Hi,

my old faithful $10 blender is starting to give up the ghost, so I'm looking at replacing it, although not sure if it's really worth spending $100s on blender when I can get one $20.

Am I really going to notice a difference?

Are the more expensive blenders quieter??

Which is the 3hp blender people keep talking about? Many seem to think the Blendtec Total Blender has a 3hp motor, but a little research shows it's really a 2hp motor (1500Watts).

One thing I'm interested in is getting a spare jug which out having to spend an extra 50% on top of buying the blender.

Any throughts on which models I should look at?

Thanks,
Ian.

Ian,

When you compromise price over quality the end result is always disappointing. Yes, a blendtec or vitamix is costlier but your produce will thank you. That cheap blender practically burns your food to blend it. The ktec/blendtec does it quickly, easily and makes beautiful liquid salads, smoothies and anything else I want. I don't spend 50% more for another jar. The extra jar is about $50-$60 U.S. dollars. When you use a 3hp blender daily the power eventually wears away the washer on the container. This is normal for a blender with this kind of power. A vitamix is less powerful than a blendtec but sells for the same price. I would, if I had to do it all over again, save until I could afford a blendtec or vitamix. I know vitamix is coming out with a 3hp blender, but I don't know how good it will be.

The more expensive blender will not be quieter. My ktec sounds like a frigging, race car when it's blending. You may want to run out of the room screaming with your ears plugged. The end result it always worth it.

Peace,

Marcos

Go Vegan for your life, your health, the planet and, most importantly, the animals that we share this wonderful world with!

Hi Sodoffsocks

There is a saying "I am not rich enough to buy cheap" or another that comes to mind is "Buy cheap pay twice"

I use a Ktec and it is very very good. It blends like a blender should. I had a top of the range store blender before the Ktec and it left lumps e.g. carrot in my smoothies before the motor burnt out in about a year.

I use the blender about twice or three times a day on average. Do you want to go the same route?

I have a Ktec and have had to have the blade in the container exchanged after burnout 3 times in less than 5 years.

I'd recommend the Vitamix just because they seem to be sturdier as in longlasting.

24 Carrot,

I totally disagree with you and see you are doing the same thing that others are doing... comparing apples to oranges. First, the ktec champ is significantly more powerful than a vitamix. It's a 3hp blender, which means it turns probably about 20,000 more rpm's per minute than a standard vitamix blender. Also, the vitamix is awkward and clunky while the ktec fits nicely under cabines and is totally push button with an auto shutoff. The vitamix doesn't offer this option. Yes, vitamix is introducing a 3hp to compete with ktec but they've got a long way to go. Look at the container as temporary and an investment. I always keep a spare nearby and will continue buying containers for the best price I can. The vitamix blades don't turn as fast and therefore a true test of container life can't be made until the 3hp has been out for atleast 18 months.

Peace,

Marcos

Go Vegan for your life, your health, the planet and, most importantly, the animals that we share this wonderful world with!

I am trying to buy the total blender, what is the average life of the container?

djatchi,

The container has a warranty of 12 months, while the device itself carries a three year warranty. I encourage you not to compare the container of a 3hp to that of a 2hp Vitamix. The vitamix simply doesn't generate the same friction from movement as the ktec. However, most of my containers last anywhere from 12 to 16 months. Also, you can shop around and find great prices and ktec is working hard to improve the life on their containers because they know what an investment this is for their consumer base.

Peace,

Marcos

Go Vegan for your life, your health, the planet and, most importantly, the animals that we share this wonderful world with!

How do you determine that the ktec container needs to be replaced? Does it break into pieces or just stop working, or is there is any way to know when to start buying a new container. This may be very inconvenient to be replacing a container every year. Is the ktec the same blender as the total blender?

djatchi,

The ktec was renamed the total blender and comes with a shorter warranty. The ktec champ has an 8 year warranty, while the total blender carries a three year warranty. There is no way of telling. I made a smoothie one day and my container started smoking. When I poured it out I found black pieces of rubber that were in the smoothie and I had to wash it down the drain. I missed my warranty expiration by six days. However, this one was my fault. I made the mistake of grinding some sea salt in my ktec blender. It grinded it beautifully but, I suspect, the remaining salt crystals must have penetrated the rubber washer and ate it away.

Peace,

Marcos

Go Vegan for your life, your health, the planet and, most importantly, the animals that we share this wonderful world with!

Thanks for the responses. I'm still skeptical that it's worth buying an expensive blender. My $10 blender lasted 3years and it seems that if I buy a high end blender I'll be replacing the container/jug every year or two. Also the way it fails could leave me with contaminated food (YUCK!).

The power difference between the vita-mix and ktec is 120watts, but the ktec has a higher shutoff/stall. Which is probably why I'm reading more stories of people destroying their containers with ktec blenders.

How long do the vita-mix containers last?

I'll see if I can find somebody to show/demo one to me. Any raw fooders around San Francisco who want to make some food together in the next few weeks?

Thanks again.
Ian.

So it look like the ktec blender maybe more powerfull but it is more expensive in the long run because you have to replace the container every year. In conclusion should new buyers just go for a vitamix because it almost as powerfull and has longer warranty and container does not break as often?

I think it depends on how you want to use the blender. I have a Ketc and I have not had to replace the jar (Just under 2 years) I gave it a check and its fine. So its not a given that the jar will fail in exactly two years. I think both vitamix and Ktec have their individual issues some oweners love them and some hate them.

I mainly make smoothies but I usually add seeds of various types and I want them blended into the smoothie I also like my smoothies well blended with no lumps or bits of seeds. I also blend the avacado seeds when I use avacado. So I need a blender that will do the job.

A $10 blender will fail for my requirements but it may be fine for what you will be using it for. If you will only be blending soft fruit and don't mind the odd lump then a Ktec will be over kill.

"I am not rich enough to buy cheap"

Blend avocado seed? Is there nutrient in the seed or it is just because the blender can blend it?

Most of the energy a plant expends when making fruits goes into the seeds. It costs a fruit tree a lot of energy to make seeds. The sugary bit that covers the seed does not require a lot of energy for the tree to make.

Fruit tree growers usually take off half or more of the fruits when the fruits are small before the seeds have started to form. This is called "thinning out" the fruit.

The Tree will then produce bigger heavier fruit with a total weight of MORE than if the tree had not been thined out. This is because the tree only needs to make half the seeds. This is much less taxing on the tree so the tree will fruit well every year and not just every few years as the tree will not need to rest.

What this means is a lot of energy has gone into the seeds. So as long as the seeds are edible they are packed with nutrition more so than the outer covering. It would be a shame to throw the seeds in the garbage.

For this reason I almost always blend the seeds along with the fruit.