Read First Before Buy Waring MBB518 Professional Beverage Stainless
I already have a high-end blender but I wanted one specifically for smoothies (and maybe bar drinks) so I did my research and purchased the Waring MBB520 - Copper. I have a GE Monogram kitchen (stainless) and when I first put this blender on the counter to make my first smoothie, the first two comments from my friends were along the lines of, "Wow, it looks nice!" ... and I concurred.
Right out of the box all you have to do is quickly wash the glass container and you're good to go. A recipe book was included so I used the strawberry/banana recipe to make my first smoothie. The blender has 3 options: off, low, and high. The glass container fits on the base but not the tight locking fit of some blenders. Actually, I like this better because it allows me to shake things around when I'm making my smoothie (kinda like the way they do it at Jamba Juice). After about 1 min, it was done. The ice and frozen strawberries were blended in with the banana, milk and yogurt. It was smmmmooth and tasted grrrrrreat!
Now comes the part that I hate: cleaning. But cleaning this blender was a breeze because you don't have to take it apart; it is one unit. You just pop the lid off, take it off the base, and rinse it (with light soap if you like). It was pain-free ...
It was so easy and good that I made a second one right away - this time with frozen mangoes and some nutrition powder. I highly recommend this blender. You'll be happy with it!
I've owned a dozen blenders over the past 30 years. They all had their advantages and disadvantages, as does this one. When I tote up the pro's and con's, Waring still stands on top for me. My first blender was an Osterizer in the early seventies when I was in college. It was a good machine for drink blending, but was frustrating for foods. If you look closely at the Oster container, the blades sit in an area recessed from the main container. No problem for liquids, but semisolid things such as peanut butter will jam down in there. I found that I constantly had to use a spatula to help dressings, dips, etc. blend.When the Kitchen Aid blender was first introduced, I bought one. It was a real disappointment from the start. No matter how much I ran items, they never got uniformly smooth! I can remember running canned tomatoes, for instance, for several minutes and still they did not puree evenly. I kept it for about 6 months and gave it to one of my employees. Roughly 10 years ago I bought my first Waring, a one-speed bar blender. Finally I had a blender that did all I wanted! I think that the trademark cloverleaf Waring design is more than hype. It truly does pull food and heavy mixtures into the blades better than competing designs. If you look at the heavy Waring glass container with its nonremovable blades, you'll see that the bottom of the container is flat and the blades stand up above the bottom. I think this is why it works so well. Incidentally, I've found no problem whatsoever in not being able to take the blades out. Because of the design, a drop of d/w liquid and hot water cleans out the bottom in a second or two. However, the limitation with this machine for kitchen use was its lack of a low speed. I bought a Cuisinart blender, then recently introduced, as I love my DLC-X food processor. Big mistake. The blender was made in China and was mostly plastic, frame and all. I burned it up making dips one New Year's Eve. Not for heavy duty use. I bought the Waring kitchen model, like this one but with a different design of container with removable blades. I liked the machine but it didn't blend as well as my bar blender. Again, this seemed apparent due to the different container design. I returned it after three weeks. Finally, I bought a two speed Waring laboratory model with timer, basically the same machine as shown here with a little different front. It has the original style container, a heavy duty motor, and has worked flawlessly for several years. I purchased the stainless steel container as an accessory, but still use the glass one most of the time. As any blender enthusiast will tell you, you only really need a low and a high speed, all the rest is window dressing. The Waring is not only classic retro design, but its simple cylindrical base affords excellent ventilation for the motor. It also makes cleanup from spills and overflows much simpler than more elaborate models. Incidentally, you can find the heavy glass containers all the time for a buck or two at local flea markets; order new blades and lid for a fraction of the purchase price of a new set!This is a classic kitchen design that will remain in style for many, many more years to come.
BalasHapusThis is the same blender that my friend bought for his smoothie business and it does the job very well. It liquifies practically everything that you ask it to including fruit pieces and ice chunks. Even the ice is chipped into a fine mix without some of the bigger chunks left over that you might find in the bottom of other less expensive brands. Bottom line is that its function is the best out there.
BalasHapusThe simple design and function of this unit is why Waring does not need to change. The overall form is a clear derivative of the industrial function. The heavy duty and weighted base and motor allows for no-worry loading. The all glass pitcher is a cinch to clean and is extremely durable. The lack of a multi-part base that detaches like many other blender designs eliminates inevitable liquid seeping and cleanup hassle. The simple gear cog on the base mating with the pitcher bottom, allows natural set-up and the transfer of 390 watts of power to crush all unlucky items inside. The wonderful stainless toggle switch provides clear and positive feedback on the 2 speed settings. Personally the stainless steel base finish is more of a pewter with low gloss; a definite plus when trying to keep things clean in the kitchen.I haven't had any blending disappointments; I think understanding that placing the items in a certain order helps the blending. This may be common sense - but seems to be lost in today's world of assuming the machine will do everything + read my mind. The only current difficulty is removal of the pitcher's blade; a wrench is needed. But fortunately I haven't had any need to do this with the wonderful performance and power of the Waring - rock on!
BalasHapusI have tried several blenders over several years' time, but this model is by far the best one I have ever used or owned. It has no bottom screw-on parts to come loose while you are blending, and it is very simple to use - just two speeds on one switch, but that's all it needs to whip up drinks or crush ice faster and better than any of its competitors.
BalasHapusThis is the Mercedes Benz of blenders and anyone who has paid attention to places that make home made shakes or bars that make the best drinks knows that this is the brand and model to buy. Never wears out, easy to clean, and it has a GLASS blender jar and not plastic. I firmly believe that glass blends better and cleans up better. And if you make cold drinks you know that glass holds the cold better and this makes a better shake etc.The ONLY suggestion I have is buy an extra glass blender jar and an extra mixer blade. This makes it easier for those who make different drinks for people. Allows someone to wash and get ready one blender jar while one is being used.
BalasHapusThe Waring Professional Bar Blender is all the blender I will ever need. Smoothies are now easy to whip up and a snap to clean up. To top it off, the stainless steel model I purchased looks great on the countertop. The motor (390 watts) has plenty of power for crushing ice and making frothy drinks. Waring blenders exude high quality. Certainly there are more powerful blenders. Vita-Mix and Waring's Mega Pro are two such examples. Nevertheless, one would be hard pressed to justify the added expense of either machines for the average home. Kitchen Aid puts out a slightly more powerful blender (500 watts). But I have used both and for my money, Waring produces more consistent results for a wide variety of blending applications.The cloverleaf glass jar is sturdy and easy to clean. I had some reservations about buying glass with a stainless steel version available but to my surprise, I actually prefer it. It is often necessary to have the contents visable(not possible with the steel jar) while blending to ensure a consistently smooth texture or to prevent overblending. I recommend this product highly.
BalasHapus