Hello Beautiful!

It looks like you're new to The Community. If you'd like to get involved, click one of these buttons!

In this Discussion

I need a blender a food processor, any suggestions?

I’m pretty new to going raw and I need to update my blender. I’ve read alot about the vitamix but I am concerned about the high speed heating my food past healthy temperature.

Also do I need a food processor also?

Thanks for any help you can give me, Libby

Comments

  • LucyLucy Raw Newbie

    Hi Libby, I have a vitamix,and I love it !! And yes,a food processor is essencial for raw recipes.

  • chriscarltonchriscarlton Raw Newbie

    I’ve never spent more than 30 on either. I normally buy second hand also for 5 – 10. My current food proc. still has the 7.50 sticker from the charity shop and it is 7 months old. When I teach classes I find these more common items are less daunting than I believe another 250-300 piece of equipment would be. I encourage my clients to spend their money on a good/large dehydrator instead.

  • ZoeZoe Raw Newbie

    I hear the vita mix is excellent, and because it is so powerful you process the food for less time which means it won’t heat up. I have a old normal one and sometimes the food gets warm after I have been processing it for ages and ages, but never too warm, is still raw.

  • I have a vitamix and it is well worth the cost. I use it several times a day. You can use it for so much more than a regular blender because it is so powerful. Typically, it blends things in less than 20 seconds and doesn’t warm it at all. The only time it heats stuff is if I put nuts in it with very little liquid, or something quite thick, even then, it has never gotten near 105 degrees.

    For a food processor, I would say cuisinart as an investment. Hamilton Beach is only $30 though and it is the best until you can get a cuisinart.

  • I got my Vitamix for $100 on craigslist. They are $150-$250 on ebay. Mine is the 4000, thats the model before the current 5000. I am very happy with it. it has all the power and easy cleanup, its just not such a pretty design. The 4000’s were made between 1988 and 1996. The good thing is that they last so long and most people don’t use them! almost all the used ones have never been used. The 4500 comes with a wood tamper that stains easily from produce. It had never been used! I also bought my cuisinart used. it is stained and had some use but the motor is like new. I appreciate the high end equipment mostly because they save time- processing and cleanup. The Vitamix creates heat by friction with the blade and the food. its that powerful. 10 minutes literally cooks food to boiling. This is marketed as a good feature. 2 minutes is more than enough to process any food and wont heat up too much. most smoothies require ice. Its just part of using a vitamix and its never a problem. here are the models: http://www.vitamix.com/household/service/timeli…

  • VITA MIX the only way to go .they are expensive but you will not have to buy another for 20 yrs. not to mention how much more you get outta what your putting in there

  • if you are going to be raw, it pays to invest in good equipment. i love my vitamix and use it 3 or more times a day.

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    My blender just died yesterday night. It was a cheapie one. (actually I killed TWO blenders last night – long story) Weird, I realize I have become sort of dependant on it – wah! no smoothie this morning (I tried to use my manaul Vortex but it just wasn’t cutting it). So, I am now blenderless.:(

    I sort of wanted a new blender anyhow since my cheaper one couldn’t handle alot of the sauces and crackers I make – so, I bought a KTEC HP3 Champ Total Blender online yesterday. I can’t wait for it to arrive. :) It sounds so high tech and I got a little discount on it too.

    Anyone have a KTEC Champ?

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Wow, my KTEC arrived already! It is SOOO nice! It is like a blender/food processor in one which is good since I don’t have a food processor. It has a cycle called “food processor”. It has a bunch of presets and cycles – making a smoothie takes like 20 seconds. I have tried the Vitamix before and this is so much nicer. It is so high tech and an LED display which I like and it doesn’t weight a ton. It even has a special cycle for dough – which will come in handy for raw chip batter. Can’t wait to make raw peanut butter in it! It even came with a cool recipe book! Yipee!!

  • I have a cuisinart combo food processor and blender all in one and I am thrilled. It’s very loud though – almost too powerful. I think I paid about $70 for it.

  • Is a KTEC the same as a Blendtec? They look the same with the LED display. I can’t decide between the Blendtec (KTEC?) and the VitaMix. I’ve seen bad reviews on the VitaMix regarding overheating but I’ve seen a lot of raves for it too. Hmmmm, can’t decide. Any thoughts?

  • queenfluffqueenfluff Raw Newbie

    Yes, it is the same thing. KTEC Champ Hp3 – also called Blendtec. Mine says Blendtec Home on the front of it.

    Well, I have the BlendTec and I love it but I have also used (but not owned) a VitaMix. I like the BlendTec better.

    I have overheated my BlendTec once when I was making raw peanut butter. But it automatically shuts off and lets you know that you have over did it. Than you unplug it and give it a half an hour rest and it is ready to go again. It also has an overload shutoff – like if a chunk gets stuck in the blade of something. I think any blender can overheat if you over do your amounts but it is nice to have the auto shutoff and the LED display to let you know.

    The BlendTec has more horsepower and it is lighter than the VitaMix. It has a more compact design. And, IMHO, cuter too! (if that matters at all to you).

    It also has 4 presets, pulse, 5 different menu cycles (and under those 5 cycles are 5 EACH sub-cycle settings) and 6 different speeds options. It is very nice and techy.

    Here is what helped me make up my mind on BlendTec vs. VitaMix when I had to get a new blender:

    http://www.rawguru.com/vita-mix/vitamix-blender…

  • coconuttycoconutty Raw Newbie

    I prefer the vitamix over the blentec. I just prefer to have total manual control. (I looove the little speed dial on the vitamix! It’s so fun and easy!) I didn’t like the digital displays and controls on the blendtec, just my preference I suppose. I didn’t care for the presets or cycles. In my opinion there is no need for that because most things that you blend in a high speed blender are done within a matter of seconds so why do you need the different presets? But anyway, I’m extremely happy with my vitamix. I have the 3+hp model and have yet to even come close to overheating it… but I haven’t tried to make any nut butters in it either yet! It still amazes me though how powerful it is, I love it!!!

  • I’ve had good luck with my LaLanne Healthmaster 100. It has the same max horsepower as the Vitamix at half the cost.

  • The chefs at Chaco Canyon Cafe in Seattle teach classes now and then, and they always say in class, “You can deal with a crappy blender, but you simply have to have a high quality food processor.” I went the opposite way (Vitamix and a cheap processor), and I have to say, I’m totally frustrated with how poorly my processor works. It affects me wayyy more than a poor blender would. The Vitamix is powerful and will last a long time, but if you only have limited resources, I’d say go for the expensive processor. If you have a Costco near you, you can save a bunch on a good quality processor.

Sign In or Register to comment.