Scored a $50 BlendTec on Craigslist

[LiveLean]

Yesterday I scored a BlendTec on Craigslist (without the jar) for $50. I still have to buy a jar, which will be $60 on eBay. So for $110 I have a $400 blender.

Maybe not the most Mustachian thing I have done since I had a BlendTec already. But I use it daily and have a second home/weekly beach rental property 800 miles away. So I'll take my old BlendTec (3,200 on the counter) and lock it up at my rental property, letting the renters use the $20 Oster. The "new" BlendTec from Craigslist is the same model of what I have, with only 415 on the counter.

I've never tried a Vitamix since I love my eight-year-old BlendTec so much. I can't think of anything so kickass and reliable I've owned for that long. Sometimes when I see the Vitamix demo guy at Costco trashing BlendTec, I want to grab a BlendTec and some fruit and go head-to-head with him. Some day after I've had enough wine samples, I might just do that.

I had to drive 80 miles to get the BlendTec, but I combined it with a business appointment in the area. I met the buyer at a Starbucks and wanted to make sure the thing worked. (I brought my own jar and some water.) So we sat down and cranked it up. Starbucks, of course, uses BlendTec and the baristas were shooting us some nasty looks. I think they thought we were making fun of them or at least making our own drinks!

[big_slacker]

I love my blendtec, and that's a CRAZY deal. Nice work!

[math-ya]

Why do you need such a powerful blender? I'm curious b/c most people say vitamix or blendtec are so good. I own a cheap blender and it turns any food into liquid quickly. What more do you want? Have you seen the will it blend series? Isn't this overkill? Are y'all really blending marbles and shit at your house? Lol. I think the toughest stuff I put in my blender is like a frozen apple or maybe sunflower seeds, and it chews thru that stuff no prob.
I equate these types of blenders with V8 motors in cars..What the heck do you need a v8 for? You'll poke your eye out.

[LiveLean]

While the "Will it Blend?" videos are funny, there's no comparison between a $20 Oster and a BlendTec. A BlendTec is more of a home appliance that can create soups, ice cream, etc. I don't use it for that, just smoothies, but there's a reason JambaJuice, Starbucks and others use a BlendTec. It produces a rich, creamy drink. An Oster or the equivalent just gives you a watery beverage.

[math-ya]

It produces a rich, creamy drink. An Oster or the equivalent just gives you a watery beverage.

Are you talking about smoothies here or what?
I understand that this is a much more powerful machine than a cheap-o blender, I just don't see the advantage. My first job was at baskin robbins and we used blendtec blenders. The only difference I saw between the two types was speed. Consistency is the same as long as you keep your blades sharp on the cheap-o. I notice mine get dull and can't really purée after about 6 months

[libertarian4321]

I'm glad I had no idea what a "BlendTec" was until reading this thread.

We have a plain old blender that we bought for $15 about 20 years ago. 

Seems to do the job just fine.

Clearly, I don't get it...

[DangleStash]

We have a BlendTec as well - you can pretty much take anything solid and make it into a homologous liquid and/or powder with it.  It seems unnecessary at first, but you can make fantastic soups by blending a bunch of veggies together.  Want to try to make some type of nut/rice/other flour?  Pop it in.  And in the off chance that your hockey stick is too long, pop it in and grind it down a bit too!

(kidding on the last one).

That's a screaming deal on one, great find!

[Gin1984]

It produces a rich, creamy drink. An Oster or the equivalent just gives you a watery beverage.

Are you talking about smoothies here or what?
I understand that this is a much more powerful machine than a cheap-o blender, I just don't see the advantage. My first job was at baskin robbins and we used blendtec blenders. The only difference I saw between the two types was speed. Consistency is the same as long as you keep your blades sharp on the cheap-o. I notice mine get dull and can't really purée after about 6 months

How do you sharpen the blades?

[abiteveryday]

Great find!    I couldn't believe when I found one at Goodwill a while ago, and have been using it at least once daily ever since.

[math-ya]

the nice thing about the cheaper, non one piece blenders is you can take them all apart to expose the blades. then i just rub each of the 4 edges on a sharpening stone a few times a year to keep it sharp.

We have a BlendTec as well - you can pretty much take anything solid and make it into a homologous liquid and/or powder with it.

this is just describing what any blender should do.

[grantmeaname]

the nice thing about the cheaper, non one piece blenders is you can take them all apart to expose the blades. then i just rub each of the 4 edges on a sharpening stone a few times a year to keep it sharp

Science people: does it matter if the blender blades are sharp? I thought blenders worked by cavitation, which is why the blade edges are perpendicular to the path they travel on and totally dull.

[abiteveryday]

Not a science person, but my BlendTec blades are not at all sharp, so that sounds plausible.

[math-ya]

blenders do work with cavitation, but that doesnt mean sharpness of the blades mean nothing. ya gotta chop it up before you can liquify it. i can notice when my blades are getting dull, and after i sharpen them there is a huge difference in the performance of my cheap blender.

[grantmeaname]

Oh. I guess that makes sense.

[DangleStash]

the nice thing about the cheaper, non one piece blenders is you can take them all apart to expose the blades. then i just rub each of the 4 edges on a sharpening stone a few times a year to keep it sharp.

We have a BlendTec as well - you can pretty much take anything solid and make it into a homologous liquid and/or powder with it.

this is just describing what any blender should do.

Also describing what most fail to do.  Or will do a few times then burn out.