So you have heard about the immense health benefits of green smoothies and finally decided to give them a try. You blended your fruits, ice and vegetables in your trusty regular blender and found it very refreshing and delicious. Apples, bananas, strawberries and kale allowed you to consume the necessary serving of fruits and vegetables every day. You now have the perfect drink for morning and afternoon, except for one thing: instead of a well-mixed drink, you have uncrushed ice, fruits, and vegetables in your mouth, which makes drinking your smoothies a little awkward.
What do you do to correct the problem? The answer basically lies in two words: shake maker.
While a blender is for general kitchen use, a smoothie maker is made specifically for smoothies. Ingredients for smoothies typically include fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and some crushed ice as staples. Athletes sometimes mix protein powder in them while others throw milk or some almonds into their mix. Whatever the composition, your machine is sure to grind, pulverize and mash it all down to a pulp so you can enjoy a totally smooth shake.
A blender has a more powerful motor compared to a traditional blender, allowing it to blend ice and frozen fruits better. It only has three to five speeds as it is only used for making smoothies. Your pitcher uses a narrow cone-shaped design that deposits ice and fruit directly onto the blade assembly, making ice crushing and blending faster and more efficient. But the most striking difference that can be seen in a smoothie machine is the integrated cup holder and dispensing spout in the pitcher. The spout, located at the bottom of the carafe, allows you to fill a cup without removing the entire carafe from its base. Also, a smoothie maker usually comes with a so-called “stir stick,” a long plastic cylinder that fits into the mixing chamber and helps mix ingredients without the need to stop mixing and open the lid. This pretty much solves the problems with some blenders regarding the “dead zone” in the middle which had to be remedied by stopping the blending process, opening the lid and stirring the ingredients with a spoon so they blend easily. Even more useful is the presence of measurements on the side of the mixing chamber that help you make the perfect shake. Computerized timers and cycles on some models mix ingredients together, let sit for a while, then mix again for a more satisfying drink.
Before you buy your blender, look for reviews online, as it can be confusing to choose between the different prices, styles, and features from different manufacturers. The price also varies widely, depending on the features of the unit and other considerations. It can go as low as US$30 to over US$200, depending on the manufacturer and features. However, you can get one that suits your needs for $55-$65.
With shakers, you’ll never have to worry about drinking chunks of uncrushed ice and fruit into your shake again.