SAN ANTONIO – If summertime means party time at your house, it's time to break out the blender.
A good blender is one that can handle crushing a lot of ice for margaritas and other frozen concoctions.
Consumer Reports tested nearly 70 full-sized home-type blenders and found not all of them are up to the task of making perfect frosty beverages.
"Only a handful actually aced the tests for the icy drinks," said Perry Santanachote, of Consumer Reports.
Consumer Reports tested each blender with a batch of nonalcoholic pina coladas, checking for smooth consistency.
"We're also testing how well a blender crushes ice without the help of water or using the pulse button," Santanachote said.
Vitamix's Professional Series 750 has held top ratings for a long time, but it's pricey at $650.
For $100, Consumer Reports said to consider the Ninja Professional, which blended a nice icy drink and crushed the ice test.