Whether you’re cooking 5-star meals or whipping up home-cooked hits, a high quality blender is a must-have kitchen tool. It certainly makes life a whole lot easier.
What blender should you get though? With all the brands and models claiming to have the best blender in the industry, making a decision can be difficult. And that is where this Blendtec Total Blender review comes in.
I have been using my Blendtec Total Blender for 4 years now, and by doing this quick review, I'm certain I can help you make an informed decision on whether or not the popular machine is right for you.
Who is BlendTec?
Blendtec has been in the blender business since 1976. They started with the Kitchen Mill, which is a high-speed grain mill, and from there developed several other kitchen products afterward including blenders.
Aside from creating powerful and useful kitchen tools, Blendtec has also had some of the most viral video campaigns of all time. Have you ever watched a show on YouTube called “Will it Blend?” Just from the name, you might get a hint as to what the show is about.
However, this is not just some ordinary blending show. Instead of blending the usual fruits and vegetables, the host and founder of BlendTec, Tom Dickson, blends strange and unusual items. How strange? Well, an Amazon Echo, an iPad, and even an iPhone X were blended into bits (or more like a pulp).
It is pretty entertaining to watch, but more importantly, it showcases the power of a Blendtec blender. No gadget (or object for that matter) is safe. The tough build and strong motor blends just about anything!
What is the Total Blender Classic?
Blendtec describes the Total Blender Classic as “Powerful, Versatile, and Easy to Clean”. What’s great about it is that it is all that and more. More importantly though, it brings all the power and features of a commercial blender right into your own home.
The technical breakdown:
- 1560 watt motor
- Fully sealed, push-button controls
- Preprogrammed cycles: Smoothie, Batters, Hot Soup, Whole Juice, Ice Cream, Ice Crush
- 10 speeds + Pulse
- Illuminated LCD timer displays remaining time on blends
The cherry on top of the icing is the 8-Year Warranty that the Blendtec Total Blender Classic comes with. Yes, the warranty lasts for 8 years!
Same goes for all their new models. How crazy is that?
Why 8 years? According to Blendtec, their tools were built to last. They’re “so confident in the quality craftsmanship and durability” that they don’t mind giving warranties that last for a good number of years.
Another aspect I like are the BPA free jars with different sizes and designs. Blendtec has made picking one very easy.
There are four types of jars that you can use with your Blendtec blender. You can easily switch from one jar to another because all of the jars are compatible with your home model. As a matter of fact, all Blendtec jars are compatible with all of Blendtec’s home models.
Blendtec Jars
It’s important to take note that all of Blendtec’s jars are made of BPA free material and durable. However, for you to get the most out of the jar you purchase, you have to use it for its intended purpose.
- Fourside Jar - what’s unique about the Fourside jar is its square shape. When blending, the corners of the jar create a vortex that pulls the food down, making blending more efficient.
- Holds 2 quarts
- Has a 3” stainless steel blade
- Wildside+ Jar – this jar is the upgraded version of the Fourside jar. It has a fifth side which creates a high-powered blending vortex that makes fruits and vegetables smooth. It’s pretty versatile and can tackle anything from hot soup to ice cream.
- Holds 3 quarts
- Has a 4” stainless steel blade
- Mini Wildside Jar – just like its big brother, the mini Wildside jar also has an extra side, but is the perfect solution if you want to make small portions. You can use it for a single-serve smoothie or a small batch of garlic dip.
- Holds 46 oz
- Twister Jar – the twister jar was designed to deal with food items that are difficult to blend. For example, nut butters, hummus, pesto, bread dough, and other thick spreads.It has a twisting lid with prongs that scrape the sides of the jar as you turn it during the blending cycle, so everything is properly mixed
- Includes a regular rubber sealing lid to use for small smoothies, sauces, etc.
- Includes rubber spatula "Spectacula" to easily scrape out thick mixtures
- Holds 37 oz
I own the Fourside and Wildside+ jars, but what I use the most is the Twister Jar because of the recipes I’ve been making (coconut butter, peanut butter, and several kinds of nice cream).
I also like to use the twister jar with the regular lid for small servings of smoothies or sauces. Although I have found that the Wildside+ jar definitely does the best job of completely blending completely smooth drinks and smoothies.
One amazing aspect that all the jars share, is the dull blade. Yes, can you believe that all the powerful blending is perfect with a blade that is not actually sharp!
This just speaks even more to the intelligent design of the jar shapes as well as the powerful (2 hp) motors in Blendtec blenders. And there is absolutely no risk of cutting yourself while cleaning.
Where to buy the Blendtec Total Blender? And how much is it?
The Blendtec Total Blender is available on Amazon. However, I highly recommend purchasing directly from the official Blendtec online store. Here you get the best product selection and return policy, as well as warranty and access to customer service support if ever needed.
At the time of writing the Total Blender Classic with Wildside+ jar is listed at $399.95 (discounted from $449.95) with black as only colour option.
It is also available refurbished for $279.95 with black, white, and red colour options, HERE!
Setting Up Your Total Blender Classic
When you get the Total Blender Classic, you will get: the motor base, the jar with lid, a recipe book, the manual, motor base cover, the power switch (located at the back lower-right of the motor base cover), and the power cord.
As soon as you unpack your Blendtec blender, you have to take note of the serial number and date of purchase. You are going to need it when contacting Blendtec for service or questions. Then, register your blender at www.blendtec.com/registration. This is an important step to take.
Next, you have to assemble your blender which is straightforward. If you need a bit of guidance, then you can always review your manual. When your assembly is done, the next step is to master the touchpad which has the following functions on your Blendtec Total Blender:
- Automatic Cycle – the buttons directly below the Pulse and Up and Down Speed Buttons are the preprogrammed cycles that can cater to your various needs. These settings have variable speeds that will change during the cycle to reach the desired consistency of the setting. Once the cycle is done, the Blendtec blender will automatically shut off.
NOTE: If at any point, you want to stop the blending cycle, you can press any of the buttons on the lower row buttons.
- Up and Down Speed – the arrows allow you to control the speed of the blender. There are 10 speeds. To start the blender, you simply press the Up button. Keep pressing the Up button until you get to your desired speed. The blender will then run for 50 seconds. Once the 50 seconds are up, the blender will shut off automatically.
NOTE: You can also stop the blending before the 50 seconds by pressing any of the lower row buttons.
- Pulse – use this function if you have momentary blending tasks that don’t really require a long blend cycle. As soon as you press the Pulse button, the motor will begin running. It will continue to run while you are pressing the Pulse button.
Now for the Blendtec Total Blender cycles! There are six blend cycle settings on the Total Blender Classic. As mentioned, each one will have variable speeds and time frames:
- Ice Cream/ Frozen Yogurt
- Sauce, Dips, and Dressings
- Whole Juice
- Ice Crush, Milkshake
- Soups, Syrups, and Fondues
- Smoothie
Review your manual if you want to check the specific duration of a cycle. It’s also helpful if you check the recipe book as it was specifically made with the functions and features of the Total Blender Classic in mind.
Review Summary
So far, the Blendtec Total Blender Classic has served me and my family well. From breakfast smoothies, nut butters, sauces, and nice cream desserts, we use it almost daily and some days more than once. It does what it says that it would do with a very attractive warranty to boot.
Because it’s not just any other blender, there’s a bit of a price tag on it, which is to be expected of blenders in the "high-speed" class.
PROS
- Professional quality
- Durable
- Easy to use
- Comes with a Blendtec recipe book
- Easy-to-understand buttons
- BPA free jars
- safe blades (dull)
- 8-Year Warranty (for brand new models)
CONS
- higher price point
- loud
As you can see, the PROs outweigh the CONs by a long shot. While the high price tag may be a deterrent for some, I know that I already got 4 years of extensive use out of mine and still have 4 more warranty-covered years to boot... and who knows how many beyond that.
The variety of blender jars makes it versatile for a wide range of recipes.
I love the high-powered motor of the blender. It makes it easy to blend even the toughest of ingredients. It has and continues to deliver on all levels. The 8-year warranty that comes with it is a great reassurance for such an investment.
So, to sum up this review, the Blendtec Total Blender Classic is a fantastic blender for our family and I know that you also will be very happy with it.
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