Blender Reviews: Blendtec vs. Vitamix (& Others)

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Blender Reviews: Blendtec vs. vitamix
Wellness Mama » Blog » Reviews » Blender Reviews: Blendtec vs. Vitamix (& Others)

Over the years, we’ve used a lot of different blenders and I’ve written several blender reviews. Cooking from scratch three times a day for eight people gives me a LOT of time to test out blenders while making sauces, smoothies and more. My favorite blender has changed a few times over the years so I figured an updated review was in order!

What to Look For in a Quality Blender

A good blender can last years, so it is worth doing some research before purchasing one!

Before deciding which blender will work for you, consider how often you’ll be using it, how big it needs to be and your budget. I also looked at the warranty length of each blender and how well it could fit in a cabinet or under a counter.

Based on these criteria, I’m sharing my favorite blenders that we’ve used over the years and why. These are our favorites in each category: high-powered, budget-friendly, easiest for kids, and immersion.

Best High Speed Blender

High speed blenders are all the rage. With the continued popularity of smoothies in recent years, these blenders have become the most-used kitchen appliances in many kitchens. We’ve personally tried several different iterations of the top two contenders: Blendtec and Vitamix and while they are both amazing, I think we will stick with our current favorite for many, many years…

My Top Choice: Vitamix 750 Professional Series

We have this brushed stainless steel Vitamix 750 Professional and I love it! It has a 2.2 horsepower motor and blends quickly and completely.

The biggest (and possibly only) downside to this blender? The price.

Most people won’t want to drop $600+ on a blender and there are some less expensive options (see below) that work almost as well. We opted for this one because it is professional grade and our blender gets a lot of daily use making nut butters, smoothies and even soups.

Our very first Vitamix was a refurbished 5200 that we saved up for months and months to get as newlyweds. It was such an improvement over our $30 wedding gift blender and we used it for many years. The only downside was that it didn’t fit well under the cabinet on the counter and the jar was too big to fit in any of our kitchen cabinets. This meant that with very limited counter space, it was always in the middle of the counter in two pieces and in the way. We used that blender daily for over five years and it was still running like a champ when we passed it on to a family member.

The newer professional series fixes this with a shorter design and is our daily blender now. In fact, we now store ours in a kitchen cabinet so it isn’t on the counter at all!

Vitamix Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • BPA free carafe
  • 2.2 horsepower motor
  • Spill-proof lid
  • New models fit under counter or store in cabinet
  • Four blades for faster blending
  • Choice of many restaurants and bars for its consistent and resilient performance
  • “Self Cleaning”- if you put soapy water in it, it will clean itself and just needs to be rinsed

Cons:

  • Pricy
  • Loud (due to the powerful motor, though this is true with all high-speed blenders)
  • Not dishwasher safe

Blendtec vs. Vitamix

Blendtec Review- Blendtec vs Vitamix

A few years ago, I had the chance to use a Blendtec for a while. Blendtec is another great option with comparable engine speed and performance. At the time, I liked that the Blendtec was shorter and easier to store, though as mentioned, that has been resolved with newer Vitamix models.

Both have good warranties, BPA free carafes, and are a great choice as a home blender. The reason that the new Vitamix still wins in my book is that the lid has a latch system that stays on (we had a couple accidents with the Blendtec) and the Vitamix has a manual control system vs. the computerized Blendtec system. Also, Vitamix has 4 blades to Blendtec’s two.

So Vitmix wins, though Blendtec is a great runner-up.

More Budget Friendly Vitamix

We have the top of the line Professional Series Vitamix but there are other great models that cost about half the price.

Best choice: The Certified Refurbished Vitamix 5300 still fits under the cabinet on a counter, has a long-lasting powerful motor, and is about half the price of the professional series.

Best Budget Friendly Blender

If a restaurant-grade high speed blender isn’t in the budget, there are some lower-priced options that perform almost as well! In fact, looking back, these would have been a great choice instead of the Vitamix when our budget was much tighter several years ago.

Top Choice: Ninja Pro

The Ninja Professional Blender is a great value and a great blender. It has close to the power of a true high speed blender and can do many of the same things at a fraction of the price.

We got to try this one at a rental house while on vacation. I was impressed with the power of the Ninja, and at under $100 it is a much less costly alternative to the two big brands. The Ninja doesn’t quite measure up to the power of the Vitamix but it can accomplish almost all of the same functions and has great reviews.

Easiest Blender for Kids

My older kids easily work most kitchen appliances and can even safely handle a chef’s knife (thanks to the Kids Cook Real Food course), but high speed blenders are not a toy, and I don’t let our younger kids use ours. It’s too easy (even for an adult) to leave a spoon in and blow out the motor or not latch the top and paint the kitchen. (I’m guilty of that one!)

A while back, we got a Magic Bullet as a gift. I almost didn’t take it out of the box because we use our Vitamix for everything, but I wondered if it would be a good option for the kids and decided to try it because it doesn’t take up much room.

I found that the size and speed are great for kids to make individual smoothies as long as they know the proportions and not to overfill. It was also convenient for chopping foods and making things like guacamole.

I wouldn’t consider it comparable to the options above and wouldn’t have purchased it, but it has been a convenient and inexpensive option to let the kids use.

Best Immersion Blender

I could write an ode to my immersion blender because I use it so often. We had a Cuisinart immersion blender for almost a decade and when it eventually died, we replaced it with the Oxa 4-in-1 Immersion Blender and we absolutely love it!

Immersion blenders are fantastic when you don’t need the power (or cleanup) of a high speed blender. I also use this all the time for blending soups and sauces in the pan without having to risk transferring them to a blender. Since the immersion blender is stainless steel, this also minimizes plastic touching hot foods.

As a bonus, the OXA has attachments that whisk and that chop (great for onions without the tears). Personally, I consider both a regular high speed blender and an immersion blender to be necessary kitchen tools since I use them in such different ways.

There are lots of options available when it comes to blenders, but these are my personal favorites and have met the needs of our family.

What is your favorite blender? Do you agree with my blender reviews? Share below!

Katie Wells Avatar

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

114 responses to “Blender Reviews: Blendtec vs. Vitamix (& Others)”

  1. Kim Avatar

    I agree, and I have a Ninja Pro. You are correct that it does most things I need, yet it is not powerful enough to make coconut butter or pulverize some fruits and veggies all the way down. I would love a Blendtec from all the reviews I’ve been hearing or any machine strong enough to make coconut butter. I will just have to save my pennies or hope Santa brings me one someday!

  2. Leslie Rose Avatar
    Leslie Rose

    I decided to check put the Blendtec refurbished on Amazon, via the link provided in the review. The price was good, but the warranty is only for three years and not the full seven as stated. However it is possible to get for same price through Costco as new, with full warranty.
    Blendtec being shorter, fitting under the cabinet is great – but I am short and don’t want to have to use s step stool to use it.
    Vitamix interest me due to manual controls, but really don’t want to spend that much!

    Thanks for being such a great resource of information.

  3. Alayne Avatar
    Alayne

    I had a Vitamix TALL version for quite a while and loved it except that I could not store it under the counter. Then when Blendtec came out, i bought that and I thought I loved it. Sold my Tall Vitamin and used the BlendTec….but I could not stand that I did not have a TAMPER mechanism to push the food down. This past year I had some raw food chefs stay in my home and they could not stop talking about how much better Vitamix is….and so one day in Costco….they had a demo with the new WiDE base Vitamix!! It fits under the cabinet. And it is super wide and it is awesome!! Gave my mom the Blend Tec and she is happy for the upgrade from a simple blender. I have the Vitamix and my daughter just got the Vitamix too…she is super stoked to make raw food recipes for my grandson. And the Vitamix is so much quieter!! WOW!!! I think the Blendtec quality is not as good in the long run….but both are wonderful!

  4. Mary Castro Avatar
    Mary Castro

    I love my Vitamix! My first Vitamix lasted for 20 years without any issues. I used it everyday for a variety of cooking tasks – mostly smoothies and nut butters. I sent the old model back to Vitamix for a $100.00 rebate on a reconditioned Vitamix. I love this one too. Yes, it is taller than I would like and the pitcher is more difficult to clean than a wider pitcher would be but, it is a work horse and it keeps on running.

  5. Allison Avatar

    Do you still use your blendtec? What model do you have? I found a 475 on sale but on the website see that the lowest model currently listed is a 575.

  6. Jody Avatar

    Thank you for posting an honest review. I have been agonizing over which of these products to purchase. I have decided to go with the Blendtec model because I was leaning that way & your review (among others) has urged me to go with them. It seems silly to worry so much about this purchase, but several hundred for a blender is a big commitment.

  7. Susannah Avatar
    Susannah

    My Ninja is just going to have to do for now. It works flawlessly, but I am not expecting it to last like a Vitamix would. I would love it to be glass instead of plastic, but seeing as how Vitamix & Blentec are both plastic at this point in time as well, I will wait until one or the other makes a glass option available, and I have the extra money to spend. I never use anything plastic with heat, EVER, but I feel okay using high quality plastic with cold occasionally until a better option comes along.

  8. Melodie Avatar

    I had the blendtec, bought at Costco. In less than a year it quit (motor). Called blendtec and my cost to return with 100$ fee to get it fixed. I thought that soon after purchasing it should have been free. Returned it to Costco and purchased a Vitamix and never looked back. Their warranties are not the same.

  9. Chad Avatar

    I had a blendtec but it kept leaking black dust on the base even after a free new jar replacement. I switched to Vitamix and so far so good. It never let me down, It’s sturdy and nicely designed but it is boring and bland compared to the Blendtec. It’s been about 4 months now.

  10. Cheryl Heyman Avatar
    Cheryl Heyman

    I have had my VitaMix for 19 years, use it daily, and it is still going strong! Years ago the blade seized up due to my husband putting the pitcher in the dishwasher, he didn’t know they had to be hand washed, I called VitaMix and they sent me a new blade free of charge. I know when this one finally dies I will definitely be getting another VitaMix. I don’t care about the height as I store mine in the pantry with all my small appliances.

  11. Angela C Avatar

    I have never used a BlendTec, but I have a Vitamix that was gifted to me. It had hardly been used at the time. After using it for about 6 months, it started to leak. I called the company and they sent me a whole new pitcher with blade free of charge. It was several months beyond the warranty at the time. I was very impressed. Their customer service was amazing. They stand behind their products and not many companies do these days. That alone is enough to keep me loyal to Vitamix.

  12. Dave Avatar

    Commercial user here.
    I used to use BlendTec in my cafe–had two bases and maybe five pitchers. We left BlendTec after a very bad customer service issue. The short story: we had replaced a motor after a year+ of heavy use; no problem, stuff happens (out of warranty) the turn-around time from BlendTec was pretty quick. Shortly after the new base was put in service, we started blowing through our pitcher bearings/blade assemblies. At first we thought it was a coincidence, but we soon realized that the new motor we got was out of true–it spun with a slight wobble to the shaft, which destroyed ALL of our pitcher blades. BlendTec would not accept responsibility for this defect, nor cover the cost of the replacement blades we had already paid for. Terrible service IMO. We made the switch to VitaMix and never looked back.
    The biggest issue beyond that experience is that I can service VitaMix pitchers myself–easily. BlendTec makes you send everything to them. I love me my VitaMix. (FYI I now have three locations using six bases and many pitchers for high volume smoothie and coffee drink service–AND one at home–I would never use BlendTec again.)

    1. Wellness Mama Avatar

      Dave, thanks for the perspective! I appreciate hearing this because that’s basically how mine will act years down the road. Now I know what to look out for!

  13. Sandy Avatar

    I have a Blendtec (lipstick red!) that I purchased at Bed Bath and Beyond using their 20% off coupon – actually they dont stock the red one but ordered it for me on request and still honored the 20 % off coupon. Join Bed Bath & Beyond’s e-club and you get the 20% off coupons all the time. The only thing is now I want the Wild Side jar too for blending things like hummus more easily.

    Thank you Wellness Mama I enjoy your blog very much.

  14. Lia Avatar

    Great conversation! I agonized over these two a year or so ago, after going through $100 blenders and being frustrated that none of them held up to daily use. We started with the Blendtec, which was pretty good overall. I liked how it fit under the cabinets, as many others have stated. However, it did not grind up everything, leaving chunks of food instead of a smooth consistency. It went back, and we bought a Vitamix (all at Costco, my fave store).

    The Vitamix is taller, but that doesn’t bother me much. It DOES grind up everything — smoothies are smoother and more creamy, dressings are fully emulsified, and overall it just seems like a powerhouse. I heard the plant in Tennessee has had a machine going constantly, for ten years. The company has integrity and stands behind its machines.

    They’re both good…..in the end the Vitamix is the best choice for us.

  15. Bunny Avatar

    In 2001 Blendtec introduced the WildSide jar, designed with a distinctive fifth side. Competitor Vita-Mix noticed. After attempting—and failing—to devise a competitive jar of its own, Vita-Mix decided to willfully copy Blendtec’s design. It cost them $24 Million for patent infringement. This speaks to the integrity of both companies.

  16. Bunkley Avatar

    Is there anyone that share my concerns with the ” BPA -free ” plastic containers? Is there a glass container good blender out there?

  17. RainahN Avatar

    We picked up a Vitamix at a thrift store for like $25. I love making beet smoothies and butternut squash smoothies, as well as exploring green smoothies of various stripes, etc. What I haven’t done is make a hot soup in it. Now that the weather has cooled down, I need to plan that and make it happen! With that in mind: I’D LOVE TO HEAR A REVIEW OF BLENDTEC MAKING A HOT SOUP. // My husband knew I wanted a heavy duty blender and he was the first one to spy it in the thrift store. He was my hero for like a whole year just for that. So…… when you started comparing Vitamix to BlendTec, I felt a little bit of a grudge because I know that Vitamix has competitors who keep the price down by producing outside of the U.S. So I checked out where BlendTec is manufactured, and lo and behold, it is made in the USA. I liked that. It settled my grudge. Competition in the market is a great thing. So…. now I’m absolutely and utterly glad to hear more about BlendTec, and I’ll try to make sure I keep my grudges out of the way still in the future. You never know what you will find out now, will you? Thanks so much for the great review!

  18. berenice albrecht Avatar
    berenice albrecht

    Hi Katie,
    I read your blog regularly. Love you information and recipes, especially the DIY oral recipes. Thanks for giving us readers such sound information.

    I have been seriously researching blenders, I would love a vitamin or blendtech, but today came across a lot of controversy about the plastic jugs. On Amazon there is a stainless steel jug that fits a Vitamix, but it costs over $200. I simply can’t reconcile myself to spending that money at this stage. Here is the link just in case anyone is interested in a stainless steel jug for their Vitamix:

    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BHQSSAK/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00BHQSSAK&linkCode=as2&tag=wellnessmama-20&linkId=KFZKTSJY6ZL36J3C

    I found this page through this youtube video:

    http://youtu.be/wzdNEAINC20

    If you or one of the readers of your blog know of a good quality blender with a glass jug, I would love to hear about it.

    Thanks sincerely,
    Berenice

  19. d~ Avatar

    thank you!
    you are so thorough and honest with information!
    much appreciation!
    blessings!

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