Blender FAQs

All you ever wanted to know about blenders. All your questions: answered. All the myths: debunked. We prepared the most complex Blender FAQ you will find online. Because an informed client is a happy client. Please check the content below and, if your question is not here, email us at support@froothie.com.au and our enthusiastic Support Team will get back to you in a jiffy!

Frequently Asked Questions about Blenders :

What is a Blender?

A blender is an electric-powered kitchen appliance, used by domestic or commercial clients in food preparation for mixing, liquidizing, chopping, crushing, grinding or pureeing ingredients. A blender with a lower Watt power can make smoothies, spreads and purees, while a professional blender with a high Watt & RPM value can also make nut butter, plant milk, sorbets, nut flours, heat soup and crush ice. An alternative name for a blender, used often by manufacturers, is a Smoothie Maker.

Which manufacturers sell blenders?

High-performance, quality blenders are currently sold by brands such as Vitamix, Optimum, Blendtec, Bianco di Puro, Revoblend, Omniblend, Klarstein and Vital Energy. Lower and middle-class blenders, with questionable quality but catchy price tags, are created by manufacturers like WMF, Russel Hobbs, AEG, Severin, Grundig, Philips, Gastroback, Krups, Kenwood or Profi-Cook.

Choosing the perfect blender can be a hard, dreadful job. Luckily for you, we created a step-by-step complete guide on how to buy the perfect blender that could last you a lifetime – check our article here for the entire scoop and see how blender shopping can be a piece of kale. I mean cake.

What’s the perfect speed for blending smoothies?

When blending a smoothie, you always start by using a lower speed and quickly work your way to a higher speed, if the blades are touching all the ingredients. Depending on the ingredients you are blending, you may have to reach the highest speed of the appliance to obtain the perfect, creamy texture. Some blenders, like the Optimum 9200A High Speed Vortex Blender or the new Optimum G2.1 Platinum Series have pre-set programs for smoothies that automatically start at a lower speed and increase it after the first few seconds for flawless results.

If you use a standard blender, your smoothie might take a longer time to make, especially if you are using hard vegetables such as carrots or beets. That’s not ideal: the blender will produce more heat, the content inside will get warmer, leading to an oxidation of the nutrients. You can avoid this by getting a professional blender – the higher its Power and rotations per minute, the faster your smoothie will reach its perfect texture.

Clockwise or counter-clockwise – which is better?

There are voices online that think a clockwise blender has a positive energetic effect and it can influence the hexagonal structure of the fluid. It is generally easier for a propeller to turn in a clockwise direction, but some manufacturers prefer a trigonometric method, which utilizes a counter-clockwise direction. Truthfully, this has no effect whatsoever on your ingredients and it does not impact your appliance in any way. However, if you want a clockwise blender you can choose between:

• - Vital Energy VE-MIX.- Blendtec Designer 625.- Blendtec Designer 725.- The Optimum 8200.- The Optimum 9200A.

How do I clean a blender? How do I clean the blender jug?

Blenders are so much easier to clean than juicers – and that will definitely turn you into a smoothie fan, rather than a juice enthusiast. The blender recipient can be cleaned easily after every use, taking around 1-3 minutes of your time. The procedure can be done by a 5-year-old: fill around 2/3 of the jug with warm water, add a drop of detergent, put the jug lid back on and blend for around 30 seconds. After this, even the tough dirt should be cleaned. If you have added too much water, reduce the speed or pour some water out. Then pour the content out and rinse thoroughly. You should have a perfectly clean blender with no annoying smoothie, sticky beet spread or puréed baby food left to be scrubbed out. Turn upside down, let it air dry and you’re done! Easy as 1-2-3!

Some manufacturers are selling blenders with separate cleaning programs, but in all fairness, you can clean your blender container using our instructions above and get the job done properly without the added cost of an additional cleaning program. If your blender has build-up or is looking a bit dull, you can also add a drop of vinegar or some lemon. What about the blender base? This shouldn’t really get dirty, but if you have butterfingers and spill some ingredients on them you can easily clean them with a damp cloth. From time to time you can also clean the switches, buttons or knobs – sometimes fragments of dirt get stuck in the tilts. If there’s some old dirt build-up on the base you can also use detergent, but you need to be careful that no water goes into the base. Unwanted water drops in your drive socket might drive your blender into an unwanted “drop” to the repair shop.

Some blender parts can be cleaned in a dishwasher. However, we do not recommend cleaning the blender container in the dishwasher. The high temperature combined with aggressive ingredients in the cleaning tabs could have a negative effect on the material of the blender container and especially on the metal parts of the blades.

Should my blender container be BPA-free?

Bisphenol A (or BPA, on short) is a chemical compound with an important role in the production of plastic and resin. You will seldom find it on its own, as it is mostly used in combination with other chemical items. BPA is a key building block of polycarbonate, for instance, a well-known, lightweight, high-performance plastic that possesses a unique balance of toughness, stability, clarity, and resistance to high heat. Because of these chemical and physical assets, polycarbonate is used in a wide variety of common products including tableware, reusable bottles, food storage containers, digital media (CDs, DVDs), sports safety equipment, medical devices, and electronics.

It has been proven that, in minor quantities, BPA can merge into food and drinks, if these are stored in containers made with Bisphenol A components. The actual side effects, in this case, are not adequately proven, as it often happens with many controversial chemical substances. Some experts have looked into a connection between BPA exposure and many conditions and, according to certain studies, exposure to BPA, even at low and short-term doses, is linked to a number of health problems. Optimum’s team of engineers is devoted to making their high-end blender offer as safe as possible for the public. Optimum is determined to always play it safe and respect their clients’ healthy lifestyle. That is why all the blenders in the exclusive Optimum blender range come with a top-of-the-line UL, CE, and FDA-approved Eastman Copolyester BPA-Free jug. You can find more details about BPA in our dedicated article here. 

Should I buy an extra container?

An extra dry or wet container makes sense only when you are using your blender very frequently, making extra small, med and high quantities often and oscillating between fluid and extra dense consistencies. An extra container is also recommended when you want to blend different things at the same time – for instance, when making different fillings for raw desserts or when you want to boost a savory spread and different smoothies to your guest without having to clean the container between servings.

How many rotations per minute (RPM) should a blender have?

Some engineers claim the cellular walls of the plant cells can be broken with a blender speed of 25,000 rpm. This could easily be achieved with all the appliances in the Optimum blender range: for instance, the Optimum 9200A High Speed Vortex Blender reaches 48,000 rotations per minute. The number of rotations per minute also influences the blender’s power. However, you need to know that the RPM is mostly a manufacturer specification and it usually can be reached only in laboratory conditions (think geek guys in white robes). These are what the engineers call “theoretical rotations per minute”, meaning the number of rotations per minute reached when the blender functions at idle speed. A much more decisive factor is the rotations per minute under load and the maximum time the blender can blend.

How important are the blades of a blender?

Perfect results can be achieved only if the blades are arranged properly, if they are made from high-end materials and if the power transmission from the motor to the blades is flawless.

Contrary to popular belief, the blades don’t have to be sharp in a professional blender. Sharp blades are ripping and slicing nutrients and that can destroy the enzymes in the food – you don’t want that. Cheap blender brands need to make their blades sharp as their motors are very week. On the other hand, Optimum’s high-end blades are just breaking and mixing the ingredients, thus preserving enzymes in food and assuring maximum intake of nutrients.

The blades in my blender are blunt – what can I do?

As mentioned above, the power stands not necessarily in the sharpness of the blades, but in the power of the motor, its speed and the way the blades are positioned. A blender should not just rip and chop the ingredients, but mix, break and fluidize them. Relative blunt blades can actually have better results if powered by a high-performance blender, because the “impact surface” with the ingredients is larger. However, if your blades are worn-out after intensive and long-time use, you should consider a replacement.

What is a tamper tool and why do I need one?

A tamper tool is a blender accessory usually included in the price of a high speed vortex blender. A tamper tool (also called a plunger) is used to accelerate the blending process of a smoothie, puree, or a raw soup, by forcefully moving the ingredients in the jug towards the rotating blades.

If you have an original product accessory, your tamper will be exactly the right length, so there would be no danger of it reaching the blades. Theoretically, you can use a wooden spoon or a silicone scraper, but we would not recommend this, as it can accidentally reach the rotating blades. If this happens, you should immediately stop the blending process and call your manufacturer’s Technical Support Team.

Which blender can blend berry seeds?

Ah, those dreadful berry seeds, making your fine smoothie taste like sand! Berry seeds (especially raspberry) are very small and light. Because of this, they can easily avoid the blender blades during the blending process and have no actual contact with them – this is why you can still feel them in your smoothie. High-quality performance blenders can easily handle raspberry, blackberry or pomegranate seeds, turning them into a fine, microscopic dust that won’t bother you at all and leaving your smoothie, well, smooth.

For the perfect non-seedy smoothie, we have some tips and tricks:

• Wash the berries with a little water.
• Mix the berries with heavy ingredients, such as bananas or cabbage.
• Use the tamper tool to create a vortex and consistently push the ingredients towards the blades.

What are the advantages of a professional blender?

With a high performance or professional blender, you can blend all your desired ingredients thoroughly and fast, thereby achieving the desired smooth and delicious consistency. More challenging are the green smoothies you want to make using kale, spinach or mangold when the target is to break the cellular walls of the plant cells. The highest nutrient value is concentrated in these cells, so these are exactly the compounds we want to break and blend.

Some engineers claim the cellular walls of the plant cells can be broken with a blender speed of 25,000 rpm. This could easily be achieved with a high speed vortex blender. For instance, our Optimum 9200A High Speed Vortex Blender reaches 48,000 rotations per minute, making Green Smoothies a breeze. Another healthy advantage is that professional blenders do not heat up so quickly – this way the used ingredients remain in their initial uncooked and very healthy condition. This is why we 100% recommend purchasing a high-speed vortex blender, especially if you are keen on green, healthy smoothies boosting kale, spinach or mangold.

What else can I do with my blender?

Smoothies aren’t the only thing you can prepare with a blender – especially if you invested in a professional one. The sky is the limit actually!

You can also cook hot soups, pesto, ice cream or dips. Often you will also find the Ice-Crush-Function included. You can create different spreads, sauces, flours, sorbets and Slurpee’s. Furthermore, many blenders can finely grind nuts, seeds and grains or make nut butters. Vegetables can be chopped to pieces (using the tamper tool and no added water), plant milks can easily be done and raw desserts will be a piece of cake. Literally.

Can I make baby food with a blender?

Definitely yes! Baby food will be healthy, smooth and delicious! Nutritionists often recommend cooking the vegetables or fruits used in baby purees, as the very young digestive system will find it rather difficult to digest raw food. When in doubt about the way to properly prepare baby food, just ask your doctor.

How loud are blenders?

Let’s clear one thing up from the start: high-speed, increased-power blenders are usually loud. Period. They boost the power of 1000W and more - take, for instance, our Optimum 9200A High-Speed Vortex Blender, which reaches 2,611W, or the Vitamix 5200 Blender, with its 1,380W Motor. Such machines are never really quiet. Blending hard fruit, vegetables, nuts, ice, grains, and leafy greens requires power, and increased power will mean increased noise.

If you want to reduce the loudness of your blender, you have to remember one important aspect: every material that absorbs the vibration is suitable as a base. You can use a tower, cut to size, an old mouse pad or some anti-vibration-mats that you can easily buy online. Important: be careful that the blender always has a solid, safe position! You can find out more about the blender loudness from our dedicated article here.

What are the advantages of pre-set programs?

Pre-programmed options have the advantage of doing all the work alone, thus saving you time. You can easily make smoothies, hot soups, crush ice, grind nuts, and many more with just one press of a button. Most tech-geeks love the touchscreen buttons of the Optimum G2.1: you can press the menu option to select one of the six automatic, one-push button programs, all of which are set to the exact parameters required. More time for you, less headaches in the kitchen. Another advantage is that the user will always get consistent, perfect results each time he uses the appliance. The disadvantage of automatic programs? Well, to put it simply, they make the blender more expensive. In addition, there are theoretically also more risks of encountering a technical defect. Furthermore, an automatic program always works the same way, not keeping in mind your ingredients or their quantity. The manual control allows you to be flexible in blending time and strength, depending on your used ingredients. For example, a regular fruit smoothie will need less processing time than a smoothie with tough leafy greens and hard vegetables, so using the manual control will allow you to avoid the unnecessary overheating of the first.

Why are there no high-performance blenders with glass jugs?

The reason glass is more and more avoided these days is simple: glass weighs significantly more and is not easy to handle; moreover, it has a high risk of breaking - for example when accidentally a metal spoon is mixed in. Glass is also more sensitive to high temperatures, so making nut butter and heating soups would be out of the question. Most professional brands are avoiding this and going for the often-used plastic Tritan (Triphenylmethan).

What should I consider when purchasing a blender?

When you buy a blender you need to keep in mind a series of aspects, such as blender power (Watt and RPM values), engine, jug materials and volume, blades, manufacturer warranty, price etc. Please pay attention to this information when buying a blender and do read our detailed article “How to choose the perfect blender?” here.

How much does a blender cost?

An old saying says “You pay for quality, and quality stands the test of time”. This will generally be true when it comes to your blender purchase as well. A higher cost will automatically get you a more powerful blender, high-quality, extended warrantee and better materials. So save your pennies and invest in a good, professional appliance: a top-shelf blender lasts a lifetime. But you have to be careful: sometimes a high price means you are paying a lot for the known brand, and not necessarily for the great specs. Because there are so many blenders with different price tags, we want to give you a quick overview of the price ranges:

• The cheap blenders: You will find a wide selection of smoothie-blenders under 50 Euro.

• The beginner machines: Perfect for beginners who want to discover the exciting Smoothie-World – blenders for up to 125 Euro.

• The middle class: Solid blend results and a good quality – The middle class of Smoothie-blenders for up to 200 Euro.

• The professional blender: First class blend results, highest quality and a long lifetime – Professional blenders which start at 300 Euro.

What is the best place to buy a blender from?

You can buy blenders from retail stores and online shops. Always remember to choose a well-known, renowned brand that puts quality before anything else. For instance, the blenders on this site are manufactured by globally recognized kitchen-appliance brand Optimum, with over 2000 5-stars reviews on Productreview.com.au.  

Will my blender have a warranty?

A serious retailer will offer you a minimum warranty of two years, other offer you many more, like 5, 7 or 10 years. Optimum’s blenders have a 5-year domestic warranty that can easily be extended up to 10 years.

Didn’t find your question here? Email us at support@froothie.com.au and our enthusiastic Support Team will get back to you in a jiffy!