Finding the Right Blend

But Jenn-Air has taken a "pitcher first" mentality with its Attrezzi line of countertop kitchen appliances, inverting the "wide-top, narrow-bottom" construction seen in most blenders and crafting a bulbous, pear-shaped, objet d'art that holds 72 liquid ounces and looks, well, just like a pitcher. Even better: Jenn-Air's Attrezzi blenders, which cost $210, come in a multitude of designs that will please aesthetes and gourmands alike.

Pitcher Perfect Jenn-Air's Attrezzi line emphasizes design and costs $210.

The performance of Jenn-Air's Attrezzi line is what you would expect from an upscale kitchen equipment maker, with five-speed electronic controls that are backlit by a blue LED display and a 400-watt high-efficiency motor -- but customization is the key selling point. The blender base can be finished in five styles, ranging from pearl white to antique copper. And the pitchers are designed to look like works of art, coming in a veritable rainbow of colors, including cobalt blue, merlot red, aqua beach, amber tortoise, dolce and verde green.

In fact, the Jenn-Air blender doesn't just look like a work of art -- some of them are works of art.

Starting this month, Jenn-Air began selling 500 limited-edition models from celebrated glass artist Michael Weems, whose work has been given as gifts to visiting foreign dignitaries by the U.S. government. The Weems blenders retail for $300 with the proceeds going to Share Our Strength, a charity helping the hungry, and have a rich, unique gold-and-copper motif that looks like something from a Godiva chocolate shop -- blenders never had it this good.

Give 'Em the Gas!

Electric blenders are all well and good, but when there's no place to plug in, hard-core daiquiri devotees turn to gas-powered solutions.

A few small companies make blenders that are powered by undersized, gas-fueled engines, making them light enough to be brought out for an afternoon of tailgating, a weekend camping trip or a day on the boat. While pricey, these products pack a punch, using weed whacker-sized motors to whip up bulk-sized batches of blender drinks.