Blender recs?
2I need a new blender. I enjoy making smoothies a couple times a week, and frozen cocktails as often as possible in the summer, and whatever else is possible (soup?)
I’d loooove a fancy Vitamix or Blendtecs but I’m not sure I spend that many hundreds on a blender.
Do you have one that you love and recommend (and what do you use yours for)? Or do you have one you definitely don’t recommend? Thanks! 
- 12 comments, 31 replies
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I hear. I.e. read the comments when one is on sale. That the ninja’s are a pretty good powerful “bargain” blender compared to the much more expensive blendtec/vitamix. Been a couple years since meh had one. See them on Slickdeals now and then etc.
I don’t use a blender that much and I’m still rocking those cheap multi blade ninja power heads woot used to sell. So I can’t make a personal recommendation. But just a thought.
We have a refurb blendtec from Starbucks that was much less expensive than a new one. It has a giant removable sound-attenuating enclosure and it’s great for smoothies. It was an icb3 from VM Innovations
@2palms @moonhat
I have never looked for something like a blender on vm innovations but I did buy a weed wacker and a chainsaw from them. It’s been probably 7 years but I had no complaints. Never looked into their other categories at the time.
Of course since I never had any issues I had no reason to investigate their customer service.
Either way I still see them pop up on Slickdeals now and then. As far as I’m aware they are still legit. Seem to have a new design and expanded product range but they’ve been around quite a while
@2palms @moonhat and now I’m kinda… Eh. I mean they do sell refubs which I’m pretty much always good with never had a problem. But their ratings are pretty bad… maybe not fair but it’s been years so… Idk Looks like they are operating under vm express under ebay. I think. But then you have buyer protection. So. Idk that the reviews are fair.
That being said brand new 1500W from amazon for $150
https://www.amazon.com/Ninja-Kitchen-BL770-Processor-Smoothies/dp/B00939I7EK
Which is what makes them attractive vs way more. I hear. But. Again no personal experience. You can probably catch them all on sale if you stalk them.
@2palms That Starbucks one is normally over $1000 new since they are designed to get a ton of use.
@yakkoTDI holy smokes! I think we paid $199 which seemed like a LOT for a blender. I got a refurbished husqvarna chainsaw from them and it worked great the previous year ; I think I’d read about the site on slickdeals.net as well.
@2palms @yakkoTDI they do a lot of refurbished stuff and I have no complaints… But you know how it goes with return/budget companies… The happy participants know what they are getting into and work with them and don’t complain. And the nutters pitch a huge fit over every little thing
I can’t say one way or the other where they are now since it’s been years but they are not just a new pop up
@2palms @unksol @yakkoTDI
Who are these “nutters” of which you speak? I don’t think i have ever seen one before.
@2palms @yakkoTDI @ybmuG … You know what I mean. The people who throw a fit and scream about going to the BBB and leave nasty reviews about silly stuff cause they don’t read what they are buying
Sometimes they show up here and complain about shipping. Cause they don’t know smart post/pitney bowes takes forever. Or other stuff. The people who just go off on a rant and post reviews with out trying to resolve it first. Going to be more common on refurb products.
That being said their particular rating looks lower than I expected even given that and the fact people don’t post positive reviews so… Eh… I had a couple good experiences with them. They arent a made up/pop up/scam company. As to quality… Read the current reviews before buying and make your choice. And the return policy.
@2palms @unksol @yakkoTDI
Yes I do
@2palms I bought my ICB3 from a thrift store; it was a former TCBY unit.
I bought a ninja here- this one.
I’m happy with it- I use it for shakes, pina coladas, and crepe batter. And it did a nice job blending lasagna into liquid that time I needed liquified lasagna.
@sammydog01
If you do use a blender several times a week long term, it may really be worth it to splurge on a vitamix or blendtec that will last a lifetime. Especially if you can find a refurb deal. Ninja is probably the closest next tier, but I don’t necessarily view them as buy it for life products like the other two. Anything else you can buy at a big box store (from kitchenaid and cuisinart down the price scale through hamilton beach, bella, dash, etc) is more than likely built to a price point rather than to a performance standard and is going to produce lesser results over a shorter lifetime. All those other companies sell appliances, of which a blender is one of many. Vitamix and blendtec sell blenders and blender accessories.
If you buy 3 $60 blenders over a few years you’ve spent as much as buying a blendtec when it comes up on Meh, and your drinks weren’t as well blended or made as easily as they would have been.
A vitamix will cook soup for you through friction alone. You can put in a quartered pineapple with the spiky skin still on it. It doesn’t care. I am pretty sure a blendtec performs equally well. Everything else is less good.
Best buy currently has a blendtec designer model on sale for half price: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/blendtec-designer-650-blender-stainless-steel/5896903.p
@djslack It’s showing up as being $500 right now - maybe the sale ended?
@Kyeh It must have just turned over. It was $249.99 when I posted. Wow.
@moonhat, I know I said all those things above, and I still believe them. But for some people, buying that kind of blender is just not something they want to do. I saw this and thought it was interesting:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086D8CKV2/
It’s definitely a Chinese knockoff of a Vitamix. The switches are not exactly the same, on the vitamix what this one calls the pulse switch is actually a full speed switch. One switch is on when down, the other on when up, which seems odd. It claims to have a 1450W motor and cook soup. The blades are serrated which is a little weird. But it seems to get rave reviews, and shows a $5 coupon so it’s $85.
It’s not gonna be a buy it for life thing, but it’s probably good for a while. For enough under a hundred to stock up on produce for smoothies with the change, it could be worth looking at if you’re just not of a mind to drop double that or more on a blender.
@djslack Still not as good as the price it went for here on Meh in
July - that was $200.
@djslack @moonhat yea and there were a dozen $90 knock offs in the others bought. Just saying. For $100
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DNM6RKV/ref=sspa_dk_detail_1?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B08DNM6RKV&pd_rd_w=fH8XV&pf_rd_p=45e679f6-d55f-4626-99ea-f1ec7720af94&pd_rd_wg=tFZKD&pf_rd_r=04V1YSK55XP72ARCMGBX&pd_rd_r=0b3eb2e1-7983-4e1f-9e2e-2ffd577c21b3&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExV0paTkhGWTMwWDVSJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzk0ODYzM0ZSNlhQS0U0WlpMUSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTM0MjYyM0hCU1BIN0FBQlJTRCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2RldGFpbCZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
Again not recommending either ways. More reviews if we are concidering going off brand
@unksol I saw that. most had significant differences, extra buttons, digital panels, etc. This was the simple power/dial/boost switch that seemed a faithful recreation of the vitamix they were inspired by. Even down to the included tamper. That was why I picked it from the others.
That one you linked was one of them too. There may be a vitamix with that control panel configuration, or it could be an improvement by this maker, I’m not sure. Either one seems an interesting option. could be a case of you get what you pay for or less, could be a case of a decent product from someone that isn’t a big brand name. Some knockoffs can be pretty good products that just got maybe a little too much inspiration from the competition.
@djslack yea. I feel like the ask was probably more for a brand name that lasts… That best buy blendtec at $250 was more than I would spend but also had an 8 year warranty. So nice find till it poofed.
They are all made in china so… Eh…
@unksol I get it. Yeah, no idea on this brand except that it’s definitely chinese. The only US made blenders I knew of were Vitamix and Blendtec, but a quick Google told me Waring are also US made. I forgot about them.
@djslack @unksol I believe that all that can be said is “assembled in USA with domestic and imported components” these days. I know that was the case already with Blendtec a while back; I’m not sure when Vitamix went from “made in” to “assembled in”.
I think I see blentec or vitamix “deals” mentioned on slickdeals with some frequency.
If you want one if these and can wait, set up a slickdeals notification.
Or beg meh to offer one or the other.
I use my Blender for 3-D modeling.
Thanks for all the reviews and opinions you guys! I’m still trying to figure it out but you guys are helping lots!!
@moonhat if you go for the homgeek vitamix clone I would like to request a full report on it
@djslack DJ - will do. But what do you think of this one? It sounds kind of good too, do you think?
Cleanblend Ultra Blender, Low Profile Blender for Shakes and Smoothies, Compact Countertop Blender, Stainless Steel 8-Blade System, 1,000 Watt Motor, BPA-Free, Tamper Wand Included, 40-Ounce Pitcher https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G5MYNV7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_a1ecGb9D035HW
@moonhat it sounds good too, but it’s got about 1/3 less power and 50% more expensive than the linked one. It is similar in design though. If you need the smaller container/lower height to fit under cabinets (it’s 3.75" shorter) or the red color could be worthwhile. It seems to have good reviews as well.
@djslack ok now I see 2 of these Homgeek ones. Do you think they’re exactly the same thing?
@djslack I put a screenshot at the bottom of this thread so you can see
@moonhat so at a glance I think they have the same 1450w motor and the same jar setup. The difference I can see is the more expensive one has a little digital control panel below the knob and switches. Maybe it does different modes or timed blending? And they have improved the coupon, the less expensive one looks like it’s now $72 after 20% off?
@djslack yeah that’s a pretty good coupon at 20%, isn’t it?!
New, in the $200 range:
Breville blenders consistently get very good reviews from consumer review places like Cooks Country, etc. Dunno if they still make it, but their glass carafe one was the go-to for folks that wanted a blender that looked beautiful on the counter and performed admirably with tons of smarts, and ease of cleaning, not ridiculously loud etc. Although not commercial grade power.
If power is more important than looks then I’d go with an Omega. They have models that don’t look thaaat commercial yet are absolute beasts with 3HP motors. They are better known for their slow-masticating juicers (which require very good motors) so you’re not paying so much for the brand name, just sheer brute strength. The blade gear on these looks beefier than the CV axles of some small cars I’ve worked on. They can be found for around the $200 mark, sometimes a good bit lower.
Used: the world (wide web) is your oyster. I have two Blendtecs in my garage that I bought at auction for 40 bucks each. I still have to spruce them up for reselling, but I’ve tried them and they are nice. If I were to keep them, I’d buy an aftermarket carafe I found where the inventor made it so you can change the blade and bearing (have to change the whole carafe on the OEM, and they do tend to leak from the bearing). Those upgraded carafes are about 60-70 if I recall. So, there’s an option. Look for just the base of a Blendtec perhaps being sold by someone upset that it’s leaking, and get an upgraded carafe. Bam.
Our current full-sized blender at home is an Omega that I bought refurbed. It is absolute overkill for most simple blends, but nothing compares to it when you need it. Some dishes we make require blending raw tubers and plantains, and mannn, this thing doesn’t even flinch. It weighs at least twice as much as the Blendtecs, for the same footprint, which I think contributes to its running quieter and its solid composure.
All this being said, it might surprise you to believe that the blender we use each and every single day is a no-frills Mainstay personal blender sold for 9.92 at Wallyworld. It’s only a 225 watt motor but for just frozen fruits and ice it’s perfect. You drink right out of the cup, clean-up is a cinch, and takes negligible space in a cabinet. I like that it uses a separate button to activate. The personal ones where you push the cup down (ie Magic Bullet, Nutri, etc) inevitably wear the rubber hub down as you occasionally lift the cup up while the motor’s still turning down.
HTH
@jester747 My original Blend-Tec jar is 7 years and 2000 cycles old. Not broken yet!
@jester747
Thx for good info!
@givemeyoursoul I don’t doubt that one bit if bought new, but my penny-pinching suggestion is to buy used and since these are commonly used in a commercial environment they commonly see usage that would take an individual a lifetime to amass (2000 cycles would be a few months at most). Of the two in the garage, one does have a wobbly/leaking bearing. When I looked it up online it seems to be a common complaint, but again, also likely from smoothie shops and such. That’s how I found the suggestion for the upgraded carafe (when buying used).
@jester747
Great point. I love buying used, I check eBay before every major purchase. We bought the Blend-Tec new from Costco, at the time it was $200 under retail, very close to used price, and it came with an additional 5 year warranty, for a total of seven years. It paid for itself making baby food for two kids, everything else has been a bonus. Recently I’ve been making flour with the spent grain from my beer brewing!
I only buy blenders with glass jars bc I use them everyday for smoothies and drinks in the summer. We have a nice cuisinart art one. Look on Craigslist, before we bought this one I bought a barely used cuisinart one for $40 that was really nice.
Not sure of your budget but Woot has a Blendtec right now for $288.99, doesn’t say refurb:
https://sellout.woot.com/offers/blendtec-designer-650-wildsidejar-twister-jar-bundle-3?ref=w_cnt_wp_1_8
We still use our VitaMix, purchased almost 30 years ago, regularly. I had to buy a replacement carafe sometime in the last half of that period when the bearing on the blade failed. Otherwise, never a problem with the (husky) motor unit. I can’t speak for the reliability of contemporary models.