Smoothie Maker Review: What You Need to Know To Choose The Perfect Smoothie Blender For Slim and Healthy Body
Why use a blender when trying to lose weight?
Here’s the bottom line for weight loss: with a healthy digestive system, it is virtually impossible to be gain weight when eating mostly whole, raw foods!
If you’ve been reading this blog, then you already know that when trying to lose weight and improve your health – you should be eating more fresh and raw fruits and vegetables, and – of course – more of that green stuff that everybody knows it’s “good for us” but most people avoid like the plague.
Eating that raw and green stuff – including kale, lettuce, spinach, arugula, collard greens, and other – will give you amazing energy, slimmer body, help get rid of cravings, and improve your overall health - without the need for any pills, powders, vitamins, appetite suppressants, colon cleansers, and other things you may be hiding in your kitchen cabinets.
Picture that! You can eat anything you want, as much as you want – so no more calorie counting – as long as it is raw, whole, live food – and NOT GAIN AN OUNCE of weight in most cases.
(There may be some exceptions, for example, people with digestive or glandular disorders – though they will probably do better on raw, live foods. Also, keep in mind when you first start eating more raw foods, you may need awhile to cleanse, detoxify and rebuild your digestive system before noticing substantial weight loss.)
The problem with eating lots of raw stuff is you need to do a lot of chopping and chewing, which — for some impatient, busy people — may be too time consuming. That is why I recommend smoothies and blended salads, which are basically vegetable smoothies, except they have not been blended to a smooth consistency, so the texture remains a little chunky.
And to make smoothies – you need a blender.
If you are just starting out or already have blender – then you can just use any blender that you have available. It will probably do the job just fine with most recipes. However, when using tougher greens and veggies, such as kale or celery, to really get the smooth consistency that you desire – you need a more powerful blender.
So if you are looking for a new blender and are ready to invest some money into your health – I recommend choosing a Blendtec Total Blender or a Vitamix. From what I’ve heard these are really the two best choices on the market today – strong, powerful, durable and versatile – they are like kitchen-robots that will not just blend, but make flour, nut milk, nut butters, baby food, ice cream, etc.
I have been using my Vitamix at least 2-3 times a day making smoothies and it blends everything into one homogenous shake – and it’s delicious! No yucky bits of leaves, chunks of stuff, etc. It gives me tremendous energy – and you should try it too – at least two or three times a day.
Blendtec or Vitamix: Which blender to get?
Everyone who ever used a Blendtec or Vitamix admits that these two blenders are in the class of their own. No other blender can really compete with them. They both cost about the same and have similar features—so which one should you buy?
I own a Vitamix – I bought it before I even knew Blendtec existed, and I wish I knew about this blender BEFORE I purchased it – I would surely consider it as a serious candidate for my blending needs.
Vitamix does has some advantages over Blendtec. For example, Blendtec warranty is not as competitive as the Vitamix: just a 3 year warranty on the motor base, 1 year on the jar, and a lifetime warranty on the coupling and blade (Vitamix 5200 comes with a 7 year waranty on all parts). I also read some reviews that it cannot handle frozen and whole uncut fruits as well as it’s advertised. The reason is that it does not come with a tamper – and without a proper tool to push the food into the blade it won’t blend. So if don’t plan to use much frozen or uncut material then you might consider this product, otherwise, you may want to look at Vitamix.
Here is a helpful review that compares Blendtech to Vitamix.
“I purchased this blender after reading THE CHINA STUDY, EAT TO LIVE, and GREEN FOR LIFE (all Highly recommended and if you are buying this blender you’d be missing out if you didn’t read these books, particularly GREEN FOR LIFE).
All three books really drive home the importance of eating Greens (Swiss Chard, Kale, etc.) on a daily basis. For me, this was a challenge. The only way I could tolerate kale was to slather it with olive oil or butter and salt and cook it, thereby destroying most of the benefits. Even then I ate it dutifully and without pleasure. Then I read GREEN FOR LIFE and got the idea to blend up raw greens with bananas and other fruit into nutrient dense green smoothies.
You need the high power blender for this sort of thing, other blenders can’t handle it. Thank goodness the Blendtec was mentioned in reviews for GFL, or I would have never even known about it. I ordered it with fingers crossed. It was a lot of money to plunk down for a blender and I was a little scared I wouldn’t be able to drink the green stuff.
Not only did the blender perform like a dream, it makes a killer green smoothie–no taste of kale! The cost of the blender is worth it for this reason alone. Now I can get my daily intake of greens without having to endure it. It’s actually delicious and gives you a buzz of energy way better than coffee.
I’m telling you all this because I think that Blendtec has missed a major market demographic. The recipie book that comes with the blender can be discarded for this demographic. A lot of people need these blenders for a vegan or raw food and greens lifestyle and I think most of them end up with a Vita-mix because of the way they are marketed.
I have had a Vita Mix and can tell you this is Way better. One thing not mentioned in the specs is that the blendtec is only about 15 inches tall (unlike the Vitamix which is 20). That means it fits on your counter under your cabinets–very important for an appliance you might be using every day. Mine now occupies the space where the coffee pot used to be and I use it at least twice a day.
You can make nut butters, various flours, breads, soup….etc. It’s so powerful I think the motor could fly a small plane.
You can walk away from this blender and it knows when to shut itself off, it is not as loud as the Vitamix even though it is more powerful, and the clean-up is a cinch. This is the single best appliance I’ve ever purchased. The only thing I wish it had is a retractable cord and better customer service.
If you are on the fence about this–buy it! ”
From Amazon Reviews: Blendtec Home TB-621-BHM The Professional’s Choice 1500-Watt Total Blender.
Here is another review I just came across, by Green Smoothie Girl – the author of the “Green Smoothies Diet.” She is recommending Blendtec blender over Vitamix – and she owns both, so she knows what she is talking about.
1. BlendTec’s motor is 3 horsepower (compared to VM’s 2.5), and I’m a sucker for faster/bigger/better.
2. BlendTec is the best blender because it’s a smarter machine, with 17 settings for what you want to do-for instance, green smoothies! The smoothie setting alternates high and low to pull greens down into the “blending vortex” centrifugally during the slow cycles. That way you don’t have to muscle your greens down with the tamper thingie that the VitaMix relies on.
3. BlendTec has a lifetime warranty on the blade so you don’t have to worry about it getting dull. I never worry about something going wrong with my BlendTec-and by the way, I’ve sent my VitaMix back to the manufacturer several times, but haven’t needed to repair my BlendTec.
4. BlendTec’s product is smaller and fits under standard countertops (unlike VM, which does not fit). I take mine to hotel rooms, condos, anywhere I go, so my family’s nutrition doesn’t suffer on the road-and my BlendTec is smaller to fit neatly in a suitcase.
5. BlendTec has the square jar design is easier to pour from, and wider (where the VM is deeper, and I have a hard time scraping stuff out of its bottom with a spatula and get stuff all over my arm). Stuff gets stuck at the narrow part of the bottom of the VM and usually goes to waste.
Green Smoothie Girl | 12 Steps to Whole Food Eating » Best Blender
Read some reviews from Blendec Total Blender users:
“I have owned this blender for about a month. So far it has worked great. It is a great tool to have if you expect to blend stuff on a daily basis. The larger blades and powerful motor makes my Oyster beehive blender feel like a toy. It will blend things that conventional blenders would not even begin to blend. Baby food can be puree very well. Much better than with the food processor. This machine can basically replace a food processor, a juicer, and a grinder.
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Things I like:
1. It blends just about anything do to the large blades and powerful 1500 watt motor. And it does it much faster than a conventional blender.
2. It’s built in the USA and the parts seem to be good quality.
3. One push button operation allows you to blend w/o having to time it or supervise it.
4. lifetime warranty on coupling and blade.
5. It fits under standard counters.
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Things I do not like:
1. The base has a cheap feel to it because of the plastic. For the price, I think it should have been metal.
2. Has lesser warranty than its competitor (Vita-Mix).
3. I expect an expensive tool like this to have better dampening to absorb noise and vibration.
4. The plastic container (polycarbonate) scratches easily when mixing grains, seeds, etc.”
By P. Estrada
You can replace up to nine other kitchen appliances with this easy-to-use countertop blender–no need for a separate grain mill, juicer, bread machine, ice-cream maker, smoothie maker, blender, milkshake maker, coffee grinder, or ice crusher. With its powerful commercial-quality, 1,500-watt 3-horsepower direct-drive motor, the blender can handle almost any kitchen task. The all-in-one appliance makes smoothies, fresh juice, ice cream, milkshakes, cappuccinos, margaritas, soups, sauces, breads, dressings, salsas, and more. It can even turn ice to snow and comes with an ice-crushing guarantee.
It even has a cycle button – and when it’s pushed, your Blentec automatically speeds up and slows down, then shuts off when the cycle is complete. It comes with 6 preprogrammed cycles: ice cream/frozen yogurt, ice crush/milkshake, soups/syrups, sauces/dips/dressings/batters, whole/juice, and smoothie. There are also speed-up and speed-down buttons for altering power, as well as a pulse button. The Total Blender has so much power that it turns ice to snow and actually comes with an ice-crushing guarantee! Its 1,500 watt, 3-horsepower direct-drive motor that spins the blade at 29,000 rpm makes it the most powerful home blender on the market.
Blendtec Total Blender vs Vitamix – Conclusion
The bottom line is this: Whichever one you choose, you are going to be happy about it. Both of them are awesome machines. They blend stuff like you’ve never seen before. AND….it isn’t just a blender. It’s an all-in-one appliance that makes smoothies, fresh juice, ice cream, milkshakes, cappuccinos, margaritas, soups, sauces, breads, dressings, fresh salsas, and more.
You can use it to blend, chop, grind, freeze, cook, hash, crush, mince, dice, mill, purée, and more, replacing up to nine other appliances with one fast, easy-to-use appliance. These blending machines are used in restaurants, coffee shops, juice bars, gyms, and health clubs around the world. The reason for this popularity is simple: they are known for producing the great, consistent results in taste and texture of blended foods.
Smoothie Recipes
I’m sure whichever blender you choose, it will satisfy even the most demanding home gourmet chefs. Plus each of them comes with a recipe book with over a hundred recipes if you are not sure where to start.
However, for weight loss, I recommend that you get some books about making green smoothies. There are several good books right now available on Amazon – the trend of making green smoothies is catching up. The one I have is a few years old and called “Green for Life” by Victoria Boutenko.
I just looked on Amazon, and it turns out that Victoria just released another one “Green Smoothie Revolution: The Radical Leap Toward Natural Health” – you may want to try that. Another one that I’ve seen that looks promising is ”
Here are three recipes for you from the Victoria’s Green For Life:
Freshness Green Smoothie Recipe
6 to 8 leaves of Romaine lettuce
1/2 medium honeydew
2 cups water
Yealds: 1 quart of smoothie
Victoria’s Favorite Green Smoothie Recipe
6 leaves of red leaf lettuce
1/4 bunch of fresh basil
1/2 lime (juiced)
1/2 red onion
2 celery sticks
1/4 avocado
2 cups water
Yields: 1 quart of smoothie
Igor’s Favorite Green Smoothie
1/2 bunch spinach
4 apples
1/2 whole lime with peel
1 banana
2 cups water
Yields: 1 quart of smoothie
Blender Noise Reduction Secret
Some people complain that these blenders are loud – so here is a noise reduction trick that works for any loud countertop appliance.
N O I S E….R E D U C T I O N….S E C R E T !!!!!! ( works for any blender! )
What to do? JUST PUT A FEW MOUSE-PADS UNDER THE BLENDER!
So, if you don’t already own one, buy yourself a new blender today!
Questions? Comments? Weight Loss Tips?
Now that you read some of my thoughts on blenders, why not add to the conversation in the comment section below! Are you making smoothies? What blender are you using?
Read my other posts How to Stop Food Cravings: 2 Proven Tips to Stop Sugar Cravings and Stop Craving Food When Trying to Lose Weight; Weight Loss Tips: Are people in your life sabotaging your fat loss efforts, about using Hypnosis to Lose Weight., and about the latest gizmo in weight loss industry – the Body Bugg Calorie Management System to help you lose weight.
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