Best all-purpose blender? Vitamix A3500 or Blendtec 650S - sharp vs dull blade?

[tjordan]

Hello,

I am looking for a blender that can do - nut butters, spice powders, batters (dosa/idly etc), curry pastes, flours (wheat/rice/millets etc), and smoothies. I won't be crushing ice or making ice creams. I won't be using it to grind coffee either.

Both Vitamix and Blendtec have similar features and warranty. My goal is to get a best performance blender irrespective of features. I guess the biggest difference comes to jar design, sharpness of the blades (Vitamix is sharp and Blendtec is dull).

Which one would you recommend?

Thanks.

 

[pepperhead212]

Welcome to the forum!

I can't compare the two, but I can tell you I can't really say anything bad about my Vitamix! I don't remember the model number, but I've had it since the 90s, so it is durable! Much of what you will be doing is almost exactly what I do with it! I have a grain mill that I almost stopped using, because I'd use this for flours in smaller amounts, of many grains and legumes (brown rice, sorghum, millets, barley, oats, lentils, and chickpeas) more often. Occasionally I make the nut butters or tahini. And I frequently make smoothies, sweet and savory. I did get an extra container - a smaller one, so it would fit in the DW, though this is not always necessary. And that is the one I use most.

For spice mixes I only use it when I am making a lot, like 2 cups or more, to share with some friends. The spices don't circulate well enough, unless it is high enough for that pusher to move the mix around some. Smaller amounts I use my spice grinder, or a larger wet/dry grinder I have, which is also better for the smaller amounts of wet pastes. The VM makes larger amounts of Thai curry pastes OK, but I have found that I have to put about 1/2 c water to about 1 3/4 cups of paste, to get it to circulate, since it grinds everything so fine. Same thing with some Mexican things, and surprisingly, it grinds those things up so fine that none of the seeds of chile skins are left to get caught in the strainer - don't even need to do that now!

And another thing I forgot, probably since it is winter! Another thing this is great for is grinding up vegetables in the summer, for many cold soups. The tomato and pepper skins, as well as seeds, get totally ground up, and basically disappear.

Any other questions, feel free to ask! I've been using it almost 30 years, so maybe I can help, or someone else can.

 

[Kathleen]

I have the A3500. So far, there is not anything I've needed it to do that it has not been up to doing. My tahini was fantastic. And the hummus I made with it was smoother than anything I have ever purchased at the store. It does have a specific accessory for grains and legumes, if you make them often.