by Woody from Amazon user feedback
"I received this as a
Christmas gift, and so far, I love it. I currently own a Krups blender, which
was only about $30, and I was preparing to buy something like a Viking Blender
- something that has a much more powerful motor system, for around $150, when
my parents got me this. The great thing about it is that it's not necessarily a
blender. I mean, it is by definition, but there's a couple key differences.
Blenders have an inherent flaw of only blending what's at the bottom,
especially when it's something thick like a shake. I always ended up with big
chunks of ice cubes in my shakes even after 3 minutes of blending. The ice just
never reached the bottom. Not a problem with this system. Even if the blender
carafe didn't have 3 sets of blades, it already works better than a blender
because the blades aren't embedded in the bottom of the carafe. Which allows me
to point out another awesome thing - don't you hate trying to scoop out your
drink from the recessed blade area of a blender? And sometimes it just never
gets clean? Or it leaks if you don't screw it on tight enough, or, God forbid
(this happened to me once) the whole carafe unscrews itself while it's blending
and crap flies everywhere? I love the design of the Ninja system if for nothing
else than just to avoid all of that!
I
haven't used this system for too many things yet, but let me tell you one thing
it excels at - chopping ice. And I don't mean those dinky ice cubes that you
get in the plastic trays. If you know anything about silicone ice molds, it
makes the cubes huge and square. I looked at the ice cubes, and then at the
Ninja and thought "let's give this a whirl". Boy was I surprised. Not
only did it pulverize the cubes, but it did so in less than 30 seconds. Unlike
my Krups blender, which would get hot and almost smoke if left on too long to
try and pulverize the ice cubs, the Ninja motor didn't even get warm.
Now,
onto the cons, which really aren't that bad. The whole system itself does take
up a lot of space. I honestly don't think I need 3 carafes with 3 separate sets
of blades and 3 lids. I have used the chopper, and it's definitely nice, but I
don't know if I'll ever use the middle one. Maybe if I needed to chop something
big like carrots or celery or something, I don't know. Another con is the
obvious inability to allow it to sit there and blend something because you have
to hold down the button for the motor. Now, this might not be so bad because it
is extremely powerful, the blades are VERY sharp, and it doesn't take long to
pulverize anything. But, it would be nice to be able to set it, and walk away
for 30 seconds to do something else, even if it's nothing more than preparing
to put more ice cubes in, (which, is another flaw - you have to remove the
motor and the lid before adding any solids). But, I think the flaws in the
system, the way it's designed, allows the user to avoid dealing with the
problems a normal "
by Amy Gurley from Amazon user feedback
>>>Check special orice at amazon.com
3. Magic Bullet MBR-1701 17-Piece Express Mixing Set
- 17-piece high-speed mixing system chops, whips, blends, and more
- Includes power base, 2 blades, 2 cups, 4 mugs, 4 colored comfort lip rings, 2 sealed lids, 2 vented lids, and recipe book
- Durable see-through construction; press down for results in 10 seconds or less
- Microwave- and freezer-safe cups and mugs; dishwasher-safe parts
- Product Built to North American Electrical Standards
The Magic Bullet replaces
a food processor, blender, and coffee grinder, yet it occupies only the space
of a coffee mug. It stays handy on your countertop for instant meals and
snacks. There are no buttons to push. Just load the ingredients into the short
cup, the tall cup or one of the four mugs. Twist on the cross or flat blade,
place the bullet on the power base, and press down - in seconds, you'll have
chopped onions, minced garlic, grated cheese, spaghetti sauce, salsa, soup,
chicken salad, smoothies, shakes and more. To heat or chill, simply place the
magic bullet cup or mug in the microwave, refrigerator or freezer.
Most helpful costumer reviews:
"After reading some reviews
on here I decided to make my own. Something I think people need to understand
is that the Magic Bullet (MB) blender was made for very specific use. I haven't
seen the info-mercials but I can say that for me, this is the perfect blender.
Here's why:
1. Size - The MBs compact size means it's easy
to store. This is crucial for people who don't have a lot of cabinet/counter
space. My counter already has a coffee pot, espresso machine,toaster, knife
rack, etc. I need a blender that doesn't take up very much space, so for me,
it's the perfect size because I leave it sitting out. The extra accessories can
be left in the box it came in and put in the attic or basement for storage if
you won't be using them on a regular basis. I only use the 20oz cup.
2. Ease of Use - We live in an age where people
want simplicity. By design, the MB already has your serving size
pre-determined. This is great for people who are conscientious about their portion
sizes. In addition, it makes clean up easier. There's no need to pour your
drink from a pitcher to a cup, so not only are you using less dishes, but the
design of it is just like cleaning a glass. Also, there is only one speed of
the MB. This may seem like a detractor, but the switch between pulsing and
pureeing works well and should handle any job a normal blender does. I found
this surprising omission to be one of its best attributes, hence it's specific
use.
3. Functionality - I've only used the MB to make
smoothies/shakes and it works great. Some reviewers have complained that the MB
underperforms in this area but I think it is a case of operator error. They
must be using it wrong because after I got the hang of it, I found that I have
a perfect smoothies/shakes. What I would recommend is to blend your ice
(approx. 5 pcs) and milk/water (approx. 1 cup) first. Break the ice up by
pulsing the MB. Once this is done, add in whatever mix/powder you want in it.
Mix it in by pureeing it. Lastly I add half a banana by pureeing it as well.
The result is a perfect drink without any ice chunks. I find for smoothies it
works better than a blender.
All in all I highly recommend the MB if the
details I listed earlier are what you're looking for. If you want more than
single servings at one time I would look elsewhere. Otherwise, the MB should be
able to handle any job a traditional blender does."
by MagicBulletUser from Amazon user feedback
4. Hamilton Beach 58148A Power Elite Multi-Function Blender
- 700-watt of peak blending power
- Unique, no-mess pouring spout
- 40 oz. dishwasher safe glass jar
The Power Elite
Multi-Function Blender is great for blending classic beverages such as
smoothies and icy drinks, but it’s equally talented at preparing food such as
salsas and purées. Once this multi-tasking blender is in your kitchen, it will
quickly become your go-to appliance for preparing many different things. To
simplify blending, its 4 blending buttons clearly indicate which function each
button is designed to perform. You’ll quickly be able to select which button to
press for each blending task, from making milkshakes and crushing ice to food
preparation such as puree, dice, chop and grate.
Most helpful costumer reviews:
"I bought this blender primarily
for protein and fruit smoothies, crushing ice, and grinding coffee.
Out of box experience was good, well packaged,
simple. Tested it by using the Easyclean feature, and it worked like a champ.
While it is noisy, it is quieter than I expected. Just don't expect to be
listening to something on TV in another room if you are blending in the kitchen.
The Pros:
My
first smoothie was done in seconds, no fuss, no muss. A cup of ice, two big
scoops of protein powder, fresh strawberries not cut up, and 12 ounces water.
I put in the ice and strawberries first, and
pulsed about 3 times on ice to get a very nice puree of ice slush and
strawberry, only a few seconds each. It's got power to spare. Added the powder
and water, hit smoothie, and about 15 seconds later I had very happy happy
milk-shaky-like goodness to enjoy.
Cleanup and storage could not have been easier.
So it's a keeper.
The cons:
I can
see how with so much plastic used, SOMETHING will give out over time and use.
HB does not warrant glass breakage, but they say NOTHING about plastics, so if
a lid or vent or base go, the 3 year warranty will be worth keeping track of.
Summary and impressions:
It
suits my needs, it meets or exceeds expectations, and it was cheap. So cheap
that if it dies after warranty, I won't blink and won't miss it.
So after browsing through HUNDREDS of reviews,
personal blenders, and Ninja's and such, and nearly going for a Cuisinart
personal blender, I figure this one takes up roughly the same amount of space,
700 watts beats 300 any old day, and certainly 185, and why mess around when I
don't want to have to worry, I want to blend."
by Dr. Geoff from Amazon user feedback
>>>Check special price at amazon.com
5. Oster BLSTPB-WBL My Blend 250-Watt Blender with Travel Sport Bottle
- Blend your favorite smoothie or shake right in the sport bottle
- Dishwasher-safe 20-ounce BPA-free plastic sport bottle
- Powerful 250-watt motor with One Touch blending
- Built-in, resettable fuse will revive the motor in 15 minutes should it overheat
- Recipes included in the instruction manual
Get up. Get blending. Get going. Your life on the go just
took a whole new direction. Introducing the Oster My Blend, a strikingly
stylish addition to the Oster family of blenders designed for your active,
fast-paced lifestyle. Sleek, industrial design of the stylish travel sport
bottle. It;s available in orange, pink, green and blue. The 20 ounce BPA-free
plastic Sport Bottle comes complete with a carry hook and lid storage when put
away. Works with the Oster My Blend blender, and looks are just the beginning.
A powerful 250-watt motor turns ice and frozen fruit into your favorite
smoothies, health shakes, and diet drinks. When in use, you replace the blade
with the drinking lid, so you don’t have to drink with the blade still in the
bottom. The Blender base is small enough to keep on your counter every day.
Simply FILL the My Blend Sport Bottle, BLEND, and GO! REUSE throughout the day
to stay hydrated with water and other beverages. The Oster My Blend. Smoothie
skills that impress. Intriguing design that travels.
Most helpful costumer reviews:
"I have a Vitamix and love
it, but I was eager to try the Oster BLSTPB-WOR My Blend 250-Watt Blender in
Orange, to see if it could streamline my AM blended mocha. My toddler is
freaked out in the early morning by the crazy loud noise our very powerful
Vitamix makes, so I was hoping this would be quieter. It is quieter, but I do
have to blend longer -- it is a fair trade off though since it doesn't make my
daughter cry. Considering my Vitamix was $300+ and this is almost 10% of that,
I was not expecting to get the same blend results, but I was very pleased with
how the Oster performed considering its low price and plastic parts. I was
amused that the neon summer colors offered match the candy colored MacBooks of
the early double 00's, reminded me of college days :)
REUSE throughout the day
to stay hydrated with water and other beverages. The Oster My Blend. Smoothie
skills that impress. Intriguing design that travels."
by Natasha Stryker from Amazon user feedback
"I love my Oster personal
blender!!! I have had the Magic Bullet for a few years and my mom thought the
new Oster would be just like that so she thought it was pointless to buy. I
ignored her and got it anyways and we love it! The Magic Bullet makes personal
size smoothies, but it is far more expensive (although it does other things,
too) and it's cups are just that--cups. They have no lid so you really can't
take your smoothie with you unless you put it in another bottle. This is why I
got the oster. You just blend, put the lid on, and go! It's great for drinking
on the way to school or work and it is so fast to make! The longest part of the
process is peeling any fruit you want to put in it, but if you use frozen fruit
or fruit that does not need to be peeled, or you aren't making a fruit
smoothie, it is quite fast! It can make frozen coffee drinks, smoothies,
milkshakes, etc. IT is fantastic! The only thing I need now is for someone to
sell extra bottles for it. Right now we only have one so only one person can
have a smoothie. Generally I am the only one who drinks them daily, but
sometimes my mom or sister will want one, too. If anyone knows where you can
get more bottles, let me know!"
by R. Froelich from Amazon user feedback
