Vintage blender suggestions for killer smoothies?

[charbee]

With 100+degree temps starting early his summer, we've started making smoothies in the morning for our breakfast. We pre-freeze all the fresh fruit, and use apple juice and Bulgarian yogurt mixed as the liquid base. With all the frozen fruit, they end up being more of a sorbet or soft-serve-like consistency, so they're thick enough to eat with a spoon.

Our current blender (a "new" Cuisinart piece of Chinese junk) just can't handle the job by itself...I have to get in there and stir with a spoon while the blender's working, in order to get all the fruit down to the blades. After I'm done, the motor smells like it's burning, not pleasant to get a whiff of while downing delicious frosty breakfast.

Since we all know "vintage is better" does anyone have suggestions of which brand of blender from the 50s or 60s would be powerful enough to handle making these smoothies without having to have "help" or without the motor burning? Thanks!

 

[panthera]

The Braun

mixers and kitchen machines were all more than powerful enough and were often sold in 110v versions which NATO wives brought back to the US. Now that they are dying off, there's a lot of German and Italian stuff showing up in the flea markets and thrift stores in places with military retirees.

My commercial Oster with the stainless steel jar is also very much up to the job, it isn't really that old, mid-70's, early '80s I think.

The worst, very worst, absolute worst piece of shit trash on the market is the Hecho in Mexico one speed Oster 'classic' blenders you find everywhere these days. I am not sure they are up to blending more than two teaspoons of plain water with plain water without the motor seizing, the top flying off and your kitchen smelling like the machine room of a coal-fired steam-ship for days.

 

[oldhouseman]

Here is

what I use. Early 70's modle. Works great.

 

[gansky1]

A vintage Vita-Mix is what I've been using almost every day for the last three years for smoothies and it's amazing. Very powerful, instant reversing for those fruity jam-ups while blending and I rarely need to use the wooden tamper to get things moving again. They're all over Ebay and usually can be won for around $100. The Vita-Mix company is still making high quality blenders and still supports the older models with parts and service if needed. Great company and always a pleasure to deal with.

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Pardon Our Interruption...

 

[laundromat]

" Always reach for Hamilton Beach"

 

[blackstone]

I don't know how good this is, but I have an Iona blender that I would like to get rid of. It was made in Manchester, CT, so it might be of interest to someone local. The motor works, but I did not try to put anything into it. Free, or for price of postage.

View attachment 7-9-2008-15-45-34--Blackstone.jpg

 

[blackstone]

I also have a Universal blender, but this one does not have a top. Includes booklet. Once again, free, or price of shipping.
This one is from the 50s, I think.

 

[rp2813]

I always thought my 40's vintage Waring did a great job, and they are used in bars a lot.

 

[charbee]

Thanks for all the suggestions! Always liked the look of the old Warings and the old Osters. A friend of ours has got a VitaMix, and they use it a lot...just not sure we want a machine that large. We'll definitely do some more research before we make a choice. Thanks again, y'all.

 

[danemodsandy]

Ham Beach!!

I agree with Laundromat; Ham Beach made a great blender back in the day. I have the Commercial Bar Mixer model No. 939. The damn thing would puree a chunk of asphalt, I think. I believe this model is late '70s/early '80s.

When I use it for drinks made with ice, it gives the smoothest texture of any I've ever used, including Waring. It's almost a creamy texture, even when it's just a fruit juice smoothie made with just juice and ice.

 

[tolivac]

Vintage blenders-The Vita Mix SS "monoliths" are the best choices.Have a few of these back when you could find them at yard sales.also have a SS model 4000-the last of the SS reversible ones.Next I would go with the vintage Osters and Warings.the new ones of these brands are junk.Same with HB.HB's commercial machines are excellent.If you must get a new blender-go to a restuarant supply or bar supplier and get a COMMERCIAL Waring,HB blender.They are less expensive than Blendtec or Vita-Mix-Of course Blendtec and VM are the best as far as new machines go.These are worth their high price.You get the "smoothest" Smoothies from these than any other blender.I have an Oster "Imperial" that I found at a yard sale-excellent machine-so quiet and smooth runnning-Can't say that about the newer Oster Mexican machines-noisey peices of junk.Might make good targets at the next "bowling pin" shooting matches.I used to have a Cusinart Blender--cast metal they said-but instead CAST PLASTIC.Gave it away to someone that needed a blender but couldn't buy one at the time.

 

[panthera]

Even

the blender attachment for 1950's Mixmaster mixers does a very good job on smoothies, I think that rectangular glass contributed. Ice cube crushing ultimately snaps the pin in the transmission which is designed to break over a certain load limit, tho'.

If size is a problem for you (Toggles, don't and say we didn't...I'm on my best behavior until the 19th) then maybe you should look at some of the kitchen machines like Greg's in the picture or a NuTone or BrAun KM3 from the 1950's. All three are relatively compact but very powerful and well built.

Alternatively, I bought my mom a purpose built smoothie maker last year. All plastic but the blades and motor were up to dealing with the ice cubes and they didn't get fiber tangled in them, either. One of those 'here today, gone tomorrow' brands and when parts got lost that was the end of that. The motor had an extra setting to help push the smoothie product out of the spout at the bottom which really made sense.

 

[louvac]

Most Osters will do a fine job in my opinion and experience. Don't know how many of you recall this, but Oster made the blender jar bottom to thread onto any Ball jar! So, this is not a new concept for those newer blenders that come with acrylic supplemental jars.

Also, I believe Wally World and Kohls carry the Hamilton Beach Wave Action blender which features a reversing action.

Another thing that I have noticed with some recipes that call for using a blender...the batters seem to be infused with too much air. I generally will just use the mixer in this case and gernerally get better results!

Louis

 

[volsboy1]

You would be suprized but I have a Waring thats like 800 watt and it has ground everything I put in it.I dont like the Oster(No offence)because the bottom where the blades are its like the Crafe turns in a funnel and the stuff cant get ground.The one I have is that 70s greene and wide at the bottom.My Mom as a blender called Blend-tech I swear that its the most powerful blender I have EVER seen.I like old things also because of the build quality but that blender heats and boils water makes soup just by the friction.Its also made in the U.S. but its $$$$$$.My friend has and your going to laugh but its a Jack-la-lane blender its looks just like the ones I used as a bartender at Red-lobster its 140 bucks.It has alot of power also its NO Blend-tech but it cost's less.

 

[louvac]

Hey Fred (Blackstone) !

Why no consider joining in on the fun at Rich and Chuck's!
It's so much fun and hell, you live so close!

 

[panthera]

Louvac,

You do mean 'vintage' Osters, don't you? Not this 'classic' crap from Mexico they are selling now? If there is still a real , good Oster being made, where'd you find it and what is the model number? That would be wonderful news!
I'm a big Osterizer fan, have the kitchen machine with every attachment, the commercial unit, stainless steel jar, etc. But my experiences with the current stuff match those of the others here, worst shit on the market.

 

[louvac]

Keven...

Walmart here in the US is still selling the newer version of the Oster Beehive. It's still all metal and with an all gear drive system. And I do believe it's a 500W motor! I have several in different colors and jar shapes and they are fine pieces of machinery though I don't think the motors are as smooth as the older ones but then again, the older ones had much lower wattages, too!

 

[petek]

Look see what I got yesterday at Value Village for $7 a near brand new Waring retro blender. The commercial one beside it I also got at Value Village a few months ago for the same price.

 

[tolivac]

I don't know if the Oster Commercial line of blenders is still made-these were built in the US.I have a couple of these-a Half gallon one and a quart sized one.both good machines-better than the Mexican Household machines.Another note on Oster-esp the mexican home units-even though they have the metal "spline" drive-there is a plastic shaft inside the base that goes from the motor to the drive shaft-older Osters the spline was cut into the motor shaft-same as Blendtec machines-explains why the Tom the blendtec guy can shred rake handles in the blendtec machine--you wouldn't DARE do that with a new Oster!In the older Oster machines with lower wattage motors-beleive the BETTER quality of these older motors-they could give the same torque as the higher wattage ones they make now.
Waring reintroduced the "rocket blender"shown in Peteks picture-for Williams Somona-these have the "wagon wheel" drive instead of the Waring square shaft spline drive-the older Waring rockets used the spline drive.I have the Waring Quart sized bar blender like what Petek has beside his rocket one.got it at a foodservice place here.Would like a roket machine-but the ones I have seen are in REALLY bad shape-missing jars and broken drives.Strange.I have a small collection of blendtec machines-Very nice and powerful.I have a blendtec "Titan" they claim its the most powerful tabletop blender.has a 20A 120V motor.the blade is over 5 in long!Would love to see them use this monster in their "Will It Blend" demos.Asked them in Emails-but nothing.I used my Titan last night to make a dinner smoothie.Frozen fruits,ice no problem-including whole peeled fruits.and I have used the Titan with its huge blade as a makeshift food chopper.