Finding the Right Blend

For nearly six decades after Fred Waring perfected the Miracle Mixer, the world's first commercial kitchen blender, the kitchen appliance went relatively unchanged. Blenders stayed white, the number of buttons was the main variable, and they were powered by small electric motors -- cheap, poorly made small appliances that tended to burn out after a few years of heavy use.

But over the last few years, the blender has mutated into a sexy, must-have category killer as America's nesting instinct has taken hold. Demure white and eggshell exteriors have been replaced by vibrant reds and metallic finishes, while feeble motors have been swapped out for commercial-grade engines capable of revving to 30,000 rotations per minute.

Finally, the blender has come of age. ...