Shopping For a Commercial Blender

So, you think you’re in the market for a commercial blender? Is that because you’ve spent a lot of time watching the Food Network? Or do you really need one.
 

There are plenty of options for commercial blenders on the market. Finding the right one can be a challenge. But first, determine that you really need to upgrade from just a standard kitchen blender of the wedding present variety. Do a little research and make sure you’re making a wise investment.
 

Now, if you’re in business, as opposed to just wanting to upgrade the home kitchen, that’s a different story. If you’re in food service, a bar tender or even if you operate a health food store or spa, a commercial blender is probably a necessity. But for now, let’s just talk about options for bars.
 

For a bar operation, a commercial blender will combine the essential ingredients for the perfect cocktail. Bars serving daiquiris, frozen margaritas or other frozen drinks make having a blender a necessity.
 

When you’re selecting the right blender for your needs, consider the capacity you need. How many ounces will the blender jar or cup hold? If your bar is a popular spot for frozen margaritas or other blended drinks, you need to be prepared for multiple orders of the same drink. You should also consider the size of drinks you’re serving.
 

But keep in mind that for the most efficient use of your blender, you shouldn’t fill it more than three-quarters full. Nobody wants to spill a margarita.
 

The container, which is sometimes referred to as the blender jar or blender cup, can come in glass, plastic, or stainless steel. Do your guests sit at the bar and watch you work. A glass or plastic container allows you to showcase the drink as it is being blended. At the same time, stainless steel is more durable, and can present a sleek modern look.
 

Make sure the base of your blender is strong and durable. It needs to weigh about five pounds to be a sufficient foundation for the blender. That’s particularly true if you’re using a lightweight plastic container.
Appearance and maintenance are other considerations to give in selecting a blender base.
A chrome base can look really cool. But it may be hard to keep clean and streak free.
 

Stainless steel bases are attractive and give a professional look. But again, you’ll need to keep it clean. An option here is brushed stainless steel because it’s less likely to show fingerprints and drips. Keep in mind that over time stainless steel will rust if it’s scratched or cleaned with bleach.
 

Plastic can be durable and easy to clean. But it doesn’t always give the same professional look.
Consider also how much power you’ll need in a blender. For bar drinks, you won’t need the extra power a chef would to chop and puree.
 

A more important consideration will be speed. In the most basic sense, you need an on/off switch. A two-speed blender will have an option for high or low. A pulse feature will allow you to hold down or pulse on and off as you need to. For the most part, that will take care of a bartender’s blending requirements.
 

You can spend more for programming options which give you various speeds. It might be useful as a bartender to have the option to time the blending of the drinks. That allows the bartender to blend the drink while preparing the glass. But in most cases, bar blenders aren’t this advanced.
 

Choosing the right blender for your bar is a good long term investment for happy customers. And that means they’ll keep coming back.