I bought a blender blade.
I know. My life is sooo exciting.
Try to contain your jealousy.
I use my blender several times a week, mostly to make yogurt/fruit smoothies (they're especially frugal if you make your own yogurt!) I own a fairly basic Braun blender that I bought back in 2007 (it's no longer available) and I liked that it came with a heavy-duty glass jar, since most blenders come with plastic jars.
What I have not been happy with are the gears on the bottom of the blade. They're plastic. And not very sturdy plastic at that.
One by one, they've broken off, despite me being really careful, and when I was down to one last plastic bit, I finally decided to order a new blade.
My goodness, my blender works SO much better now. But, it's probably just a matter of time before the gears start popping off again (though maybe I will be lucky enough to get another 5 years out of the blender!)
I did consider this before I bought the blade assembly, but I wasn't in a place where I was ready to research and buy a new blender, and I was in a hurry to get mine up and running.
(one can only go so long without smoothies, you know.)
I paid $45 for the blender 5 years ago, I paid $7.50 for a replacement gasket in 2010, and now I just spent $15 on a replacement blade assembly.
So, I've spent about half the blender's value in replacement parts.
That did make me hesitate a bit before ordering.
But....
-if I didn't buy the new part, I'd have to throw away/recycle my blender, which isn't a great ecological choice.
-if I didn't buy the new part, I'd have to pay a lot more than $15 for a blender because I really want to make sure I buy one that will last.
So, for right now, the replacement part seems like the right choice.
Once this blade starts to lose gears, though, I'm going to think hard about saving up for a sturdier blender.
On that note, a few readers have said wonderful things about the Vitamix
and the Blendtec, two expensive blender brands.
If any of you own one, do share your opinion. Have you felt that it was worth spending the money? Has yours lasted for a long time?
If I knew it was pretty much the last blender I'd ever have to buy, I'd be open to starting up a blender fund at ING. Or maybe I should just start saving up all of my Swagbucks. 😉
Maybe watch in the goodwill shops for a used one. You might be lucky enough to find an relic with metal gears!
I was thinking the same thing, but checking out tag sales in the spring. I often see blenders for $5. Even if you just buy one as a "back up" blender to have while you save for what you really want. I realize this goes against the decluttering, but for an item you use so often.....
I just use my (large) food processor as a blender. It works perfectly and it saves me from needing two different appliances.
My parents have the Vitamix and love it. It's more than a blender though, it actually cooks soup because it blends so fast. I think it even grinds grain.
I have a Hamilton beach that my mom gave me as a graduation present. It has metal gears and a glass bowl. I think she paid $60 for it 🙂 I hardly ever use it tho. Me thinks I need more smoothies or processed alcohol drinks in my life 🙂
Since many times, the price of shipping is almost as much as the part, I might have ordered 2 blades and had the other on reserve. That way you don't have to get down to nubbin's for teeth before replacing the blade.
I have a Vitamix that I bought WAY back in the late 80's that is still working for me today. I met some people recently who are in the smoothie business and they use Vitamix blenders as well. That says something about how well they hold up!
We have an Oster blender, and we did a little research before we registered for it for our wedding. It was ranked as a "best buy" blender by Consumer Reports because it performed really well compared to other more expensive brands and was only $40. I'm not sure if the gears are metal or plastic and we don't use it super often, but it's always worked great for us!
My goodness! I'm sure you've thought about this, but I'd be worried that the plastic blade nubbins would be breaking off and getting ground in my smoothies.
I totally recommend the vita-mix. I know the price can induce the vapors, but as someone who uses it almost daily for the past 5 years, it is really a secret weapon in the kitchen. Also, the jug is a very sturdy polycarbonate (not your average plastic) but I have never made soup in it, so I am not worried about heating it. Can you tell I love it? And not only because of the velvety frozen margaritas it can make 🙂
Rats, I just realize that the plastic is on the underside of the blender assembly, whew! I new I shouldn't have commented before the coffee kicked in.
My endorsement of the vita-mix stands, though. It's one of those things that you can't imagine is that good or worth it until you have one. 😀
My inlaws have a Vitamix blender that they've had since my husband was a kid and it still works great. They gave it to us for awhile, but then asked for it back and bought us a KitchenAid similar to this: http://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KSB5WH-5-Speed-Blender-White/dp/B00004SGDI/ref=sr_1_7?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1326893723&sr=1-7
We've had it for several years and its a beautiful machine that I suspect will last for much longer. We also use it primarily for smoothies with frozen fruit.
I would have gotten a Vitamix, but at this point a five hundred dollar blender is not high on my list of priorities. However, I did really want a good reliable smoothie blender. I got this:
http://www.amazon.com/KitchenAid-KSB580NK-Metallic-5-Speed-Blender/dp/B000CSNVEM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1326894430&sr=8-3
It does have a polycarbonate plastic jar, but I haven't had any problems with it. I use it often, in fact I used it as food processor as well... until the falafel incident. It does not make falafel... I learned that the hard way. Soups, sauces, all that is very easy. But I mostly got it for smoothies, and it works very well! And I love that there is the jar, the base, and the lid to clean and that's it.
However, all that said, I would have gone with the vitamix if I thought the cost was worth it at the time. Now, I'm really glad I have a sturdy blender that didn't cost me an arm and a leg!
I have a Ninja, and love, love, love, love it. Haven't had it long enough to comment on longevity though 🙂
I have a Hamilton Beach blender we received as a wedding gift 32 years ago. It has plastic gears, but they look nothing like the gears on your blender. It still works great, though I don't use it as often as you use yours. I even have an extra pitcher for it that one of my daughters picked up at the local thrift store a couple of years ago. My blender is Harvest Gold and the extra pitcher has an Avocado Green lid, colors that were popular in both large and small appliances back then!
In Colombia, where we lived for 16 years as missionaries, people use their blenders several times a DAY to make fruit juices. (They rarely drink straight water and this is NOT a healthy thing as they use fruits that are too bitter to eat, so require LOTS sugar.) Anyway, they are considered an essential appliance and are made strong--probably with old technology and metal parts. (Just like the irons are heavy and actually get HOT and thus can get wrinkles out!) 🙂
Oh I HATE my iron. It is made to look old fashioned but it is just modern junk on the inside.
The blasted thing is so "safe" it will auto cut off as you are ironing. Sometimes it takes a minute to find the crease and then the thing has turned off. I hate that thing.
It seems a little counter-intuitive, but I think that having to replace a plastic gear or two isn't a huge deal, especially if you get a decade of (heavy!) use out of a relatively inexpensive blender.
We bought a blendtec this year from SAMS club...LOVE this blender so much. I have gone through so many blenders, and this one is unlike any other we have ever had. I make smoothies all the time, and it actually fully chops/liquifies the frozen fruits/veggies. It was an investment, almost $ 400, and I am really really happy with our purchase...I am very picky about making stuff, drives me crazy when there is still frozen fruit chunks that wont chop, and so on...but I am also VERY frugal and the blender was just to much I thought. That said, I would save for and even check on craigs list or recycle stores for the Blendtec if you need anouther blender, it will be like a new family member 🙂 Worth the purchase!
We LOVE our vitamix! We've had it for a year and use it 4-5 times per week for different things: lot of smoothies, hummus (I've never been able to get such a smooth consistency using any other blender), big batches of pesto, and hot soup. My husband actually uses it to make banana peel shakes to fertilize our vegetable garden. The best part about the vitamix is the ease of cleaning it. I'm sure you've seen a video. If not, you should search for one. It really is just as easy as they claim it is. And it's under a 7 year full warranty...although I'm hoping for many, many more years of use.
I really enjoy your blog!
I have a Ninja that I got as a present earlier this year. I love it! Mine came as a set for around $50-60 and it has a large blender, large food processor, small food processor. It dis-assembles easily for cleaning and it works GREAT!
We love our Vitamix. It's 7 years old and still going strong. Mostly we make smoothies but we have made soup, ground coffee beans, hummus and nut butters in it. It does all that wonderfully. I would make budget cuts in other areas if we ever have to replace it. You can get reconditioned ones slightly cheaper on the Vitamix website.
I love my Vitamix! I bought it last spring, and I use it every morning to make smoothies for my family. I bought it refurbished from their website, and it has a great warranty. I also searched for a coupon code, and found one that covered the shipping. It was a lot more than I would have ever dreamed that I would pay for a blender, but I love it!
I think Vitamix is overkill. Too expensive for what you get. Even if it lasts 20 years that's $15-25/yr. My 10 year old Black & Decker blender w/ metal blades and a small food processor cost no more than $50 and nothing's worn out.
CI reviewed blenders in March 09 - IIRC they identified the shape of the blades as the critical factor in how well a blender works, and theose two high-end blenders not remotely worth the price. Throwing in my two cents as well: get metal blades because, as you've seen, plastic blades break.
My grandmother had an avocado green colored one from the 70s. It was ugly as sin yet ran for over 30 years. My parents have one they got as a wedding present 35 years ago.
I have a stick blender that I bought at Goodwill for $1.79.
Kristen, I've had an Osterizer Classic Beehive blender with a glass container and metal blades for probably 15 years. I've replaced the gasket plastic piece once--and maybe should again, but they are cheap (under $5). I use it nearly every day to make a leafy-greens and fruit smoothie. It rips through kale and collards like they're nothing! I suspect I'll have it for at least another 15 years, or more. My boyfriend has a Vitamix, and he loves it, but we both agree that for the money my Osterizer was a much better purchase.
I have an old Osterizer, too! My dad worked at Oster in Racine, Wisconsin when I was a child. I don't use the blender any more; it's just a keepsake now. I can remember my mother making malted milks for us a few times. She used Horlick's Malted Milk, which was also made in Racine, as were Hamilton Beach products. In Sink Erator is still there, cranking out garbage disposers and other kitchen products.
We were a real shakin' town!
I got the "Food Ninja" for Christmas this year. I have no idea how much it costs but it is really awesome. I do smoothies in it all the time and it works great. It comes with 3 different sizes of jars, so it can do all sorts of stuff.
My goodness. People spend over $500 0n a *blender*? That seems crazy to me. I cannot imagine paying over $100 - and even that seems silly. We've had our $40 blender for 7 years and it works perfectly well, and I imagine that it will for years to come (** scratches head **).
We wanted a blender that could handle ice on a regular basis & read so many reviews of blenders & it seemed that even the $100 blenders were only lasting a year or so before something went wrong. We decided on the Vitamix because it had a seven year warranty.
That being said, if I could have found the same one my mom has (still works great after 20 or 30 years), I would have bought that in a heartbeat!
I had an Oster Blender/Mixer Combo for 18 years. Still working and I gave it to my mother because I got a Kitchen Aid Blender and Mixer for free. Well, after just 3 years, my Kitchen Aid Blender is already broken. The little plastic nubbies that make the blades go around are all off. I need to order replacement parts for it. I wish I still had my Oster!
Yes, the old machines didn't have ANY plastic parts. They were made to last a lifetime.
You got me motivated to order my part for my Kitchen Aid. On its way. My daughter will be happy with her smoothies.
I bought a Vita-Mix last year and haven't looked back. Originally I was looking for an electric mill to grind grain for our bread so wasn't even looking at the Vita-Mix. However, the gentleman I bought the grain from highly recommended one so I started looking into it. I choked at the price initially but then started adding up how much the electric mill was, our Cuisinart blender (that we had used maybe once?), the coffee bean grinder we would have to buy to grind flax, our juicer (which we had just bought and I didn't like), etc and I realized that it was a few hundred dollars for all of those items. We also are very limited on space and I didn't know where I was going to keep the electric mill.
Long story short, my husband and I decided to splurge on the Vita-Mix because it would replace all of above items and it wasn't going to cost much more than all of them combined. I was able to return our blender to Costco and the juicer to amazon.com (love both of their return policies) and I bought our Vita-Mix at Costco last fall for about $500 total - this included the blender, the stirring wand (don't know what to call it :), and an additional container for grinding the wheat (it uses a different blade). (This was my husband's and my Christmas gift/anniversary gift to each other. Romantic eh? 🙂 We are fairly practical people...
Again, initially I couldn't believe I was spending that much on a blender but I've had to replace blenders a few times over the past 9 yrs we've been married so that is money and waste down the drain). I use the Vita-Mix every day for smoothies - the kids can't get enough of them!, and a few times a week to grind grain. The kids are begging me to make ice cream so we need to do that one of these days. Anyway, sorry I'm rambling but I just had to put my two cents in about this machine! Oh, and I have to mention how simple it is to clean. You don't have to take anything apart! You just fill the container part way with water and a dash of soap, stick it back on the mixer, whirr it for about 20 seconds and you're done. Love it!!!!!!
I think for every person who *loves* their expensive blender, there's another one gathering dust somewhere. I'd keep it on my estate sale wish list. I also second Jonathan's (#5) and Kate's (#13) comments.
Freecycle! Dunno if there's one in FG's area but it seems like it'd be a good bet. I once got a weight/rocker for an old-fashioned pressure cooker. I didn't expect anyone to have that around but I was happy to be wrong.
Cook's Illustrated recommends the Kalorik blender as their best pick for lower priced blenders. I recently purchased a Kalorik food processor and I'm pretty happy with the product. I was going to get a blender too, but got a Magic Bullet for Christmas and LOVE it for making smoothies. So much easier than washing out the big blender cup.
I have a Vitamix. After having blenders break so frequently, I was tired of buying replacement parts, or new/new-to-me blenders. Furthermore, I never had a blender that did a great job crushing frozen foods/ice cubes. The last blender we bought before the Vitamix was from Costco because their return policy is so liberal/good. However, the blender still didn't work that well with frozen foods/ice. I may or may not have accidentally blended up the lid rendering us blenderless for a month. Who knew the blender would crush a plastic lid better than ice?
For my birthday last year, my husband surprised me with a Vitamix. While this has a plastic jar, the blades aren't plastic. He bought it at Costco because it was by far the cheapest place we had found it. It's not available all the time, so we had to wait for it to come back in stock before we could buy it. It was about $50.00 cheaper at Costco than any other place I looked. I'm sure it'll be just as cheap at any of those warehouse type stores.
I've had the Vitamix for about 5 months now and I'd put this appliance on par with my Kitchenaid mixer. Yes, I would. I use it that much and it is that much better than other blenders I have owned. I've used it to make smoothies/protein shakes, ice cream, soup (yes, it heats up the mixture enough to eat directly from the mixer) as well as mixed up pancakes, cakes and sauces to be cooked. It's also a easy to clean.
IMO, it was worth the extra $$ for me and my family. Everyone has their things they spend their money. Eating clean and cooking are my "things". If someone doesn't use a blender much, a Vitamix not going to be worth it for them.
Oh, I should add that I also make powdered sugar (well, only 2ce) and oat flour (weekly) using my Vitamix-two things I never thought about making before I bought this machine. I bet it would work for grinding your wheat, Kristen!
I'd like to put in a plug for an immersion blender! We have a Kitchen Aid one, and I love it! I bought a straight-sided pitcher at Goodwill and we make smoothies quite a bit. I also like being able to puree a soup right in the pot. I also make my own butter blend (2 cups butter, 1 cup canola oil, 1 cup water, 1 tsp salt), and the immersion blender is way easier to clean out than a traditional blender.
We also had a problem with the plastic gears breaking, but I think part of that was due to kiddos not getting the blender part attached firmly to the motor part before they used it.
Did you give any thought to complaining (politely of course), that if they are making replacement parts available, because they know plastic is going to break, perhaps a stronger material would be in order?? (I know, built in obsolescence). Maybe they wouldn't have charged so much, or maybe the next time they won't charge you. Just a thought, since I have learned that oftentimes it is the squeaky wheel that gets the grease, or at least a discount.
Chris
I had to go look at the gears for my blender! They are almost a softish all most rubbery like gears , not super hard and rigid like yours appear to be. I don't use mine daily so I can't really compare regarding longevity.
I travel for a living. After frequent suitcase breakdowns I asked my luggage-repair shop what they recommended. The brand they recommended is expensive but comes with a lifetime warranty. Yes, I have had it in for repairs but it has lasted much longer than my previous suitcases and is worth the price not having to slog through the airport with a suitcase that has issues. Having said that I am impressed that you have been able to refurbish/repair your blender so inexpensively especially since you seem to like the basic design itself. It seems like your blender has been a bargain. Ditto to the comments above about buying your dream blender used.
I have a Vitamix and am glad that we made the investment. However, if I had to do it all over again, I would go with the Blend-Tec. A friend of mine bought that over the Vitamix after using my Vitamix in her home. The advantages of the Blend-Tec are it's shorter so it fits easier under the cabinet. And because of the square bottom part of the blender, it's easier to scrap the bottom. There isn't much scraping room in the Vitamix. Either is worth the money and if you find you use your current blender every day or multiple times a day, then it would be worth it as an investment.
I have a Vitamix and there are no cheap plastic parts to break off... I make smoothies, soup, ice crea, grind my own grains, (mostly I make myself organic cream of brown rice hot cereal) with no lumps!! It can ake bread dough (but like you I use my Kitchen-Aid, or my Bread-maker to make the dough for me), etc... It is expensive, but worth every single penny!!!
Carla ~ How do you make your own brown rice hot cereal using the Vita-Mix? Would love to do that! Do you just grind the rice...to what...a flour? Hope you get this post and can let me know! Thanks so much! 🙂 Cheeryshirley
Definitely a case of planned obsolescence--who would ever think plastic gears on a blender would last? I don't own a blender--I have a Cuisinart from the early 90s that I use as food processor and blender. The motor is very powerful so it works great for making smoothies and I like that I don't have to store a blender as well.
I bought a Vitamix from Costco last October. So I can't speak to longevity but I had heard many good things before buying on. I use my Vitamix every single day, often multiple times in a day. I love it. With the Costco version, it was a little less because the wet blade pitcher is only 48 oz. But I when I registered it online, I got a dry blade pitcher for free ($50 value). Now I can grind grains as well as blend stuff. It grinds my flax seed meal finer than what I can buy at the store. It is expensive. It's an investment piece. But I absolutely love mine. It's right up there with my Cuisinart food processor and my KitchenAid stand mixer. I expect they will all last for years.
I also bought mine at Costco last fall. Do you mind my asking how you got the dry blade pitcher for free when you registered it?
I can't believe that a blender would be designed with gears that fall apart with use. Not a very good design idea! I have to chime in also on the Vitamix! I think it's well worth saving up for! I wanted one for over 25 yrs and always thought I couldn't afford it. I had a little extra money and made the investment and never looked back. While it has a 7 yr warranty ( unless you purchase from QVC, then it's 5 yrs) I believe it is the blender you'll have for the rest of your life! I've heard of people who have had theirs for over 30 yrs. So, if you do the math, it really works out! I use mine at least twice a day and more some days.
I have a Kitchen-Aid blender and I Love it! It was $99 at Macy's, probably cheaper online, and well worth the money. It destroys ice with no problem. It is plastic, but it's heavy duty and one solid piece. I recommend it to everyone!
I tend to like to fix what I've got. I've found the older the appliance the longer it lasts. Most of what is out there now is made to not fix (sometimes you can't even get into the guts of the machine to try) but to throw away. Jeepers, do I sound really old? Must go put on more moisturizer so it doesn't show on the outside 🙂
I have had a similar experience as PP Amy with my Oster blender. It also is made of glass and metal. I have had mine for going on 5 years with no problems. I doubt I spent more than $50 on it too. The unfortunate thing I have noticed is the quality of small appliances manufactured since the economic downturn has gone extremely down hill. It seems companies are cutting costs on their inputs leaving formerly reliable brands with inferior quality goods. Case in point when I had to replace a 9 year old mixer I bought at a garage sale for $5 (I stupidly burned out the motor on cookie dough. Doh!) and I couldn't find a quality replacement. Good luck! (Never knew I'd enjoy a post on blender blades do much...)
Wow, I can't imagine buying a $400-500 blender...I didn't even know they made blenders that cost that much!
We have both an Oster and Magic Bullet, and both work well. The Magic Bullet sells for $50, and I think the Oster is somewhere around that range but it was a wedding gift, so I don't know for sure. Granted, it's only been a couple year, so I can't speak to longevity.
The problem I have with high-end appliances like that is that they rely, in part, on a small computer. It's like the Kuerig we have (which was a gift). I like it, but it makes me nervous that it's going to break, because it has a computer in it, unlike the $15 basic coffee maker that had only a switch to flip. If I had to bet, the Kuerig won't last as long as the $15 coffee maker...but I guess only time will tell on that one.
Our bullet is definitely on its way out. We've had it for ... 7 years.
I bought our Vitamix for my DH about five years ago for $300 (new) on Ebay. He makes smoothies everyday and the kids and I make "ice cream" for breakfast (frozen banana, berries, kale, almond milk, and a few other powdery substances packed with barley grass, vitamins and minerals, etc.) quite often. We can't believe there is kale (stems and all) in our "ice cream" it's soooo yummy and thick we have to eat it with a spoon! Don't think a regular blender could pull this off; especially the kale! It is soooo worth the investment and I haven't had to replace anything! I expect it will last indefinitely!
I used my mother's glass-and-metal blender (received as a wedding present in 1969) until she sweetly asked for it back a couple of years ago. Around that time, I was lucky enough to find a quality second-hand Waring glass-and-metal blender on Craigslist for $25. I actually hesitated because of the price, which in retrospect was incredibly reasonable (they're around $85-$100 new and it had been minimally used), but it's been one of my best secondhand purchases ever; very similar in quality to my mom's workhorse from a generation ago. If you can find a gently used one, I highly recommend it. I've also heard good things about Vitamix, too, but they're too expensive for me for the amount of use I would get out of one.
It's nice that you were able to even find replacement parts for your blender. So many things manufactured nowadays are meant to have short lifespans and be disposable. It's hard sometimes when you're in the market to make a purchase to find that middle ground between an item that is incredibly expensive and one that is just plain cheap quality. There's always the tempation to have something a little nicer than what we've got, but when we can fix something up and make do a little longer, that's a great feeling.
I had to laugh when I saw this post! We too are hunting for a new blender, I had a beautiful Oster with glass jar and metal components. My 7 month old son(2 1/2 years ago) had a hold of the handle as I walked away from the counter. My beautiful glass jar shattered as it hit the tile and pureed carrots flew everywhere(I make my own baby food). I sat on a chair and cried. It was new, it was glass and I LOVED it! I had spent $50 on it and refused to buy another one. After hunting for a replacement jar, I went to target and bought a stick blender for $20. It has lasted me nearly 3 years, but now that I have to wrap the handle in a towel just to make a smoothy has me thinking it's time to replace it. Especially now since baby 4 will need baby food here in a few months, the stick blender just won't cut it! I'll be getting another Oster, glass jar with metal components, just like the one we had. They are now $39.99, so I can justify that. This time I will make sure I keep all baby hands far, far away from the glass handle!
PS-I'm new to your blog. I found it the other day when I was looking for a recipe. I saved your blog and came back to read more later. I was in deep thought and prayer that day about our choice to start homeschooling our 3, 9, and 11 year old kids in the fall. I clicked on your link and went to the home page. It was on Monday, I had no clue what all your blog was about but I am so thankful and blessed to have found it. It brought me a little peace and comfort about our choice to home school my little ones. I have filtered through many things and found some great help and insight. Thanks!!!
I just recently got a KitchenAid from a Craigslist user--Chicago has a pretty wide range of things that get posted! It, too was missing the blade/teeth part, as they had fallen off for the previous owner. I bought a replacement kit off of amazon with some gift cards which came with the right tool. Next time I have to replace it luckily I'll have to buy only the teeth part which is about 50 cents. Couldn't dream of a better deal if I tried!
Anyhow, the KitchenAid has stood the test of time for about 4 months for me...and I think a couple of years for the previous owner, so I would heartily reccomend it!
Oh girl, you must get a Blentec. I love mine! I use it daily! Sooo worth every penny. I did my research and compared it to what else was out there, how long they last, the way they are built and reviews and I was even able to find a discounted one they were overstocked on. Check out their website or I would even look on ebay. I mostly use mine for juices. Fruit and vegetable juices. I love giving my kids a juice hidden with vegi's in it! I make hummus, soups, salsas, even muffin mix. It sits perfectly on my counter, can be noisy at times, but no one minds. I even see them at Orange julius'. I have had mine for 2 years now and is still working strong. It even has a counter on it that tells you how many times you have used it. Definitely something you can "save" for.
actually, before I bought the blendtec, I was looking into juicers, so this blender actually does so much more than just a blender or a juicer. Before the blendtec I had a magic bullet. I thought that was my favorite until I bought the blendtec.
We have a Vita-Mix and it will do things that no regular blender will do. For example, I make our own nut milks and all our sauces, mayonnaise, ketchup, gravy, soups, etc using our Vita-Mix. My husband and I are vegan and therefore have a great use for it! It will grind and keep going with large amounts of very thick foods...and keeps going. We've had our "reconditioned" machine for over 7 years and it sees multiple daily uses. The cost is less with a reconditioned one and still has a good warranty. The customer service is excellent. BTW, with our heavy usage, I've burned out several other blenders before settling on the Vita-Mix. Tough decision to make, though, with such an outlay! 🙂 Cheeryshirley
I have a 20 year old Osterizer--glass with metal blades, but they are housed in a plastic hub. The plastic hub is cracking and the plastic center lid (removable so you can drizzle in liquids) is cracked and almost ready to toss. I haven't checked yet to see if these parts are still available for replacement.
I don't love this blender--I always wanted one that will really crush ice. But I'm appalled at the idea of spending hundreds of dollars on a blender! Especially one with a plastic container, no matter how strong (there's growing evidence that ALL plastics leach estrogen-like substances into food, particularly those that are heated or abraded during food preparation or storage). If I can't replace the breaking parts on my old workhorse blender, it's time to haunt the thrift stores!
I also have a 25 year old "Lil' Oscar" food processor. It's very small (great for me in my single days) and the darn thing still works great! I have to do everything for our family of four in small batches. I'd love an excuse to replace it, but my frugal heart won't let me as long as it works.
janknitz, how much do you want for your Lil' Oscar? I'm single and I sold mine at a yard sale, and I do so regret it. It was perfect for me!
Email me, and let's talk.
We bought a KitchenAid just over 1 year ago. When we started making green smoothies a few months ago, the motor started to burn every time we used it. It just didn't have the horsepower for how I was using it.
I researched the nicer blenders and decided that I preferred the Blendtec over the Vitamix. I, too, was very hesitant to spend almost $400 on a blender. What finally helped me decide was the 8 year warranty and bundle that Costco offers. For $369 + free shipping, I got an 8 yr warranty and a second jar. Also, Costco has the most liberal return policy if I run into any problems.
For me, this was an investment in my family's health and I have been so happy with it. We are eating healthier than ever. I can blend 4 cups of spinach and kale and 2 cups of frozen fruit in just 6 oz of water. Our smoothies are so velvety smooth that my husband thinks there is ice cream in them. 😀
I've also used it to grind popcorn into cornmeal, wheat into flour, make salsa, soups, pancake batter, muffins, etc.
I am using the blender my mother bought in the early 1960's. It's a lovely avocado green Sears model. I'll admit its not seen daily use in all those years. I use it mainly for milkshakes, smoothies, making salad dressing. Love it. I've bought a new gasket a time or two, but that's all. Oh if only things were made with such quality now days!
I've had a Vitamix for over a year and every time I use it, on average 2x a day, I tell anyone who is listening (or just talk to myself) about how much I love it. We got it just after our old blender jug broke. After I got the vitamix I got rid of my food processor, since I can chop stuff in it in slow speed (so it was awesome when I was canning tomato sauce and salsa, it just chopped it all up super quick).
All this to say, a vitamix is not quite a 'just a blender'. We eat a lot of vegan food and this machine makes it easier. For example, I can make smoothies with things like spinach an unpeeled mandarin and toss in some nuts or seeds and and the product is so smooth that you can have a hard time deciphering what is in the drink. This is the machine that Booster Juice and other juice places use, so its' that kind of texture.
Also, the fact that I can make a lot of products that I would otherwise buy (like oat or rice flour -ground from organic oats or rice bought in a 25 lb bag-, almond butter from home roasted almonds, almond milk, oat milk, hummus, veggie pate, cashew cream, fruit ice creams, pesto), saves me a lot of money, and that gives this large purchase a frugal slant.
How funny... our blender blades kind of crapped out on us today as well. It's not an old blender, either, and the blades are metal! We received it as a wedding gift in 2010, but haven't started using it regularly until a few weeks ago. My husband says he thinks the blades are "stripped" whatever that means. Kind of bums me out because it is a nice blender with that wonderful heavy glass jar you mentioned! If this is the end of our blender, we'll definitely be purchasing a Vitamix. I've heard they are the best, and I believe it would be worth it in the long run economically.
FYI-we spent $350.00 for our new Vitamix in September. Yeah, it's expensive, but one can buy it for less than $450/$500.00.
ok, so i know i'm a little late (and someone else has probably already said this)...but we LOVE our Kitchen Aid. It has a nice sturdy glass pitcher and my husband uses it constantly to make smoothies and such.
After going through soooo many different blender options during the first 5 years of my marriage, I finally started a "blender fund" jar and stashed my extra cash in it to save up for a Vitamix. Then I began haunting Craigslist for a deal. And found one... a lady bought her Vitamix a year ago, used it six times, and stashed it in a closet. Fast forward one year, she lists it on Craigslist for $350. Now, my jar only had $285 in it at this point, so I just bookmarked her ad and kept looking. One week later, the ad was still listed, so I emailed and asked if she would take $275. She said yes. So I went to look at it. There had not been a photo online, so I didn't know that the dasher was not included. When I asked her about it, she said she forgot there even had been one. And then she offered the Vitamix to me for $250. Umm, yeah! So I went on ebay when I got home and bought a dasher for $13.95. Total cost for a Vitamix used six times: $263.95 and have used it many, many more than six times since. Love it, recommend it, how did I live without it?!
Great deal! I never would have thought of finding one like this! Awesome!
I love my Ninja also. Just blended pinto beans into "refried" and salsa last night. I've used it for pie crust, hummus, mayo, and smoothies. Part of one of my handles warped a bit in the dishwasher which was probably my fault for putting it in there.
My mom has a Vitamix and loves it. It is *really* loud, though-- but much higher power as well.
My husband has looked into Vitamix vs. Blendtec and came out in favour of Blendtec, though he hasn't used either and I've only used the Vitamix.
I think if you're simply using your blender for smoothies, then either option may be overkill. A lot of the high price for V. and B. seems due to the fact that they're marketed as a machine that does much more than blend (I've seen commercials marketing them as the only appliance you'll ever need-- minus baking. 😉 ).
However, some people think that the ridiculous amount of power those machines have make it worth the extra amount of money even if you're not going to be making hot soup and grinding grains and whatnot. *shrugs*
I loved the road show displays of Vitamix everytime I was at Costco. After we got our tax return last year, decided I would just get it. I loved it! Soup, peanut butter, ice cream in 30 seconds (using 2-3 ingredients)!!! I got crazy and convinced by the Blendtec guy also on display about a month later at Costco to return my Vitamix but it didn't perform like the Vitamix and I took it back and begged for my Vitamix back. I use it almost daily and it's awesome!
I know this post is several months old, but I want to echo the other comments on how amazing the Vitamix blender is. We got ours reconditioned on the Vitamix website for $400. I know its a steep price but it will blend anything.....I have put rock solid large chunks of frozen fruit in there, and there are no chunks. Its really easy to clean as well....just add water and a few drops of soap, turn it on, and rinse out. Easy peasy. The blades are metal and there is so much you can make with it. We've had ours three months and I don't know how we lived without it.