Ninja Professional 72oz Countertop Blender
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