Kitchenaid Blender Leaking AGAIN!!

[mark_wpduet]

I honestly can't remember when I got this blender. I'm thinking it was 2012 or around then. It came with a glass pitcher with the blade assembly that unscrewed from the bottom of the pitcher. It leaked no matter what I tried. So I called Kitchenaid back then, they sent me a new blade assembly. It leaked too! I was looking at pics on Amazon and wondered if the plastic BPA free pitchers would fit my blender. I called them back and they said yes. So they sent me a new BPA free plastic pitcher. I've dealt with on/off leaks with it for a while now. I finally called Kitchenaid and I can't believe they are sending me a new pitcher for free! I've been so careful with it. I don't run it through the dishwasher. I wash/dry it by hand before putting it back on the base. I use it daily. I'm hoping they have redesigned the new pitchers but I'm not holding my breath. Still, it was really great of them to send me a new one.

It's just so weird that one day it will leak, the next day it won't leak a drop. I've checked and everything feels super tight. I don't know.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Is the gasket part of the blade assembly or a separate ring like in an Osterizer? You have checked the smoothness of the bottom of the jar by running your finger along the edge that meets the gasket? If that edge is smooth, have you examined the gasket with a bright LED flashlight or work light to see that there are no imperfections in the sealing surface of the gasket? If the gasket is removable, you have tried turning it over? If it is possible, have you tried soaking the gasket in very hot water to soften it before you assemble the jar and blade assembly? With daily use, the gasket might be getting less flexible than it was when new after 6 years and you might be due for a new one. Is KA sending you a whole new jar and blade assembly or just the jar? This is interesting. Please keep us posted. I remember when Waring still sold blenders with  non-removable blades, then there was the little clip out blade assembly with washers to prevent leaks and finally, well into the 70s, they began offering blenders with screw off bases for the jars, but the construction was not like the Oster. 

 

[rp2813]

It might not be the gasket.  It might be the blade assembly itself.  That's the weak link in vintage direct drive blade systems like Oster and Waring used (well, Oster still uses that same tried and true system), so it might apply to KA blades as well.

 

I have a KA blender that must be about a dozen years old.  As I've stated here many times in the past, I have no use for touchpad controls.  When a fellow member bestowed a vintage Lady Kenmore (Osterizer clone) upon me several years ago, the KA was relegated to the basement and hasn't seen the light of day since. 

 

I have three different Osterizer blade types to use on my blender depending on the job, plus a mini food processor attachment.  My KA didn't offer that kind of versatility.  It's going to be given away to anyone who wants it when we take on The Big Purge in advance of our upcoming move.

 

[mark_wpduet]

On the glass pitchers (which my blender originally came with) it was a blade assembly that screwed off the bottom. I tried EVERYTHING on both blade assembly's making sure it was tightly sealed, no gaps, reversed the gasket - everything was snug. It still leaked (not every single time, but most of the time).

The next blade assembly replacement for the glass pitcher was exactly the same and leaked 90 % of the time. There was no wear on these they were brand new. That's when I called and got the ONE PIECE BPA free pitcher shown in the pic that's lasted a while before ultimately starting to leak again.

Now a new one is on its way. I'm still using this pitcher because I use my blender one to two times daily and yesterday I used it twice, there was ZERO leaking both times. I don't understand why the leaking is so intermittent. It's almost like it's the "way you place it on the base" that determines whether or not it will leak. Very strange. It's not a huge mess when it does leak. It doesn't leak into the coupler, it leaks down the edge of the base.

 

[rp2813]

If it's leaking down the edge of the base instead of from the coupler, it's more likely a seal issue.  Maybe something is warped, although why that would be the case is anyone's guess.

 

It's not a blender, but I had a nagging leak issue with one of my pressure cookers.  A new gasket didn't help.  I found the same model cooker in a thrift store (in plain aluminum instead of beat up avocado like the one I had) so I bought it.  I tested it out with the same original gasket as I was using on the avocado one and it sealed fine.  That's when I concluded the avocado one was warped and gave it the boot.

 

Have you googled the problem?  There may be others with KA blenders that are doing the same thing.

 

[fan-of-fans]

I have one of the older KitchenAid Ultra Power blenders from maybe the late 90s-2006 or so that I got on eBay last summer. When it arrived, I realized that the gasket was missing for some reason. I ordered a new gasket on eBay and it seems to work just fine and doesn't leak. However, the gasket is a black rubber material and I get black salt like specs in whatever I'm blending. I guess I'll have to get a different gasket so that will stop happening. I tried washing the gasket and rubbing off any rubber specs to no help.

As far as the blender itself I haven't had any problems other than I pretty much have to take the entire thing apart whenever I use it because of how whatever I'm blending tends to run down the side of the jar and seep between the glass jar and plastic screw on base. I guess that can happen with any glass jar blender with a removable base though.

I haven't used it in a while but I might soon.

 

[iej]

One thing to beware of with glass jar blenders is the gaskets and screw on ring assemblies and even the blades shouldn't ever be washed very hot or placed into a dishwasher. The can distort, without it being noticible, but it's enough to cause a leak.

I've always washed ours on the low temp cycle in a Miele dishwasher without any issue.

 

[mark_wpduet]

Ya

the glass jar ones (at least the one's I've had) are never one piece. The bottom screws off and there is a gasket.

I've been messing around with my blender after dealing with some leaking for a long time and again I had no leaks. But I can't figure out why doing this stops leaking. It makes zero sense. If you place the blender into the coupler and turn the pitcher slightly, it doesn't leak (at least the last couple of days I've tried this)

I have seen google searches of leaking and amazon reviews as well. That was the complaint when I got this blender a long time ago when it came with the glass pitcher, that they leak. The reviews were complaining of leaking a lot. This is when I ended up with this plastic pitcher. Doesn't leak as bad, but still leaks after a while.

I can say that when you put water and soap it the pitcher and place it on the kitchen counter, nothing leaks. It's when you blend that it leaks. I just wish I understood why placing the blender on the coupler "a certain way" keeps it from leaking.

 

[kb0nes]

If the new carafe leaks like the old ones then clearly the problem lies in parts you have yet to replace.

Next thing I'd try is to replace the motor coupler. It is possible that it was poorly made and has some runout that causes the blade shaft seal to leak due to vibration. It is just odd that you have had continued leaks with several different blade assemblies/carafes. I've had two different KA blenders and never a leak from either. I did destroy a coupler once, they are cheap, available and easy to replace.

As for having on and off leaks, it is possible that depending how the blade assembly drive meshes with the coupler you may have more or less leakage one way or the other (again assuming leakage is past the shaft).

 

[mark_wpduet]

If the new one leaks too

you may be right. The coupler looks perfect but there could be something imperfect that I'm not seeing causing what you describe. I had no idea that could be a possibility. I saw a video of someone replacing one on youtube and it looks difficult because of the way you have to try to get it off with a screwdriver backward. Of course, the guy in the vid did it with EASE.

 

[mark_wpduet]

New pitcher

arrived. On the left. It's smaller than the original. Haven't checked it yet to see if it leaks.