Post #657298 by AceExplorer on Wed, Oct 31, 2012 3:53 AM

That's truly a dilemma then. Both types have pros and cons and it eventually gets down to personal preference and even what kinds of drinks you do (or do not) make and if you make drinks for more than one person. I've been very happy with a standard enclosed Osterizer ($20 at Lowe's!) which outperforms a friend's $120 Kitchen Aid and also offers lots of accessories including some great vintage ice crusher attachments. Cleanup is more involved than a stick blender, but I get perfectly chopped ingredients (and ice) and I get to pour/serve conveniently from the blender container. If making drinks for one, a stick blender might be fine. If making blended drinks for more than one, then for me the full table-top blender is the better way to go and I've never regretted it.

This is a good thread, there's lots of good stuff already posted by others.