Does this blender exist?

I'd really love to find a low wattage blender that I can fit a mason jar onto.

My 1000W Oster blender fits a standard mouth jar, and a lot of other Osters do, too. I haven't found one that's under, say, 200W, though.

My parents have a Black and Decker, I think, that fits a wide mouth jar. Again, its wattage is way higher than I'm looking for.

We have a 300W pure sine wave inverter and a 450W stepped wave inverter, so those are my limits.

I have one of those Hamilton Beach personal sized blenders that I'm using, but I want to get away from the plastic blender jar. So I guess a low wattage blender that comes with a glass or metal blender jar would be fine, too.

Any ideas? I suspect what I want doesn't exist, so maybe someone knows of something that can be modified without too much trouble.

Hi Jan;
The only thing I have seen with low wattage are the hand-held blenders like this one @ 180 watts
https://www.wayfair.com/kitchen-tabletop/pdp/kitchenaid-variable-speed-hand-blender-kad10975.html?piid=50968053
I suspect this is not quite what what you were wanting.

How about an immersion blender that fits the mouth of the jar? I'm pretty sure ours fits a wide-mouth canning jar, but I'm not sure there's no plastic in the stick. I see that the KitchenAid fits your wattage needs but the Vitamix does not.

ETA: Yeah, what Thomas said.

Yeah, I should have mentioned immersion blenders. I do have one, but it's not great for blending up kale, etc. It does it, and it's okay, but even my wimpy Hamilton Beach does a better job. I don't like stringy bits settling out. Blech.

The one I have is a cordless Cuisinart one, and I've never used any other. Maybe it's junk, and a corded model would do what I want. Any input on how good any specific models are for blending tough greens?

Oh, and I'm not fanatic about plastic. My problem is the blender jar gets build up from the greens and it's really hard to scrub off without scratching the plastic. Scratched plastic is even harder to clean. So some plastic bits on recommended products are fine.

Look into "portable blenders" and "DC blenders".
Let me know what you think of these guys: https://blendquik.co/products/blendquik-portable-blender


You can also checkout kickstarter/etc, they always have nifty inventions.

I don't know what low-watt blenders are unless they are the stick blenders as mentioned above.

Here are some articles I found that work with mason jars:

https://kitchenhabit.com/smoothie-blenders-that-fit-mason-jars/

https://thrivecuisine.com/kitchen-appliances/blenders/blenders-that-fit-mason-jars/

https://www.thekitchn.com/the-mason-jar-blender-trick-do-you-know-about-this-195182

Too bad the voltage is different. India abounds with robust blenders, most of them with steel jars, and some of them lowish wattage. They're called mixer or a mixie here, but they're basically a countertop blender.

Frigidaire ESMM100.    300 watts. Fits Mason jar. About $35.

S Bengi wrote:Look into "portable blenders" and "DC blenders".
Let me know what you think of these guys: https://blendquik.co/products/blendquik-portable-blender


You can also checkout kickstarter/etc, they always have nifty inventions.

I can't tell if this one actually fits a mason jar.  They call it "mason jar style," so it might be that their container just looks mason jar-ish, but has totally different threads.  It sounds like it has good battery life, but having a battery rather than a cord potentially makes it a little more disposable.  I really like rechargeable stuff, though.  I'm torn on that aspect.

I'll see what I can find for DC blenders.  I hadn't thought to look for those.

Thanks!

Anne Miller wrote:I don't know what low-watt blenders are unless they are the stick blenders as mentioned above.

Here are some articles I found that work with mason jars:

https://kitchenhabit.com/smoothie-blenders-that-fit-mason-jars/

https://thrivecuisine.com/kitchen-appliances/blenders/blenders-that-fit-mason-jars/

https://www.thekitchn.com/the-mason-jar-blender-trick-do-you-know-about-this-195182

That's great, Anne!  Thanks.

It looks like of the ones they mention, only the Tribest is still for sale anywhere.  Too bad the mini Oster isn't, cause I absolutely love the normal sized one I have.  The parts are all metal and there's lots of interchangeability between models.  I'll keep looking and maybe find one somewhere.

The Tribest has lots of accessories, none of which I want or need or have anywhere to store, and it's kind of expensive.  That's an option, though.  I think I've seen them in thrift stores, actually.  I never knew that brand could fit a mason jar, so I'll have to keep an eye out and see if I can find one of the right models.

Rebecca Norman wrote:Too bad the voltage is different. India abounds with robust blenders, most of them with steel jars, and some of them lowish wattage. They're called mixer or a mixie here, but they're basically a countertop blender.

I've looked enviously at those mixies in the past!  I think the wattage tends to be in the 500-800 range, which would be too high for me, anyway :(

John F Dean wrote:Frigidaire ESMM100.    300 watts. Fits Mason jar. About $35.

From reviews, it sounds like this one only fits the mason jar mug that it comes with.  The threads don't match actual canning jars.  It's a glass mug, though, so I'd be able to scrub it properly.  It also sounds like it's got some design issues (to unlock from the base you have to twist in the same direction you do to unscrew the lid = smoothie all over) and a lot of people complain about the motor burning out.  That could very well be operator error.  I'd be worried about the gimmicky handle breaking, but I didn't see much about that in reviews.

Hmmm.  That one also sounds like an option, but 300W might be pushing it.  I think the surge wattage on blenders can be pretty high.  I'll have to see what I can figure out there.

Good find, John.  Thanks.

One thing that really grosses me out and is another reason I want to get rid of this Hamilton Beach one, is that the blades can't detach from the container.  I'm really picky about cleaning all the crevices, and it's really hard to get the underside of the blades, the little groove under the blades where they spin on the shaft, etc.  I've got three different brushes I use to try to get in there and clean everything

I've sung the praises in past posts of an old Osterizer 1970s blender (in pastel avocado....not harvest gold!  ;-)   ) and because of this thread, have just discovered yet another plus:  the base screws onto standard Mason/Ball jars!

It looks as though some of these older units are still floating around the retro-sphere.  Here is an eBay link to one for sale for ~$30 USD  https://www.ebay.com/itm/134646951498?hash=item1f59956e4a:g:LPcAAOSwqD5kqxl0&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8OGIKWNNvPIPZOQdoLu%2FBpSOZXoMilNlwqSEt5LKcy4BQUPaXCks%2FKAkeVIQEHTBlV403neSsTJzdltfnxR1YXEwzSEh%2F%2BI4%2BC8qZ%2BzOO745pb4tTO4S1Q4otjRZi4zlxRQFTovyOLUpwksTQngNUNnrDO00oSRjz%2FxfkX1uieVMTgZgGi3kmQhcYrZ04HVHQjYmOlmKMQJ6zSq1AAwGkWDDseXATfDjvbvRYr1mFOISVA2w5gGlq6DoTpUxYelQFj0ty1XGV9ersyl4gVgbUHC8GBc0MDeMGAaCIcF0E%2FBlv5mf5OpxIw7qnMIOI96yLQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABFBMoLmc5Kpi   (sorry....don't know how to reduce the length of the address??....)

But also to say that replacement parts for these Osters are relatively easy to find.  The screw-on base would be the most important and blade assemblies and gaskets readily obtained as well.  I suspect with some engineering, you might even be able to match a gasket/blade combo from a different brand and still be able to use this screw-on base, but that's conjecture at this point.   When I saw that the base screwed on just fine to my array of Mason jars, I immediately reached for the fresh raspberries and ice cream.... :-P

John Weiland wrote:I've sung the praises in past posts of an old Osterizer 1970s blender (in pastel avocado....not harvest gold!  ;-)   ) and because of this thread, have just discovered yet another plus:  the base screws onto standard Mason/Ball jars!

. . .

But also to say that replacement parts for these Osters are relatively easy to find.  The screw-on base would be the most important and blade assemblies and gaskets readily obtained as well.  I suspect with some engineering, you might even be able to match a gasket/blade combo from a different brand and still be able to use this screw-on base, but that's conjecture at this point.   When I saw that the base screwed on just fine to my array of Mason jars, I immediately reached for the fresh raspberries and ice cream.... :-P

I love Osters, too!  Mine is an Oster Beehive, a kind of retro looking model they released sometime in the last... 20? years.  I've had mine for at least 15 years, and it's been an absolute work horse.

One of the things I love about them is the interchangeability of parts.  The blender blade and base on the one pictured in your post are exactly the same as my much newer ones.  The last time I bought a new blade for mine was seven or eight years ago, and I think it was $4.

What's the wattage on yours?  I've seen some old ones in thrift stores, but the wattage is usually 750-900.

Jan White wrote:.....

One of the things I love about them is the interchangeability of parts.  The blender blade and base on the one pictured in your post are exactly the same as my much newer ones.  The last time I bought a new blade for mine was seven or eight years ago, and I think it was $4.

What's the wattage on yours?  I've seen some old ones in thrift stores, but the wattage is usually 750-900.

So some digging on the web revealed that the Osterizer Galaxie was made between 1970 and 1980.  Amazing that they kept using the same basic container base and blade design for so many years.  I had to scrub away potentially 50 years of grit on the bottom of mine to find what you requested:  That model drew a maximum of 390W of power!.....and can we assume that included the surge watts from the motor starting up??  Anyway right around 3 amps of current from a 120V outlet.   As an aside, if I ever end up burning out the motor, is an appliance motor of that vintage still repairable at an appliance repair shop?

I didn't know the osterizer would screw to a mason jar.
That's what I use for the peddle powered blender, powered with a treadmill motor.
It has a universal motor so it will run off AC or wild DC,... faster you peddle the faster it goes.
I have had someone peddle so fast before hitting the switch that the contacts vaporized or welded together.

I think the Oster blades are a 1/4 square drive. Here is a place that sells a cordless drill set up but it looks like the “adapter” is just a 1/4 socket adapter for a cordless drill.

https://www.boatblender.com/

R Scott wrote:I think the Oster blades are a 1/4 square drive. Here is a place that sells a cordless drill set up but it looks like the “adapter” is just a 1/4 socket adapter for a cordless drill.

https://www.boatblender.com/

Will try this today!...... I'm sure my cordless drill has such a bit with with a square 1/4" head.  Can't wait to bring my mason jar and blender base into the shop crew at work and inaugurate Margarita Monday!  :-)  ..... we could even compare if a Dewalt driver makes a better mix than the Makita driver.  I suspect we should stay away from the hammer drill until we have a few under the belt.... LOL.

From the Boatblender website:

Latest News:  It has been a very fun 15 years, but lawsuits and people wanting me to pay for their lifestyle and various other things have me thinking it is time to retire.

Lol! It actually surprised me that any blender would fit a standard mason jar thread pattern for this very reason. I'm not usually the safety police, but I would take many precautions if I were to use a mason jar on a blender. The glass blender jars I have seen were something like 3/8" thick, maybe more at the base. From what I hear, many modern mason jars are marginal for even canning without some bursting. Older ones were tougher, and I would definitely use a vintage one if I were to use one at all. Even then, they simply were not designed to contain the kind of forces in a blender. For a smoothie with all soft, mushy ingredients, maybe. I would be concerned (especially if someone else were to ever use it) about one tiny, little hard thing getting in there and thrown against the thin glass side at 100mph. Maybe a cloth cover to slip over it to at least contain the glass fragments would help. It would still be one hell of a mess to clean up.

John Weiland wrote: i had to scrub away potentially 50 years of grit on the bottom of mine to find what you requested:  That model drew a maximum of 390W of power!.....and can we assume that included the surge watts from the motor starting up??  Anyway right around 3 amps of current from a 120V outlet.   As an aside, if I ever end up burning out the motor, is an appliance motor of that vintage still repairable at an appliance repair shop?

Thanks for finding the wattage, John. Hopefully that vintage grit wasn't worth anything 😁

I thought the wattage in the label did not include surge wattage, bit maybe I'm wrong about that.

I know there's an appliance repair guy in my area that will work on pretty much anything of any age and another guy that only doesn't specific stuff.  So I guess it depends on the place.

R Scott wrote:I think the Oster blades are a 1/4 square drive. Here is a place that sells a cordless drill set up but it looks like the “adapter” is just a 1/4 socket adapter for a cordless drill.

Yeah, a standard socket will do it.

I tried it out once with our 1500 rpm cordless drill and it wasn't able to blend spinach.

I ended up getting this one

https://shopelitegourmet.com/collections/blenders/products/retro-personal-blende?variant=37480050327710

I think it's probably pretty much the same as the Frigidaire one John posted above. It's the same wattage, fits the same glass mug, etc.  

I settled on this gourmet elite one because I found reviews specifically talking about using it with standard jars. A few people complained that it leaked when using a standard jar because the rim of the jar/mug it comes with is deeper than jars you buy. According to one review, it fits otherwise so you can just stick an extra gasket in to get a better seal.

Once I got it home, I checked the seal with the old tomato sauce jar I wanted to use for my smoothies. It fit perfectly without an extra gasket. Then I checked with a 125mL canning jar. It fit perfectly, too. So no problem with jar interchangeability.

It's almost twice the wattage of my Hamilton Beach, so it blends way better than what I've been using. I haven't tried it with kale yet, but I'm sure it'll be fine.

Also like the Frigidaire mentioned in this thread, the one I got has the genius design of having the jar disengage from the blades by turning it in the same direction you need to turn the blade assembly to unlock it from the blender base. The first time I blended something, the jar came loose from the blades when I tried to unlock it from the base. I had to flip the whole blender upside down to avoid dumping smoothie all over everything. From then on, I've pushed down on the top of the jar a little bit when I unlock it from the blender base, and I haven't had the jar come loose since. So that's a non-issue so far.

The blades are attached to the plastic base that locks onto the blender, so you can't take them out to clean like you can with my Oster.  It's a little tight getting to the underside of the blades, but way better than the blenders that don't come apart at all. I've been using a toothbrush to get under the blades and around the shaft and it works well.

The only thing I don't like so far is that the gasket sits quite tightly in kind of a deep groove in the blade assembly. I have to get the tip of a paring knife if there to pry it up and clean it properly.

Now to see what kind of longevity it has. I've never liked my Hamilton Beach, but it cost something like $12 and it's lasted at least fifteen years, so I've got to give it points for that.