Consumer Reports recently tested blenders. Vita-Mix came out #1. The only thing they knocked it for was price, and its noise was in the "fair" category. It beat the K-Tec (also now called BlendTec. The K-tec might boast higher HP (peak HP is always a little bit BS by the way)
For a cheap blender the Best Buy was a Braun PowerMax MX2050, but IMO anyone with a job should get a Vita-Mix and not screw around with these wimply little domestic blenders that will burn out or break or provide lesser blending. A Vitamix is in a whole other league from a standard home blender. VitaMix has great customer service and warranty too, K-Tec has issues with the blender separating at the base, and they took that out of the warranty so they don't cover it. K-tec is noisier, and has these computer programs to run it (more things to potentially go wrong, and not my cup of tea), where the VitaMix is simple, a switch and a manual speed control knob.
If you're getting a home Vitamix, make sure you get the model with the variable speed control.
Costco gets Vitamix occasionally on a "roadshow" for a week at a time at a good price. (about $350).
Vitamix has a seven year full warranty. Made in USA!
