Anyone have a Vitamix?

[gtr]

Originally Posted by buccaneer

I want to justify getting one!
Please, owners, give a range of things you do with the things and give me some ammo for the quartermaster!

I mainly use my Blendtec to make green smoothies for breakfast. Anything I put in it comes out with a very smooth consistency in less that 45 seconds. I understand they are amazing for sauces and soups, as well as blending spices. I think you can make bread, grind grains, etc. in it. It's a really simple, easy to clean design as well. It will pulverize just about anything you put in it.

[Stoke&Smoke]

If I didn't spend so damn much money on bbq contests, knives and sharpeners, bbq equipment, etc. I'd probably have one. They are a damn fine product, made right here in the USA.

But I get by with out Ninja and Braun units

A Vitamix is an awesome unit though. I salivate every time I see a demo at Sams or Costco!

[bigabyte]

Well, besides the obvious, like smoothies and such (which taste completely different from regular blenders, texture is THAT important), I make homemade nut butters, mostly cashew since the wife and kids love cashews, but I also like almond butter a lot. I can't even get as good of results with a Cuisinart Food Processor making nut butter as what happens in the BlendTec blender.

You'd be amazed what you can do to make "liquids" for use in recipes. For example, chili. Most people like to use a flavorful liquid, like beef broth or beer, or whatever. I like to toss onions, garlic, dried and fresh peppers and some beef broth for liquid and blend that up. A regular blender at best makes a sauce, it will still have some pieces in it, so it's not really "liquified". With the BlendTec, it is far more liquified and makes for an excellent liquid to use when making chili in my opinon. I do this for many other similar things as well, from soups, stews, sauces, you name it.

You can grind anything up to a fine powder, be it spices, or even whatever crunchy is on hand like pretzels or whatever to make some nice fine breading. If you like, you can turn thinks like iPads and other crazy stuff to a powder. Check out the videos online by searching YouTube with the term "It Blends". Funny farking stuff, and they really did blend all that stuff up in a BlendTec.

Whipped cream, mayo, hummus, fark...the list goes on and on.

[Toronto]

Originally Posted by buccaneer

I want to justify getting one!
Please, owners, give a range of things you do with the things and give me some ammo for the quartermaster!

Do you have kids with iPhones? If yes, you can us it as way to discipline them.

Will It Blend? - iPhone - YouTube

Will It Blend? - iPhone - YouTube

On a more serious note:

http://www.blendtec.com/recipes/categories

https://www.vitamix.com/Find-Recipes

[16Adams]

Justify??? To Whom??? Take control of your scene, buy the thing and report back to The Brethren :)

[Bonewagon]

Count me as another happy VitaMix owner. We've had one form7 or 8 years and love it.

[yakdung]

I own a Blendtec and love it. Purchase it through Costco and got a longer warranty and better deal.

[yakdung]

Originally Posted by Motley Q

Is this a trick question?

Why would anyone spend $500 on a blender?

It's a damn blender.

Buy a $20 blender and take $480 and buy a rice cooker and a banana holder.

Oh, and a omlet maker and salad shooter.........

A regular blender does not have the power to do what these machines a capable of. It can take a whole fruit and turn it into juice. It has more power than my gas powered lawn edger.

YouTube (Short URL)

YouTube (Short URL)

[mbshop]

i went and read and asked a lot of questions. i finally bought the vitamix at costco.
both the vitamix and blendtec would be awesome for anyone but the simplicity of the
vitamix was what put me over the edge towards the vitamix. havn't used it yet due to being rather busy and needing to rearrange the kitchen which is small. yes, it can make soups which was one of my criteria but also being able to mix veggies that i would not normally eat into soups or smoothies was another.

[dmprantz]

I have no doubt that the Vitamix is the best consumer grade blender on the market....but I have a Kitchen Aid 580 blender. Mine is SS, but you can get a plastic one for < $100 on sale. I use it frequently to make smoothies, frozen margaritas, and all things in between. Never met an ice cube nor a seed that it can't crush. I'm not saying that it's every bit as good as a vitamix, but it's good enough for me, and a fraction of the price. I'm a Kitchen Aid snob to a point with a stand mixer, blender, and food processor, and stick blender, but they all work very well.

EDIT: The KitchenAid was Cook's Illustrated (affordable) runner up two reviews ago. Since then there have been complains of leaks, so they dropped in in favour of the Brevill, but mine has been great. It comes with a one year, no questions asked warranty. Just sayin.

dmp

[buccaneer]

Okay, have to pass, and here is why
http://www.shopwiki.com.au/l/Blendte...Blender-(Black)

[bigabyte]

I assume it's the price? Yeah, it's pretty steep. The upside is the warranty...but you still ahve to pay out the ass up front.

[Bonewagon]

Ouch!

[buccaneer]

Originally Posted by bigabyte

I assume it's the price? Yeah, it's pretty steep. The upside is the warranty...but you still ahve to pay out the ass up front.

Yep, the price is the only objection.
You'd pass at that price too, I would assume?
I will look out for second hand ones maybe, they must have great build quality.

[Toronto]

Originally Posted by buccaneer

Okay, have to pass, and here is why
http://www.shopwiki.com.au/l/Blendte...Blender-(Black)

Wow you guys get raped down under, they mark up WSM's like crazy as well IIRC.