Recommend your blender

arrestclementine

My last blender broke.  It was kind of a POS.  I'm looking for one that actually crushes ice and makes smoothies, well smooth.  I don't really have a budget.  I was looking at getting a blendtec or vitamix, but I really don't think such a nice/expensive blender is needed, as I don't cook much and would pretty much only use it for making smoothies.

Suggestions?

arrestclementine

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_registering-gifts_recommend-your-blender?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:34Discussion:03676741-0cef-45d9-8281-830a0ee54b83Post:f1b3c0da-656f-4081-853f-f1b68faff7ab">Re: Recommend your blender</a>:
[QUOTE]We were looking for a great blender too. My FI loves to make smoothies so we were looking at the Vitamix. We were at BB&B registering and the manager actually talked us into a cheaper blender. We ended up registering for the Ninja instead. He said unless you plan on opening a smoothie business there is no need to get the over $500 Vitamix when the Ninja at under $200 is practically the same thing.
Posted by missax[/QUOTE]

That's exactly what I was thinking!  But I am so sick of spending money on cheaper blenders and only having them last a year or a little longer... I was at Sams club yesterday and saw they had the Ninja 1100 for $118.  I was seriously thinking about getting it but I needed to look at more reviews.  What one did you end up registering for?

Ven&Radio

I would love to have a BlendTec or VitaMix.  I have a KitchenAid blender.  I think it cost me about $100 when I bought it in 2008.  It's great for making smoothies, frozen adult beverages, and pureeing things like soup.  What it's not good at is pureeing thicker sauces.  I recently tried to use it to blend chipotles and sour cream and everything got flung to the edges, stuck and no blending occurred.  This is where the BT or VM would shine.  I hate taking out the food processor for small jobs like this.  If all you're after is making drinks/smoothies, this is a good blender.

bride2beNCG

We bought a Blendtec when we moved in together, and absolutely love it. Perfect smoothies every time, and we got the second jar so we could also use it as a food processor. We don't love clutter, so the more multi-purposes an appliance has, the better.

I will say that prior to that, I had a really nice KitchenAid that lasted me all of college, and two years on my own after. It was a great blender, with a glass jar, which I still prefer to the plastic. Wish Blendtec would make a glass jar! It did finally burn up, but I think it was about $70.

The Blendtec was a hit to the wallet, but after the sting, it's a great appliance.

Avion22

I have a KitchenAid blender which is really great.  I also have a stick blender that I use a lot and love it.   I gotta say, for smoothies, the Magic Bullet is actually really really good:-)

freebread03

I answered the girl above who was asking about Vitamix vs. Ninja...I have a Vitamix and love it, and my mom has had hers for nearly 20 years and STILL uses it.  I had a great KitchenAid for about 4 years and then one of the components broke.  It would have been probably 100$ to fix it, so we just ended up getting a the Vitamix since I think I paid $150 at most for the KitchenAid.

ash273uk

I also posted in the Vitamix vs. Ninja thread, but I highly recommend the Ninja.  It's amazing.

transatlanticisms

How is the noise level for those blenders, or any others for that matter? We have a 12-year-old Oster that I'm embarrassed to run in our apartment, because it's loud even rooms away with doors closed and hands over your ears. If I want a decent smoothie at 7 am before leaving for work, is there a blender that can give it to me without waking up half the building?