What blendtec should i buy

Blendtec blenders are also durable from toe to tip. This includes their drive sockets, which are always built to withstand years of use. Better yet, they create a unique internal vortex. This ensures every ingredient is always liquified to perfection.

This jar is so impressive that it has been copied. There are several more than new users in particular appreciate. These controls not only look sleek and modern, but they also prevent you from needing to babysit your blender. Simply tap the preset mode or speed setting you want, and your Blendtec handles the rest.

Dulling is never an issue with Blendtec blades. This is on purpose, of course. Those blunt edges are better able to pulverize produce without chopping up the vital nutrients contained therein. In many ways, the Blendtec Classic makes up the baseline for all other Blendtec blenders. It is capable accomplishes the most common blending jobs easily. This model comes with a high number of options, too.

For example, the Blendtec Classic includes five-speed settings. Each can be used to customize the texture of your blended drink. To that end, it comes in numerous designer colors. All of those options use the same molded plastic finish, making the whole unit easy to clean. For a baseline model, you may not expect the very best from the Blendtec Classic , but in fact, this blender punches above its weight class.

For example, it includes the same LCD screen seen in more expensive models. Also, it comes with the same 8-year warranty as other Blendtec blenders. Still, other users of the Blendtec Classic have noted its versatility in making everything from sauces and gravies to restaurant-quality salsa. The Blendtec Total Classic is the next step up from this brand. At its core is the same 1, watt motor as smaller units. But this model does far, far more with that motor.

For example, it has ten-speed options built right in. This allows the unit to make more than just smoothies. You can make everything from salsa to hot soup in this blender. With all of those speed options, one might expect this blender to be tough to use. But not so! Instead, the Blendtec Total Classic utilizes a push-button interface that can be learned in minutes. It also uses an LCD screen to show which mode is presently in use.

This makes it easy to keep an eye on your blend, even from across the kitchen. Of note, those buttons are also fully sealed. The Blendtec Total Classic is also easier to clean than many consumer blenders.

This is due in part to its self-cleaning mode. To make this work, all you need is to throw some soap and water into its jar. Then, simply push the cleaning button, and away it goes. In under a minute, the whole jar is free of debris. That makes this model great to use daily. To be specific, this model has been redesigned for those without much blending experience. For example, this model includes an easy-to-read LCD timer with simple adjustment buttons.

This blender has even priced to make it quick and easy to get into at-home blending. For an introductory model like this, some brands would cut corners. But Blendtec would never do that. The Blendtec Classic Fit proves that because it features many specs from its standard line of products.

This includes a 1,watt motor that can last for more than a decade of regular use. This jar has a huge capacity, making it possible to share your new blended creations with ease. However, Blendtec did cut down just one aspect of this blender.

Specifically, it has a much shorter warranty. In total, that warranty only lasts for two years. That may be rather short if you intend to use this unit long term. So, in reality, this is mainly a good option if you are shopping on a budget.

In many ways, the Blendtec Designer lives up to that calling. This can be seen right off the bat with its blades. They are forged from stainless steel, making them corrosion resistant against acidic juices.

As such, they are super durable and able to resist bending or breaking. Speaking of durability, the Blendtec Designer has a lot to offer on that front. Also, in turns of durability, this unit features a molded plastic enclosure. The Blendtec Designer is also very usable, which is excellent for inexperienced users. To that end, it features a touch interface that requires little effort to operate.

Simply choose which pre-set program or time you want, and this blender takes charge. Should you need a customized speed, this model has you covered as well. It has a sliding speed bar that gives you all the power when it comes to blending. Next up is the Blendtec Designer This, in turn, allows this model to blend far faster. The Blendtec Designer also includes a touchscreen control interface that is very responsive.

Should some juice drip onto it, it can also be cleaned off with ease. When blending for the family, you could make its ice cream or juice function. Meanwhile, when making a beverage for yourself, you could even use its margarita mode. However, if you want a more personal blend, you can add a Twister jar to your package.

Both types of jars are well-sealed, too, not to mention fully BPA-free. Blendtec Designer users have been very complimentary towards its touch controls.

They often note that they are sharp, bright, and easy to activate with just a light press. Some users have even stated that the lack of lag after pressing these controls is impressive. The program cycles are perfect for most applications, however, on occasion we need to continue blending after the program completes to finish the job. No big deal. The Vitamix does have overheat protection but not the other protections the Blendtec has. A Vitamix will continue to run until you manually power off or until the thermal protection kicks in to prevent overheating.

The biggest difference comparing Blendtec and Vitamix containers is compatibility with each model. With Blendtec every type of container fits and work on all of their models. With Vitamix certain models only work with certain containers, so if you upgrade you may also need to buy new additional containers.

The second biggest difference is all Blendtec jars are dishwasher safe while many, but not all, Vitamix jars are dishwasher safe on the top rack is best.

For the most part, both do not absorb the odors of the ingredients that are put in, however, it is important to clean the jars right away to eliminate any unwanted smells. If you have these two jars you don't need anything else to blend everything your heart desires!

Which is why Blender Babes negotiated an exclusive deal just for you! Note: Blendtec won a 24 MM lawsuit against Vitamix for patent infringement for this particular jar - it works that well! I know it's cheaper but it just doesn't blend as well. Things get stuck and you will have to stop the machine and shake the jar or move ingredients around with a spatula. FAQ: My family consists of 3 people and I would probably be making smoothies in a small amount, sometimes just single servings.

It's super small amounts of things like dressings, sauces, etc. If you grow to LOVE your Blendtec and want to easily make all-the-things, you may consider adding one of these additional jars to your wish list. Most Vitamix models come with a 64 oz capacity container. The only other jar you really need from the Vitamix brand in order to blend smaller portions or single servings, especially if you get the 64 oz compact jar is the much smaller Vitamix 32 oz jar, or recently introduced Vitamix 48 oz container.

A Vitamix wet jar can perform hot, cold, and wet, however for blending dry goods, they have a special Dry Grains Container. Answer: I personally rarely use the dry jar - only when I'm testing. If you do occasional grinding, you can do so in the wet jar. That said, if you plan to do A LOT of grinding gluten-free household, make your own flour for dough, etc. Note: We have found Vitamix Containers for less on Amazon.

Both blenders offer a variety of containers to match your needs. Due to its serious power and jar designs, Blendtec jars are not recommended to operate when at capacity ie. In contrast, Vita-Mix jars can be filled to the top since 1 they are not as powerful and 2 the lid on the Vitamix containers offer a little extra room.

They also more easily make bread dough and other baked goods. Vitamix does NOT have a thick or blunt blade I have cut my finger on the tip while cleaning it by hand. That said, it is definitely NOT razor sharp like a Ninja blender blades or food processor. What matter is it IS thick and sharp enough to chop through tough food ingredients like berry seeds and sticky dates, better and quicker than Blendtec can in my testing.

The patented Blendtec single blade design IS blunt and thick, which is why it can pulverize anything you throw at it, including golf balls and lighters, without breaking. In any Blendtec jar, its single blade will do it all: hot, cold, wet, and dry grinding. With Vitamix they encourage you to use their special dry grains container for grinding as its blade is designed and meant only for this purpose.

See my Vitamix containers review for more detail about whether you need the Vitamix dry container or not. This way, there is no need to stop the blender to add more ingredients. For this reason, Blendtec recommends not filling their jar to the very top and we must say, this is accurate. As the highly fibrous contents were pulverized on high speeds, and the level of fluid increased, the lid was pushed off sending the contents of our green juice and almond milk once we attempted a double batch!

With Blendtec blenders, large items sometimes need to be halved or quartered, or additional liquid is needed to blend completely without stopping the blender and pushing ingredients into the blades. Every Vitamix blender comes with a perfectly sized patented tamper, to assist in blending solid and whole uncut foods without stopping the blender. The Vitamix Tamper fits through the top opening of the container lid to push solid particles back down into the blender blades, for a faster, smoother and more uniform blending.

The Vitamix tamper is not always necessary but is extremely helpful with super green smoothies, and making frozen treats and thicker dishes such as nut butter. In this Blendtec vs. Vitamix comparison, we have tested each of these machines including all of their models making all-the-things that each company says they can do.

In addition to making amazing smoothies and margaritas the essentials! I love doing these types of "blend-offs" because it truly showcases the strengths and weaknesses these blenders have. Please Note: While I love other blend-off tests and videos, what I have found from other reviewers is that they only test one model. Also certain types of blends require different accessories - such as a smaller container for Vitamix or twister jar for Blendtec.

So I will do my best to share the results I have found after constant testing with all the newest models and any recommendations I have below. But in the Blendtec vs. Vitamix debate, there is no need to be concerned about whether or not either blender can result in a silky smooth smoothie.

There is no question that both blenders do an excellent job at turning out delicious fruit and vegetable smoothies. With our extensive recipe testing, Blender Babes has used our Blendtec blenders literally thousands of times. Since there's not tamper to push the ingredient down you would have to stop the machine and do it manually and possibly add more liquid to get it going.

Another thing we found is that when making super packed green smoothies, the Whole Juice program cycle will not always complete the blending to its smoothest point, upon the timed second cycle. For example, sometimes with carrots and certain green smoothies packed with tons of fibrous vegetables, it may be necessary to do additional blending after running the Whole Juice cycle.

That being said, since every Blendtec offers manual buttons for added control over your blending desires, usually, only a few more seconds at a high speed finishes the job. Compared to the Blendtec, The Vitamix makes super smooth fruit, vegetable, and green smoothies, even when we pack the container to the brim. There is a reason the Vitamix comes with its patented tamper. And with certain to-capacity or highly fibrous green smoothies, we need to push those ingredients down and into the blade.

Since you are controlling the machine you have the ability to shut off the power except with the automated controls in the new Vitamix or models!! Well, we have your answer. While both the Blendtec and Vitamix blenders are not traditional juice extractors, it is important to note that they can make juice and that too, very well! The important difference is that traditional juicers extract the liquid from whole foods, separating out the pulp fiber , seeds, and skin.

But both Vitamix and Blendtec blenders do not remove anything from the whole food, so you get ALL the nutrition that is found in the skin and seeds, as well as the natural fiber pulp which is liquefied — thus a wholefood juice. Another important difference between a traditional juice extractor and a Blendtec or Vitamix juicer is that a traditional juicer requires times more produce to extract a small amount of juice.

The resulting juice has a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals than what a Blendtech or Vitamix would yield. However, it can also have a much higher concentration of sugar, especially in fruit juices or vegetable juices such as carrots. Some illnesses and digestive diseases actually require such a high concentration of vitamins and minerals without the fiber or anything else that the body has to digest.

But if you want fresh-squeezed fruit juices such as apple or orange juice, you might prefer the juice from a quality extract juicer. Another unique application of these blenders is using them as a mixer.

You can quickly create batters, quick bread, and yeast bread with either blender. If you have a simple cake, cornbread, or brownie mix, such as our Healthy Brownies recipe, you can just blend it all together in the 64 oz container from either brand then easily pour it directly into your baking dish!

With both Vitamix and Blendtec most cakes, cookies, and bread instructions call for you to blend the wet ingredients and then pour them into a bowl containing the dry ingredients, mixing it by hand from there. When it comes to yeast bread and dough in the Blendtec and Vitamix, both require a little finesse and know-how of baking bread — as there are a lot of other factors to making good fresh bread than just mixing it.

See our Vitamix pizza dough how-to here! Chopping may sound like an impossible feat for blenders, but both these brands claim to be food processors or choppers. While neither blender is designed to be as good as a chopper or can handle as large a quantity as a separate food processor, both have the ability to chop smaller quantities of food. However, the low variable speed control of the Vitamix allows for cleaner, more precise chopping results than the Pulse feature of the Blendtec.

Blender Babes have used the Blendtec Pulse feature and Vitamix chopping instructions quite a bit for certain recipes such as skinny guacamole, or to add chunks to our soup. While both work very well, if you need to chop large quantities of food, we still recommend a true food processor. The advantage Blendtec has over Vitamix is that both their Fourside and Wildside jar also dry blend meaning you do not have to buy any additional jars specifically for this purpose.

The Vitamix, on the other hand, has a special dry goods jar that they sell separately or sometimes in a combo package , which adds to the price of an already expensive blender. Many of our members tell us that they use their standard wet jar to blend dry goods such as flax seeds and wheat berries. We have tested this and yes, the wet jar can grind grains. That said, if used repeatedly for dry grinding, the sharp blade will become dull, and eventually, wet blending performance will be compromised.

The Vitamix dry container is especially designed for grinding flour because the blade is shaped differently and specifically for creating an opposite vortex. This pushes the dry goods against the jar, circulates differently, and provides a slightly finer grind than the wet jar as well.

If you plan to do a lot of grinding i. But if you occasionally want to grind some flax seeds and make your own flax meal, then you may not want to spend the extra money now to get the Vitamix dry container. In that case, you can use your wet jar with the understanding that the whole jar or just the blade may need replacing sooner than normal. With our Blendtec, Blender Babes uses one Fourside jar specifically for dry goods, and one for all else — since cosmetic alterations are not covered under warranty.

When these two top blenders battle it out to make hot soup, they each can do so in mere minutes due to the friction the blades cause when spinning. Literally, steam will be coming out the top when you take the lid off!

Since both blender containers have vented lids that are designed for pressure release, it is safe to blend hot liquids, unlike Ninja blenders for example. Due to the Blendtec being a more powerful machine, when starting with cold water or broth, it takes slightly less time by pressing the Soup button or 90 second button 3 times, taking a total of 4. The Vitamix, on the other hand, takes takes minutes on manual control on the highest variable speed or by using their automated 6 minute soup setting on Vitamix models with programmed settings.

It is of course much healthier to make a fresh soup at home than to use a canned soup — which has a shelf life of 3 years thanks to hefty preservatives and is often extremely high in sodium. We have many Blendtec and Vitamix soup recipes and are constantly adding new ones because it's one of the healthiest types of recipes you can blend!

Who would have EVER thought they would see ice cream made in 45 seconds?!?! Aside from yeast bread, ice cream is probably the trickiest thing to make. We find that with ice cream, the Blendtec needs to have fairly exact measurements of liquids to frozen ingredients which our recipes provide or the ice causes cavitation around the blade, so you must stop the machine, shake it out or use a spatula, and use your manual keys to re-blend.

So, even if you have a little more ice than needed you just keep blending until the four mounds and star shape forms at the top. The Vitamix usually takes a few seconds longer, but they both equally make fabulous fresh and healthier ice cream. The ice cream from both of these blenders is more of a soft-serve — not like traditional hard ice cream.

You can, however, add it to an ice cream maker to get that traditional texture. Click here for some more Blendtec and Vitamix ice cream making tips. Most regular kitchen blenders have a separate blade, gasket, and jar — and therefore must be taken apart to clean and sanitize after each blend. To clean up after most blended concoctions, all you have to do is add some hot water with a little bit of dish soap and blend for several seconds, and then rinse.

This will remove any gunk around the blade. That said, stickier jobs such as nut butter and bread doughs usually require additional scrubbing after first self-cleaning. In these cases, we do find the Blendtec slightly easier to clean. Also, its square design is easier for both small and larger hands to reach in and clean with a sponge. Most of the Vitamix jars except their newest 64oz compact jar , on the other hand, are more narrow and all their models have a somewhat sharp 4 prong blade.

This requires more care when handling or doing any additional cleaning. Note, it is recommended that you do not put older Blendtec containers that are not BPA-Free in the dishwasher. For Vitamix, some of their jars are not dishwasher safe and some are. Pro Tip: Always make sure to clean right after blending for the best results.

In our experience and from numerous member reviews, both blender companies have exceptional customer service and make it easy to fix or replace under warranty without a headache.

You can feel safe in your purchase with either blender. The quality construction for both of these blenders means you will use these blenders for years without any problems. The average life expectancy for each is 15 to 20 years. They also offer an added 3-year warranty at checkout. Blendtec offers a day money-back guarantee for a full refund, no questions asked. However, if you return or send in under warranty, you must pay for your own return shipping.

However, both companies do use some foreign-made components within their blenders. Blendtec blenders were the original inventors of high-tech blenders. Not only are they extremely powerful, all models have automatic presets that people LOVE! At the beginning of my blending journey, I sold many of these blenders to former Vitamix owners and they were very happy with the differences, the main reasons being: more powerful, easier to clean and not having to use a tamper.

Vitamix has been around for almost years. They were known for their iconic Vitamix with the tall jar, tamper and variable speed dial. In the last 8 years they have come out with numerous new models with features that consumers ask for and loved about Blendtec - fit under kitchen cabinets, automatic presets, pulse feature and digital timer to name a few. Whether you like the classic switches and dials or the newer Smart System blenders you really can't go wrong.

Hopefully, this review has cleared your doubts and given you an idea of what you need. I want you to look at your purchase as a positive investment toward your own health.

These blenders end up paying for themselves in typically less than a year, and over time you will actually save thousands of dollars between eating healthier and preventing doctor visits. The Wildside gets its name because it is essentially a 4 sided blender jar with an extra fifth side. This wild side is essentially a flattened corner, and it changes the vortex created by the rotating blades. What this means is that all of the ingredients, top to bottom, get sucked into the blades and mixed completely, from liquids to solids and everything in between.

There are no dead spots and no places where clumps can hide. Everything in the blender gets channeled towards the blades, which works great for frozen foods like ice cream or heavy duty ingredients like bread dough.

The easy Gripper lid allows you to add ingredients through the center opening and releases pressure when you blend hot liquids. This is the standard Blendtec jar and it gives a good account of itself for lots of blending job. The square sides of the jar blend every ingredient better than regular round jars, and this is the jar that made the Blendtec Blender what it is today. The FourSide Jar works best for grinding dried foods and grains, making soups and, of course, smoothies.

You may also prefer this jar if you usually work with regular or small quantities. The actual jar is round, but it comes with a twist. Yes, the Twister lid of the jar is equipped with built-in spatulas that hug the inside of the jar when the blender is running.

You also get the easy Griper lid with the Twister jar. The spatulas works great for heavier and gooey types of food, like hummus, nut butters and even making baby food. It is another unique and functional idea from Blendtec that make their blenders incredibly versatile.

Any and all of these jars are easily interchanged within the Blendtech line. They are all made of heavy duty BPA-free plastic, and they are virtually indestructible. The stainless steel blades are two pronged and can crush ice easily. No seeds will be left if you make a berry smoothie. Although every specific Blendtec Blender comes with its own standard blending jar, you can get one of the others as an option from Blendtec itself.

The Blendtec Total is the descendant from the blender that made Blendtec famous. A watt, 3 horsepower motor and the patented 2 quart FourSide jar make this unit a workhorse for every day blending tasks. It has a digital button touchpad with 6 pre-sets, including mixed drinks, smoothies, ice crush, ice cream and hot soups or bulletproof coffee. It also has the unique batters preset button which may be particularly valuable if you are into mixing batter and dough.

The auto shut-off feature lets you select any of the presets and walkaway. There are 10 speeds and a pulse button for extra control when required. If the price of a new Blendtec is not appealing, consider. This is one of the better deals in the Blendtec line. Better still, it leaves the factory with a full 7 year certified warranty.