Inside Consumer Reports Test Labs: Is the Margaritaville Fiji Frozen Concoction Maker DM2000 a real beauty?

The Margaritaville Fiji Frozen Concoction Maker DM2000 is clearly inspired by sun-baked crooner Jimmy Buffett and his 1977 hit, " Margaritaville," which includes the lyrics:

"But there's booze in the blender,
And soon it will render
That frozen concoction that helps me hang on."

And although Buffett doesn't officially endorse this $350 blender, it's no coincidence that the manufacturer uses the name Margaritaville for its different Frozen Concoction Makers and other appliances. After all, Buffett's Web site is Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville.

The manufacturer's site includes drink recipes and a party planner featuring coconut croquet, lime pitch and putt golf, and other tropically inspired activities for which imbibing a cocktail or two likely won't be much of a hindrance. It also touts the blender's ease of use: "Simply fill the ice hopper with ice, add ingredients to the blending jar and fire it up!"

During testing for our June 2010 review of blenders ( ratings available to subscribers) the Fiji Frozen Concoction Maker DM2000 rendered some very good virgin piña coladas, our lab stand-in for frozen drinks like margaritas. What's more, its large ice reservoir filled multiple pitchers. But the blender costs twice as much as several models that were equally adept at making icy drinks, according to our sensory panel. The video above details our Piña Colada Showdown between the DM2000, the $400 Blendtec Total Blender (which can shred an iPad), and the $200 Breville Ikon Hemisphere LCD Blender.

Also keep in mind that at 19 pounds empty, the DM2000 weighs two to three times more than other tested models. If you're a Parrothead, keep that weight in mind if you intend to take the DM2000 to a preshow tailgate party. (See Buffett's tour dates.) Even with the $40 canvas travel bag available for the blender, that's a hefty machine to schlep around.

—Daniel DiClerico