It may not seem like it now, but it took me a while to jump onto the high-speed blender wagon. When Austin and I moved to Los Angeles nearly 10 years ago, I brought with me a blender that I thought was pretty good at the time. (It was made by Breville, which I usually consider to make quality kitchen appliances.)
I remember hearing about high-speed blenders in the magazines and health books I was reading at the time, but I always thought to myself, “How much better could they really be?” I felt like my smoothies turned out good enough in my standard blender, so I stuck with it until it died… which only took about a year and a half.
Even though we didn’t have a lot of spending money at the time, I couldn’t help but think I’d be saving money in the long-run by investing in a high-speed blender the next time around, since many of them came with a 7-year warranty. I had been buying a “good” $100 blender every year or two since I was in college, so spending $350 once, and then not buying another one for 7+ years sounded like a pretty good deal to me. However, I didn’t know which high-speed blender to buy– at the time, I had heard that Vitamix and Blendtec were pretty comparable.
Choosing the Vitamix
I couldn’t find any reviews online saying that one brand was decidedly better than the other, but my decision was helped by the fact that two of my friends had just gotten a Blendtec. I only had one experience using theirs– making frozen margaritas at their house– and I wasn’t super-impressed by it right off the bat. I remember that we had to start and stop the blender a couple times to use a spatula to help the ice reach the blades, because the Blendtec doesn’t come with a tamper. It was also REALLY loud. (Though, all high-speed blenders are fairly loud.)
Because I wasn’t blown away by my initial experience with the Blendtec, I decided to go with the Vitamix because I thought the tamper seemed necessary. I had never even tried a Vitamix before buying it, but Amazon had a great deal on this 2-speed model at the time, so the timing seemed perfect. The moment it arrived, I was hooked. The tamper helped my smoothies blend in seconds, and they were always thick, creamy, and super-silky-smooth. It even breaks down seeds from berries, like raspberries and strawberries! I’ve been a happy Vitamix customer ever since– owning the same old blender for nearly 8 years now. I’ve only ever had one issue with my blender, and when I called Vitamix customer service they immediately sent me out a free brand-new replacement; no questions asked. Keep in mind that I use my blender up to 4 times a day, especially when I’m testing recipes for a cookbook, so it gets quite a workout!
My Experience with BlendTec
Because I’ve had such a good experience with my Vitamix, I’ve never looked into using another blender… that is, until Blendtec reached out to me a few months ago. They offered to send me a complimentary blender so I could see for myself how they compare to Vitamix. I’m always up for seeing if there is something better out there, so I happily accepted their offer and soon received the new blender. Right out of the box, I was super-impressed by the sleek design and light-up electric touch pad. It seemed nicer than any car I’ve ever owned! Another nice perk of the Blendtec is that it fits under my kitchen cabinets fully assembled– the Vitamix container is taller, so I have to store the blender pitcher next to the base, rather than on top of it. (Not a big deal either way, but I think it’s worth mentioning in case you’re OCD about how your countertops look!) Regardless of how it is stored, you still have to pull the blender away from the wall to add anything inside– I couldn’t keep the blender under the cabinets on my counter while actually using it.
While I was very impressed by the look and feel of the Blendtec, my first experience blending was not love at first use. I made my usual go-to chocolate smoothie in the Blendtec using their smoothie pre-set “smoothie” button, and it took significantly longer than the Vitamix to create a smooth consistency– probably because I wasn’t using a tamper to help stir it along like I usually do with the Vitamix. I think it’s also worth noting that I’m used to my shakes being super-thick and smooth, like a traditional chocolate milkshake, and it was difficult to achieve this texture since the Blendtec doesn’t come with a tamper to help keep everything moving towards the blades. (The Blendtec’s electric touch pad actually kept warning me that my smoothie was too thick– it wanted me to add liquid, which would have resulted in a thin and runny smoothie.) I stopped and scraped down the blender twice, and even after that I found small bits of dates in my final product– enough to clog my straw while I was attempting to drink it. I’m so spoiled by how smooth my smoothies are with the Vitamix, that I was really disappointed to have a less-than-perfect smoothie! (My other family members were disappointed by the texture, too, to the point that my son wouldn’t even drink a smoothie made in the BlendTec.)
After that first experience, I didn’t use the Blendtec again for a few days because I didn’t want to risk my family members not enjoying another smoothie. In fact, I didn’t try it again until the Blendtec reps reached out to me, asking how my experience was. They were surprised to hear that my first experience wasn’t great, but I promised them I would try again to see if it was just beginner’s bad luck. I later tried making an all-fruit smoothie using the manual settings instead of the pre-set button (because I prefer manual settings and having full control), but the final result was also disappointing because the seeds from the strawberries didn’t totally break down, and I had to add more liquid than I would have liked to in order to keep the smoothie blending without a tamper– so the overall smoothie was too runny. Needless to say, I wasn’t impressed the second time around, either.
To give them a fair shot, I also tried blending a smoothie in the smaller Twister jar that came with my BlendTec package, to see if the spatula-like attachments on the side of the lid would help with a smoother blend. Unfortunately, the Twister jar is not intended for liquid smoothies (it’s intended for making nut butter or dips like hummus and guacamole), so I ended up with a messy disaster there, too. I would consider the optional smaller blender jar for nut-butters a “perk” of the BlendTec, but it’s not enough in my opinion to make up for the lower-quality smoothies, since that’s what I use a blender for the most often.
After reporting my unsatisfactory experience to the BlendTec reps, they recommended that I call their customer service line to see if I could be doing something wrong. I had already read the instruction manual and used the pre-set smoothie buttons– shouldn’t it be that easy to use such an expensive blender? (As a side note, I’ve never had to call a customer service line for any other brand of blender I’ve used to make sure I’m not the problem.)
Side-By-Side Comparison
In a nutshell, here’s how I feel that the two blenders compare:
To me, the Vitamix is the clear winner and that’s what I would ultimately recommend you buy if you’re trying to decide between the two. To be fair, I think if you’re upgrading from a standard blender, anyone would be impressed by the texture of a smoothie made in the Blendtec, because it’s definitely going to be an upgrade from what you’re used to. However, I think it would be very difficult to enjoy using the BlendTec after using the Vitamix. (But maybe that’s just me– all I can share is my own opinion.)
To be clear, this is not a sponsored post and I have no affiliation with Vitamix. They did not send me a free blender, and I’m still using my 8-year-old, two-speed model that I bought myself. In my opinion, my old Vitamix blender creates better smoothies than the free newer model that BlendTec sent me. (I’ve heard that BlendTec is amazing at milling grains into flour, but I find the Vitamix to be perfectly adequate in that regard as well.) Clearly, I’m under no obligation to post a positive review on BlendTec’s behalf, despite the fact that they sent me a free blender. (I will always post my honest opinions!)
Money-Saving Tip:
If you’re looking to buy a new blender but don’t want to pay full-price, I’d recommend looking into the refurbished options, like this certified refurbished Vitamix model, which still comes with a 5-year warranty. Vitamix also makes a new low-profile model that fits under kitchen cabinets, and that model is available in a cheaper certified refurbished option, as well.
Note: I would like to eventually add some other blender recommendations to this post, especially if I get the chance to try the new Ninja blender model. When testing recipes for my last cookbook, I did borrow a friend’s Ninja, and the results were terrible– but it was a very old model, and I’m guessing the newer models are better. Are they comparable to the Vitamix, though? I’ll report back when I know for sure!
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Reader Feedback: Do you have a favorite blender? I hope this post is helpful if you’re shopping for a new one! I know there are some fervent BlendTec fans out there, so also feel free to chime in if you think I missed something. I always try to keep an open mind!
Nice Review especially since you could have felt a need to like the BlendTec a bit more since they had contacted you.
Recently I bought a new Vita Mix from Costco and it is the kind that fits under the cabinet, blends grains in the same carafe, and I bought it for $399 (sometimes they even have that on sale). I completely recommend it also!
Hi Megan. Thanks for your review. I bought a Vitamix four years ago and use it twice a day, every day. I would highly recommend Vitamix. For those who think they can’t afford it, I thought the same thing. And then I saw it featured on QVC. I was able to get a great deal on the blender with additional accessories AND pay for it over six months. They sent it to me as soon as I ordered it and I had the option to send it back if I wasn’t happy. Needless to say, I was very happy with it. So there are affordable ways to buy this Godzilla of a machine.
I have the newer style Vitamix…that will resolve the height issue you refer to as it had a wider, squatter beaker
Vitamix is King. I’ve had mine going on 15years. Best investment made for my health I’ve ever made. Your review is spot on and i hope that people will follow your recommendation. Thank you for this honest review. When and if i need to replace it, I’ll go definitely go with a vitamix again.
I recently used it exclusively for a 30 day juice cleanse and lost 33lbs.
It’s the best.
Well we needed a new blender recently and I was so torn because I wanted a Vitamix soooo badly and so did my daughter because she loves to cook. So I couldn’t afford the Vitamix and decided to purchased the Ninja. I was really hesitant because most people said the blades were easy to get cut on. Well we used it one day,it was awful and all those blades are easy to get cut on. and the bode shaft can fall out when you pour a smoothie. I purchased a cheap blender until we can afford to upgrade and get a vitamix! They actually have a payment plan on the Vitamix website too.
i too tried a blendtec after years of a vitamix pro. the first try i put in my frozen peaches to make a green smoothie and the whole thing exploded upwards depositing green sludge all over my white ceiling. i make the smoothie the same way every time in my vitamix and have never had that problem back it went immediately, and the ceiling – needs repainting. i’m sad as i really wanted to like it. thank you for your great reviews.
My vitamin is almost 20 years old and works great.
The shape of the blender container helps with keeping the ingredients moving, too. I use the tamper on occasion but usually everything gets blended without the tamper.
Thanks for the review because I was wondering what to think of the competitor.
Thank you for all that you do Megan! !!!
I wish I could find such a report for a light-to carry clean-everywhere vaccuum. And gentle on my wrist and fingers…
One cordless Dyson, currently at Costco, is light weight… But requires recharging after about 20 min of use… The non-bendable, single-length extension might be hard to manouver under bed in tight room…
I live my vitamix I have had it at least 13 yes. At times I think it is allowing down but it does an amazing job still.
Great review
Thank you for your honest review! It can be a big investment for many people and they want to know they are making the right choice. I have a Vitamix and love it! Mainly I use it to make smoothies, soups & acai bowls. I always get a smooth & even consistency. I also love using the tamper, it really makes a difference.
I’m the opposite. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my Blendtec. Vitamix just frustrates me. I don’t have patience to have to tamp things down and you can’t really do that while the blender is running. I Love that my Blendtec fits under the counters in my kitchen. I have friends who have Vitamix machines and they ‘dig them out’ to use them maybe twice a year because they take up twice the counter space. Mine is out all the time and used multiple times daily. Since I got my Blendtec I haven’t used my electric mixer and I seldom use my food processor. It does the job for everything…….. I guess one machine doesn’t work for all……. Happy Blending!
I recently purchased a second reconditioned Vitamix. I bought a newer model for me because I gave my daughter my first reconditioned Vitamix so she could make homemade baby food for her daughter. She and her family are trying to eat more vegan recipes and I told her she needed the Vitamix for making cashew creams, etc. I also want to point out that if you purchase directly from Vitamix, they offer several different payment plans to make it easier to swallow the cost. We have just renovated a house so money has been tight but I was still able to spread out the cost over several months.
I’ve had my Vitamix for 12 years and use it every single day. Soups, smoothies, margaritas, salsa etc. It even grinds coffee. I recently replaced the bowl and blade because the bowl was looking ‘worn’ (although it was really fine). The quality of this machine is extraordinary. It is the best investment I’ve made in my kitchen! I love it so much that one time I helped a guy doing a Vitamix demo at Costco. I talked to some of the customers there about my experience, and 2 of them decided to buy one! I should have asked for a commission.
I got a Vitamix a little over four years ago, and it’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. I, too, use it multiple times a day. I grind grains in the dry grains container and make smoothies every day. I’m continually amazed at how well it blends completely frozen fruit. I just had an issue with the motor powering back up when I turn the knob to a 1, so I called Vitamix custom service, They were extremely helpful and told me to send it in. Within an hour or so of talking to them, I had a prepaid shipping label sent to my e-mail and an invoice to enclose in my box. I feel panicked at being without it for a few days! I can’t say enough good things about it. I call it my “little red kitchen sports car” because for one, it’s red, and two, it’s probably more powerful than my car!
I have greatly enjoyed my Blendtec. I have had it almost 7 years and it is still going strong. I purchased the Blendtec over the Vitamix initially because Vitamix stole copyrighted technology from Blendtec and lost in court. It was important to me to support an honest company… And since Vitamix stole technology I decided they must be the better blender. I only have the original canister and do everything in it… I can’t wait to be able to buy the larger and improved canister.
Love my Blendtec! Never had a Vitamix so can’t compare. I use it for blending everything from soups to smoothies. Would highly recommend the Blendtec!
I’ve had my Vita-mix blender for 25 years!!! We have six kids ,and use it pretty much every day !!! I have used it to make every thing and I LOVE my machine!!!! It’s worth the investment in your health !!! By the way you can use the tamper on the Vita -Mix while it’s blending. They have made it long enough to push food down while blending, but short enough that the tamper will never reach the blades. HAPPY CAMPER !!!!!!! Lyn :]
I’m still using the Osterizer blender my Aunt Helen gave me as a wedding present 37 years ago. Takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’ (the blender, but alas, not Aunt Helen). -Mae
As a preferred customer of Blendtec (I use their vegetarian, whole food protein & fruit fusions for our smoothies daily), I was able to get a reconditioned Blendtec blender for $260 that I love!
Vitamix all the way! I have the 32 oz that fits under my kitchen cabinets. I LOVE it! I’ve had mine for 4 years now and use it everyday! Best investment I’ve ever made!
I own a Vitamix 5200 and a Blendtec Total. They are both on my counter at all times.
I use both blenders every day for coffee Frappuccinos, fruit smoothies, and ice cream.
I think the two machines are roughly equivalent. I have an aftermarket tamper for the Blendtec which is poorly designed. The end is thin and doesn’t push much contents towards the blades.
I like the Blentec Twister jar for making a single serving of ice cream. The Twister jar is a much smaller container so there is less waste. And I can drink the ice cream through a thick glass straw directly from the container.
The Vitamix has a much larger base. Theoretically, the Blendtec has a stronger motor and more heavy duty blades. It may be better for drinks where you have to crush a lot of ice.
Frankly, I use the two blenders pretty much interchangeably, and notice little difference in the final product.
My Vitamix doesn’t have a pulse mode.
I have five containers: the normal tall Vitamix container, the Rebel container for the Vitamix, which I haven’t yet used, the smaller Blendtec container that came with my blender, the Wildside Jar, and the Twister Jar for the Blendtec.
I would say, I have a slight preference for the Vitamix. But it is pretty much a toss-up.
I was single, almost 30 years ago and saw the vitamin on tv. I bought it. It was so expensive so even though I loved it, I sent it back. I prayed that when I had children I would be able to get one. Well, I had a child at 28 and was helping a friend move when I walks her new father law trying to give my friend his incredibly old VM from the 60s. She didn’t want it so I got it! I was ecstatic. I used and abused that stainless steel model until VM me out with the newer polycarbonate models. Then VM gave me money to send mine in and credited it toward a new, refurbished unit! Their customer service is amazing. My mom law actually still has her stainless steel VM from the 60s and still uses it regularly. My friend bought the blendtec and returned it to get the VM and hasn’t looked back.
I use mine to chop onions, make smoothies, batters, soups, grind grains and coffee, anything you can think of. I love my VM!
Great post! I too was in the dilemma of Blendtec vs. Vitamix when choosing a high speed blender. In was Vitamix in the end and we have gotten way more use out of that sucker in the 5 years since we bought it than the money we put in – totally worth the investment. We make healthy ice cream, soups, smoothies and nut milks most often but also for blending flours and the occasional onion/carrot chopping on low low speed. Still wish Vitamix could somehow create a way to get all the goodness that get trapped in the blades out with a screw off bottom or SOMETHING, but completely satisfied otherwise and happy to know we made the right choice. Take care!
I have the Nutra Minja blender duo with Auto UQ. I bought it on Black Friday last year becsuse my old blender (veru cheap) died on me. We’ve used the Ninja almost every day since for smoothies and I use it for various sauces and salad dressings. Overall, it’s a far cry better than my $15 Walmart blender. But I doubt it compares to the Vitamix. First, the pitcher is plastic as are the blender cups that come with. Second, if I make a smoothie for more than just mysel, which I usually, do, I have to start the greens, dates and cashews with almond milk in a blender cup and blend twice on the Auto IQ setting, then I transfer it to the pitcher and add the remaining ingredients and blend twice on the smoothie setting. The results are thick and creamy but seeds are not completely broken down. After reading your thoughts, I wonder if overall results would improve using the manual buttons. I’ll have to try that! My only other issue is once I was making a spicy avacado dipping sauce for sweet potato fries. I threw all the stuff into a blender cup and started blending, thinking it would take about 30 seconds. The avacado was nice and ripe but the sauce took about 15 minutes! I had to keep scraping and adding almond milk to thin it. Still, I love it compared to the cheap one but hope to be able to invest in a Vitamix soon. I was taken in by all the bells and whistles on the Ninja, which are probably unnecessary!
The Norwalk Juicer is the one I use
I’ve happily been using my Vitamix 2-speed blender for 3 years now. I just recommended the Vitamix or Blendtec to someone asking about a blender upgrade so it was ironic that I tumbled on your post today. I’ve never used a Blendtec myself so I think I’ll just continue to recommend what I know works. Thanks for your honest feedback!
Thanks for this post. I’ve been agonizing over which hi speed blender to invest in for months now! My family thinks I’m crazy for taking so much time to make this decision, but to me this is a major investment and I want to choose wisely. For the amount of money these machines cost, I’m expecting to keep my new blender forever. I was initially leaning toward the Breville Boss, but now I’m leaning more toward a Vitamix, I really prefer the look of Breville and like their pre-set buttons, but overall from the many reviews I’ve read I think that ultimately the Vitamix is the way to go. I’ve started making my own nut milks and have been using my Nutri Bullet which works just fine but isn’t very big so I always have to make my milks in two stages and as far as smoothies go I always seem to have a few extra chunks of something. I will say though for making cashew creams and dipping sauces the Nutri Bullet works great and because it’s nice and small I’ll probably continue to use it for those purposes no matter what hi speed blender I end up finally purchasing 🙂
I make unbelievable creamy smoothies evey day with my Blendtec. I’ve been using the Blendtec for ten years and I love it! When making smoothies they tell you to put the liquids in first and frozen stuff last, it’s very important that your ice is on top. I use mine several times a day, I love being able to turn grains onto flour, and I make the creamiest ice cream from frozen bananas and almonds. I do notice that running it an extra cycle or two makes all the difference in getting awesome fluffy creamy results. My husband and I think that the stuff that comes out of our blendtec is to die for!!!!
The Vitamix I remember seeing first at the State Fair of Texas. They’ve sold there for years but the price was always prohibitive for me. I can afford one now but I don’t think my limited usage warrants the spending.
On the Ninja, I got one Christmas 2014. It was my Vitamix alternative. But not long after using it for a while, I found that I missed my simple Black and Decker blender, if you can believe that. The Black and Decker’s jar created a better vortex, for pulling the food toward the blades at the bottom, and thus produced smoother smoothies. The blades in the Ninja are good for show, but contact with the food is not enough to really get a smooth consistency, even with two sets of them in the jar. My boyfriend bought himself the Ninja with attachments and the smoothie cups produce a very fine consistency but the volume is so limited. After seeing that, I got a Nutri Bullet to get better volume and smoother consistency and that has worked fine for smoothies. It darn near cooked my attempt at mayo, though. It runs too hot to make that. I have used my Ninja maybe once since getting the Nutri Bullet so I’d tell anyone to pass on the Ninja. You get chewy smoothies using the Ninja and that’s not quite the point, is it? I haven’t tried mayo in the Ninja but I have my doubts.
I use an immersion blender and mason jar to make mayo. Just put a lid on it when done.
Thank you for your honest review! My 25+/- year old Vitamix is finally starting to give me issues with very heavy recipes and I was debating which one to go with this time. Vitamix will be my choice after reading your write up. My VM has survived two kids (I think they were about 6 & 8 when purchased) making their own combinations, my raw food classes, and green smoothies 2x for years. It has stopped on me 3x, but has come back after cooling off.
Nutri Bullet got used once and put back in the box. It’s still in the storage shed. So disappointing after the VM. Thought I had found a good travel machine, NOT.
Great write. Thanks for all you do and share.
Thanks for the review Megan. I love my Vitamix. I bought it over 12 years ago after pining (and saving) for one for a few years. I have used it daily for over 12 years and it is still a fantastic blender. So worth the money. I bought one for a employee as a special gift last summer and she is now hooked too. If mine ever dies I will not hesitate to purchase another Vitamix!
You may want to reverse the side-by-side pic so people don’t get confused. In the pic you show Blendtec left and Vitamix right but in the side-by-side wording it’s reverse. I know which is which because I have a Vitamix (AND LOVE IT!) so I can recognize the style of the blender by the picture alone. 🙂 Just a thought.
My yearly $100 blender recently died, so I was in the market for a new one. I have used both the blend tec and Vitamix at a local juicery I used to work at to produce smoothies and I completely agree with your pros and cons. The blend tec is definitely louder, to the point where we had customers complaining regularly. The tamper is a great feature as well!
I registered for a vitamix, but my wedding is still a year away and I was missing my daily smoothie. I set out to purchase another $100 blender when I stumbled upon the Harley Pasternak by Salton blender. It looks nearly identical to the vitamix but came with a price tag of $300 CDN on sale at Canadian Tire for $200. Compared to the $500 price tag of the vitamix and blendtec this seemed much more affordable.
It was a toss up between that and the Ninja but after reading online reviews mentioning how the ninja doesn’t do well with green smoothies, which I made daily, I decided on the Harley Pasternak blender. I have been using it for a few weeks now for green smoothies, blended soups, and nut milks. I am very pleased with it and would recommend it to anyone who can’t quite justify a vitamix, but wants to invest in a great blender for daily green smoothies (or I’m sure whatever else you throw at it!)
Ps. This is my first time commenting but I have been a huge fan for a while now. Loving your every day detox cookbook and all your content. Thank you!!
I appreciate your reviews. I have had my Vitamix for about 15 years and just love it. I use it almost daily and it blends beautifully. I purchased it originally when I was making some life-style changes. I picked it cause I would be getting all the fiber and more nutrients. I find more delicious recipes to use with it all the time. I don’t have any con’s cause I find the price is reasonable when on sale or with coupons. I use the smaller 32oz blender container so it does fit under my cabinets.
I have owned 2 non-commercial VitaMix blenders over the last 20 years. I gave them a workout too. Both lasted quite a while – 10 years on average despite using them to make some pretty tough stuff several times a day when I was a raw foodist. I recently purchased a commercial Blendtec that cost a few hundred more. I bought all the different blending jars. I read reviews that said it was better and more powerful. That isn’t true. It’s not half the machine that VitaMix is. I use my on-it’s-last-legs VitaMix that is 12 years old instead because my brand new commercial BlendTec can’t do the job. Thank you for your honest review. I wish I would have realized this $560.00 ago.
I have a Blendtec and find the key to making smooth smoothies when using kale, berries, etc, is to use the “whole juice” setting. They don’t come out “silky”, but they are thoroughly blended with no bits of leaves, etc. floating around. I admit it would nice to drink a “silky smooth” smoothie, though soups and sauces do come out silky smooth. I’ve had my Blendtec for about 7 years and the only problem I’ve had is the part in the jar where the rubber ring is and Blendtec replaced it with no problems. We don’t have much counter space and I chose the Blendtec because it fits under my counter put together. If it ever dies I would consider a Vitamix for its smooth blending if they have one that fits under my counter.
As long as they keep the fiber of the fruits I would choose either one. Juicing causes to much sugar and not enough of the fiber.
I personally love my blender by Karmin 😉
I found this post after attempting to make your Lemon Coconut frosting. I’ve had a Blendtec for years and thought it would do just fine. Sadly, it won’t run long enough to fluff up the frosting without overheating the mixture like I was making soup or something. I thought maybe you had a recommendation for what blender to use and ended up here. Pretty funny. So now you know vitamix does better at frosting too.
Thanks for the honest review.
Having had both, I’d say they both have advantages but some things stand out.
-Loading the Blendtec properly makes a big difference. It won’t get small particulates like seeds as finely chopped as Vita’s jar due to bigger, thicker, dual blades vs small quad blades, but it will do a lot better than described here. You cannot load them the same.
-Tamper complaints are moot. 1 – the concave nature of the Blendtec jars tends to need less attention as the designs are newer and not a recycle of Vita’s same basic jar physics theyve had since my first one almost 3 decades ago. Want to tamp? Use a tamper through the hole in the top. Tampers are cheap couple buck plastic items. Or use any cheap long object through the top hole. I’ve used scrap dowel from home Depot. Seriously. Vita will handle delicate jobs better with tamping, Blendtec needs less tamping in general due to newer jar design, but will need tamper help on some jobs even though they say you don’t.
-Blending drinks with ice or hard frozen fruit etc? Margaritas? Ice coffee/fraps, ice daiquiris? No contest whatsoever. The thin Vita blades beat the ice around more whereas they get chopped and blended more quickly by the Blendtec. The two blade design has drawbacks, but let’s large objects fall more into the path of the blade.
….There is a reason Starbucks created and built the Frappucino business off of Blendtec and not Vitamix. The only ways Vitamix took the business away were copying Blendtec features and doing a better job of noise reduction. (These Vita models are foodservice/pro only and not avail to public – your consumer Vita’s don’t benefit from this )
-if you are very much concentrating on nut butters, smoothies, and soups with very small particulates like seeds that you need chopped finely and so on, the Vitamix will do a better job.
My overall thoughts that some may disagree with is that Blendtecs are a more versatile all around option that are built tougher and to foodservice levels of durability and ease of cleaning, stacking etc – but are not as fine a tool for many specific use cases.
They need more tending to in general. And Vita is taking advantage of consumers by recycling old tech as long as possible. Blendtec is necessary if for no other reason as a company that forces Vita to innovate (every “new” VM feature and innovation debuted with Blendtec years prior). Nevertheless, if you are doing certain things, Vita’s knock out a better result.
If you are doing others, Blendtecs will, and will do it faster and will survive much higher volume, with faster cleanup time for base and jar.
I.e. if you run a beverage or smoothie business using blending, esp with ice, go Blendtec.
If you are doing specialty blending focusing on nuts, fruits, veggies only, Vita.
If getting an all around to survive varied household blending jobs and messy users, in my opinion Blendtec. But get a tamper.
So each has their merits. Can’t afford both? I see used/returns of both on eBay and Craigslist constantly for a fraction of retail.
**Side note for those disputing my assertion that Vita’s innovation comes thanks to Blendtec, Vita was caught trying to copy Blendtec’s jar design for example. In 2012 a federal court found they willfully infringed upon Blendtec’s jar, and ordered Vita to pay Blendtec $24M in damages.
https://www.heraldextra.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/orem-blender-company-wins-massive-patent-infringement-award/article_93960ee4-198c-59c2-8de4-25836f782706.html
Vita then seemingly retaliated with a suit against Blendtec involving jars, but then also suffered a unanimous legal defeat there too.
https://lrus.wolterskluwer.com/news/ip-law-daily/blendtec-s-blender-jars-did-not-infringe-vita-mix-patent/35984/
If you look at the Vita commercial line online or at Starbucks etc you will see they have features that make them a far closer relative to Blendtec’s than to the consumer VM that most of us are able to buy.
Luckily thanks to competition some of that has trickled down like electronic cycles and control. It is slow in coming and we are charged a premium for something everyone else delivers standard. VM apologists will make excuses for this but it is a blatant milking of old tech for maximum profit for as long as possible. A spade is a spade.
Regardless, as I said, even despite their questionable business strategy, Vita’s are still the better tool for specific needs.
Oops, the Reference above to “needing more tending to” was in regards to Vitamix models, not Blendtecs.
In my consideration Blendtec’s hardware and components are very strong and has more legibility. But after reading your articles, I decided to use Vitamix from now and onward. It is clear to me that- on overall judgement Vitamix is best-one Thanks for the nice and helpful post..
Hi. Thanks for the helpful review. Can you tell me the model and motor of your version? I read so many mixed reviews. Half of the votes for Blentec and the other half would never trade their vitamix. I need something that will work for grinding dried herbs and grains, nut butters as well as smoothies.. Do you use yours successfully for all three? I’m overwhelmed with too many options. 🙂
Hi Megan – with the Prime Days coming up I am looking into a new blender! I was curious if you had success with making single serving smoothies in the Vitamix? I’m also looking into Cleanblend but both seem like they might be too big for single serving smoothies. Thanks!