Today, my friend Rachel asked me about my blender, which was perfect timing, considering that it is currently on my mind.
So, to put it short, do I still recommend this blender, now that I've had it for 2 years? Do I still think it was worth the money?
A reminder, it cost me $108.81 including shipping for the blender, two jars, a dry jar and a wet jar, and a tamper. The Vitamix equivalent would cost nearly 10 times that amount locally, and costs 4 times that in the US, from what I'm told.
The answer? A resounding yes. Yes I like it. Yes I still use it. Yes, I think it's worth it. Yes, you should get it.
But there are caveats.
I'll get to that in a second.
But first, let me just say that I use this probably multiple times a week, and many times multiple times a day.
I have a food processor and a spice grinder, but I never use them. I use this. I do use my grain grinder for grinding flour, though, because I don't find the dry jar works as well as my grinder or gets things as fine as quickly. I use the dry jar for spices and grinding flax seeds regularly, as well as making crumbs, etc...
The blender works amazingly for soups, smoothies, making mayo, grinding ice to make slushies, making nut butters, etc. The motor is super strong and powerful.
The jar itself is great and the blade is great, even two years later.
The biggest issue I have is the bottom part. Where it attaches to the base.
It is not good enough quality. It is not rust free. When it gets wet and stays wet, it gets ruined. It also rusts and it also flakes. Something I've noticed is that it really doesn't work in the dishwasher, because the water ends up sitting on this mechanism and not emptying out after the cycle ends, which contributes to the wear and tear here. After 2 years, today I finally bought a replacement for this bit from Aliexpress, because last week when I was using it, some ball bearings started coming out.
So number one, if you get this, hand wash it, and make sure that the bottom dries afterwards, because it shouldn't stay wet.
But number two, even when that does get ruined, if you don't take care of it properly like I do, replacing that only costs $20, which isn't bad, and extends the life of this.
I want to point out that the only thing that rusts is something that doesn't touch the food. The blade is still in perfect condition.
I want to point out that the only thing that rusts is something that doesn't touch the food. The blade is still in perfect condition.
The other thing I wanted to mention is not to use the tamper with the dry jar. I did and destroyed my tamper. It isn't meant for the dry jar.
And lastly, my only other issue which isn't a big issue, is that the cover doesn't like to always stay firmly put inside. I hold the cover in while running the machine, because otherwise I find it tends to slide up.
No, this isn't the perfect machine. But I definitely feel I got my money's worth, and am continuing to invest in it, because it really is a great product.
And lastly, my only other issue which isn't a big issue, is that the cover doesn't like to always stay firmly put inside. I hold the cover in while running the machine, because otherwise I find it tends to slide up.
No, this isn't the perfect machine. But I definitely feel I got my money's worth, and am continuing to invest in it, because it really is a great product.
What kind of blender do you have? Do you have a high quality one? If you do, do you also use a food processor or just a blender? How long has your blender lasted you? How much did it cost? Did you ever consider getting a Biolomix? If you do have one, what are your thoughts on it?
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I have a Vitamix, which took a few years of saving, but I'm happy I have it. It gets used at least once a day, for everything from plain blending to spice grinding. There are two wet jars (I use the smaller one to make lotions and creams) and a dry jar. Had it for over a decade, I think, and aside from the dry jar being scratched up it's in perfect shape. Got it from Costco, maybe it was $500? Which was a lot but it gets used constantly.
ReplyDeleteI also have a food processor, which I use for mostly baking type things, like pie crust and grinding nuts, and grating/shredding vegetables. For me, hand grating takes a lot of strength these days, so I appreciate the ease of the grater thingie on the processor.
A quality blender is invaluable if you're caring for someone who needs pureed food, because you have more choice on what's puree-able. And it does a better job, no chunks to choke on.
We have both a food processor and a blender, which I'll admit seems rather excessive. The blender is the second half of the first food processor set we had; the handle shattered and the lid broke within a year of having it, so the blender half is all we have left. The food processor is a state-of-the-art Magic Mix that cost several-hundred euros, but it was my husband's money to spend and not mine.
ReplyDeleteAnyway: the food processor is really great. It makes pastry in literally 15 seconds, hummus comes together with a quick whazz; if I'm making something that involves a lot of grating, it takes 15 seconds and it's over. While I haven't tried peanut butter in it yet I'm sure it would work well for that. But oddly, the one thing it doesn't do well is smoothies: it works too well, so you end up with tiny granules of fruit you can feel when you drink it. So we kept our blender for smoothies.
I have a standard Oster belnder. Bought back in 2008 for probably under $30 and thankfully still going strong. It goes through phases of usage, depending on my diet, but is often used up to 5 times a day to crush ice and make smoothies. That's about the only think I use it for. I have replaced the jar twice, as it was glass and fell twice into my cermaic tiles. Now I have a plastic jar instead. I feel no need for a stronger machine, but I don't use it for anything harder than crushing ice.
ReplyDeleteI also have a Braun food processor, bought in 2006 for $100 which I use about once a week for things requiring grated vegetables and making crumbs. I also have a Basch immersion blender from approx 2007, cost about $30, which I love. Use it to blend soups (much easier to stick it in my pot than to pour the soup over in batches into a machine) and make mayo.
Hey! Do you know what the black stick is used for? I just got the Biolomix blender and I have no clue what it is 😂
ReplyDeleteIt is used to push food towards the blades. Making smoothy you want all ingredients to be crushed.
ReplyDeleteI have the BioloMix blender exlusively for making nut butter. The process is not only fast but also clean. Ground pieces are almost never sprayed upwards unlike in a food chopper. I operate without a lid until cleaning time, tamp with a spoon, rest it on a plate and use it to extract the paste. Until the nuts are ground, it's not easy to accidentally reach the blades.
ReplyDeleteI would prefer a glass jar that couldn't be scratched. The air vent on the top has a complex shape, and is hard to clean.
For grinding spices, coffee or eggshells I have an old 150 watt unit with a removable metal-lined jar, with capacity of about 3/4 cups. It can also mix a mug of butter coffee. The other things I own are a low power chopper, which is of no use, and a dedicated solid vegetable grater, which doesn't fear being stalled when clogged with cabbage. For this reason I decided I didn't need an unspecialized food processor.
my biolomix is less than a year old. i cannot use it because the blade got stiff. two little metal bolts keep it stuck. and how the hell can i open the jar. i regretted buying this thing. Aliexpress i need my money back. this thing is not a good buy. people....dont waste your money. i have a $99. blender and it does a better job!
ReplyDelete