Waring HPB300 MegaMix Commercial Blender, Brushed Steel

My 20yr old Vitamix 3600 finally gave out and the parts are no longer made/offered on the website. Time for something new I figured. I did want a powerful replacement but did not want to spend several hundred dollars on it. The Waring HPB300 blender absolutely is not a Vitamix BUT it is an acceptable replacement in my opinion. Yes, I got the new motor smell still (should be gone soon) and the high setting is ear splitting but so was my previous machine on high. Don't use high and you won't miss it. The low setting does a very fine job with my fruit smoothes and veg drinks coming out great. The smaller sized container fills up quickly but with a careful eye it is manageable and it is super easy to clean and store. I find with all the fruit on the bottom and the ice piled on top I can start the blender without the lid in place and then quickly put it on as the ice cubes dip below the jars top edge. This is an advanced technique yes but one easily mastered and necessary (for me anyway) to produce full sized servings. Try at your own risk. Personally I like the tough/light plastic container and wouldn't want glass or SS. The slightly too tight lid is fitting better/easier with every passing day now too. Ice and almonds (2 tuffies) come out blended incredibly smooth every time. I also use different kinds of frozen berries (the big bags from Costco are great) with fresh apples/bananas/yams/ and they all blend quickly into a frothy smooth healthy morning breakfast drink. With some yogurt and a raw egg tossed in it lasts me until lunch.All in all this purchase has turned out very well for me so far as this new blender does just what I ask of it, simply and quickly. Its also small enough to stay out of the way on the counter and not take up too much space. I have only had this unit a few days now but really like it so far and would buy it again. IMHO this is a manly blender that kicks tail and doesn't require a bank loan to buy. Skip the cheap machines and the really expensive ones and save yourself some trouble/$. The Waring HPB300 is a keeper in my book, with the 5yr motor warranty the clincher. Note to Waring: Make a 64oz container for this unit and I will buy it right away no questions asked. One of these days I just know I'm gonna drop that lid when I really really need it...MMUPDATE: Been a couple months now, here are some additional notes: The new blender/motor smell is finally gone, took at least 2 weeks of using every day. Maybe because I don't use the high setting it took longer but no biggie really. IMPORTANT-KEEP YOUR HAND ON TOP OF THE FRICKIN BLENDER for at least the first several seconds when the ice and whatever is first being blended. I fired it up a few weeks ago and turned around to put something back in the fridge and suddenly this horrible grinding noise started. The container had "jumped" halfway off the motor base. I immediately shut the unit off but my motor and counter were full of tiny bits of rubber (also large bits of ice and fruit) and a bad burning smell filled the air. I cleaned everything up and surveyed the damage. Most of the rubber was stripped from the motor coupling but no real performance issues or damage. My own fault, a MAJOR rookie mistake. It only takes 30 seconds to blend most things so don't walk away. Tough blender however as its still working fine. I will eventually have to replace the coupling I am sure but I'm not going to fix something that works. Still give the blender a top recommendation, just be smarter than me and you'll do fine. Note to Waring....REALLY NEED that larger container now ok?LAST UPDATE: Change up....After reading countless reviews saying this blenders containers do not last very long I am forced to agree. After 11 months of average usage my second carafe blade seal started leaking into the motor just like the first one did . I am pretty miffed at this quality problem and I am NOT going to buy a THIRD carafe for this blender. This newer carafe lasted less than 11 months and it was $60. The Waring warranty is for the motor only and I didn't think about having to buy a new container every year when I bought this. I am feeling a bit played right now. Waring... you have lost a customer and no longer get my endorsement. I now label this unit NOT RECOMMENDED due to widespread problems with its containers.I am going back to the Vita-mix site and pick out one of their reconditioned 5200 models, as my first Vita-mix was also a recon unit and lasted many many years. With their complete 5yr warranty and proven quality I seem to have come full circle now and believe Vita-mix is the smart way to go.

This product worked great and would blend anything until one day after only a couple months of use, it started leaking and when I called the manufacturer, they said I must have mis-used it!!!

Loved, loved this blender for 7 months (purchased on Amazon April 2012). We used it almost daily to make smoothies. Ingredients: bananas, frozen strawberries, yogurt and orange juice. Simple, but nutritious and delicious. The blender did an outstanding job: made everything very, very smooth and did it quickly. Only initial complaint: noise. The motor sounds like a jet engine. But the real complaint is that, after 7 months, the bottom assembly of the blender came apart during use--the metal portion that connects the blender and the motor literally came off and heated up with friction so fast that it was untouchable. Ripped the bottom part of the blender up and really ruined the whole unit. Very disappointed. Am sending off for repair and will post details of that experience later.UPDATE 12/29/2012: Waring replaced blender and all is working well again. I shipped complete blender (including base, container and top). They shipped back everything but the top very, very quickly (about a week). It took 2 additional emails and about 2 more weeks, but I got a top shipped to me as well. I'm hopeful that the jar will not fail again--I've carefully followed the cleaning instructions, never placed any part of blender in the dishwasher and treated it gently. It has been used almost daily. Will update again if anything changes.UPDATE 6/22/2013: Blender still working fine. The motor is still extremely loud, but that's been remedied by using ear plugs while operating. It effortlessly turns frozen fruit into a smoothie pretty much every morning for two people.UPDATE 7/26/2013: Blender came apart again. This time I was able to keep it from ripping the bottom apart. The metal gear on the bottom of the blender carafe came completely off. I screwed it back on again and was able to complete my smoothie, but this does not bode well for the long-term life of the blender. Would never recommend this product to anyone.UPDATE 8/24/2013: Blender carafe started leaking during making of morning smoothie. Gasket ripped apart. Debating what to do. Very disappointed. Motor still seems great, but new carafes are expensive, especially if I can count on it coming apart every few months.UPDATE 2/6/2014: Broke down and purchased a new carafe. Has worked fine, but expect a failure any time now. This is the 3rd carafe. If/When this carafe dies, we'll be upgrading to a different blender.UPDATE 5/16/2014: Well, the 3rd carafe has now outlasted the base. A very disappointing blender purchased two years ago. 3 carafes (came with one, replaced one via factory warranty; purchased 3rd from Amazon) and a base that required replacement that has now died as well. What a letdown from a "professional" blender.

Purchased this blender on October 29, 2011. On Nov 29, 2012, the part around the base of the blade broke and started leaking all over the place. I have used this blender almost daily for kale smoothies since I received it, and while it blended great, I am disappointed that the jar broke after only a year. Replacement jar is $40-50 online, and according to Waring there is no warranty on it at all...