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Blenders (Standard, not Immersion)


jturn00

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I was looking to get a blender to mainly make smoothies, margaritas and possibly some soups.

The most import aspect is that if I make a margarita, the blender is fast and strong enough to make the ice mixture very thick and smooth (with no ice chunks) almost soft ice cream like. Reading previous posts, vita-mix blenders get high kudos but are also very expensive. I also think Waring blenders get some high marks but looking at their website there are so many models I am finding it hard to figure out which one to choose. How would these compare to the Breville Ikon Blender that Williams Sonoma sells? On price, I was looking to stay under the $250 dollar range.

Any recommendations?

The reason of my inquiry into the Breville is because I have a gift certificate that I can use to get that blender but since it is only sold at WS I am not sure how good it is.

Thanks,

Jeff

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I have that Breville blender, and it is wonderful! I make smoothies all the time for my son and other frozen drinks and this blender is really powerful and does a great job with the ice and blending.

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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The reason of my inquiry into the Breville is because I have a gift certificate that I can use to get that blender but since it is only sold at WS I am not sure how good it is. 

Thanks,

Jeff

Are you a Wall Street Journal subscriber? They had a blender test a few weeks ago. The Kitchen-Aid $129.00 won.

There were also links to other grading sites. Let me know if you need them.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1182473309...ON=wsjie/6month

Mine is a Waring vintage-look model with just an on-off switch. They gave it an "okay" rating. I'd agree .... okay, but nothing more.

terila

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If you don't mind industrial chic, you can get a blender that will demolish anything at Williams Sonoma, and for less money. And if you don't mind used, you can do it for a fraction of the price.

I just got my second Hamilton Beach commercial bar mixer for $7, in almost new condition. The catch was that it didn't include the caraffe, but I had one from my old blender. Complete blenders in good condition often go for $60 or less.

I got the first one in 1991, for under $40 with the stainless caraffe. It was at a restaurant supply store, presumed dead from overuse, being sold for parts. It lasted sixteen years before the bearings finally gave out.

My previous three consumer blenders lasted less than a month each!

This new one is a treat. The bearings are fine so it doesn't sound like a chainsaw. It doesn't get warm no matter what I throw in it or how long it stays on. I can put in a bunch of ice without liquid and it turns it into snow.

One other nice thing about these is that parts are available, and they're pretty standard across the HB line. So if you wear out the rubber clutch or the blades, you can get new ones for cheap pretty easily.

Notes from the underbelly

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  • 4 months later...

I am interested in purchasing a blender. I am willing to put some money into it and I would like to purchase something that would last several years. I would like to know which brands you have enjoyed over the years and which brands/styles aren't worth the money. Thanks in advance for your input!

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I don't have any brand or model recommendations, but I'd opt for a tall jar over the wide ones that got popular in the late '90s. The latter require too much in the way of volume to generate good blending action.

I also think that two or three speeds is sufficient. Spend your money on a glass jar and a powerful motor (wattage isn't specifically about motor power, but it's a good indication), not fancy "refinements."

Disclosure: I use a 30-year-old Oster, and I once co-wrote a piece for the Daily Gullet on the history of the machine, so I might be prejudiced.

Dave Scantland
Executive director
dscantland@eGstaff.org
eG Ethics signatory

Eat more chicken skin.

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I have several blenders including Waring Pro and Breville. By far, my favourites tend to be the Waring Pro's. I'd agree with Dave, you don't need a bunch of speeds and fancy enhancements, but wattage is a good indicator as to whether it can crush ice, and make smoothies. But what do you want to use your blender for? Smoothies, sauces, frozen drinks?

Edited by Marlene (log)

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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Vita-mix. It's what you'll find in most professional kitchens. But they are not cheap. They will last a long time, though. I just bought a used one on ebay for $220. Depending on what you plan on doing with it, the vita-mix might be over-kill. But it's definitely one of the best blenders (if not the best) around.

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Vita-mix.  It's what you'll find in most professional kitchens.  But they are not cheap.  They will last a long time, though.  I just bought a used one on ebay for $220.  Depending on what you plan on doing with it, the vita-mix might be over-kill.  But it's definitely one of the best blenders (if not the best) around.

I second the vote for a Vita-Mix. I was in the market for a blender a few weeks ago, and saw them being demo'ed at Costco. It can do everything, and more. It comes with a 7 year warranty. I've even seen them in bars and on Iron Chef.

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I have heard nothing but good things about the Waring Pro series. I will be doing nothing more than making smoothies, milkshakes, and various crushed ice beverages. Although the Vita-mix would be an amazing blender to have, I think it is a bit much for my simple needs. Honestly, I can't see using the blender more than twice a month. However, it will be getting a lot of use at the end of this month (I will be getting my wisdom teeth removed) :hmmm:

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I have three Waring Pros

this one

smoothie maker

Retro

I probably use the Retro one the most. It has a larger glass jar than the first one.

As far as I know, you can't put them in the dishwasher though which is a bit of a pain. The nice thing about the Breville that I have, although I don't see it online anymore, is that is is six blades as opposed to the usual 4. Mine is 550 watts but I see they've got a couple at WS, one is 1000 watts and one is 750. So mine is probably outdated now.

Still, the Waring Pro does everything I need it to and more. I make sauces in it, and my son regularly has milkshakes and smoothies.

Marlene

Practice. Do it over. Get it right.

Mostly, I want people to be as happy eating my food as I am cooking it.

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I've been using Vita-Mix blenders for many, many years and have had the Super 5000 since it was first introduced. Vita-Mix 5000

These blenders are made in the U.S.A.!

The newest is the 5200 but I still use my nearly thirty-year-old 3600 which has had the cord replaced, but otherwise has needed no repairs. It has a stainless steel container.

Unless you are using it for constant, heavy-duty blending, the 4500 turbo should work just fine for you. I got the 5000 because it came with an extra container and blades that were designed for grinding dry grains.

(Ironically, just a few months later I bought a dedicated grain mill.)

It has a safety power cut-off built in that stops the motor when material "freezes" or jams in the blender and after you turn the switch off, remove the container and clear the jammed material, it will start up again.

This has happened to me when blending mustard which can achieve the consistency of plaster....

Vita-Mix 4500

Edited by andiesenji (log)

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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I'll add to the chorus of Vita-Mix fans. I have a 5000 with the wet and dry blade containers, and am quite happy with it. The new 5200 model appears to be nearly identical to mine, but with a slightly more powerful motor and a redesigned container. You can get a refurbished 5000 for a lot less money (check the Specials page) and still get a great warranty.

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I'll add to the chorus of Vita-Mix fans. I have a 5000 with the wet and dry blade containers, and am quite happy with it. The new 5200 model appears to be nearly identical to mine, but with a slightly more powerful motor and a redesigned container. You can get a refurbished 5000 for a lot less money (check the Specials page) and still get a great warranty.

That is an excellent point. Vita-Mix stands behind their guarantee. The refurbished units are popular with many of the Hispanic fast food places in this area and one that I frequent has four or five which are in constant use.

Also, the local health food store has several at their "smoothie bar" which are going all day long. They prepare some weird stuff that I wouldn't touch, the wheatgrass type, but the texture of the product is great.

Edited by andiesenji (log)

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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I'm sure the Waring blender is all that you need, but I'll put in a good word for Vita-Mix. I've had the 3600 with stainless steel container since the 1970s. After about 20 years of use, I had to return the container for servicing, but the company provides excellent customer service and stands behind everything it sells. The newer models are better for beverages and ice crushing than the 3600 due to the design of the container and blades. Don't hesitate to purchase a reconditioned unit. I also have this Blendtec blender that I got thru ebay. This is the brand that Starbucks uses. It does a fantastic job making smoothies, but isn't as durable as the Vita-Mix.

Ilene

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What are people's opinions of the waring cloverleaf design compared to the round design?

It's almost impossible to figure out from their website what the differences between blenders is but my old landlord had a round waring with a removable bottom and I just bought a cloverleaf model (50th anniversary). So far, I haven't put it through it's paces yet but I like how it's much easier to scoop out the sides with a spoon.

PS: I am a guy.

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What are people's opinions of the waring cloverleaf design compared to the round design?

It's almost impossible to figure out from their website what the differences between blenders is but my old landlord had a round waring with a removable bottom and I just bought a cloverleaf model (50th anniversary). So far, I haven't put it through it's paces yet but I like how it's much easier to scoop out the sides with a spoon.

The capacity on these blenders (and the KA mentioned above) is simply not enough for my purposes.

I don't want to have to puree a soup in multiple batches. I use an immersion blender for many of these tasks but sometimes I want to prepare a puree that is smoother than I can achieve with the immersion blender. The capacity of the Vita-Mix is one of the reasons I bought my first.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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I did use Waring's laboratory "tissue homogenizers" when still in the lab, and sort-of wish that I had found a way to retain its services. 4L capacity, could whip raw mussels (and other things) into smooth liquid without trying. $4K is a bit steep though ($2K for the blender, $2K for the 4L bowl).

I have seen Waring's home blenders and they seem to be fine (cloverleaf or no), but I'm personally leaning towards a Vita-Mix.

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