Blendtec Designer Series Blender Wildside Review – Will This Really Replace 9 Appliances?

Have you ever heard of a 9-in-1 appliance? Blendtec claims that this blender will replace 9 appliances in your kitchen with this one machine but…

at just under $450 (in Amazon) the Blendtec Designer Series Wildside is one of the most expensive blenders you’ll find in the market.

Does its price justify the performance it brings to the table?

Megan Wollerton says that in their performance tests, it performed as well as other more expensive blenders like the $500+ Vitamix 7500.

Related: Looking for a great blender deal? Check out this page to get the best blender deals in Amazon just in time for Christmas!

For those who are not familiar with blenders, Wildside simply refers to the design of the pitcher where engineers added a fifth side.

They claim that this feature will blend ingredients better because of the vortex it creates.

While performance is great this product has one weakness that may or may not affect your decision to invest $400+.

This blender will struggle when you try to blend smaller serving sizes.

If that isn’t an issue for you continue on reading, if not you’ll better off spending less on a smaller blender.

A quick look at the features

  • 6 preset settings that take the guesswork out in blending recipes
  • Powerful 1,560 watt motor (produces 3 peak HP)
  • BPA free triton Polyester jar
  • Comes with a recipe book with 230 recipes
  • 7 year warranty

Pros

  • Measures only 16” from base to the tip of the jar – it will fit under most kitchen cabinets
  • Powerful 1,560 motor will pulverize anything, including a solid block of cheese
  • Easy to clean touchpad
  • You can blend almost anything with this machine from crushing ice to mixing a batter.
  • Long warranty

Cons

  • Preset controls only has icons but not labeled so you will have to guess what those illustrations mean
  • Freaking expensive
  • Does not make small quantities well

What to expect from the Blendtec Designer Series Blender?

Features

You have three color options – the black, red, cream and champagne. The champagne is the most expensive at around $490 while the black and the red are the cheapest options.

The pitcher is made from shatter-proof, BPA free triton polyester and has a generous capacity of 90 ounces, 26 more than the Vitamix and 18 more than the Ninja.

If you look at the controls there are no dials or mechanical switches.

Everything is digital from the preset controls to the speed control.

Another thing you’ll notice is that there are no individual buttons but instead it uses a one piece touchpad system which makes it easier to clean.

Buttons

The six icons you are the preset controls. I wished that Blendtec could have labelled those icons to take the guesswork out. For your reference the icons from left to right are for batters, crushing ice, smoothies, ice cream, whole juice and soup.

BlendtecDesignerWildsidePreset

Unlike the Vitamix, Blendtec blenders don’t come with a plunger and based on the video reviews, you don’t really need one because the motor will be powerful enough to go through any ingredient you put in. Again if you haven’t watched “Will it Blend”, watch it here to see how powerful Blendtec blenders are.

To see all the features  watch this video…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7wWUrwOvu8

What can this make?

When you combine the 3 HP motor, the Wildside jar and thicker blades, this machine can pretty much make any recipe from tough to make green smoothies to pancake batter.

It can also crush ice without having to add any water so if you love making margaritas or iced drinks for your kids, this blender is more than capable of making these.

Let’s start off with a basic smoothie with strawberries, blueberries, spinach and ice…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtW2Oj1BVfA

Using the smoothie preset function, a taper wasn’t needed to push down on the ingredients and it took only 40 seconds to make this delicious smoothie.

Here’s a post workout smoothie recipe for you work out buffs…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSlp1Rd3Mhc

Another green smoothie demo…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hD-W50hBoY8

Depending on your preference you can use the liquefy button if you want your smoothie really smooth but if you want it just a bit chunky then use the smoothie preset.

How about some broccoli cheese soup…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEkeoIVR7V8

Remember when making soup in the Blendtec don’t put in hot ingredients inside the jar, the blender will heat up the soup recipe for you.

If you’ve tried making homemade nut butter you know how it is because ingredients that get flung to the sides of the jar stay there and you’ll need to manually start and stop and use a spatula to scrap off crushed peanuts from the sides to make sure that the end product is smooth and even.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbcEVa-1-G8

Blendtec has a special tool for this task called the twister jar that you can use with the designer series base. It is pricey (close to $90) but is a handy tool to have if you make a lot of homemade nut butter or pastries. Click here to see the twister jar in action.

Is it easy to clean?

The blend blades allow will make it safe for you to use a sponge to clean it. There is no risk of cutting your fingers as it would if you’re cleaning a blender with a sharp blade.

You can also clean it by using filling up the jar with water and adding a few drops of dishwashing liquid then pulsing for around 30 to 45 seconds. Rinse afterwards.

The most important thing is to cleaning as you go. Don’t allow the ingredients to dry up or it will be very tough to clean.

Product Specifications

ModelDesigner Series WildSide
Motor1,560 watts
Height15"
Jug capacity90 ounces
Blade Type2 blade system
Max RPMN/A
Preset blending cyclesBatters

Ice Crush

Smoothie

Ice Cream

Whole Juice

Soups
BPA FreeYes
Dishwasher SafeYes
Tamper/PlungerNo
Crush ice?
Smoothies
Juice
Warranty7 years

Warranty

Like the Vitamix, Blendtec backs this up with a 7 year warranty.

Customer Reviews

This is one of the more popular blenders in Amazon when you look at the reviews and how high the rating score is. Consumers love how this machine is capable of blending up anything you throw in it from iphones/iwatches, ice, meat, peanuts, fruits and vegetables.

This is by all means a versatile blender capable of making soup, smoothies, nut butter, almond butter and mix batter. It can even chop meat. You don’t even need to buy a food processor anymore because it does a good job at chopping produce.

Blendtec added a bit of modernity into the Designer Series blender, instead of rotary controls and switches, you’ll see a touch screen control and a slider to adjust the speed. Depending on your preference, you will either like it or hate it. Most of the consumer by the way loved it.

Another value add is the long 7 year warranty that gives you peace of mind that just in case something happens with your blender in 7 years, Blendtec will replace any defective part free of charge.

Megan Wollerton of CNet says this machine is powerful enough to do any chopping or blending task inside kitchen but if you’re only doing small quantities it will struggle because the jar is too big. You have to have a big family or really love to cook to make the most out of this machine.

Here’s the video review…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRahEwQ8Zkc

If you’re concerned about the long term viability check this video to see the pros and cons…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhYa02OU-GQ

Where can I buy this?

If you buy this in Amazon expect to pay around $330 and this will be eligible for their free 2-day shipping if you join Prime.

You can also avail of the extended warranty of up to 4 years for that extra peace of mind.

To wrap up

This machine is a slightly cheaper alternative than the Vitamix 5200. It comes with a powerful 3 hp motor, a huge 90 ounce pitcher and a modern touch screen control.

Based on torture tests done in CNet the motor is strong and robust enough to crush ice without water (just don’t put in very large chunks of ice) and even a stone cold piece of cheese. If it can handle these tasks, it sure can handle any other ingredient that you put in.

If you’re looking for a versatile food mill that can replace multiple appliances, then have a long look at the Designer Series. It is expensive but when you consider the long warranty and hassle free warranty, it is a good investment.

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