPS AVANCE COLLECTION BLENDER HR 2095/31
[BEST VALUE: 7.5/10]
$149, from major electrical and department stores
FEATURES
Includes a 700W motor, ice crushing setting, smoothie mode, and variable speed control.
MAKING SMOOTHIES
There’s a dedicated smoothie setting, but it took a while longer than the other two blenders. I had to let it run for about 5 seconds, while the other two were done in 2 or 3 seconds. However, I got a smooth blend.
GRINDING REMPAH
I added the ingredients a bit at a time, but it wouldn’t blend them thoroughly, and would only mix those near the bottom better. I needed to constantly move ingredients around so everything could come into contact with the blades.
CRUSHING ICE
This did the best job. The dedicated ice-crushing function produced a softer texture of crushed ice that had only the occasional chunk.
VERDICT
Although it struggled with dry blending, this blender was easy to use and excellent at crushing ice.
CUISINART BLEND AND COOK SOUP MAKER
[GREAT FIND: 7.5/10]
$552, from Tott
FEATURES
In addition to the blend and pulse buttons, this 900W machine comes with a stir button and three heat settings – high, low and simmer – for stirring and cooking soups.
MAKING SMOOTHIES
It took less than 3 seconds for this powerful machine to make pulpy smoothies that were very well combined, with no hints of crushed ice.
GRINDING REMPAH
It had some difficulty combining all the spices, and I ended up with a rempah that was coarser than what I needed. However, it was the quietest blender.
CRUSHING ICE
It didn’t handle ice well, even in smaller quantities. It would get stuck to the sides and wouldn’t hit the blades. This was quite frustrating.
VERDICT
I wouldn’t use this machine to crush ice or blend dry ingredients, but it makes pulpy smoothies relatively quietly. Its heat-and-cook function is a useful bonus for soup lovers.
BRAUN IDENTITYCOLLECTION JUG BLENDER JB 5050 BK
[EDITOR'S RAVE: 8/10]
$169, from major electrical and department stores
FEATURES
It comes with a 900W motor, two speed settings and a pulse mode.
MAKING SMOOTHIES
The powerful motor produced smoothies with the smoothest consistency – no pulpy fruit chunks and only a few icy bits. Even the lowest setting was very powerful.
GRINDING REMPAH
The best of all three for rempah, it produced the finest mix. But it was the noisiest when grinding the spices.
CRUSHING ICE
It did this quickly with the pulse function, but it didn’t do a very thorough job. There were ice crystals left behind.
VERDICT
A powerful but noisy machine that gives the smoothest blends and finest mixes.
This article was first published on Simply Her.