Will it blend, to a sufficient degree?
March 8, 2019 12:49 PM Subscribe
I'm blender-shopping and getting dizzy from all the options.
I've got a hefty Macy's voucher that I plan to use to upgrade a few bits of kitchen gear that haven't already been upgraded, and the main fit-gap I think I have is the space between food processor and immersion blender, both of which are great but there are things they don't do.
I have a $20 Oster blender inherited in a friend's move, which was already kinda broken when I got it, and I have a mini-chopper that top-mounts the motor from my immersion blender but is a smidge on the small side (theoretically 1.5C, but anything terribly liquidy/splashy becomes a problem over a scant cup).
I also have a $20 personal smoothie blender, which is only moderately good at pulverizing ice but I do find I use it more than the actual big blender or the chopper for making things like purees the immersion blender isn't good at, batters, soup or stew base, sometimes dressings or sauces. Once a quarter or so we'll make a smoothie, but we're not dedicated smoothie people.
Which makes me think maybe what I want is one of those multi-function blenders with a more traditional pitcher plus smaller and/or slightly different-functioned vessels. A bullet thingy or a Ninja something or similar? I don't think I need a Vitamix, and I'd need some real convincing to even spend $200 on this situation and the cheapest one on the list is $300 marked down from $440. I just don't blend that much, though I'll consider testimonials.
So basically I'm asking: are you a person who has opinions about your blender? What are those opinions?
I've got a hefty Macy's voucher that I plan to use to upgrade a few bits of kitchen gear that haven't already been upgraded, and the main fit-gap I think I have is the space between food processor and immersion blender, both of which are great but there are things they don't do.
I have a $20 Oster blender inherited in a friend's move, which was already kinda broken when I got it, and I have a mini-chopper that top-mounts the motor from my immersion blender but is a smidge on the small side (theoretically 1.5C, but anything terribly liquidy/splashy becomes a problem over a scant cup).
I also have a $20 personal smoothie blender, which is only moderately good at pulverizing ice but I do find I use it more than the actual big blender or the chopper for making things like purees the immersion blender isn't good at, batters, soup or stew base, sometimes dressings or sauces. Once a quarter or so we'll make a smoothie, but we're not dedicated smoothie people.
Which makes me think maybe what I want is one of those multi-function blenders with a more traditional pitcher plus smaller and/or slightly different-functioned vessels. A bullet thingy or a Ninja something or similar? I don't think I need a Vitamix, and I'd need some real convincing to even spend $200 on this situation and the cheapest one on the list is $300 marked down from $440. I just don't blend that much, though I'll consider testimonials.
So basically I'm asking: are you a person who has opinions about your blender? What are those opinions?
I don't especially have opinions about blenders but a couple of years ago I splurged on an Oster Versa Performance Blender for mrs. gauche's birthday and she uses it all the time for smoothies and soups, and tells me how much she likes it on like a monthly basis.
The difference over the much cheaper blender we had been using is noticeable -- there is a lot less pulpy vegetable matter as the blades and motor are better able to chop and incorporate them into the mix.
According to the Wirecutter, which is how I arrived at it, this blender is a small step down from something like a Vitamix, which was considerably more expensive.
posted by gauche at 1:19 PM on March 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
The difference over the much cheaper blender we had been using is noticeable -- there is a lot less pulpy vegetable matter as the blades and motor are better able to chop and incorporate them into the mix.
According to the Wirecutter, which is how I arrived at it, this blender is a small step down from something like a Vitamix, which was considerably more expensive.
posted by gauche at 1:19 PM on March 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
I used to work for the company that made the motors for both Vitamix and Blendtec. They are literally the same. And both models are overpriced, IMO. If you want one of these, find a factory refurb.
posted by JoeZydeco at 1:27 PM on March 8, 2019 [5 favorites]
posted by JoeZydeco at 1:27 PM on March 8, 2019 [5 favorites]
I make smoothies every day for my kids. I have this ninja blender, similar to what jkaczor talked about. This is what I like about it:
-you can take out the spinning blade in the middle, which has three blades so it cuts through all the smoothie, top and bottom
-the pitcher is one piece, so it's easy to clean (dishwasher safe!) it's also wide enough my husband can stick his hand inside to clean it
- it can CRUSH ICE, which is important because smoothies!
-we've had it three years, using it every day, and no issues
our previous blender had the blade in the bottom, and you had to take it apart from the pitcher and put it together with an O ring seal. it was a nightmare to make sure everything was sealed correctly, or else it would leak when you blended. Also, I had to stir it around to make sure everything blended. I like the single piece pitcher, and triple blades.
posted by alathia at 1:35 PM on March 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
-you can take out the spinning blade in the middle, which has three blades so it cuts through all the smoothie, top and bottom
-the pitcher is one piece, so it's easy to clean (dishwasher safe!) it's also wide enough my husband can stick his hand inside to clean it
- it can CRUSH ICE, which is important because smoothies!
-we've had it three years, using it every day, and no issues
our previous blender had the blade in the bottom, and you had to take it apart from the pitcher and put it together with an O ring seal. it was a nightmare to make sure everything was sealed correctly, or else it would leak when you blended. Also, I had to stir it around to make sure everything blended. I like the single piece pitcher, and triple blades.
posted by alathia at 1:35 PM on March 8, 2019 [2 favorites]
> the motors for both Vitamix and Blendtec ... are literally the same. And both models are overpriced, IMO. If you want one of these, find a factory refurb.
For the Vitamix, at least, part of what you're paying for is the warranty and service. We've been running our Vitamix every single day (literally - a medical necessity) for several years now and it has been rock solid.
I'm not saying that a casual user needs a Vitamix - it's gross overkill - but it's a tank and I love ours.
posted by RedOrGreen at 1:59 PM on March 8, 2019 [3 favorites]
For the Vitamix, at least, part of what you're paying for is the warranty and service. We've been running our Vitamix every single day (literally - a medical necessity) for several years now and it has been rock solid.
I'm not saying that a casual user needs a Vitamix - it's gross overkill - but it's a tank and I love ours.
posted by RedOrGreen at 1:59 PM on March 8, 2019 [3 favorites]
I got myself a Breville immersion blender . Comes with a jar that is great for smoothies and a little food-processor attachment for chopping/pureeing things. Will blend frozen fruit.
I used to have a more traditional jar blender. I am super happy to have made the switch to immersion blender. No more having to turn it off and poke into the jar with a spoon to try to break air bubbles — I just move the stick around. Also I can blend hot soup and hot sauces with much less danger, as there’s no steam buildup in a jar if I’m sticking an immersion blender into the pot. I have not yet found anything it can’t do.
posted by snowmentality at 2:27 PM on March 8, 2019 [1 favorite]
I used to have a more traditional jar blender. I am super happy to have made the switch to immersion blender. No more having to turn it off and poke into the jar with a spoon to try to break air bubbles — I just move the stick around. Also I can blend hot soup and hot sauces with much less danger, as there’s no steam buildup in a jar if I’m sticking an immersion blender into the pot. I have not yet found anything it can’t do.
posted by snowmentality at 2:27 PM on March 8, 2019 [1 favorite]
I returned my Blendtec because it was just too loud. Like louder than a regular blender loud. Like unpleasantly, startlingly, what the hell is that make it stop loud.
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:40 PM on March 8, 2019
posted by fingersandtoes at 2:40 PM on March 8, 2019
The loudness was literally the only complaint I ever had with our Blendtec. It blended everything. When on the highest setting it would happily turn whatever I put in the carafe into hot soup in a few minutes.
It's definitely overkill for most uses, but the good kind of overkill.
posted by wierdo at 3:22 PM on March 8, 2019
It's definitely overkill for most uses, but the good kind of overkill.
posted by wierdo at 3:22 PM on March 8, 2019
Did I mention that those motors also go into industrial vacuum cleaners?
posted by JoeZydeco at 3:42 PM on March 8, 2019
posted by JoeZydeco at 3:42 PM on March 8, 2019
Ninjas and Vitamixes are the best I've found. I like the tiered blades in the Ninja a bit more, though. I have a smaller Ninja bullet blender for single servings. The big ones are great for making big batches, so it depends on how much volume you need.
posted by ananci at 4:25 PM on March 8, 2019
posted by ananci at 4:25 PM on March 8, 2019
We have a Nutribullet and I use it every day, and have for about five years. I love it sooo much. Last week I used it to: turn oats into oat flour; make a batch of cilantro vinaigrette for meal prep; make keto vegan bullet coffees; purée a boiling carrot and lentil soup; make after-gym smoothies. It’s held up amazingly well, the containers are a little discolored and it’s probably not great to blitz so many hot things in plastic but it’s totally worth it to be able to use it, empty it, and have it clean in the dish drainer in less than two minutes. Seriously, so easy.
I just tested my bigger vessel and a little less than 3 cups fits under the max fill line.
posted by stellaluna at 4:51 PM on March 8, 2019
I just tested my bigger vessel and a little less than 3 cups fits under the max fill line.
posted by stellaluna at 4:51 PM on March 8, 2019
I've had both a Vitamix and a Ninja. Vitamix wins hands down for smooth texture. Newer addition of small bowl and drink cup attachments are super bonus.
posted by waving at 4:51 PM on March 8, 2019
posted by waving at 4:51 PM on March 8, 2019
I have the Versa Performance also, extremely pleased, use it about once a month.
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 5:39 PM on March 8, 2019
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 5:39 PM on March 8, 2019
Another vote for the Ninja, which I use frequently in the summer and largely ignore in the winter. I very much like that mine came with a larger and smaller pitcher, and also with both a chopping blade and a blunt mixing blade. I'm not sure that it makes a huge difference, mind, but I enjoy telling myself that it does. I also love the triple blade setup for the larger pitcher and feel like it makes a huge difference in how effective it is.
It does an admirable job of chopping up most vegetables and things--for a while I was making smoothies with raw carrots, and it integrated them pretty well. You wouldn't be able to blend carrots and water and end up with a smooth carrot juice (I know; I tried) but in a smoothie or a soup, it's fine. (If, for some reason, carrot juice matters to you, running it through a coffee filter was a relatively easy way of getting the last of the carrot solids out, and a larger pitcher of juice usually gave me about a third of a cup of carrot solids, if you'd like that measurement.)
posted by mishafletch at 10:30 PM on March 8, 2019
It does an admirable job of chopping up most vegetables and things--for a while I was making smoothies with raw carrots, and it integrated them pretty well. You wouldn't be able to blend carrots and water and end up with a smooth carrot juice (I know; I tried) but in a smoothie or a soup, it's fine. (If, for some reason, carrot juice matters to you, running it through a coffee filter was a relatively easy way of getting the last of the carrot solids out, and a larger pitcher of juice usually gave me about a third of a cup of carrot solids, if you'd like that measurement.)
posted by mishafletch at 10:30 PM on March 8, 2019
We have the Oster Versa and the Breville immersion blender that Wirecutter recommends. The second one is quieter, much smaller, and easier to clean. It is a tiny bit slower and less powerful, but for <$100 I was amazed at how much better it is than the $20ish blenders I'd used before. I would get the Breville.
posted by bagel at 8:39 AM on March 9, 2019
posted by bagel at 8:39 AM on March 9, 2019
I go for the most power for the least cost. I make smoothies every morning with ice, whole fruits, nuts, and vegetables. We had been given an old Blendtec and it was great for several years. After that wore out we bought a $70 Oster blender -- the most powerful blender under $100 we could find -- and liked it just as much. Don't fall for the hype. Power is the key.
posted by cross_impact at 12:27 PM on March 11, 2019
posted by cross_impact at 12:27 PM on March 11, 2019
This thread is closed to new comments.
Works great, no problems - if you have enough storage space for all the various parts/vessels/blades/lids.
We blend about once a month.
posted by jkaczor at 1:16 PM on March 8, 2019