Blendtec Original Designer Series Blender and 90 Oz WildSide+ Jar - Kitchen Blender Bundle - Stainless Steel

I really enjoy this blender, sure it costs a boat-load and takes up some of that precious commodity called counterspace, but without a doubt it's a great purchase if you are going to use it (and let's be frank, if you're considering a $400+ blender for a kitchen, one would hope you're actually using it).I bought it for one main purpose and that was making smoothies and iced drinks. Rather then spending $5-6 a pop on the way to work for my smoothie fix, I am able to make drinks on par (if not better due to fresher ingredients) with the local smoothie or coffee shop at home. These are cousins to the blenders in those same shops so it is definitely up to par. This should (hopefully!) pay for itself after a year or two.Using it does take some getting use to as you can't just throw in ingredients and expect it to come out perfect, but with a little trial and error I was able to find the right proportions of liquid, ice and solids to make the perfect mixed drink. There is literally no comparison between the drinks produced by this blender (super smooth) and my previous $20 cheap-o blender (what's that weird burning smell coming from the motor?).The wildside jar is great, but you do need to make sure that you have enough liquid in there to keep everything moving. This might not be an issue for some, but I like my smoothies thick, so it did take some tinkering with liquid amounts.One thing I have started adding to my smoothies is flax seeds (high in fiber/protein/vitamins/etc. and minimal taste impact when its one of many other ingredients). In my old blender I needed to grind the flax seeds in my coffee grinder to get them chopped up. In the blendtec, I throw them in whole and they're pretty much obliterated in the smoothie and it's hard to tell they're even there. I've also had a similar experience with kale, where the cheap-o model couldn't handle the tough fibers, but the blendtec doesn't even bat an eye-lashThe designer series is a step up from the older blendtec model and it's sleek finish is pretty easy to keep clean due to a lack of buttons (the controls are operated by a capacitive touchscreen similar to a cellphone).Downsides:+This thing is loud. You're only going to be using it in short bursts, but the neighbors might wonder why you're running heavy machinery in the morning.+Smoothie cavitation (this is when the blender blades create an air pocket and spin without hitting anything) -- Can be remedied by making sure there is enough liquid in the jar.Pros:+Powerful...yes it will blend+Professional quality+Easy clean-up (just throw a little water with some dishwashing soap and pulse for a few seconds. Rinse out and let dry)+7 year warranty

So far I’ve used this blender to turn frozen bananas and other fruit into perfect smoothies. I’m 100% happy with its performance. Here’s why”It’s PowerfulI’ve had underpowered blenders overheat and shut down on me too many times, but this mighty machine churns through ice and frozen fruits without those problems.Not Too LoudIt’s as loud as any other blender I’ve used, but not more than the rest.Easy To CleanIt’s a dream to clean, which is a huge plus for me. I was a bit concerned about its dull blades, an unusual feature, hoping I wouldn’t have to return it. Turns out it’s no problem with blending, and makes cleaning much easier. No more getting bitten by sharp blades!If I run into any problems with other tasks, I’ll update my review. However, after how well it makes smoothies, I expect it to perform equally well making vegan egg and cheese substitutes, soup, salsa, hummus, and all the other recipes I’m planning to try.

The media could not be loaded. I have been a Blendtec fan for the last 13 years, and have recommended them to so many people. We used our old Blendtec 3-4 times per day with never an issue, so when our Blendtec of 13 years died I didn’t hesitate to replace it. Unfortunately the build quality of the new blenders is terrible. Every recipe I have made so far (the exact same recipes we made daily for years) has given me an E-2 error. I called customer support and they informed me that they have changed their engines so that if the blender is beyond 1/2 filled or if it is a thick batter, it will give an overload code. Perhaps this doesn’t seem unreasonable to some, but considering the old model worked just fine on thick and over filled blends (and this is why I loved it) it is definitely a substantial decrease in quality. They didn’t seem to mind when I said we would be leaving their company. To Vitamix we go.