There are many blenders on the market at a wide variety of price points. You may be wondering what the difference is between the various blenders, and how to know which one to buy. This guide will clarify your buying options and help you decide which blender is right for you.

Standard Kitchen Blenders (300 Watts - 500 Watts, 1/4 -1/2 HP horsepower)

At Harvest Essentials we do not carry these blenders. We refer to these blenders as "disposable" due to the fact that they are not designed for daily use, or for more demanding blending tasks.

Store bought blenders range roughly from $80 to $200 and 300 to 500 watts. Under "normal" use a store bought blender will typically last between 18 and 24 months. In our experience, If you use these blenders more than twice a week or to crush ice etc., the strain will likely cause the blender to fail sooner. If you purchase this type of blender, be prepared to have a very limited amount of power for blending tasks, and worse off, expect to keep buying these as they break down.

At Harvest Essentials we are committed to supporting our customers' healthy lifestyle in the most positive way possible. We strongly suggest investing in a high quality blender that will last a decade if not a lifetime, and will provide a positive impact on your health for many years to come.

High-End Kitchen Blenders (Over 1,000 Watts, 2+HP )

For home use we carry Blendtec Blenders and Vitamix Blenders which are the highest quality blenders on the market. These blenders are built to provide healthy high quality foods and beverages with minimal effort. Both Blendtec and Vitamix blenders have 7 year warranties, and in our experience, they will last much longer. With these blenders you can make smoothies, whole juices, warm soups, perfect bar blends, ice cream, and much more. Yes these blenders can make both chilled and heated blends including ice cream and hot soup in about 1 minute.

Can High-End Kitchen Blenders Make Juice?

High-end home blenders are capable of producing "juice", though with more of a "smoothie" consistency, however, keep in mind it will contain the full fiber of whatever you are blending mixed in with the juice. Take note that this is very different from a juicer. A juicer will remove all of the fiber from your fruits and vegetables, and produce pure juice. Either one is a nutritious option depending on what your personal needs are.

Vitamix VS Blendtec

If you are trying to decide on a Blendtec or Vitamix blender you really can't go wrong with either blender, but there are some key differences to keep in mind. The biggest difference are the controls: Blendtec blenders have more modern electronic touch pad controls with memory pre-sets buttons. Vitamix blenders have more traditional manual button controls. Another key aspect to consider is the size of the blenders. The Blendtec will fit under a standard kitchen cabinet fully assembled, a Vitamix will not.

Blendtec Blenders

Blendtec blenders are high-tech blenders having electronic touch pads that include pre-set buttons for most any task you want to complete. Hit the preset button and the Blendtec will blend the food and stop automatically at the end of the process. Will it Blend? You can count on it with the Blendtec HP3A Blender. We carry the Blendtec HP3A for example (1560 Watts , 3 HP), which has 25 presets and 4 personally programmable buttons. In contrast, the Blendtec Total Blender sold at Costco and elsewhere has only 6 fixed presets.

We also carry the Blendtec Connoisseur for custom in-counter installs, and for the blender fanatic, the Blendtec Extreme.

Blendtec Jars and Accessories

There are many accessories for Blendtec blenders including the popular 96oz Wildside Jar and the new Twister Jar which optimizes the Blendtec to make nut butters, thick shakes, humus, baby food, dips and more, without the need for a spatula while blending. All Blendtec Blender Jars are made of a BPA-Free Tritan co polyester material to further ensure your safety.

*Yes Blendtec blenders do fit under standard kitchen cabinets.

Vitamix

Vitamix has more traditional controls. You will get an on/off button, and dual speed control or variable speed control. We carry the Vitamix 1782 (1100 Watts , 2 HP), which is the new replacement for the Vitamix 4500 and has two speeds. If you want more control, the Vitamix Turboblend VS (1380 Watts , 2 HP) which is the new replacement for the Vitamix 5200, comes with variable speed controls and a little more power.

Both of these blenders come with the patented Vitamix tamper which allows you to help stir the food in the blender while blending and Tritan BPA-Free jars

Vitamix Jars and Accessories

We carry many jars and blade combinations for Vitamix blenders including accessories like the Rinse-O-Matic, which makes cleaning easier.

*The Vitamix does not fit under standard cabinets while fully assembled.