Having a good blender makes a huge difference when trying to make a smoothie, milk shake, or anything you might need to. While most any blender "works", a good blender makes the process a lot easier and far less frustrating.

I've always considered getting a Blendtec, but they are so ridiculously expensive ($300+) as a direct result of their Will it blend spoofs.

Will it blend - Amazon Echo

The Ninja is a popular alternative for something really good but reasonably affordable. The Ninja is easily able to crush ice (something that even "good" blenders have a hard time with), make smoothies, and even act as a juicer.

I mostly use mine for milk shakes, mud slides, occasionally for food processing.

You can find the Ninja on Amazon for $88

_{All images are from Amazon product pages}