I'm rather hooked on pina coladas but I'm burning up blenders in the
process. I make them with Bacardi mix as per the directions on the can
(mix, half a can of rum, ice in the blender) but I've burned out 2 blenders
making a small number of these in the last year.

The first was an admittedly cheapie blender, but the last one was a "Waring
Bar Blender" that cost $130. The motor was smoking after 8-10 pitchers
(over 2 months). The store took it back with shock and amazement that I
managed to burn it out through such light use -- I never jammed the lid on
or seized the motor, either.

I upgraded ($200) to a VillaWare Infinity, but test-driving it with a 1/3 of
a pitcher of ice and water, I was unimpressed with its mixing ability and
the fact that the blade seized. I returned it.

The one I have my eye on now is a Hamilton-Beach Tango bar blender for $279.
I'm appalled that I have to spend that much, but it seems like you need to
get into commercial quality and prices. Although I'm trying to do it
without going to the $4-500 VitaMix or BlendTec territory.

"Howard Beale" wrote:

The one I have my eye on now is a Hamilton-Beach Tango bar blender for $279.
I'm appalled that I have to spend that much, but it seems like you need to
get into commercial quality and prices. Although I'm trying to do it
without going to the $4-500 VitaMix or BlendTec territory.


Looks like you can get a VitaMix for under $400 (although not by much)
by buying a reconditioned unit:

http://www.vitamix.com/household/pro...conchoice.html

I bought a new one about 7 years ago (much against my better
judgement, but I was overruled ) and wouldn't part with it.
------------------------------------------------------
David Eastwood -

Howard Beale wrote:
I'm rather hooked on pina coladas but I'm burning up blenders in the
process. I make them with Bacardi mix as per the directions on the can
(mix, half a can of rum, ice in the blender) but I've burned out 2 blenders
making a small number of these in the last year.

The first was an admittedly cheapie blender, but the last one was a "Waring
Bar Blender" that cost $130. The motor was smoking after 8-10 pitchers
(over 2 months). The store took it back with shock and amazement that I
managed to burn it out through such light use -- I never jammed the lid on
or seized the motor, either.

I upgraded ($200) to a VillaWare Infinity, but test-driving it with a 1/3 of
a pitcher of ice and water, I was unimpressed with its mixing ability and
the fact that the blade seized. I returned it.

The one I have my eye on now is a Hamilton-Beach Tango bar blender for $279.
I'm appalled that I have to spend that much, but it seems like you need to
get into commercial quality and prices. Although I'm trying to do it
without going to the $4-500 VitaMix or BlendTec territory.



http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0005934514160a&type=product&cmCat=sear ch&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=blender+&N=4887&Ntk=Product s&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=blender+&noImage=0

Enjoy.

Matthew
--
I'm a consultant. If you want an opinion I'll sell you one.
Which one do you want?

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

In article ,
"Matthew L. Martin" wrote:

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/te...005934514160a&
type=product&cmCat=search&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&QueryText=blender+&N=
4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=blen der+&noImage=0

Enjoy.

Whoa, now that's damn near overkill. Tim "the Toolman" Taylow would
love that.

"Argh - Argh - Aaaarrrrgh!"

more realisticly to the thread, I have an 80's model Vitamix, and I
would say even one this old will do the job nicely, and can be had for
considerably less than the under $400 refurb mentioned elsewhere. But I
would note that even the older models pull $125 to $250 on eBay. You
could do what I did, patiently spend years hunting garage sales, to get
one dirt cheap, but I don't think the OP wants to wait that long.

jt

"David Eastwood" wrote in message
...
"Howard Beale" wrote:

The one I have my eye on now is a Hamilton-Beach Tango bar blender for
$279.
I'm appalled that I have to spend that much, but it seems like you need to
get into commercial quality and prices. Although I'm trying to do it
without going to the $4-500 VitaMix or BlendTec territory.


Looks like you can get a VitaMix for under $400 (although not by much)
by buying a reconditioned unit:

http://www.vitamix.com/household/pro...conchoice.html

I bought a new one about 7 years ago (much against my better
judgement, but I was overruled ) and wouldn't part with it.
------------------------------------------------------
David Eastwood -

If you belong to Costco, they have a demonstration now and then on their
models and they are for sale at the demonstration. I believe the prices and
latest models are excellent. I can't recall what the prices are, but they
certainly aren't near the price when buying them elsewhere -- but I could be
wrong, and if so, some will set me straight ;-))
Dee Dee

"Dee Dee" wrote in message
...

If you belong to Costco, they have a demonstration now and then on their
models and they are for sale at the demonstration. I believe the prices
and latest models are excellent. I can't recall what the prices are, but
they certainly aren't near the price when buying them elsewhere -- but I
could be wrong, and if so, some will set me straight ;-))
Dee Dee

A friend belongs and I tag along from time to time. I can't comment on
their bulk food pricing (I buy gum...), but I haven't been overwhelmed with
the pricing on other stuff. I will check these out, though.

"Howard Beale" wrote in message
...

"Dee Dee" wrote in message
...

If you belong to Costco, they have a demonstration now and then on their
models and they are for sale at the demonstration. I believe the prices
and latest models are excellent. I can't recall what the prices are, but
they certainly aren't near the price when buying them elsewhere -- but I
could be wrong, and if so, some will set me straight ;-))
Dee Dee

A friend belongs and I tag along from time to time. I can't comment on
their bulk food pricing (I buy gum...), but I haven't been overwhelmed
with the pricing on other stuff. I will check these out, though.
Yeah, it's amazing the people that are so underwhelmed about Costco's
pricing, but they like their prices when -- oh, well ....
Dee Dee

"Howard Beale" wrote in message
...
I'm rather hooked on pina coladas but I'm burning up blenders in the
process. I make them with Bacardi mix as per the directions on the can
(mix, half a can of rum, ice in the blender) but I've burned out 2
blenders making a small number of these in the last year.

The first was an admittedly cheapie blender, but the last one was a
"Waring Bar Blender" that cost $130. The motor was smoking after 8-10
pitchers (over 2 months). The store took it back with shock and amazement
that I managed to burn it out through such light use -- I never jammed the
lid on or seized the motor, either.

I upgraded ($200) to a VillaWare Infinity, but test-driving it with a 1/3
of a pitcher of ice and water, I was unimpressed with its mixing ability
and the fact that the blade seized. I returned it.

The one I have my eye on now is a Hamilton-Beach Tango bar blender for
$279. I'm appalled that I have to spend that much, but it seems like you
need to get into commercial quality and prices. Although I'm trying to do
it without going to the $4-500 VitaMix or BlendTec territory.

I use my cuisinart food processor to make smoothies and frappacino-like
coffee drinks all the time. My bowl is the larger 11 cup capacity. Cost me
$150 right after Christmas. I have a 7 Cup cuisinart food processor I've
had since 1986, and its still going strong. I'm giving the 7 cup to my
daughter. Thay can be awkward to pour from, but the power and heartiness of
them makes up for that.

Tonia

On Thu, 23 Aug 2007 00:12:09 -0400, "Dee Dee"
wrote:
"Howard Beale" wrote in message
...
A friend belongs and I tag along from time to time. I can't comment on
their bulk food pricing (I buy gum...), but I haven't been overwhelmed
with the pricing on other stuff. I will check these out, though.
Yeah, it's amazing the people that are so underwhelmed about Costco's
pricing, but they like their prices when -- oh, well ....

So true: Walmart may be cheaper on some things, but it also is
CHEAPER, plus I do think there's a lot of value to the idea that one
can buy good quality in bulk and save time shopping.

I wish we had Costco here, but I'm doing ok with BJ's (I refuse to
shop at Sam's or Walmart), especially the meat and coffee and toilet
paper, just to name a few staples I buy there. Plus I share the
membership with a former colleague who lives nowhere near me.

"KLS" wrote in message
...


I wish we had Costco here, but I'm doing ok with BJ's (I refuse to
shop at Sam's or Walmart), especially the meat and coffee and toilet
paper, just to name a few staples I buy there. Plus I share the
membership with a former colleague who lives nowhere near me.


I shop at BJ's, too, but it's farther/further away, so I don't get there as
often. BJ's do have some items that are more upscale than Costco -- those
little niblets in jars, etc.

Just today when I was one of the big box hardware stores, and I mentioned
that I didn't know that the big-box hardware store had been there since
March beside Walmart. She was astonished, but I told her that the only
thing I shopped for at Walmart was distilled water, and then I went 30 miles
away instead of 10 miles because I couldn't count on the closest Walmart
stocking it all the time.

The point I was making was that I didn't get to Walmart often enough is the
reason I must've missed the new big-box store, but she was really ready to
take issue as to why I wouldn't shop at Walmart. I've seen this over and
over if you say you don't shop at Walmart -- sometimes it 'hey, those are
fightin' words!"

Dee Dee

On Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:14:34 -0500, David Eastwood
wrote:

"Howard Beale" wrote:

The one I have my eye on now is a Hamilton-Beach Tango bar blender for $279.
I'm appalled that I have to spend that much, but it seems like you need to
get into commercial quality and prices. Although I'm trying to do it
without going to the $4-500 VitaMix or BlendTec territory.


Looks like you can get a VitaMix for under $400 (although not by much)
by buying a reconditioned unit:

http://www.vitamix.com/household/pro...conchoice.html

I bought a new one about 7 years ago (much against my better
judgement, but I was overruled ) and wouldn't part with it.


You might also look at Blendtec( http://commercial.blendtec.com/ ).
Like the VitaMix, it is not cheap - the home version runs $300+. The
commercial version is used by Jamba Juice, Starbucks, etc.