The high-power blender topic

[JoNorvelleWalker]

One of my colleagues reported that her beloved VitaMix died with smoke pouring out of the motor unit.  The blender was out of warranty.  She plans to contact the company to see if they will do anything for her.  I hope to convince her to come over to the side of Blendtec.

 

 

[gfweb]

7 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

One of my colleagues reported that her beloved VitaMix died with smoke pouring out of the motor unit.  The blender was out of warranty.  She plans to contact the company to see if they will do anything for her.  I hope to convince her to come over to the side of Blendtec.

 

 

I love my blendtec.

Though I did see a good deal on vitamix at Costco a day ago. 

[paulraphael]

Before ditching vitamix for blendtec, check out these teardown videos with my favorite potty-mouthed Canadian machinist:

 

Blendtec vs. Vitamix

 

My money's on the Vitamix motor.

 

Edited to add: he shows where there's a fuse in the VM motor ... it's possible that's all that needs to be fixed in the blender that went up in smoke.

Edited December 13, 2021 by paulraphael (log)

[JoNorvelleWalker]

It's already established that the Vitamix motor let the smoke out.

 

[palo]

A follow-up:

 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2374496

 

I wonder how the two ladies managed without their new Vitamix blender - did they have an old one?

 

What kitchen appliance would sub in for a blender? I've used a food processor when making hummus but the results are not as smooth/creamy.

 

Vitamix's response was unexpected and certainly reaped plenty of PR coups for them

 

p

[paulraphael]

22 hours ago, palo said:

A follow-up:

 

https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2374496

 

I wonder how the two ladies managed without their new Vitamix blender - did they have an old one?

 

What kitchen appliance would sub in for a blender? I've used a food processor when making hummus but the results are not as smooth/creamy.

 

Vitamix's response was unexpected and certainly reaped plenty of PR coups for them

 

p

 

I hope NATO generals in Eastern Europe are studying this. Any strategy that won a détente with those 3 cats should certainly work with Putin. 

[Kim Shook]

Using my Vita Mix yesterday made me wish again that we had done some research before Mr. Kim (very sweetly) sprung for the big bucks for it.  I just don't like a blender with a base that doesn't detach.  Unless I'm making something very thin that pours out easily, I end up with a base full of unreachable food.  Mr. Kim got me the blade scraper for Xmas and it really doesn't help.  I got rid of an old one my mother had from the 1970s when I got the Vita Mix and I've regretted it ever since.  

[JoNorvelleWalker]

5 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

Using my Vita Mix yesterday made me wish again that we had done some research before Mr. Kim (very sweetly) sprung for the big bucks for it.  I just don't like a blender with a base that doesn't detach.  Unless I'm making something very thin that pours out easily, I end up with a base full of unreachable food.  Mr. Kim got me the blade scraper for Xmas and it really doesn't help.  I got rid of an old one my mother had from the 1970s when I got the Vita Mix and I've regretted it ever since.  

 

Could you explain what you mean by "a base that doesn't detach"?

 

[Kim Shook]

15 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

Could you explain what you mean by "a base that doesn't detach"?

 

Some blender containers have a screw off bottom.  There is a blade mechanism and a rubber gasket between the container and the bottom to stop leaks.  Like this.

[Smithy]

2 hours ago, Kim Shook said:

Some blender containers have a screw off bottom.  There is a blade mechanism and a rubber gasket between the container and the bottom to stop leaks.  Like this.

 

My DIL has a Vitamix and I've gotten to play with it a bit. I rather envy her the appliance, but like you I find the jar very inconvenient to clean. I  would like it much better if it had a screw-off base like my (admittedly not high-powered) Oster blender. Fortunately for me, it's not my problem...it's hers!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

6 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

My DIL has a Vitamix and I've gotten to play with it a bit. I rather envy her the appliance, but like you I find the jar very inconvenient to clean. I  would like it much better if it had a screw-off base like my (admittedly not high-powered) Oster blender. Fortunately for me, it's not my problem...it's hers!

 

I have a Blendtec which like the Vitamix does not have a screw-off base.  I never knew a screw-off base was a thing until today.  But the jars are so easy to clean I don't see it as a problem.  Typically I pulse the jar with water and a few drops of detergent.  Else I just run it through the dishwasher.

 

[Dave the Cook]

33 minutes ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

. . . I just run it through the dishwasher.

 

 

Same here.

 

Blendtec also makes a smaller, easier-to-clean jar called the Twister (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)

 

 

[paulraphael]

They tell you not to put the jars in the dishwasher. There's a bearing cartridge in there that's sealed against smoothies but not dishwasher detergent.

 

I find them effortless to clean just by blending some warm soap water. Fill it about 3/4, put in a drop of dish soap, and pulse it to high speed 2 or 3 times. Rinse. Spray with sanitizer if you like. 

 

For getting every drop of food out of the bottom, ISI makes a narrow silicone spatula that's perfect for this. It's designed for getting everything out of their whipping siphons, but works perfectly on a vitamix. Also perfect for most mason jars. Last I checked these were out of stock everywhere ... I hope they're still making them.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

43 minutes ago, Dave the Cook said:

 

Same here.

 

Blendtec also makes a smaller, easier-to-clean jar called the Twister (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)

 

 

 

I find I use the twister more than the big jars.  However just now I used one of the big jars.

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

19 minutes ago, paulraphael said:

They tell you not to put the jars in the dishwasher. There's a bearing cartridge in there that's sealed against smoothies but not dishwasher detergent.

 

I find them effortless to clean just by blending some warm soap water. Fill it about 3/4, put in a drop of dish soap, and pulse it to high speed 2 or 3 times. Rinse. Spray with sanitizer if you like. 

 

For getting every drop of food out of the bottom, ISI makes a narrow silicone spatula that's perfect for this. It's designed for getting everything out of their whipping siphons, but works perfectly on a vitamix. Also perfect for most mason jars. Last I checked these were out of stock everywhere ... I hope they're still making them.

 

Funny you should mention the iSi...

https://forums.egullet.org/topic/146534-i-will-never-again-part-4/?do=findComment&comment=2330481

 

Blendtec says their jars are dishwasher safe.  To be NSF they pretty much have to be.  There is even a provision for water to drain from the bottom, which I think is a lovely engineering touch.

 

 

[Annie_H]

Not sure what is so thick you cannot get out of the jar. Broken record here but any humus, nut butters, salsa, yada-yada---anything thick I just add a bit of AC Braggs or 'organic no sugar added' rice wine vinegar....a bit of toasted sesame oil if fits the ingredients...zip it and you have a dressing or a dipping sauce for dumplings. No need to dig the crap out. Most blender ingredients can be used in any dressing. 

 

Do tell what was in the jar. 

[blue_dolphin]

3 hours ago, paulraphael said:

For getting every drop of food out of the bottom, ISI makes a narrow silicone spatula that's perfect for this. It's designed for getting everything out of their whipping siphons, but works perfectly on a vitamix. Also perfect for most mason jars. Last I checked these were out of stock everywhere ... I hope they're still making them.

Those iSi spatulas and their equally fabulous silicone bench/bowl scrapers have been MIA everywhere for a couple of years now. Very sad. 
Blendtec sells 2 overpriced spatulas that work quite well. The Spectacula came with my Twister jars but works on the others as well. The Spoonula is supposedly designed for the Wild Side and Four Side jars. 
 

3 hours ago, Annie_H said:

zip it and you have a dressing or a dipping sauce for dumplings. No need to dig the crap out.

Sounds very thrifty! I don’t want any more mystery condiments in my fridge but I’m also thrifty so I DO want to get everything out. Especially since it can be done so easily.

Edited February 7, 2022 by blue_dolphin (log)

[Kim Shook]

4 hours ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I have a Blendtec which like the Vitamix does not have a screw-off base.  I never knew a screw-off base was a thing until today.  But the jars are so easy to clean I don't see it as a problem.  Typically I pulse the jar with water and a few drops of detergent.  Else I just run it through the dishwasher.

 

Cleaning is not my issue.  It cleans completely in seconds.  My problem is getting thicker stuff out of the bottom - I made hummus once and lost a good 1/4 cup of it because I couldn't scrape it out.  

[JoNorvelleWalker]

23 minutes ago, Kim Shook said:

Cleaning is not my issue.  It cleans completely in seconds.  My problem is getting thicker stuff out of the bottom - I made hummus once and lost a good 1/4 cup of it because I couldn't scrape it out.  

 

Sorry, I misunderstood.  However I've had no difficulty removing contents using the iSi spatula mentioned by @paulraphael

[sverreef]

On 2/6/2022 at 11:47 PM, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

I find I use the twister more than the big jars.  However just now I used one of the big jars.

 

 

I've generally been happy with my Sage/Breville Super Q. It works great for soups, big batches of vegetable/fruit purées and jobs like that, but I really miss a small jar like the Twister to process smaller batches of herb oils, nut butters/pastes, etc.

 

Unless Sage/Breville comes out with something like this soon, I guess my sister and brother in law will get another used kitchen appliance as a Christmas gift 😋

 

 

[JoNorvelleWalker]

15 minutes ago, sverreef said:

 

I've generally been happy with my Sage/Breville Super Q. It works great for soups, big batches of vegetable/fruit purées and jobs like that, but I really miss a small jar like the Twister to process smaller batches of herb oils, nut butters/pastes, etc.

 

Unless Sage/Breville comes out with something like this soon, I guess my sister and brother in law will get another used kitchen appliance as a Christmas gift 😋

 

 

 

There is now an even smaller Twister jar.

 

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, JoNorvelleWalker said:

 

There is now an even smaller Twister jar.

 

 

Could you share a link to the smaller Twister jar?  

I have these two, both purchased in 2014

[JoNorvelleWalker]

38 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

 

Could you share a link to the smaller Twister jar?  

I have these two, both purchased in 2014

 

The mini seems to have been discontinued.  Blendtech no longer lists it and a site that does lists it as sold out.

 

[MikeMac]

Vitamix all the way tried others did not measure up

[weinoo]

Blendtec sure seems to have more jars; certainly more jars than when I bough my blender way back when...

 

https://www.blendtec.com/collections/jars