After researching and using several blenders for many different purposes my pick for the best blender is the one I am using now which is the Vitamix professional grade blender. For me it is heavy duty enough for all the things I use it for. I make a smoothie every morning so it gets tons of use and I have never had a problem with it and it is easy to clean.
Before the Vitamix blender I used those bullet blenders and had issues with those overflowing, having plastic break off, and the grooves on the bottom that turned the blade wore out over time. My dad always said “buy nice, not thrice” and this is definitely a case where even though it is a more expensive blender, it will last much longer than other cheaper blenders.
We have used this blender to make everything from smoothies to margaritas, sauces, rubs, and even cotton candy. Even through all of this the blender has been very easy to clean and store.
What to look for
When I’m buying a blender I look for motor speed, quality, capacity, noise level. There are many other facets and features that you could look at to make a decision, and if you are interested in those things you should definitely research those.
Motor power and speed settings
One of the major factors in my decision for selecting a blender was that it had t have a powerful motor. I use my blender for so many different things and with so many different substances that it had to be powerful enough to power through some very hard materials.
For the majority of materials that go into a blender a 500 – 700 watt motor will probably be enough but for things like ice or for thicker materials you will want to look for something higher that. This Vitamix blender has a 1440 watt motor with a stainless steel blade so it gets the job done on the majority of substance I throw at it.
There have only been a few times where I am trying to blend something very thick that the motor has gotten stuck. When that happens though I just make it a little less thick and it kicks right into gear. There will be very few things that it cannot blend effectively.
Quality
Like I mentioned before when I started on my research journey to buy a new blender I had been burned by lower quality blenders in the past and was looking to buy a quality blender that would last me several years. In addition to the blend quality of this Viatmix blender, the blender jar is quite durable.
It is made of Tritan plastic which means it is scratch and crack resistant. I actually dropped the jar on accident and not only did it not break but it did not even crack. The Trian material in additional to being strong is BPA free which is also a big selling point for me.
Size and Capacity
I use my blender for many different things and for many different purposes. The jar holds 64 fluid ounces which is perfect for making a smoothie for myself and my kids. Sometimes there are larger food items that I need to blend and it is easy to just throw them into the blender without having to chop them up first.
If you are someone that is more into single serving blending you probably want to look for a smaller model. However this 64 ounce jar has been perfect for what I typically use this blender for.
The blender is a bit on the heavy side so if you are using it frequently you will want to store it in a place that is close to an outlet or just find a home for it out in your kitchen so that you do not have to move it very often.
The cord is long enough that I have never had to use an extension cord and it is the jar on the base does not take up a whole bunch of space. I have a cabinet next to my outlet that keep it in so it is right there when I need it in the morning.
Noise level
Noise level is very important if you are someone like me that makes a smoothie first thing in the morning. There are times when the kids are still sleeping where I have had to move the smoothie into another room and shut the door before turning it on.
The noise level of this Vitamix blender is really the only thing that I don’t like about it. It is quite loud compared to some other blenders I have used. However if you typically use your blender when everyone is awake noise may not be a factor. There are other blenders out there that are quieter but you may have to pay for it in dollars or in function.
Takeaways
Remember a blender is one of those things where you should definitely buy nice not thrice! I have fought with low quality cheap blenders and they really are not worth it.
There are tons of blenders out there with many features and prices ranges to whichever one you end up getting make sure it fits for the purpose you are intending and of course fits your budget.
Let me know in the comments what you think of this blender or if you find one that is better!