alternative to vitamix?

[honeysesame]

i've been fantasizing about purchasing a vitamix for months now. i would use it as a blender as well as to grind grains, and i would also love to grind chinese herbs with it (in other words, thick roots and barks etc.). however, i'm wondering if there is another appliance out there with similar (or better!) capacities, which is not plastic/synthetic. or, if someone can convince me that this is really not an issue to even think twice about. one thing i wonder is how the oils in the herbs might react with the material of the vitamix. and maybe i would just need to save up for a different appliance for this particular use. if that's the case, would it be cheaper to just purchase a blender and a grain grinder separately? thanks in advance for answers to any and all of these questions!!!

[CalmCenter]

i have a total blender, not as well known as the vitamix, but actually more powerful and a little less expensive. still, it is a major purchase. i've had mine for 4 years and it is awesome. i wouldn't worry about the plastic... the amount of time your food is in contact with it is pretty minimal and it is super hard grade stuff. but if you like you can also have an old fashioned blender and you can screw on a mason jar as your blending container. i used to do that a lot to make sauces and salad dressings. it works great and you don't have to transfer your sauce. in a total blender you can blend almost anything... it has 3 horsepower (wow!) as compared to the vitamix that has 2 horsepower. anyhow, i love mine and totally recommend it if you can afford it.

[Maine Mama Doula]

I own a Blentec blender, which is comparable to the Vitamix in price. It still has a plastic carafe, but I don't know that that makes a difference since like the PP says, the food is in contact for such little time. The Blendtec is more powerfujl than the Vitamix, good for making nut butters and such, and it's carafe is more square and therefore fits under your cupboards. I love mine, but I don't have a Vitamix to compare with.

[jcr92901]

I have a blentec too and LOVE it.
FWIW the plastic jars that come with blendtecs are BPA free.

[honeysesame]

thanks y'all.
calm center, were you meaning you attach the mason jar to your total blender, or to a regular old blender bottom?

[momofmine]

I am about to order something right now! I have been putting off buying a VitaMix for years now. I have a Cuisinart blender with a glass jar, and the jar broke! SO I could order a new one or just go ahead and put the money towards a VitaMix. But I was wondering if they had a glass jar. Hmm, how to decide between the BlendTec and the VitaMix??

[painefaria]

I love our Vitamix. I just used it to puree 3 quarts of tomatoes for canning sauce in 15 minutes. No blanching, skinning, seeding, etc. I have made tapioca flour in it and countless batches of smoothies, nut butters, and our favorite Coconut Milk It was worth the money (which I know is a lot)

[kalishea]

Another vote for the Blendtec! (the maker of the total blender) It's awesome!
FYI- If you are a Costco member and go when they are doing the Blendtec demo, you can get an extended warranty. Normally its a 3 year warranty but Costco adds another 4 years (I think) for a 7 year warranty!

[forestrymom]

I so want one of these kinds of blenders!

[gabbyraja]

I'm buying something next week. Can you tell me if you need the additional "dry blade" for grinding grains (vitamix has one, at least) or if you can do with just the regular blade that comes with it?