In the realm of restaurant supplies, one of the pieces of equipment that does a surprising amount of work--and which gets a surprising lack of attention--is the blender. From smoothies to pureed soups to vinaigrettes and frozen cocktails, a blender is an indispensable item for almost any restaurant operation; but not all blenders are created equal. There are a few key features to look for, and a few characteristics to keep your eye on, when shopping for this essential, whether you’re buying for the first time or replacing worn down equipment. For canister blenders--which we’ll be focusing on in this article--the three main criteria to keep in mind when making your choice are capacity, durability, and power; but there are a few other things to consider as well.
Capacity is an important consideration because, of course--there is going to be a lot going through the blender, and being able to handle a range of quantities and volumes is important. A blender for a restaurant bar is not going to need the same capacity as most commercial kitchen blenders; at most your bartender will want to make two drinks at a time. But for the kitchen, the capacity should be much higher--most commercial models come with jars of large capacity, from 130 ounces (4 quarts, or a gallon), up to 832 ounces (26 quarts, or 6.5 gallons). Of course, it’s rare that you’d need five or more gallons of capacity at a given time--but one-gallon capacity is a good range to consider.
Durability is also a major concern, and it mainly comes down to materials. Depending on how--and how much--your blender jars will be used and washed, one type of material may be better for your business than another. Stainless steel jars are durable, easy to clean, and great for foods of different temperatures; however, they are obviously opaque, which can create some problems for certain applications. Polycarbonate is virtually unbreakable, so this type of jar works great in fast-paced environments but the material does contain BPA and so shouldn’t be used for hot foods. Glass blender jars are popular for home use, but in a fast-paced environment like a busy kitchen or bar, they’re not an entirely practical choice--even if they are easier to clean in some respects. The final choice to consider is copolyester, which are ideal for a wide range of applications, and can stand up to heat better than polycarbonate. It may even be advisable for you to choose one or two of each type, for a range of uses; but consider your budget and needs.
Last but not least, you should have a clear idea of the need your blenders will have for power. More power isn’t always the better option; how the machine uses the power is important as well, and for some environments you just don’t need a super-powered blender. As a shorthand guide, using common ratings: ½ HP is good for light preparation, no more than 50 uses per day, while 1 to 1 ½ HP is acceptable for up to 75 servings per day. 2 HP works well for a volume of up to 100 servings per day, and 3 ½ HP is needed for over 100 servings per day--or heavy food and beverage preparation.
With those guidelines out of the way, all that’s left is to consider the ease of use, and the budget you have in mind; there are a wide range of options for every price point, so you are likely to have multiple choices that all work to the level you need. Restaurant supply companies usually have at least a few of multiple kinds with multiple variables changed to get exactly what you need. Ultimately, your blenders should be easy to use, powerful enough to get the job done, and easy to clean and sanitize, without tons of parts but the ability to break them down to clean and maintain them individually. If you keep these objectives in mind, you should be able to easily find the right blender to make food prep and drink production easy.
