Vitamix vs. Blendtec vs. ??? (ingredients, restaurants, soups, butter)

[sinatras]

So I did a search to make sure this question has not been asked before, and I don't think it has.

I am so sick and tired of buying blenders that suck. I just bought a 300 Breville that jumps all over the counter and made a smoothie with ice that I had to chew. WTH???? It is going right back to Macy's.

I am about to finally spend the 500 bucks and buy a decent blender (Vitamix, Blendtec, etc.). I am interested in buying a blender that makes SNOW of ice, in other words, perfect smoothies. If I spend 500 bucks on a blender and I make a smoothie and I am tasting tiny ice chunks I am going to be super pissed off.

I want a blender that makes of ice what you get in a Starbucks Frappuccino. Miniscule snow. And it does this fast so that you don't whip too much air into the mixture.

I know that a lot of you have Blendtecs and Vitas. Which blender should I get?

[jambo101]

I've never had much luck getting blenders to efficiently get ice to a consistency of shaved ice, its usually a violent noisy affair that usually results in a smashed ice rather than a shaved ice consistency., maybe a $500 one might do a better job, or you could use a machine specifically made to shave ice and use the blender for all the other smoothie ingredients and combine the two.
Amazon Best Sellers: best Shaved Ice Machines

[caligirlz]

Originally Posted by sinatras

I am so sick and tired of buying blenders that suck.

I am about to finally spend the 500 bucks and buy a decent blender (Vitamix, Blendtec, etc.). I am interested in buying a blender that makes SNOW of ice, in other words, perfect smoothies. If I spend 500 bucks on a blender and I make a smoothie and I am tasting tiny ice chunks I am going to be super pissed off.

I know that a lot of you have Blendtecs and Vitas. Which blender should I get?

never heard of a Blendtec. I've had a VitaMix for years. It's the best blender I've ever owned...had the same sentiments as you. A lot of the smoothie-type stores use VitaMix. FWIW, I make fantastic smoothies every morning.

[sinatras]

So are you saying that when you make a smoothie with ice, that the Vitamix pulverizes the ice completely? I don't want to taste grains of ice in my smoothie. I want the blender to basically make snow of the ice.

[missik999]

I have a Vitamix, my son has a Blendtec. We both like the Vitamix much better.

[puginabug]

Originally Posted by sinatras

So are you saying that when you make a smoothie with ice, that the Vitamix pulverizes the ice completely? I don't want to taste grains of ice in my smoothie. I want the blender to basically make snow of the ice.

My daughter has a Vitamix, makes smoothies every day. Absolutely no ice chips or grains. Very smooth. and hers is a refurbished model. It's a wonderful machine.

Also, FWIW, I believe there's a 30-day guarantee, if you don't like it you can return for your money back. Check the Vitamix website.

[talloolla]

I have a Vitamix for about a year now and it gets used daily. It does pulverize ice and just about anything you can put in it. I also bought the additional container to make flour from whole grains. It is an American made product with excellent customer service. I purchased mine from qvc when it was a daily special that offered payments that made the cost a little easier to handle.
My ONLY complaint is that the blades do not come off so any thing thick (like almond butter) is a pain to get out around the blades and I feel that I waste some of the food.

If you do a search on YouTube, I think you will find a few video comparisons between Vitamix and Blendtec that may help you make your own decision.

[sue-q-b]

I have a Blendtec, and it will make perfect snow. And you don't have to use a tamper (as you do with Vitamixes) to pulverize the ice. If you have any doubt, check out the Will It Blend? videos on YouTube. Blendtec blenders are super tough, can blend anything, and won't wear out. You get a 7-year warranty, and I think the warranty is 8 years if you buy at Costco. The shape of the jar and blades make it easier than Vitamix jars to get out all the bits of food, so you aren't wasting anything. P.S. I also have a Twister jar for my Blendtec. The jar is smaller and has tines, making it perfect for nut butters, hummus, and small recipes. I LOVE it!!!

[missik999]

If you have a Whole Foods in your area they do live VitaMix demonstrations. They prepare several different types of smoothies and hot soups, give samples and recipes.

My son said he would have bought a VitaMix if he had seen a demo. He bought his Blendtec on the recommendation of a friend who had never used a Vitamix.

[ScoopLV]

Vitamix. It's what restaurants and bars use.