Helping you buy better!

I couldn't find any reviews of this, but I bought it because 1) I wanted a small blender for the smoothies I make every morning & afternoon (on a diet AGAIN, sigh…) and 2) it was the only one that had a cup that was big enough! So many of the other "personal blenders" have 12- or 16-ounce containers, but when you add fruit and ice cubes to a package of Myoplex Lite chocolate cream powder, it really blows up (so to speak). I'd read reviews saying some small blenders can't crush ice cubes, so I even bought small ice cube trays–but this thing has no problem with ANY size cubes. 

So I'm VERY PLEASED with this blender. 

UPDATE: Had this for about 6 weeks now, still love it. I throw in skim milk or water, the powder, frozen strawberries from Costco (they're great), and 3 large or 6 small ice cubes, and in about a minute it's all blended up. I might take it off the blending stand for few seconds to shake it up if some of the powder's gotten stuck on the top (which turns into the bottom when you turn it over and drink out of it), but that's no problem. And best of all, when I'm done with the shake, I just wash the cup, the lid, & the cap with the blades in it, and I'm done. Tip: If you're making a smoothie or protein shake using powder, just put about half an inch of water (or whatever liquid you want) in the bottom, THEN the powder, then ice cubes and the rest of the liquid/other ingredients. That way, the powder doesn't stick to the bottom. 



NOTE: I don't like to drink straight from the mug with the travel lid on, because it's pretty hard to get the liquid out. I also got tired of drinking out of the mug with NO lid on it, because you're drinking over the "threads" at the top. I considered buying an inexpensive "sipping rim" that screws on, which is available from Back to Basics' website (it's sold with their other blender), but instead I just put the lid on and use a 10"-long, 12mm wide glass straw from GlassDharma (don't get the 14mm straw, it won't fit thru the hole). You can buy it from GlassDharma's online site–their customer service is great. Don't get it Amazon, tho, because the resellers don't offer the same options, PLUS they charge about twice as much as the company itself!)

My husband and I have been looking for a replacement blender after killing our second Magic Bullet. This machine has met all of our needs and surpassed our expectations for a better price than the Bullet! 

Design: 

The machine itself is relatively compact (especially when compared to a full-size blender), but the cup size is bigger than the Magic Bullet (and perfect for making smoothies!). The blade component screws into the top of the cup and is very easy to clean. The cup has a sturdy handle that allows for easy handling and transportation. This blender is simple–only three speeds and a pulse option–but also stylish (it looks nice sitting on our countertop). 



Use: 

This machine is very easy to use. Simply screw the blade to the top of the cup, flip and screw it onto the base. Voila! There is no annoying pushing or twisting that has to be done to keep it blending. And, it is less noisy than the Bullet. The highest speed option is great for crushing ice and frozen fruit. I find that it takes about a minute to thoroughly blend the contents of the cup together, but they come out super smooth! There is also a travel lid included that makes it easy to take the whole cup with you. 



Cleaning: 

It is dishwasher safe and very easy to clean. Since the blade component screws off, there are no nooks or crannies for "funk" to hide in (which has been my experience with previous blenders). I usually just rinse it out right after using it and that does the trick. 



Though I cannot (yet) speak to the longevity of this product, it appears to be well-built and its design avoids some of the problems we had with the Magic Bullet (such as flimsy blades and a shoddy motor). 



Overall, we are very happy with our purchase!

This is my 3rd smoothie blender. First was a magic bullet knockoff; it was cheap and didn't perform well at all. My wife replaced it with an actual magic bullet. The bullet was nice and convenient, but *loud*, took a long time ti crush ice and frozen fruit, and started leaking in the base. 



This blender is a little quieter than the bullet, but it is *much* faster making smoothies. The base and blades are very different from the average blender, and they make quick work of ice and frozen fruit. Per instructions it's a few seconds of pulse, about 15 on low, then medium until it's smooth — maybe 10-15 more seconds. This thing is fast, and not particularly loud while running. 



The cup itself is pretty big, and comfortable to use. 



The whole thing is plastic, but it seems sturdy enough — as good as (or better than) the magic bullet.

I bought this Smoothie Maker about a month ago and have used it numerous times since. It does a good job crunching up frozen fruit, but it's hard to make a single serving. I think this does better making a 2 serving smoothie rather than a single one. For the price, though, it's a good bargain and good way to get more fruit and healthy foods into your diet.

I love how fast this smoothie maker is, and I like how I can just change out from the blender blades to the cup lid for make-n-go convenience. One thing I did notice however, is that if I but the blades back on the cup and leave it all assembled on top of the blender for a few days without use, there is an awful chemical smell inside the blender cup.