My Oster® Pro 1200! Part 1

This a review of 3 blenders and the factors that determined my final purchase. I was not paid for this review but I am an Amazon Affiliate.

Finally, I have a new blender and food processor. It's an Oster® which is weird because I really thought I wanted a Vitamix®.

I had an inexpensive Oster® blender that could barely make a smoothie without some planning. I needed to allow time for the frozen fruit and ice to defrost before even attempting to use the blender. It was not great at blending pieces of frozen fruit and ice. Even with partially defrosted fruit, I needed to start and stop the blender to push the ingredients down. Also I had to wait a bit before starting the blender because the motor would burn out. I really wanted a new blender that made making smoothies a breeze and a food processor for all the prep work that some of the recipes I make require. The small mini chopper I have is fine for making energy bites but other recipes needed to be prepped in 3 to 4 stages. I spent too much time in the kitchen on prep work. With the problems I had with my Oster®, I had my mind set on a Vitamix®. I was concerned about the cost so I also looked at the Ninja® but...

After watching several demos on QVC (yes, I'm a fan!) and YouTube videos comparing the Vitamix and Ninja®, we purchased the Oster® for $81.99 on Amazon.

4 Reasons Why I Purchased an Oster®

1. Price: I had to feel comfortable with the purchase price. Oster® had the best price for what I wanted to use the blender for.

2. Container: It is made of glass.

3. Replacement Costs: I was concerned that I would break the containers. The cost of purchasing a new one was a factor when making the decision to buy the Oster®.

4. Food Processor: There is a seperate 5 cup container and blades for food processing.

Why NOT go with the Vitamix®...

The Vitamix® demos are certainly convincing. From the ease of blending a smoothie to homemade nut butters and soup, it seemed like my best bet. I thought I would be fine spending $393.47 (at the time) or $65.57 for 6 months on Easy Pay atQVC for the Vitamix® Explorian 48-oz Variable Speed Blender w/ Book & Accessories but I just couldn't hit submit on the order button. I kept thinking of the money I could save or the other things I could buy if I purchased a less expensive blender. Also, there were a few less than stellar reviews that prevented me from making the purchase. Shipping was a factor in my decision as well. It takes longer to receive items ordered from QVC than Amazon. I am an Amazon Prime member so shipping is free, unlike QVC. QVC does offer free shipping on some items but not when you choose the Easy Pay® option.

Why NOT go with the Ninja® 1200 Watt Intelli-Sense Kitchen System...

I saw the Ninja® 1200 Watt Intelli-Sense Kitchen System demonstration on QVC. The brand ambassador struggled with the lid on the blender and like the Vitamix, the container is made of plastic. While there are some great features and I loved the seperate bowl for the food processor, I was concerned after reading reviews that cited cracking when using the blending mode.

Questions to Ask When Purchasing a New Blender:

What is your budget: How much are you willing to spend. Do you feel the cost is justified by how you will use the product.
How much do replacement parts cost: Are replacement parts available and how much would do they cost. If the costs are too high on a certain brand and model will that deter you from purchasing the original blender.
What do you want it for: Determine what functions are most important to you.
How would you use differently: If you buy a blender with more features, will you use those functions enough to justify the original purchase.

A Quick Comparison:

	Ninja® Intelli-Sense Kitchen System	Oster® Pro 1200	Vitamix® Explorian Variable Speed Blender
Price	$156.00	$81.99	$390.00
Container Material	BPA-free Eastman Tritan Copolyester	Boroclass glass jar	BPA-free Eastman Tritan Copolyester
Size of Blender Container	72 oz. (64 oz. max. for liquid)	6 cup (48 oz.)	6 cup (48 oz.)
Seperate Food Processor	Yes	Yes	No
Size of Food Processor	8 Cup	5 Cup	N/A
Watts	1200	1200	2HP = 1491
Number of Speeds	12 Smart Programs	7	10
Replacement Costs for Containers	$64.95 (Ninja® Site)	$14.98 (Amazon)	$139.95 (QVC)