Hanging out with a Ninja Professional Blender

This blender goes to six.
(Credit: Ninja)
Blending isn't a delicate operation: the idea is basically to pulverize the heck out of something. Be that as it may, how blenders actually get the job done can vary. They differ in style, power consumption, or how well they distribute the ingredients to be pulverized. One way to increase the efficiency is to make sure that every little bit gets a chance to interact with a blade. And how might a blender accomplish this? By adding an extra blade set. Or two.
Given the chance to play with the new Ninja Professional Blender, I got to see if three blade sets were indeed better than one. The first thing that is noticeable is that instead of a simple blade resting at the bottom of the blending jar, the Ninja incorporates three sets of two blades each along a central axis. The result is an axle-type rod that runs through the center of the jar. With the blades evenly spaced through the unit, they made quick work of the apples I tested. When I tried three whole (big) carrots, the machine turned them into perfect little chunks with ease.
Having a blender that thinks it's a food processor is great and all, but when it comes to blenders, one thing really matters: drinks! I threw in several dozen ice cubes (for testing purposes, of course), and they were immediately transformed into a fine powder. Clearly this 1,000-watt blender with its 72-ounce capacity and six-blade system is designed for entertaining. As a nice extra feature--perhaps added simply because of its party-friendly nature--is the fact that the blender won't start with the lid off, turning blender-related party fouls into something from the past. Versatile and efficient all around. It's available for purchase for around $100.
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Ice shaving blender melts the ice

Start with ice and then add anything you want.
(Credit: Amazon)
Having an icy cold drink is probably the furthest thing from most people's minds right now, but at some point it will be front and center again. When the heat waves of summer hit, those prepared with the ability to transform ice into tropical cold drinks and icy treats will be looked upon with envy. When the time comes, the best thing would be to roll with it, and let the block party begin. But first, an ice shaver is needed.
The Oster BLSTET-C Ice Shaving Blender is a party waiting to happen. Capable of transforming from a blender into a dedicated ice shaver, the sleek countertop appliance creates specialized drinks at the touch of a button. Featuring preprogrammed blending and ice-shaving settings, the double-duty machine takes the guesswork out of creating frozen drinks. Which is a good thing, considering you are going to have a party to host.
After the party, cleanup will be a breeze, as the 40-ounce blending jar is dishwasher-safe. The ice reservoir and associated parts should be hand-rinsed and left to air-dry, which shouldn't be a problem, considering (most likely) you're not going to be serving your guests drinks made with dirty ice--even if they did invite themselves over.
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