If I had to pick a kitchen appliance that I can’t do without, a blender might be at the top of my list. (Right up there with my Nutrimill Grain Mill, my Electric Skillet, my Food Processor…) I use a blender every day. And in the summer and fall while I’m making tomato sauce and applesauce and tomato soup…I use it constantly.
We use our blender daily to make milkshakes, slushies, smoothies…and shucks…now we even use a blender to make powdered sugar!
Which brings me to a sad, sad story (okay, it’s not that sad). Last week, my blender broke. It was made of glass and out of nowhere, there was suddenly a great big crack running through it. I’m sure it wasn’t really out of nowhere, but I’m not really sure out of where it came. Regardless, unless you want glass shards as a main ingredient in your smoothie, I don’t recommend using a cracked blender.
Normally, Matt and I give some thought to a purchase like this one. We’d consider our options and look around for the best deal. We might look into using some of our Swagbuck earned Amazon cards to purchase one online. We might put it on our Christmas list.
But this was a blender. With this lovely fall weather, I was still making tomato sauce last week with the last of our late tomato crop. I needed a blender in five minutes and I did not have time to wait or consider my options. My only option was: Go to the store RIGHT NOW and buy a blender.
Before I headed out, Matt and I did take the time (like an entire two minutes) to talk about whether or not we should invest in a higher dollar blender, or just settle once again for a cheap one. He left it up to me, depending on what I might find in the blender aisle.
I know you’re all on pins and needles (like you normally are when I tell these really exciting stories about my broken blenders, which is never).
I ended up buying a cheap one. I couldn’t help it. I think one day I’d like to save for a high quality VitaMix. But at that very moment, I couldn’t bring myself to spend much. I instead went for a much cheaper blender: a Hamilton Beach Wavestation Express Dispensing Blender. Everyone at home was thrilled when they saw it and begged me to make milkshakes right away…
Is that FUN or what!??!? With all the milkshakes and slushies we make around here…it does not get any easier (or more fun) than our cool Hamilton Beach Wavestation Express Dispensing Blender. For a cool $20.
It doesn’t have much in the way of fancy settings or buttons. All I truly need is a lid and an on/off switch and I’m good. But wow, isn’t that little dispenser something else? It doesn’t take much around here to make us excited.
So there you go…that’s my little review of my new Hamilton Beach Wavestation Express Dispensing Blender. For $20. With a dispenser. That is so cool.
I often get emails asking which blender I prefer and if I recommend a VitaMix. I’d love to here all of you offer a little review on which blender you have and like. And if you have a VitaMix, can you tell us whether you’re pleased with your investment?
Oh, and if you want to come over for a milkshake, I would love to dispense one for you.
melanie says
That does look like a FUN blender, Laura! :-D
We do have a VitaMix ~ my hubby splurged at a home show a year and a half ago after we all watched and tasted her wonderful demo (it also happened to count as my birthday present… times ten?)
I haven’t yet used the “dry ingredient” jar, but we do love making smoothies in the regular “wet” one. I like to put carrots or even healthier green stuff in our smoothies along with frozen or fresh fruit ~ the VitaMix handles it all just great!
Making me hungry for a smoothie for supper! Hmmm…
Jennifer Taylor says
I have the blender that attaches to the Universal Bosch and I love it! I use my blender daily for smoothies, soups and batters (which I use whole grain in) and I’ve been using the same blender for about 6 years. I have had to have it repaired twice but I tend to get in a hurry and damage things so I wouldn’t say it is the company’s fault. They have been great to work with when I’ve had issues with the blender and there repair fees have been very reasonable or nonexistent.
Chrissy says
That dispenser is pretty cool! We’ve had a Vitamix for a few months now & absolutely adore it! I’ve been positively astounded at how easily it will transform frozen fruits into smooth, liquidy goodness. We’ve only made smoothies of all sorts with it, but there are a million ways to use it & we think it was well worth what we paid. Oh! And make sure you call Vitamix, because you’ll most likely get a deal & a few goodies thrown in.
Sarah says
I love, love, love my Vita-Mix. I’ve had it for 2 1/2 years. It was very expensive, and I could maybe have done with a cheaper one. But I am very happy with it.
One reason it was worth it for me was because I use it to grind grain. And being in a small apartment where space is premium, it’s nice to be able to grind grains easily with a small machine that I use for other things instead of having a big separate grinder. I do have a separate container for it though. But again, much smaller then a grinder to store.
I also love it for chopping veggies. I use it for that all the time. Shredding potatoes into hash browns is so easy with it. And chopping onions, peppers, garlic, cabbage, etc. You just put it in with some water and turn it on low. The lower the setting, the bigger the pieces.
It’s great for making smoothies with anything hard, it does a great job with ice and cream cubes and frozen berries. I can make ice cream with it without needing an ice cream maker. It makes green smoothies great, as there are no chunks of spinach, it grinds to a paste.
I chop soaked almonds for almond flour, and nuts for nut butter.
Clean up is super easy. The only negative is that it’s hard to clean the bottom. The BlendTec is supposed to be the same quality, but easier to clean. I have not checked into that, as I’m so happy with my Vita-Mix. I use it multiple times every day and consider myself so blessed to own it.
Carrie says
We have a Blendtec total blender and we LOOOOOVE it! A little cheaper than the vitamix and fits nicely under our cabinets on our counter… so simple and easy and powerful! LOVE LOVE IT! We use it daily for smoothies and soups and It also doubles as our grain grinder! :)
Frances says
About 5 years ago my grandmother got me a magic bullet. I LOVE it! It’s my kitchen wonder! Unfortunately, it’s on its way out. I’ve put it on my wish list but I do wonder sometimes if I would like the capacity of a real blender. I just don’t know if a blender could survive me. The magic bullet will grind coffee, so I feel like there’s nothing I can’t put it through. Plus I love the convenience of all the little containers I can store. I make salad dressing and pop a lid on it. I get another cup and grate cheese and put the shaker lid on. It’s really hard to picture blending without it.
Jane says
We have a Bledtec & absolutely love it. It is my favorite kitchen appliance. My two top uses are to grind grains & make green smoothies
Katherine says
In defense of “cheap” blenders, I have owned a $20 Hamilton Beach basic blender (without the cool spout) for about 7 years- and it still handles ice and large chunks of frozen fruit in smoothies as well as it did on day one! In fact, I was just thinking yesterday about how good the motor has been to last through a million or so smoothies over the last 7 years. It is still going strong. I would LOVE a Vitamix, but my husband says we have a perfectly good blender, and why would we need anything else? I am so thankful for him, he balances me well and keeps me from splurging when it is not necessary and we really don’t have the money!
Lee Ann says
I saved birthday money for three years to buy my VitaMix. I think it’s awesome!!!!!! I also hear great things about the Blend Tech.
EllaJac says
I bought an older VitaMix (two actually, and a WHOLE LOT of other coffee shop equipment that is, um, NOT in a coffee shop. *sigh*) 3 years ago. Not sure how old it is, but it’s AWESOME. It does it all, and you can buy (not cheaply) replacement parts if/when necessary (we haven’t had to yet, though one of our pitchers has a slight crack. we use it anyway).
We’ve lately had to change diets for a daughter (praise God, it’s MAKING A DIFFERENCE!) and keep her off gluten, among other things. Since I can’t use my Nutrimill for anything gluten-free (it’s ‘contaminated’ with wheat, obviously, and can’t be cleaned), I found I could run millet, quinoa, even whole corn! through the blender to make ‘flour.’ This is fantastic to us, and we’re so grateful!
Margaret says
I have had my Vitamix for at least 7 or 8 years, and I cannot say enough good things about it. It does everything they say. I use it to get great smoothies and soup and almond milk, grind coffee, shred cheese, make ice cream, etc. I recently decided to grind grain (does it great). I do not knead bread in it – not sure why… but the quality is unbelievable. I took three years to beak down and buy it, but it is a tool I use everyday, and it performs without fail every day. I even use my old container to compost kitchen scraps. You can feed it directly to the plants. Not many blenders can handle that feat!
Holly in Virginia says
When I was married I registered for a blender/food processor combination. I like it and it works well. But last year for Christmas someone gave me an immersion blender, this one: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-76BC-SmartStick-200-Watt-Immersion/dp/B000EGA6QI and I adore it! I used it to make my applesauce this year, I use it to blend soups and make my apple butter even more buttery smooth. It would be perfect for tomato sauce or anything else. I only use my old blender for smoothies now! I love that I can blend right in my deep pot and the only extra dish is the detachable wand and it is SO easy to clean!!
Vanderbilt Wife says
I’m with you–I’ll use my immersion blender over the “Real” one anyday! I use it to make soups and baby food, especially.
Angela Klenke says
That is pretty cool, my kids would love it. We actually have a Blendtec and I love it! We use it to make smoothies all the time and I am now using it to make flour. I never heard of Vitamix before, but it sound similar to the Blentec. They were demoing it at Costco and it was so great how one machine could make smoothies, juice, ice cream, soup, and grind your own flour.
Sara R. says
We have had our vitamix for a year, and are very happy with it. We use it at least daily to make smoothies, grind flour, make nut butters, we’ve even done “ice cream” (frozen bananas) and soup in it. I especially love it for making smoothies for my 3-year old daughter. She is a really good eater, but if I feel like she’s lacking something one day I can just whip up a smoothie and I know that no matter what I throw in there it’ll come out nice and smooth. With my old blenders, when I tried to put in spinach, flax seeds or nuts it would always come out a bit grainy and my daughter would refuse to drink it.
The only negatives are that it is a bit tough to clean after you make anything too thick, and it doesn’t fit under my cabinet so I have to sit the pitcher next to the base which takes up more space on my counter.
Carissa White says
We have a blendtec and adore it. Makes wonderful smoothies and we use it daily.
Elizabeth says
God graciously allowed me to find a Vita-Mix at a yard sale for $5 a couple of summers ago, and I have really enjoyed having it. I doesn’t grind grain as finely as my mill though, so I don’t use it for milling. The date of manufacture is 1993, and it still works like a champ. I’ve also spoken with their Customer Service Dept. on one occasion. I didn’t have a wait, and my Rep. was very knowledgeable. I don’t think I’d pay for one new, but I couldn’t resist for $5 when I needed a blender. :D
ChristineG says
I have owned a Vita-Mix for about 13 years, now. It is wonderful. I love that it will blend anything beautifully. We have used it daily for 13 years and it has been worth every single penny. (We have 7 kids, so it gets a lot of use and takes a lot of abuse, too!)
Julie says
I also have a Blendtec and absolutely LOVE it! We use it almost everyday to make green smoothies and protein shakes. I have also used it as a grain mill before I bought a grain mill attachment to my stand mixer and made our fair share of tomato sauce, soup, applesauce, baby food, etc. in it.
It is definitely worth the money in my book. I know I have said at least 20 times to my husband, “aren’t you glad we have this blender?” I actually asked for it two years ago for a Christmas/anniversary present. It was worth it!
Melodya says
Recently my Dr. has put me on a 10 wk diet to find out what my body is sensitive to and possibly causing this 30 yr. woman to have the acne covered face of a 14 yr. old.
So no gluten, sugar, dairy or peanuts. For 10 wks. !! 3 wks into this and I have used my blender more than any thing else. Smoothies, almond/rice milks, salsas and hummus.
I always wondered about the spouted ones, if they are harder to clean or how the seal holds up? It’s good to have a review!
Laura says
The seal is holding up fine so far, but of course we haven’t had it for very long. It’s been very easy to clean…I just leave the spout open and run water through it.
Valerie says
Just today I posted on FB asking friends about their blender. Love your timing of this post. :)
I would looooove to have a vitamix but it is not in the budget. My current el cheapo blender doesn’t actually blend. It’s more of a chop. I wish I could stumble upon a $5 vitamix at a yardsale! Insanely jealous over here Elizabeth. :)
Vanderbilt Wife says
I am thinking and have no idea what brand my blender is. I know we started with an Oster and I wasn’t a huge fan. My current one came from Dollar General. I think you will appreciate that it took me a year to figure out why they had it. It says “smootie” instead of “smoothie.”
I still don’t think it crushes ice very well. I guess you have to buy a high-dollar blender to find something that really does that. But otherwise, it works for me and it cost $15 or $20. Honestly though I avoid using the blender because I hate washing it. Is that too lame?
Laura says
Mmmmm…smooties! My boys would have too much fun with that, so I won’t let them read this one. :)
melanie says
I forgot to say that we bought the vitamix AFTER we’d gone through a couple cheaper blenders (that I couldn’t even attempt to make veggie smoothies in). Glad to hear others are doing well with the cheaper, but it didn’t work very well for us. My hubby got tired of buying replacement parts, so it was his choice to go for the Cadillac ;-)
My MIL had an ancient vitamix with a spigot :-) but I think it died a couple years ago finally – I think a family member found her a replacement second hand. :-)
My parents picked one up at the end of the state fair ~ at “demo” price, complete with whatever produce the guy had left, I think – and the stool he sat on in his booth!
Saralyn says
With all the strange things we put in them, we’re pretty tough on blenders–we’ve burnt out a Kitchen Aid blender and a Sam’s Brand Smoothie maker. My husband surprised me with a VitaMix last year for Christmas and it’s the bomb! I can’t believe what it can chop up. Secretly, I bet it could make sawdust…
Cathy says
I saved up and purchased a Vitamix several months ago. Actually, I purchased a Blendtec and a Vitamix to compare the two. I decided to keep the Vitamix, although both worked great. The preset controls on the Blendtec are nice, but I prefer just running the Vitamix for however long and at whichever speed I choose. Also, I found that I got a chunkier result in the Vitamix when I made salsa. Both made wonderful green smoothies. I definitely got better results with tough or fibrous ingredients using either the Vitamix or the Blendtec than I did with the blender that came with my Bosch Universal. One nice thing about the Blendtec is that they now have a larger size blender jar (the Wild Side) that you can purchase separately. Oh, and one difference between the Blendtec and the Vitamix is that the Vitamix comes with a tamper that you push down in the jar as you are blending to help keep the ingredients moving. The Blendtec claims not to need it, although I read some reviews that indicated people had to shake their jar sometimes to get rid of an air pocket, etc. With the Blendtec you are supposed to be able to push the preset button (for soup, ice cream, smoothie, etc.), and then just walk away and let the blender run its cycle and then turn itself off. With the Vitamix, you stay there and turn the machine off when it’s done–and use the tamper as it blends if you need to. Being able to do something else while the blender works is a nice convenience, although your recipes might not fit the preset cycles perfectly if you use ingredients that are especially difficult to blend. Both the Vitamix and the Blendtec are now made with jars that are BPA-free. The difference in price at my local Costco is pretty minimal between the two. Oh, one last difference–the Blendtec blender jar is used for both wet and dry grinding. With the Vitamix, you have to purchase a separate jar for dry grinding. I use my grain mill for dry grinding, so this wasn’t a factor for me; but if you plan to grind in your blender, you might want to consider that. I know I’ve rambled–hope this info. helps someone who’s trying to decide between these two excellent blenders.
Deja says
We had the exact SAME Hamilton Beach blender for years! Guests totally loved the blender with the spout! Somehow my toddler broke part of the spigot, so then I had to cap it and use it just like a blender. And then somehow, the rubber O-ring around the spout disappeared…and slushies ooozed out of the spout… Now I’m using a very old Oster blender picked up at an estate sale. I miss the little spout.
Carmen says
I got a Breville blender for Christmas last year and I LOVE it!! I wanted a nice blender but not a really expensive one like vitamix. So, after doing some research, I asked for this one. It was around $150. I use it almost daily and love the ice crushing button.
I also have to say that my dad bought my mom a vitamix at the state fair many many years ago (30 I think) and she loves it as well.
Lisa H. says
We owned a VitaMix for 9 years, before it stopped working. Upon calling customer service, we found the warranty had just expired, so we debated over whether to get it fixed or get something else. My hubby loves new gadgets, so he thought to try out the BlendTec…
While both of them pretty much do the job, I have to cast my vote for the VitaMix. It always did exactly as I wanted, especially as I could control the speed manually. Tamping it down occasionally and having to attend it isn’t a big deal. We found that the BlendTec needed attending after the lid popped off on several occasions, and was more difficult to use because of the preset controls. They didn’t always get the job done the first time, so I have to cycle through the menus until I can find that setting again and run it again!
I think when our BlendTec dies, I’ll just have my old VitaMix fixed and go back to that. I like being able to control the speeds manually as the blender did its job. Great machine!
PJ says
Love this post! We had a magic bullet for about 3 years. It worked really well for us. My girls (10 and 7) could even make smoothies themselves. But since we used it multiple times a day, it finally stopped working efficiently. My husband has always wanted the Vita-mix and so we splurged and bought one 4 months ago. Oh my goodness! We didn’t realize the huge difference a blender could make. I’ve used it over and over again for so many things. Peanut butter, hummus, smoothies, chopping things. The coolest thing is that you can make fresh, homemade HOT soup in about 5 minutes! Although it’s very expensive (I’m frugal, so the price of this blender really killed me), if you have the extra savings, I would highly recommend the Vita-mix. It’s worth it.
Gina says
Absolutely LOVE my Vitamix – it blends everything to the max! I had to comment because I remember making your tomato soup and sauce recipe with my old blender and how the family commented on the tomato seeds still present. Now with my vitamix – seeds are all grinded up!!!
I remember the first time my friends shook their heads as they watched me put pineapple into it – they were talking me out of it because they said the drink would be too pulpy!! I told them watch and taste…..and they ran out and bought one!!!
This is definitely an appliance that you will fall in love with once you have it!
Melissa says
I used to have a Vita-Mix, but exchanged it for a Blendtec. The Blendtec fits under my kitchen cupboards, can grind my wheat and is red! I love the thing. Use it ALL. THE. TIME. (And I lost over 25 pounds within the first 6 weeks of having it just by making super green smoothies everyday!)
Ashley Godoy says
A friend from work who was about 58 yrs old gave me a very very very old, still in the box, Oster Kitchen Center that belonged to her mother. It was in new condition but aged just sitting in the box some. It is a center that does all sorts of things, has add on gadgets to shred cheese, make french fries, do something with meat (I don’t use that part), add beaters or dough hooks, OR put on the blender. It is AMAZING! Old as all get out, doesn’t have great looks, its big, but it works so well! It is old enough that the makers really put quality parts in it. (kind of like an old car, nothing like how they used to make em’) So we have had much success! I have been so tempted to buy new, esp. a blendtec. But this works, why buy a new one? I am deteremined to use it till it’s end. We have had to replace the seals because they aged, dried, and cracked. They are cheap as $2 online and it’s worth it for the quality of this appliance. Smoothies, butter, shakes, juice, bread, cakes, muffins,soups, and so much more. I SAY ALL THIS BECAUSE….I see this very item (really old and hardly used) at thrift stops all the time. If one were needing one and saw a very old OSTER ktichen center-INVEST! It’s worth it. Specially because you wont pay more than 5-20 bucks and it does EVERYTHING under the sun. Well, I am not sure about grain. It says it can grind. I’ve not done it. Anyways my vote is OSTER kitchen centers for cheap. :)
bakingmama says
We LOVE our Vitamix, which we bought because our Bosch blender did not do an adequate job of getting rid of the “texture” in our smoothies. I have a child who will not eat most fruits or veggies without a fuss, but now slurps down smoothies filled with spinach, carrots, blueberries, oranges, and other wonderful nutrient-rich ingredients (with a big smile)! For us, the key is to get the food smooth and texture-free first, then add the ice to make it frosty.
Micah says
We saved up for a while and purchased a Vitamix and I wouldn’t want anything else. We drink lots of green smoothies and my children never guessed I put spinach in them until they actually watched me make it one day! One of my favorite uses is to make raw applesauce. I just chop 6-7 apples into quarters, pull the stem off, and blend, using the tamper to get it all turning. The texture is very smooth. I’ll add a banana or some other fruit to it to vary the flavor and we eat it every Sunday morning with baked oatmeal. This is a family favorite! The Vitamix has certainly paid for itself and I highly recommend it!
Mary says
I have a Vitamix that I absolutely love. However, kitchen appliances are a joke at my house because it is my passion. I also have a red Kitchen Aid blender, because it was a gift before the vitamix. The kids use the Kitchen Aid. I also have a Magic Bullet someone gave me as a gift. It’s great for whipping up a salad dressing or anything else small. Kids use that too.
The Vitamix is hands down the workhorse. I have the “dry” container too for grinding grains and seeds. Very handy.
If I ever come into an inheritance (unlikely – no one in my family has that much money) or I win the lottery (unlikely since I have never bought a lottery ticket), I would buy you, Laura, a Vitamix. You deserve one. :-) However, the one you got is COOL. And, cool counts for something when you have 3 boys! My advice: watch thrift stores for a back up and store it for an emergency breakage such as you just experienced. You can usually pick up blenders at thrift stores for $7 or under. Many times you can find a replacement container for blenders there too for around $5.
Theresa C says
We have a Vita mix and LOVE it!!! My hubby thought I was nuts for wanting such an expensive blender. I bought it about 4 yrs ago after I sold off some things I no longer used. My hubby used it and fell in love. He noticed a huge difference between our old Kitchen Aid (that wasn’t cheap btw) and the Vita mix. We use it daily so it was definitely worth it!! Cleaning it is a breeze as they are self cleaning! My FIL recently was looking to purchase a new blender and my hubby highly recommended the Vita mix. My FIL loves it as well and is very happy w/his purchase. We bought ours at Costco. It is the BEST price around. Just call ahead to find out when they will be demo-ed as they don’t stock them. Oh and I grind my grains in the dry container! I couldn’t buy a Vita mix AND a grain mill!!!
Linda says
My Hamilton-Beach blender is getting close to 20 years old. I bought it way back when because it could crush ice — and still does! We make lots of smoothies and slushies at our house. I also have a hand immersion blender that I love for soups and such. I’m convinced my blender works so great because it is OLD — nothing new ever seems to last as long these days.
Johanna says
I have had a white beehive Oster for the past 10 years. Two speeds [high, low]. I have used it for everything from blending soup to crushing ice. Add to that awesome milkshakes [I bought a $10 blender cup that uses the same base, so I can mix in the same cup I drink from]. Ball jars fit on the blade base so I can grind grains in batches for baby cereal right in the jars I store them in. I bought a new blade set since I thought grinding grains would wear it out, but not so. Base parts from previous models fit on there, the only difference might be in the lid [depending on the shape of the container–mine’s round not square]. I love this simple machine.
Then we sold a VitaMix at my work and with my discount and the presentation I witnessed, it was too good to pass up. It has a large capacity and 10 speeds. While the Oster was awesome, I could never put an ENTIRE apple in there, but the VitaMix goes through it with no problem. I had been searching on and off for a juicer, but just couldn’t justify throwing all that pulp away [and we had limited kid-friendly recipes I would make to actually use it up], not to mention the clean-up. The VitaMix uses up the entire food, skin, seeds and all, so there’s little, if any, waste. I love that it can heat up soups by running 6-8 minutes. So I can get a “close-to-raw” soup in the kiddos [and us parents]. VitaMix also sells a smaller container with a grinding blade, but it’s another $90 which I’m not up to spending yet.
If anyone can budget for the VitaMix or wait for an awesome deal on QVC.com, do it. I recommend it 100%. Now I just have to find a loving home for my Oster.
Emily says
We have a Black & Decker Crush Master and love it! It has a glass jar/pitcher (which is hard to find now…only plastic nowadays).
We also received an immersion blender (Hamilton Beach, I think) for our wedding and I love that, too. It makes great smoothies…and I expect it will make great baby food – someday!
Cindy says
I’m almost embarrased to say it, but I’m using my Mom’s old blender. I’m not sure of the brand, but the thing has to be close to 40 years old, maybe older. It’s a monster, loud and heavy, but still working. However, after reading what everyone is saying about the VitaMix and BlendTec I want to look into those. I want to grind my own wheat, but the grinder is too expensive. I’m loving the idea of a blender that does all of the things you all are mentioning.
Ann says
I used to go for a cheap blender, but after breaking a couple of jars, and burning up a couple of motors, I decided to buy the Vita-Mix. I have not regretted it. I do not own a grain mill, so that contributed to the decision as well. I LOVE IT!! It gets used multiple times per day most days in our home. It also has a 7 year warranty. I don’t have much storage or counter space in my kitchen, so I love that I don’t need three or four different appliances, just one.
AmyR says
I tried making smoothies with fruit and would sneak in yellow squash and swiss chard but they would always come out REALLY REALLY chunky. Tough enough to explain the green smoothies to my kids, even tougher with a mega piece of yellow squash. That was in my Cuisinart blender which seemed to be a nice blender but didn’t do the job and smelled like electrical fire whenever I used it(nice, huh?). A few weeks ago we were all in Costco and there was a Vitamix demo. I’d had my eye on one for a while but have never seen one. The kids and I all watched the demos with our mouths hanging open while my husband thought we were nuts. Decided to buy one for my extravagant Christmas gift. Went back a few days later for the dry attachment after re-reading your wheat grinding posts and figured it was time to start grinding my own wheat. Both items are my Christmas gifts but there is a VERY high likelihood that they will be opened before Thanksgiving. Getting so much produce from my CSA and it all stops in early December. Really want to take advantage of the fresh, organic, local apples and veggies and am worse than my kids this year with being patient for Christmas!!!!
Might hold off on opening the dry blender though. That’s there because of you. Thank you. : ))))
Mona says
I have this blender but it’s not my favorite. It works ok but I lost the seal-do-hickey that connects the base the jar. I haven’t been able to find a replacement. I am sure I can order one from the manufacturer.
I will tell you the blender I do love. I love my 1970’s GE blender I found at an estate sale. Blenders are not made like they used to be. This one is solid with a glass jar. I love it! And I only paid $9 for it and it’s includes the instruction manual. I have learned that the best appliance were made in the 70’s and early 80’s. They are made like cars used to be- built to last.
Greta says
Like Frances, I have a Magic Bullet, and really enjoy its convenience. It doesn’t work for large projects, but works great for making smoothies, grating cheese, whipping up a quick chicken salad, etc. Smoothies mix right in the glass and you just plop a lid on any leftovers. It’s great for baby food!
Nancy says
I’ve had a vitamix for about a year and a half. I use it multiple times each day. We even packed it and took it with us on vacation to the beach. I couldn’t imagine cooking without it. We eat a gluten free diet and grind all our own grains – which is a huge savings for us. It has more than paid for itself. We don’t buy ice cream, popcycles, smoothies etc. I am so glad we got one, it’s been a huge blessing.
Karen says
I have been reading with interest, as I need a new blender and can’t decide. My big desire — as silly as it sounds — is a blender that can make hummus. I feel like that should be possible, but every time I try (albeit in my cheap blender) it takes forever to get it smooth. Do you ever make hummus in your blender, and is there a trick to it? Or if not in a blender, what do you use?
LaCosta says
I have seen hummus made in a food processor, but I have never tried it myself…Hope that helps!
Micah says
I make hummus in my Vitamix with great success. The tamper is needed to push all the ingredients down toward the blades but it only takes a few seconds. The results are fabulous!
Holly in Virginia says
I use my stick blender for hummus. I find the trick to smooth hummus is blending for a long time and adding a little extra liquid sometimes. I will sprinkle in a little of the cooking liquid from the beans if I feel like it isn’t whirling like it ought to. always smooths right out.
Cheryl says
Just researching this today. Here is a review from America’s Test Kitchen. Their tests were ice, hummus and smoothies. They recommended the Kitchen Aid or the Kalorik. (You may have to put in your email address to see the article, but it’s helpful).
http://www.americastestkitchen.com/equipment-reviews/detail.php?docid=18893
Dakota says
I love the dispenser!
My husband and I were using a really cheap blender to make smoothies for awhile, but I got tired of the chunkiness. We invested in a Vitamix & I love it! So far, we’ve made moothies, milkshakes, ice cream, soups, nut butter, and pearsauce. I’ve also used it to dice vegetables when it doesn’t matter if they’re uniform.
Dame says
I’ve had both a vitamix (although the much less fancier and a lot older model) and a similar model to yours from hamilton beach (which I got got a coll $10 from Big Lots quite a few years ago.) I hated the vitamix and no matter how good I followed the instructions to a T nothing was every smooth and it always had chunks. I’d like to think the newer models are much better… but really I love my cheepie! My wave station is a champ, and I’ve never had a problem with it blending anything – even the really tough things. It may not be able to do EVERYTHING, but I don’t really need it to.
I have found the dispensing spout to be relatively useless though – but that’s just me and I tend to leave things on the thick side.
keli says
I don’t have a blender. :( But I’d love the one you bought! My boys would LOVE the dispenser!
Heather says
I LOVE my Vita-Mix! When I saw it demonstrated at Costco, I really wanted it, but couldn’t believe how expensive it was. The guy sold me when he said, “Take it home & play with it. If you don’t like it, return it for a full refund.” I did, and since then I have used it every single day for more than 2 years. I have the wet and dry containers, so I can grind my own wheat. My kids love it when I throw frozen strawberries (or peaches) and some half and half in there. A minute later, they have “healthy ice cream!”
Amy Floyd says
I had to buy a replacement blender a couple of weeks ago. I bought the one that said “Made in the USA” on it :-) It is a simple Waring Pro. So far, I like it. It replaced a more expensive Cuisinart blender that I only had a year — it’s plastic collar cracked. I can buy a replacement part for $5, and I will do that, but I NEEDED a blender fast, because I NEEDED my smoothie!!! Would one day like a Vitamix, but I just cannot justify that cost until I find that I will use it for more than just making smoothies.
jenn foy says
LOVE our Vitamix! We’ve even ground avocado seeds. Works like a champ.
Stacy says
Hey Laura-I am looking at buying this blender and was wondering if it is still working for you?
Laura says
Yep, it’s doing great!
carole says
how about now? I’m VERY excited to get one of these if you are still happy with it! that dispenser is a BIG plus :-)
LindseyforLaura@HHM says
She is still loving it!
Mandy says
We have an old Hamilton Beach 10 speed (I guess that’s what it’s called.) It’s the cheapest of the cheap. I’ve had it since I first moved out on my own and it’s still running pretty well. It’s nothing spectacular, but it gets most jobs done. I really love that pouring feature yours has. It really does make it seem like a really fun blender;) BTW love your chocolate milk recipe! Thanks!