VitaMix vs BlendTec
So I came in from running and started to make a blenderful of GS. Â Sometimes if my BlendTec is full of something else, or my kids put the container somewhere that I can’t find, I use the VitaMix instead of the BlendTec.
This photo  shows  another reason  why I promote BlendTec over VitaMix.  This is the third time this has happened to me in the past few years with my VitaMix:  while blending, for no good reason, the entire base and blade assembly comes apart from the container.  I had to pull the container off the base and quickly dump it into my other container (losing some all over the counter in the process).  I had to stick my hand into the container of green goo and fish  out the blade assembly.
So I told my son to grab the camera so you could at least be entertained by it. Â Don’t get me wrong–VM is a good machine, makes awesome smoothies, and they honor their warranty well (I’ve burned up a couple of their machines). Â But you can read my 6 reasons (besides this design flaw) why I choose to promote BlendTec, by clicking here.
Posted in: Green Smoothies, Tools & Products
I could promote BlendTec or VitaMix on this site, or both. They pay the same affiliate commissions and you don’t have to choose one or the other. I chose to promote BlendTec exclusively after I put up this information-only site, and then had people asking me what blender to buy (and I was inadvertently “selling” anyway), for the 6 reasons listed on “Best Blender” on this site. Like I said, I think the only two blenders worth buying if you’re gonna be a greensmoothiegirl are VM and BT. I have said on this site several times that I love my VM (both machines have pros and cons) and have owned one for longer than I can remember to count. I don’t like that my VM can’t fit under the counter, and I *hate* traveling with it. I don’t like that people have to spend $80 extra to do dry grinding in a separate container.
I have people with .vitamix.com writing in response to this blog and have not chosen to allow them to post. I mean no harm to VM–everyone has an opinion, and this is mine.
John’s comment from a few weeks ago (as he wrote me today) isn’t correct since the cycles limitation on the warranty just limits you from commercial use, and it would take me almost 10 years to reach that kind of cycle quantity, at my current (obviously high) usage. Who can blame BlendTec for not wanting to warranty a home-use blender against commercial use.
And I will be blogging shortly about both my and BlendTec’s response to the warranty questions, or what has been stated here, so you know why I think you are more than adequately covered with that exceptional purchase.
Robyn
Can’t see John’s email address to see if he’s one of those writing with a vitamix.com email (I would guess not), but he wrote this (plus some other stuff):
“Just wanted to include a retraction to my previous post regarding the Blendtec warranty. I was told by a rep from Blendtec that the 7 year warrany also increases the cycle count to 20,000. After using the Blendtec for a while, I realize that even under heavy home use, you are unlikely to reach the 20,000 cycle limit in 7 years. Even though I would often need to run through several cycles to make one smoothie, using the manual cycle to add more time or clean the machine did not increase the cycle count.”
John likes the tamper that you use to muscle your stuff down into the container. Some people love it. Some people hate it. Older people hate it pretty universally.
[John, if you see this, could you email me?]
–Robyn
Where can I buy one blendtec blender here in Singapore. Please give me contact or address.
Thank you, Doris
Contact EWebb@blendtec.com and she can put you in touch with a dealer there.
Why do u need to bash Vitamix?They don’t care if use it to crush rocks,they will still warranty it,comercial or not……I saw a guy(leftysway.com)promoting blentec this last weekend @ a costco.Its not bad,but I got tired of him bashing vitamix.He told me that blentec has been around for over 30 yrs,I told him, so has vitamix.Check on ebay and see who still has the old blender for sale…I also have gone to lots of trade shows and seen vitamix,never blentec.Vitamix has never bashed blentec…..its got to tell u something
Robyn, what about the BPA issue? http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-10-31-bpa-fda_N.htm
My wife was sold on the Blendtec (the VitaMix being extraordinarily ugly) and was bummed to learn that the carafe is Lexan. Lexan _is_ BPA.
Just felt the need to post a comment to update the previous posts I have made re: vitamix vs. blendtec. Bottom line, these two machines seem to offer the most bang for the buck. I do not think that you can go wrong with either machine.
Having said that, I had mentioned in an earlier post that the Vitamix jar had developed a crack after just a few uses. Actually, I have found that the crack was really only a seam that is created during the manufacturing process. Vitamix sent me a new jar, and the new jar had the same seam that definitely looks like a crack but is not a crack.
Meanwhile, my Blendtec jar started to develop a leak around the coupling area which would leave a ring underneath the jar below the contents of the jar (cycle count of 200). I was a bit concerned about this development and planned to contact Blendtec regarding this matter. I finally did contact BTech, and, of course, they would replace the jar (it has a warranty of 1 year). But the fact that the jar leaked after only 200 cycles made me wonder about the lifespan of the BT jar. The final straw was when I ran the BTech blender with an empty jar, and it almost vibrated off the counter due to the blade not spinning freely, and it spewed out a bunch of brown rusty looking liquid underneath the jar.
I have returned the BTech blender and the extra jar to Costco. I am now an exclusive user of Vitamix which, so far, has been flawless. Something else has really impressed me with Vitamix, and that is their customer service. Vitamix sent me a new jar, no questions asked, before I had to return the old jar (cross shipping) which enabled me to not miss a beat in using the VMix machine while I waited for another jar. And then after I discovered that the original jar was fine, VMix told me to keep the new jar that they had sent me (probably knowing that at some point during the 7 year warranty that they give on their machine including the jar, I might need a new jar anyway at some point). VitaMix customer service could not be any better.
That’s one person’s experience who gave VM and BT a fair shake and used both machines for 6 months before making a decision between the two.
Dear Robyn,
Would you mind checking for a dealer in Singapore for me ? I like to drink smoothies, bubble teas and eating ice cream. I heard Blendtec blenders have all these functions and would you mind me troubling you to check for me a dealer in Singapore ? In any part of Singapore . But one thing is that I may only consider buying and can the Blendtec Blender blend homemade ice? Those ice that you pour water into it and put into your freezer. So could you check for me a dealer in Singapore and do not give me the Blendtec email dere coz I think it is not very convenient to reveal my identity.
Thanks .
Dear Robyn ,
Could you check for me where can I buy a Blendtec blender in Singapore? Give me the address instead of the contact please . And can the Blendtec Blender blend homemade ice ? Pls give me a reply soon.
Thanks.
Robyn,
Thanks for the input. Went into Costco today looking for a Vitamix and there was a demo on the BlendTec. The guy was cool about it when I asked the difference. He didn’t slam the Vitamix, he said “it’s a good machine, but this has a higher horsepower”. I appreciated that vs. the typical sales pitch. REALLY appreciate hearing input from an owner of both. Oh, I read that the Blendtec can’t handle whole pieces of fruit – like apples b/c they don’t get down to the blade on their own. In the demo, he used frozen fruit but no large whole pieces like an apple. Any comments on that one? Glad I found your blog.
Jennifer-The Everyday Organic
Robyn,
I purchased a BT Total Blender off the website while on sale for 399.99. I’d been looking at BT and VM for some time as both had made the rounds at my local Costco for some time. My parent have a VM and they seem to love theirs, but the tamper scared me a bit and then after reading your post I decided the last thing i needed was a health food machine that would risk my kid’s/wife’s health if it few apart so I got the BT…
I do have a few questions.
The thing is INSANELY loud. Do you use hearing protection? Can you recommend some? I’m not fond of using the set I use when I use my table saw as they are unwieldly for the kind of use I want to put int my BT so if you can recommend something a bit more “stylish” that would be great 🙂
At Costco it wasn’t nearly as loud, but that’s because it was a massive warehouse. I have a large kitchen (200 sq ft with 13 ft ceilings) but the noise is piercing. Could something be wrong with the motor? I watched a video online and they never seem that loud but most of those are marketing videos. The real world videos always sound worst because of the gain on consumer camcorders. I know the VM isn’t nearly as powerful as my less power, but my parent’s unit it not nearly as loud as mine so I just want to make sure I’ve not got a problem unit…
One thing I was really looking forward to was making peanut butter. My old Olde Tyme mill died a few years back so it was one of the first things we tried to make. However it seems take me forever. Do you have some tips? I find myself starting the machine running it and then switching it off at least 8 times to pat the nuts back down before I get a paste. As much as the tamper on my parents VM scared me now I’m wishing I had something like it.
Regarding my parents, when I told my dad what happened to you he called VM. The first thing the customer rep asked was if he’d removed the blades to clean the unit. He said he’d just heard that this can happen. They said under normal use the blades should not come loose, but it can happen in rare instances. The rep told him its more common that that they find people remove the blades themselves but then don’t tighten them to the correct torque (he said they have a special tool for that). As an engineer my dad seemed to be happy with that answer but I’m not convinced. What was your experience, had you ever removed the blades?
BTW My parents have a mini container for their VM they got at Costco. Its not as tall so assuming you keep yours around you might want to look into it.
Bought a BlendTec because of you. Love it, use it at least once a day. You have inspired me to drink green smoothies, too.=) I watched your video on YouTube and in your demo you make yourself a QUART of smoothie? Is this correct? On YouTube there is another guy doing videos and he says you have to “chew” it so you produce saliva that helps with the digestion (Running Raw: Green Smoothies- Tips and Techniques). What is your take? I can’t “chew” a whole quart of something that doesn’t taste all that good…
Thanks for a super cool blog.=)
BTW, my Blendtec is very loud, too…is this supposed to be?
Chewing it is ideal, but if you don’t chew it, you still have plenty endogenous enzymes (that came with the food itself) for digestion, so if this is a deal-breaker for you, slam the green smoothie if chewing is too hard for you.
Robyn,
I found this site when I was searching Costco and Sams Club for a Vita-Mix. I was torn between the VT and BT(seen the BT demo as well). The BT was more cost effecient, and they seem to do more demos at these warehouses. Since reading these blog comments, please help me get on the road to a “green” lifestyle. I want to be able to incorporate this in my lifestyle, so if you have any suggestions on websites, books, etc. on how to do this, I greatly appreciate it.
Marcia
Marcia, you’re in a good place to learen about that–I have a lot of support on this site and in my book for you. 🙂
Robyn