I just bought this brand new spiffy Black ‘n Decker blender last month, and it already died on me. I thought $45.00 was a reasonable amount to spend on a blender (my last one was much cheaper and lasted 8 years), but apparently I was wrong.
What types do you guys have, and are they durable. Do I need to spend more than $50.00? Can I find something that will work for longer than just a month?
Rick
John,
Here are details of mine.
Very reliable and highly recommended for you young folks.
Cordially…
BumperStickerist
This one is pretty good
If you’re going the Smoothie/Milk Shake route, I like the Hamilton Beech stand mixer – the kind with the metal cup and the spindle. Buy a couple of extra metal cups and you’re set.
If you’re making frozen drinks that need to crush ice, I’ve had great success with the Hamilton beech.
If counter space is a problem and you cook, there’s one that uses the base as a PTO and you can interchange a blender top with a food processor. That looked fairly promising.
Don
I have a Sunbeam and it’s been just hunky dory. I’ve had to deal with their customer service to get a replacement part for my girlfriend’s food processor from them and they were quite agreeable and reasonably priced.
Compuglobalhypermeganet
I registered for a $100 Kitchen Aid UltraPower for my wedding a couple years ago, and it broke in about a year. The little ridged piece on the base that turns the blades is strangely made out of very soft plastic and the raised ridges just sheared off, one by one. Steer clear.
John Cole
Ok. Other than the bassomatic, the gasblender, and $100.00 dud, any recommendations?
Timmons Randolfo
We have a real basic Krups that cost around $30. Works great.
I think the lesson here is to not buy anything from Black and Decker. You can divide the price you paid by ten to get an approximation of the quality level to expect.
[email protected]
My Waring blender lasted 12 years. It was a wedding gift, and $110 at the time. It had one switch and it made mean frozen drinks. The ice didn’t stand a chance, it was a massacre.
Richard Bennett
You should get a Cuisinart blender, it’s the best even if it is made by weasels. And definitely avoid Kitchen Aid for anything but mixers, their blenders totally suck as Compuglobalhypermeganet says (the same thing happened to me.)
db
You got screwed. I have exactly the same blender and paid $20 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond (I normally don’t go there except my girlfriend wanted to see something in there and I found it).
It still runs for me but the hassle compared to my older blender is that I have to push it down and hold it there while it blends or else the spiny grove teeth at the bottom don’t stay snug and I will soon smell burning plastic if I walk away.
I had a nice ice grinder kind of blender a while back I got from the factory I used to work at. It was an industrial sized motor (the kind that would make the lights dim when it went on). The thing was a dream – I could set it and forget it. Turn it on, walk away, let the thing grind while I did other things. Sad thing is I forgot to pack it up when I split with my ex (who could never do a thing in the kitchen and I am sure it is just gathering dust now).
Okay, enough rambling… all to say, I can’t remember the company or anything of that thing. It was some Italian company and I think is often used by fancy coffee shops for grinding ice. With a motor like that it will be probably set you back at least $100. But in my opinion, those multiple speed/variable speed cheap things are a waste of money.
All you need is one speed and something that can punch through ice is what you want. The heavier the thing is, that probably is a good sign of a good machine.
Gary Farber
I don’t have any comments on blender models, but I do suggest that before purchasing a new one, you take the present one back to where you bought it, explain that you bought it only a month ago, and subjected it to only normal use, and that it lasting only a month is unsatisfactory, and ask if they would be willing to keep you as a customer by replacing it.
Mentioning how many people read your opinions daily in a casual and un-threatening manner might also be helpful.
Also, didn’t it come with a warranty? You might have to pay shipping to get a replacement directly from Black & Decker, which is why I suggest the retail outlet first, but going to B&D as a backup, if necessary, I further suggest.
As you say, there’s no good reason you should need to replace a machine from a major and reputable manufacturer after only a month of use, and the responsible parties should be aware of that (one would like to think; I make no promises). Good luck.
John Cole
Gary- I can do even better than that, as I have the receipt and the box still. I am going to return it and demand they let me apply the credit to the new blender of my choosing.
Bernard Yomtov
Can I find something that will work for longer than just a month?
Depends on your daily margarita intake.
BTW, I had an Osterizer that lasted thirty years before I gave it away, still functioning. No idea what their quality level is today.
BumperStickerist
No, but seriously something like this would work for you.
This one is the stuff milkshake dreams are made of.
If you’re a margarita fan, then Here’s an option to consider
Use the credit from the return for a Lodge cast iron griddle – and some margarita glasses.
smijer
Man up & drink it on the rocks.
eileen from OH
We got an Oster blender for a wedding gift and it lasted through 30 years of Margueritas and Eileen’s Famous Salad Dressing (though not at the same time.) Even then, it was chugging away but had accumulated a firmly bonded layer of grime that was impervious to any solvent known to man and evoked loud “ewwwwws” whenever it was taken from the appliance garage. So we now have a Black & Decker that cost 11 bucks with a combo coupon and sale at Kohl’s. So far so good.
Trivia Time – did you know the Waring Blender was named after famed bandleader Fred Waring? He had a terrible ulcer and had to drink Margueritas (not quite sure about that part) so he invested in the company. . .and the rest is history.
eileen from OH
Slartibartfast
We just bought a Braun blender for about $50 that works great. It’s passed the vacation margarita stress test with flying colors.
Jeffery Faulk
We have a Waring 1-speed that was my wife’s parents blender and it still does the job. It was originally purchased in 1959 for $33.00.
Janus Daniles
Either get something for a few bucks the next time you see a yard sale, or get serious. I brought a VitaMix more than a decade ago. Still haven’t had any reason to use the lifetime guarantee, or seen anything to compete with it. The VitaMix is what blenders try to be:
http://www.vitamix.com/
p.lukasiak
Best bet is to haunt flea markets until you find a good, solid, heavy old one. Any blender that doesn’t weigh far more than you think it should is crap. :)
The Friendly Grizzly
Half the battle in finding a good blender, or the case of a Waring, a blendOr, is look at the box. If you see the Three Magic Words of Warning (Made in China) put it back on the shelf and keep looking. If it is marked Black and Decker, put it back on the shelf regardless of country of origin.
I would hit the garage and estate sales, too. Look for a good old fashioned metal Osteriser, or a Waring Blendor. Even if you have to fit a new cord or switch, it will be worth it.
Quirkygrl
I have an Osterizer that’s working great.
I had a Black and Decker before that that stopped working after less than a year.
gswift
I’ve had good luck with the Oster beehive style.
gswift
damn link didn’t post first time
gswift
these link buttons suck, let’s see if manual works
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=2-1/qid=1122107675/ref=sr_2_1/602-6908488-3420646?%5Fencoding=UTF8&asin=B00006FMT9
gswift
victory is mine!
gleitch
Whilst screwing the base on the glass mixer if my Imperial Osterizer, it has become stuck because it didn’t catch the groove correctly. I’m afraid I’ll break the glass if I force it. Any ideas on how to get it free will be appreciated and considered. I won’t blame anyone if it breaks as it probably will anyway.