There are several types of blenders and each is designed for a specific use.  Full-sized blenders: This is the blender you probably imagine when someone says the word "blender." These are the most versatile of the bunch, but they are also generally the largest, with blending jars as large as 72 ounces. If you do a lot of blending -- soups, dips, smoothies, sauces, frozen drinks and nut butter -- you'll want a good full-sized blender. They can be as powerful as 2,000 watts and cost as much as $600, but you can also nab a great one with fewer bells and whistles and less power for $100 or so (see above). Personal blenders: This term refers to smaller blenders such as NutriBullet, Beast, NutriNinja and others. These blenders have less capacity, around 24 to 32 ounces, give or take. They're great for soups and smoothies but often have a bit less power -- between 900 and 1,000 watts -- so they're not as good for dense ingredients like nuts. Immersion blenders: These handheld versions of the blender have one main use: to puree a soup or sauce that's already in a pot. An immersion blender saves you from having to transfer hot liquids from a pot to a blender jar. Though some cost a pretty penny, many serviceable immersion blenders start as low as $30. Portable blenders: These blenders are so small that you can take them with you on the go. They often run on battery, so you can blend anywhere -- the beach, at your desk or after the gym. BlendJet is a popular brand and their teeny-weeny blenders cost around $50.