Smoothie Makers are NOT created equal. Maximize your Smoothie experience with Smoothie Machines that get the job done!

What do you need to know before you purchase a smoothie maker?

Here is where the rubber meets the road, as with anything in life, you simply "get what you paid for". When it comes to smoothie makers there are two extremes, and everything that goes in between.

There are many choices when it comes to smoothie makers.

Where do you see yourself in this picture? Are you in it just for fun, or do you want to be serious about the nutritional aspects?

OK, next, can you recall the last time you purchased a product on a whim, only to find out that product was not suited for your intended purpose? Or maybe it was lacking in quality...you know...cheap parts that break.

...And how frustrated were you, as you had to go through the hassle of returning it and trying to get your money back, or, worse, just throwing it out?

If any of this sounds familiar, please read this...we will list some key features you want to look for before buying a smoothie blender.

Insider Note: I personally have gone through a number of juicers, and blenders, over the years. I have been dissatisfied with the performance, or burned up the equipment, stripped out the gears, or hated the amount of clean up. Here is what we look for in equipment.

By the way, if you are looking for information on sorbet makers, click here.

1) Power-- The big question is "will it blend?" Your machine has to be able to handle the load, because the ultimate smoothie is going to be processing ice, frozen fruit and so on. Look for high output horsepower ratings, such as 2 horsepower.

In some cases, to get the right consistency, you will be blending for 1 minute or more. The blender motor should not be lugging, or it will overheat, and eventually fail.

2) Versatile-- In addition to smoothies, you want to be able to make purees, mix, blend or chop whole food, make sauces, ice cream, sorbets, and soups. For example, there is a machine on the market that only makes margaritas, and it costs about 300 bucks. Not a smart buy.

The blender should feature variable speed, as opposed to preset speed buttons, the benefit being more control.

Clean up should be a snap, as in minimal parts to mess with.

3) Product Support-- Check out the manufacturers web site to see how comprehensive it is. Are they just trying to sell more stuff, or do they offer, tips, advice, recipes, and good outside links to accredited information.

Also, how easy is it to contact them in case of warranty issues. And, do they have any testimonials from satisfied customers.

4) Overall Quality and Safety-- check out the warranty, if the manufacturer gives a long warranty, they will stand by their product. You should have confidence in this. It also means there are fewer safety issues.

We accidentally knocked our Vita Mixer off the counter. When it hit the floor, one of the switches broke. One call to Vita Mix and they sent us a return label to ship the unit to the factory.

Not only did they fix the machine, they paid for shipping both ways...and the customer service was superb. They did this even though the damage was our fault!!

5) Overall Value-- Consider the cost of replacing blenders because they break down, or the cost of having multiple appliances, because they have limited versatility.

You will want to consider a blender that has the power to break down whole foods into particles that your body can easily absorb.

Generally, when shopping for smoothie makers that will get the job done, look for higher horsepower (or watts).

Most off the shelf blenders found in departments stores, are rated by watts. Most commercial blenders are rated by horsepower(electric). To give you an idea, here is a comparison or conversion for the most common blenders you will find at your local department store.

1000 watts=1.3 hp
750 watts=1 hp
500 watts=2/3 hp
250 watts=1/3 hp

And finally,think about the value in no longer wasting food. Instead of throwing out that overripe banana, it now goes into a gallon sized freezer bag for later use...you get the idea.

The best smoothie makers will pass all these tests.

Are they cheap? No, they are not. But they are a good investment...and like most good investments, they pay dividends, so over time, you get your money back in the form of food cost savings, or improved health, or buying fewer appliances.

My personal choice is a the Vita-mix 5200. This machine pretty much has all the features you need to make any smoothie, plus a lot more. I especially like the fact that it cleans up "real easy".

You will be surprised at just how versatile this Smoothie Maker is! Click here to learn more about the Vitamix 5200 and all the neat tricks you can do with this smoothie blender .

For the long haul, we recommend making the investment in the right equipment. It makes the job fun, easy, and you'll enjoy the results.

Remember, smoothies for Life, and for your Health!

What Kind of smoothie maker do YOU use?

There are so many smoothie makers on the market to choose from...But, in the end, it has to be one that you like, and can work with.

Which smoothie maker do you use? What do you like about it, or not like, and why