The Tom Dickson Extreme Blender sits at the top of the Blendtec product line. It has a retail price of $1,035, which makes it “extreme” in more ways than one. The question is whether this super-powered blender is worth the high cost. Does it unequivocally provide the best performance possible over any alternatives?
I’ll break down the features and we’ll see how it compares to some of the other choices. It’s important to get a blender you’re happy with and one that suits your personal needs. Let’s jump into the performance and see what makes this blender so special.
Performance
Having the word “Extreme” in the name should be a clear indication that this blender is a beast. Inside you’ll find a massive 3.8 horsepower motor running on 2400-watts. Most other Blendtec models are only 3.0 in comparison.
It’s important to be aware that this model requires a 20-amp T-blade outlet. You’ll need to make sure your kitchen has this. The newer your home, the more likely you’ll have this type of outlet and wiring installed, so go confirm this first. One way to find this out is to look at the outlet design.
Note: You can’t simply replace the outlet to make this work, the internal wiring of your home needs to be on a 20-amp line.
If everything is all good to go, you’ll enjoy a blender that has more power than any other consumer blender. Apparently, Tom Dickson, the inventor and CEO, gives this specific model to celebrities and his family. It’ll pulverize any ingredient you toss inside and is capable of all sorts of recipes. This provides the highest blending power on the market in a consumer blender. The Blendtec 800 does have the same motor but it only runs on 15-amps, which pulls in less power.
Features
On the control panel, you have access to 10 different manual speeds and a pulse button. This will let you choose the perfect speed based on the task at hand. Something delicate like salsas could require a few pushes of the pulse feature. A nut butter or bread dough would need something a bit more intense. If you like being in control, the manual choices give you a wide range of blending capabilities.
The blender also includes four different one-touch preset modes: Low Energy, Smoothie, Mixed Drinks, and Whole Juice. If you’ve never heard of these before, they allow the blender to automatically handle the blending process by running a preprogrammed cycle. Basically, you add your ingredients for a smoothie, select the smoothie preset, and the blender will blend it with perfectly consistent results every time.
Another neat feature is the ability to physically mount this blender into your kitchen counter. This will make the machine sit flush for convenient access. There are pros and cons to this. On the one hand, you’ll have your Blendtec out at all times. Which may make you more likely to use it every day. On the other, you can’t easily move it around at that point, it’s in your counter. It’s a nice unique design capability though.
What’s Included?
This model does come with two different jars: the WildSide+ and FourSide containers. Each one excels in certain situations so it’s really nice to see them both included. This will allow you to handle a wider variety of blending tasks more easily.
Aside from the jars you’ll also receive a Fresh Blends cookbook. It’s filled with recipes you can enjoy making right away in your new blender. There’s also a DVD of their “Will It Blend?” web series. They’re actually pretty funny and it’s cool to seethe blenders tearing through electronics and metal objects.
Finally, you’ll receive an autographed picture of Tom Dickson himself. I’ll admit it may seem like an odd thing to include, but it’s definitely a fun addition. You can just add it to your collection of autographed photos of company CEOs.
Warranty
The Blendtec Extreme blender exceeds most other models again by including a very lengthy 10-year warranty. That’s a full decade of coverage for your new blender. It beats the typical 7 or 8 year warranties you’d normally receive.
If you have any issues within that time frame, that isn’t caused by human error, you’ll be able to have your Blendtec fixed. They will even pay for shipping both ways when handling your warranty claims. That’s a huge bonus and should make you feel pretty confident you’ll have a blender that lasts you for a long time.
Summary
3.8 horsepower at 2400 watts
20-amp outlet/wiring required
30-day money back guarantee
Can build into your kitchen counter
10 manual speeds + pulse
4 one-touch presets
Illuminated push-button interface
Full 8-year warranty
Dimensions: 6.25″ x 16″ x 8.25″
Colors: Black
Conclusion
The Tom Dickson Extreme blender excels in many ways. It’ll handle a huge variety of recipes ranging from hot soups, dough, juices, smoothies, grains, and everything in between. You won’t currently find a consumer blender with more power according to the company. Just make sure your home is equipped with a 20-amp outlet and wiring to handle the energy requirements. For the plug it’s a NEMA 5-20P and for the receptacle it’s a NEMA 5-20R.
One quick thing I’d like to mention is the fact that Blendtec blenders are made in the USA. This adds to the cost but also the quality in my opinion. It seems like there’s fewer and fewer things being produced in America so it’s a nice extra to know. If you need a blender with the most power, this is clearly it.
Another option could be the Blendtec Professional 800 if you want a blender that’s powerful yet much quieter. It has the same 3.8 horsepower motor but runs on only 15-amps and uses a regular power outlet. It also can’t be installed into a countertop but it’s one choice you could consider.
Tom Dickson Extreme Blender Deals
Update: It looks like Blendtec has discontinued this blender model unfortunately.
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