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The Vitamix versus Blendtec Experience
Before we get started, I must say that both the Vitamix and the Blendtec are EXCELLENT kitchen tools. They are both totally worth the money and no matter which you choose, you will wonder how you ever lived without it.
That said, I personally found that I didn’t like the Vitamix as much as the Blendtec when I got the chance to really test them side-by-side. And trust me. I would have rather loved the Vitamix because I spent over 400 buckaroos of my own money on it.
When it comes to being successful in the kitchen, having good equipment can make all the difference. I spend countless hours in the kitchen every week doing recipe development and there are certain tools that I just can’t live without.
My blender is one of them.
In 2013, I saved and saved so that I could buy myself a new professional blender. I was using a cheaper blender and it just didn’t cut it any longer. So I saved up until I had enough to buy a better blender.
I did a lot of research was really torn between the Vitamix and the Blendtec. I spoke to countless people to see what their opinions were and discovered that you were either in the VM camp or the BT camp. I never found anyone who loved them both equally.
Ultimately, I decided to purchase a refurbished Vitamix (which saved me some significant dough) and after a month or so I regretted my decision. There were several things that I didn’t like about it and it made me wish I had purchased a Blendtec instead.
A couple months ago, Blendtec was nice enough to send me one of their blenders to test out in my own home. I was beyond excited, because even though I had resolved to enjoy my Vitamix, I still wasn’t thrilled with it.
I know, I know. It’s a major first world problem to complain about not liking an expensive blender.
I totally get that.
But, there were still some little things that bugged me about the VM and I’d get annoyed when I would try to make certain things with it.
Trust me. Like I said, I would have much rather preferred to love my Vitamix from the start, as I spent over $400 of my own money for that unit. It would be nice to love an investment of that cost, but alas, there were too many things about it that bugged me. Once I got the opportunity to compare them side by side, I was sold on the BT.
What I Received to Test Out
Blendtec sent me one of the refurbished Designer Series blenders and a Twister jar. The Twister jar was a total surprise, as I had no clue they would include that in the package. And boy am I ever glad they did.
I knew I would like the Blendtec, but quickly found out that I not only liked it, I LOVED it.
I have used a variety of different brands of blenders, from the very cheap to the very expensive.
The Blendtec blows them all out of the water.
DISCLOSURE: I was provided with a refurbished Designer Series blenders and a Twister jar at no charge. I was under no obligation to post a review or giveaway, nor did I receive any monetary compensation for this post. All views and opinions expressed are my own. This post contains affiliate links and/or ads. I am part of Blendtec’s affiliate program and when you make a purchase through any of these links, I earn a small commission on each sale. This has no effect on your sale price and is simply a cost of doing business for the company you are purchasing from.
What I Love About the Blendtec (the Top 7 Pros)
I did a head-to-head comparison between the Blendtec (Designer Series Certified Refurbished) and the Vitamix (Certified Reconditioned Standard Programs). Here are the top 7 things that stood out to me about the Blendtec during the challenge. I wrote it all out for you below, but for those who enjoy watching videos, may I introduce my FIRST EVER video that I’ve done for this site! 🙂
1. Blendtec Wins: Easier to get food out.
When it comes to thick things like nut butters and batters, I always felt like I was wasting a good 1/4 – 1/2 cup of product in the bottom of the Vitamix. With the Blendtec’s wide, square base, it’s easy to scrape out every last bit of whatever you’re making. Very little, if any, wasted food. That makes me happy.
2. Blendtec Wins: Easier to Clean (aka. no more cuts on my fingers.)
No matter how careful I was when I was cleaning the Vitamix, I would occasionally slice my finger open on those incredibly sharp blades. I was skeptical about Blendtec’s unique blades, which are dull and cannot cut you. But, they work amazingly well.
I know you should be able to clean both blenders with just hot water and soap and running them for a minute or so on high, but there were times when the inside of the blender needed a little scrub. Hence the reason for the sliced fingers on the Vitamix.
3. Blendtec Wins: Smoother butters, batters, milks, etc.
Speaking of Blendtec’s unique blades, like I mentioned above, I was skeptical about the blades. I’m used to sharp blender blades, so the fact that Blendtec’s are dull and can’t slice your finger open had me puzzled.
Until I actually started using it. The blade is designed to pull ingredients from the top of the pitcher and a dull blade crushes ingredients rather than slicing them. The powerful motor, paired with this unique blade gave me much smoother end results than my Vitamix.
Another key aspect of the blender’s ability to give you smooth and creamy results is the special square pitcher. They developed this design with science in mind. The ingredients don’t swirl like in a traditional round blender, they hit the sides of the square pitcher and fall back into the blade.
4. Blendtec Wins: Great assortment of pre-made cycles and speeds.
I use the six pre-programmed cycles the most, since they have something for almost everything I need from smoothies to crushed ice to batters and more. What I like most about these is there’s no guesswork. I just hit the button, let the blender do its thing and then I end up with the perfect product at the end.
The Vitamix only has three pre-made cycles, so I enjoyed the additional options that Blendtec offered me.
5. Blendtec Wins: Sleek design and stores better.
The Blendtec is smaller and more compact than the Vitamix, making it much easier to store (and fit under or in your cabinets). The Vitamix is big and bulky and it was a little trickier for me to store when not in use.
The sleek design also makes it much easier to clean. A simple wipe with a damp cloth and you’re good to go. No switches and knobs to get dirty and grimy like on the Vitamix.
6. Blendtec Wins: Longer warranty.
With Blendtec, you get a full 7 year warranty on your product (versus the 5 years with Vitamix). While I doubt that I will ever need to send mine in for service, it’s nice to know I have two extra years if needed.
7. Blendtec Wins: The Twister jar.
The Twister jar alone is enough to make me love my Blendtec. This jar is the easiest and fastest way to make ice creams, smoothies, and nut butters.
As you see in my Vanilla Cardamom Macadamia Nut Butter recipe, it took 40 SECONDS to make smooth, creamy nut butter. That’s it. In any other blender, it will take much longer for the mere fact that you have to stop and scrape, stop and scrape, stop and scrape.
Even though the Twister jar is an added expense, if you invest in a Blendtec I HIGHLY recommend that you get one. You will wonder how you lived without it!
There are definitely a lot of reasons that I love my Blendtec, but the 7 items above are the things that really stood out to me as I gave it a thorough test in my kitchen.
What I Don’t Love About the Blendtec (the 2 cons)
I have yet to find a single product that I love 100%. There is always going to be something that stands out to me and the Blendtec was no different. Here are a few things that I don’t like about this blender, but the pros far outweigh the cons, so I am still a fan of the BT.
1. Vitamix Wins: The pitcher doesn’t rock on high speeds.
The first time I used the Blendtec, I didn’t keep my hands on the pitcher and when it got up to high speed, it started to rock, which freaked me out because I was afraid it would fly off. The Vitamix stays put and doesn’t rock, allowing me to step away and do something else if needed.
It was an easy fix — I just keep my hand on top of the blender when I’m using it. It blends things so fast that it’s not like it takes up a lot of my time, but definitely something to be aware of.
2. Vitamix Wins: The lid design for the main pitcher seals better.
I’m not a big fan of the lid design for the main pitcher of the Blendtec. The middle stopper does not seal completely, so if you happen to overfill your pitcher, or your liquid is extra sloshy, you end up with a puddle on the rubber lid. Not a huge deal, but definitely something that I noticed.
Since it’s kind of hard to explain in writing, I did a quick video for you.
Update, 11/10/14: The nice folks over at Blendtec just read my review and offered some insight as to why the lid is designed the way it is. Here is what they said:
“I did notice your one complaint about the Blendtec with the pitcher lid not sealing. This is actually by design. It needs to vent, for one so the lid doesn’t blow off making soup, etc. The biggest thing, though, is the lid is actually designed so that you can pour liquid in while you’re blending without having to remove the lid. Liquid pours in right through the vents. You can get a little sloshing of liquid, but typically that happens if the jar is over-loaded.”
I did not realize that the lid was designed to allow you to pour in liquid while blending, so that definitely makes more sense now that they explained it. That is an interesting feature. I’ll have to give it a try next time I make something where this technique applies! 🙂
Noise – Blendtec vs. Vitamix
A reader pointed out that I did not cover the noise factor in here, which I had completely forgotten about.
When it comes to noise, both of these blenders are loud. And I mean L-O-U-D.
Like a jet plane landing in my kitchen.
I really could not tell any difference between the two on high speed. They’re both loud and make me feel like I need earplugs.
So, for this specific issue, there is no clear winner.
My Final Thoughts
Now, I totally get that investing in an expensive piece of kitchen equipment like this can be overwhelming. When it comes down to it, both brands of blenders are excellent and will get the job done. BUT, after having the chance to test both side-by-side, the clear winner for me is Blendtec. I ended up giving my mom my Vitamix to test side-by-side with her Blendtec and she also liked the Blendtec more. I ended up selling my Vitamix to a nice lady here in Denver whose Vitamix from the 80s had just recently died and she promised to give it a lot of love. 🙂
I encourage you to do your own research and find out what is going to best suit your needs. If you decide that Blendtec is the best fit for you, then I encourage you to check out the refurbished Blendtec models. Buying refurbished can save you a nice chunk of change, yet you still get the quality blender of your dreams. The one I received to review is a refurbished model and it is working great.
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