We bought a avocado green blender from 1960sumthin at an estate sale for like $5. Works excellent! Estate sales are great for picking some items that might interest you, but they are AMAZINGLYAWESOME for picking up a this-or-that household good that everybody has one or two of out there in the world. There's an estate sale or 10 every weekend. Check your paper or facebook. RecyCling!

For under $100, you're just not going to get a good blender.

I spent almost three months comparison shopping for our blender. Decided, like you, that I did it want a $500 Vitamix, but the next best thing was our $300 Breville Ikon (which actually outperforms the Vitamix in several categories anyway).

I highly recommend any model in the Breville Ikon series. You can get a Hemisphere starting at about $150, I think.

-Rob

I won a Vita Mix several years ago and it is as good as people say. My daughter used it every day and tried to take it with her when she moved out. We bought her a Ninja bundle at Sams and she says it is better than the Vita Mix. She likes the mix and go containers for drinking her smoothie on the go.

quote:

Originally posted by GA Gator:
Ninja kitchen system

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d...quXGbW0PL&ref=plSrch

This is the one I have and have no complaints. I use the food processor bowl a lot and it makes extremely smooth hummus, which is sorta my benchmark.
Be sure to look at the specs when buying a Ninja... this one is 1500 watts, but lesser bundles have less powerful motors.

Definitely try to step up to the Vitamix if there is any way at all to get one. I purchased a refurb and it has exceeded all expectations. The initial price is a bit hard to take but you will have a great blender for many years.

Ninja, Amazon, $75.00. I have beaten one to death for three years, still going strong.

RMD

I bought one of ninjas after my kitchenaid died

Works well

Be careful cleaning it though. The finely serated blades will slice you deeply faster than you realize

Another vote for the Ninja. We got my dad one for Father's Day a few years ago, still going strong.

Makes great frozen margaritas

Ninja is awesome and not uber pricey.
We got one of the better ones at around $200 or a little less with a ton of extras.
Very versatile and works flawlessly.
I mix pizza dough, chop/process foods, make smoothies and blend all kinds of other stuff.
Even came with a couple "smoothie" glasses, you make the smoothie, take off the blender apparatus and attach the lid ~ ready to go.

BlendTec may be a bit out the price range, but they do sell remanufactured blenders. Plus they have great YouTube videos. The whole "Will it blend" series is pretty funny.

I make smoothies and mixed drinks with mine and I love it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH1yh_w5XO4

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Waste Kang!

Oh, wait...

Yeah, but you could make a yak smoothie with it.

If you don’t mind used and no box, for the cost of shipping I will insta-karma you an upper end model Ninja.

Like new condition, used about three months until my wife decided she wanted the Vitamix, now it just sits in the pantry waiting for someone who needs a blender.

I can vouch for it’s impressive smoothie making skills as smoothies are kinda like Pina Coladas and Daquiries which it sucessfully passed function testing on.

*edit* It is model BL685. We got it at Target, seem to recall it was about $175 new, on sale from $240ish.

Similar to this, but labeled as 1500w:

https://www.target.com/p/ninja...-system/-/A-44363628

I am guessing about $35 to ship, and with the balance of your budget you could take her out to dinner or get her a more “traditional” gift.

Email in profile if interested.


Untitled by Wayne Wilson, on Flickr

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 911Boss,

I just recently bought a ninja blender for my wife. It's awesome. We love it.

Add me to the Ninja System list. We've had ours for a bit over 2 years now and are still very happy with it.

America's Test Kitchen has rated the Breville "The Hemisphere Control" #1 for the last two years and it's the one they use.

Will cost you about twice what you're looking to spend.

Ninja, good heavy duty motor, multiple finger removing super sharp rotating blades, tight fitting parts so no leaks, easy to clean.

Blendtech or vitamix are the nest options.

Blendtech is louder. If I had to do it over again, I’d be tempted to go with vitamix instead. It is nice that the blendtech doesn’t need a plunger to push down what you’re blending.

Our blendtech was remanufactired and still their customer service is great. Our jar had an issue after four years and they sent us a brand new one for free without making me jump through hoops or complain.

Take 911Boss up on his generous offer and use it while you save for a Vitamix.

We went through 2 Ninjas in 3 years. Then got a Vitamix 5 years ago and the thing is still a tank.

Go with a blendtec or vitamin and you won't regret it.
I've burned through several of the major brands including cuisine art, GE, black & decker and tried a ninja but it didn't work well wit greens.

We have the Blendtec ES3, about $260 on Amazon. It a great mid tier blender used mostly to make protein shakes, etc... I like mine thick and it will make almost soft serve ice cream texture without jamming up. My kitchen aid before this one wasn't in the same class.