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Sleepy mornings are made for a handful of frozen berries whipped to perfection with a cup of yogurt. Sunny afternoons are perfect for lazing on a patio with a pot of margaritas. With a basic blender on hand, you can whip up a tasty treat whenever the mood strikes you.

Blenders are one of the most useful appliances to have in your kitchen. They can be used to make shakes, malts, fruit smoothies, frozen drinks, and even soups. Statistics show that many homemakers also whip out their blenders when the occasion calls for crushed ice. With all this tasty talent, it's no wonder that blenders continue to flood the house wares market.

Every blender comes equipped with its own special features, so making a selection can be difficult. Here are some of the basic points to look for in buying a blender:

* Pulse: A pulse button allows you to control the actual mixing procedure. With pulse, you can effective mix foods and incorporate ingredients without actually pulverizing your creation into a fully blended liquid.

* Speed: There will be a numbered of varying speed levels on your blender. The speed is adjusted to accommodate the type of food you are blending. Lower speeds are ideal for mixing beverages. Some blenders have speeds from three to sixteen, while other go to ten speeds.

* Container: All blenders have removable containers. Glass containers are heavy, but allow you to watch the food as it's mixing, and clean easily in the dishwasher. Plastic containers can also be see-through, but they are generally tough to clean and have a more shabby appearance. Stainless steel blender containers look super-stylish, but it is impossible to keep an eye the mixing process within.

* Cleaning: It's important to have a blender that's easy to use, but more important to have one that's easy to clean. A wide-mouth variety with a detachable blade is the best option. A container with a larger mouth is easier to load and empty. Consider buying a blender that has a flush touch pad option rather than buttons. It's much easier to wipe down the face of the blender if there are no large knobs and dials to deal with.

* Power: The blender you choose should have 300 to 500 watts of power.

It's incredibly easy to whip up a frothy drink or satisfying soup with ingredients you likely have on hand in the fridge. Pick up a blender, or pull the old blender you have out of the pantry, and start concocting your own special blender creations.