My very first blender, bought before I was married, was an Oster. I enjoyed it for years. It lasted all through the early years of my marriage. It was the blender that pureed fresh fruits and vegetables for my daughters when they were first learning to eat table food.
My second, bought about two months ago, was an Imarflex blender. It lasted about two weeks — not even long enough take photos and get posted in this blog. Not a defect, mind you, but a house helper issue (related story). I was going to get a replacement for the broken pitcher but the nearest dealer’s outlet was a few hours’ drive from our house and we needed one urgently because my younger daughter is on some sort of a soft diet after her dental braces were installed a week ago.
Resigned to the additional expense, I went to the supermarket to buy a new blender. My original intention was to get another Imarflex unit. It was reasonably priced at a little over 1,700 pesos. But because it was already an added expense, I decided to check out the cheaper brands that seemed to be such bargains at about half the price of an Imarflex. I had the sales personnel try them one by one. Nothing satisfied me.
I was about to say, okay, give me the Imarflex when I noticed some boxes at the back of the shelves. Boxed Tefal blenders — and not one unit was on display. I asked for a demo. The moment I heard the whirrrrr of the motor, I decided. At 3,300 pesos, it was the most expensive brand in the store but, heck, a motor that powerful is much, much preferable to a cheaper brand that takes forever to crush ice. I bought it.
The first time I used it, on the same day I bought it, I made creamed cabbage soup.
Now, I am not a brand-conscious person. But if brand makes a difference in quality, I don’t balk at the higher price.
But what are the practical differences, really?
1) Time. Who wants to do in 3 minutes what can be done in 30 seconds?
2) Electricity. The longer the processing, the higher the electricity consumption.
3) Air bubbles. We love fruits and vegetables smoothies. The longer it takes the blender to crush ice, the more air bubbles are formed. I definitely do not like drinking smoothies that are half air bubbles.
But the most important lesson I’ve learned. Whoever uses the blender washes it, dries it and puts it back in place — away from where the house helper can bump into it again.
