Worth it though. Got one for my wife two x-mas ago and she uses it at least twice a week. More in the spring/summer.

---

_____________________________________________
Rick, "Retired" hobbyist athlete
Trying to come back slowly from acute A-Fib

I use the magic bullet, works well, I think it was 99 bucks

---

mrdanwatson.blogspot.com

Blendtec Still not cheap but a couple hundred bucks less and just as powerful.

---

Rodney
TrainingPeaks | Altra Running | RAD Roller
http://www.goinglong.ca

Very nice try, but nobody here will admit to buying the WTC-branded blender...

You can save some money on the refurb models. I was hesitant to go that route, but the warranty is 5 years and it came looking new (the container/blades are new). This might be an option to save some bucks.

IMO, Blendtec is better than Vitamix. They are both great, but there's a reason that Blendtec gets the nod by most expert reviewers. It's still not cheap.

Really surprised nobody mentioned the Ninja yet http://www.amazon.com/...lender/dp/B003VWXXXK

Got the Ninja Ultima from Bed Bath and Beyond. It has the 2.5 hp motor and you can use a 20% coupon. With their no questions asked return policy you cant go wrong. Had it a few months, use it daily and have zero complaints

I still don't get why someone would spend that much money on a blender. I bought one at Costco for $50 3-4 years ago and its been able to handle everything I throw at it. Yes, sometimes I need to help it out a bit cause the top doesn't blend, but is that really worth an extra $400 bucks?

I'd rather use that for when I get a power meter.

In short... yes :)

I can't speak for how much better a Vitamix is better than a Ninja or Blendtec... but compared to a blender, worth every penny. Of course, this depends greatly on your intended use. If a banana protein smoothie is what you like to use it for, a blender will do just fine.

Another vote for Ninja - it does everything we needed it to do -- Bed Bath and Beyond coupon helps.

---

Graham Wilson
USAT Level III Elite Coach
http://www.thewilsongroup.biz

Another Ninja vote. I think they took the wood chipper from movie Fargo and just made it smaller, pretty sure it would chew up a human body pretty good.

---

--------------------------
The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

I can't speak to the Vitamix, but I recently bought a NutriBullet. It's a bigger more heavy duty version of the Magic Bullet. My wife and I were on a 10 day fruits/veggie clense last month and it took everything I threw at it and turned it into a smoothie with no chunks whatsoever. Again, I don't know exactly what a Vitamix does, but I strongly reccomend the Nutribullet for doing smoothies.

Take a look at their factory certified options. They are just as good as the new one and come with 7-year warranty.
Both blendtec and vitamix will give you great blend power but I personally love the Blendtec for many reasons.

---

---

SmartBikeTrainers.com || YouTube || My Twitter

+1 for the Ninja. My law partner has both a Vitamix & Ninja and told me to get the Ninja for the cost savings in that the blending difference between the two is negligible. Got the Ninja a few months ago and no complaints by either myself or the Missus. We use it ~3-4/week.

I went with a refurbished Vitamix from the website. Didn't pay the big bucks for a new one, came with a brand new recipe book too. Had a slight problem with it (was noisier than my old one) and Vitamix took it back and gave me a new refurbished one. Excellent customer service and love the blender!

---

Candice Turner
CEO
XLAB - Aerodynamic Triathlon Accessories
Dawn to Dusk - Off-road Specific Storage Accessories
http://www.XLAB-USA.com http://www.dawntodusk.bike

Eat a banana, then do http://www.thesufferfest.com/...sufferfests/blender/

BlendTec is cheaper (by $50). And better. But there's nothing that really comes close to either at a lesser price.

---

"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

You are on a tri site asking if something cheaper is better? The irony ;-)

As mentioned, other then Blendtec which is a bit cheaper, the others are just imitators.

I'd splurge for the Vitamix, know that it will never break and can blend up your used car parts if you become iron deficient ;-) My wife really loves making hot soup with the thing, but I have to leave the room since the thing is louder than my Harley!

---

____________________________________
Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

a vitamix would pretty much blend a ninja.

---

Rattlesnake Blake
With the "Venom Enom"

I have a Ninja and am not thrilled with it. I have made "smoothies" with it for a couple of months. It doesn't liquify everything like the vitamix does. My fiancee calls them "chunkies" instead of smoothies because of all the chunks, she won't drink them. We recently purchase a Nutri-bullet, it works much better. I don't know how long it will last, but at $99, it was worth the gamble. I would still like to own a Vitamix for the volume. The Nutri-bullet only does one smoothie at a time.

i have had a vita mixer for 14 years, i use it a lot. still works great.

The answer to this question can be found in a review of juicers in this month's Consumer Reports. (hint, hint.....nothing compares to the vitamix in volume of output)

CC

I read a lot of reviews before I decided on a Breville. I am not a blender expert but I love it. Use it several times per week. Crushes and blends everything (or at least everything I have put in it so far)