Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I bought this unit to make smoothies, as I did not have a lot to spend at the time, and I believe that as long as you treat the unit with care, it should last for awhile.
It actually has the equivalent of 6 speeds, as on the right side is has the 3 speed and pulse buttons, and on the left, a High and Low button: 3 LOW AND 3 HIGH speeds.
The Blades in this unit are EXTREMELY sharp, and that is likely the key to it working as good as it does!
I will throw in a bunch of Grapes, a whole Kiwi, a couple of Kale leaves, a handful of Spinach, a half an Orange, a half a Banana and a whole but small Pear, 4 big ice cubes and a cup of water.
I start it on low, (or sometimes repeatedly hit the pulse button) where it pulls everything down in about 15 seconds, and then I will shift it to the highest speed to grind everything to a liquid, which takes about a minute and a half.
After running it that long, the motor seems to emit a strange odor, but that seems to be decreasing. It is pretty noisy on the highest speed.
I then take the blade unit off of the bottom of the container and rinse everything thoroughly, then let air dry.
The spigot top will unscrew and can be cleaned this way, but since I never use it, I keep it closed, then just open it when rinsing.
The only part that is seemingly vulnerable to a leak is the gasket that goes between the blade assembly and the container. If you over-tighten, it will deform and leak. If you don't tighten it enough, it will leak. It took me a day or two to figure how much to tighten it. You can see the gasket and it's contact to the container while tightening. If it starts to appear wiggly, you are over-tightening it. The seal between the actual blade shaft and base has not leaked.
I know this is not a Vita-Mix or Blendtec, but it will make good smoothies with that crazy sharp blade, and grind ice to non-existence in short order.
The only question now is, "how long will it last?", especially in daily use.
I bought this after seeing a Blendtec demo at Costco and wanted to see how I would fare personally by adding fruits and vegetables to my diet each day via smoothies, and I can tell you that I have lost 3 pounds this week so far, and feel absolutely great as compared to the sluggish me before.
The price I paid was about an 1/8th of the Blendtec, but don't think for one minute that the quality is anywhere close. It works, but for how long???
Click Here to see more reviews about: Monterrey MT45151 Blender and Smoothie Maker with 48-Ounce Plastic Jar and Serving Spigot
Whether used for breakfast smoothies before work, protein shakes after a workout, or frozen cocktails with friends on a Friday night, this convenient appliance might be best left out on the counter for easy, everyday access. Simple to use, just add liquids, then ice or frozen ingredients, and with the lid in place, choose from low, medium, or high push-button speed settings--or "pulse" for short bursts of power. The unit's 450-watt motor and ice-crushing blades ensure fast blending, while its integrated stir stick forces ingredients into the mixing blades for smooth, even results. Furthermore, the blender comes with a large 48-ounce plastic blending jar, which features a secure-fitting lid, a non-drip pouring spout, and a mess-free dispensing spigot for serving thick, blended drinks right into a glass. With its contemporary, easy-to-clean design, the blender and smoothie maker measures 8-2/7 by 6-1/2 by 15-1/2 inches.
