Back to Basics SALPHA500 Smoothie Signature Smoothie Maker
by Back to Basics
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List Price: Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Back to Basics SALPHA500 Smoothie Signature Smoothie Maker
Customer Review: smoothie maker
Summary: 3 Stars
This was a replacement for one (same model) that stopped working. This one smells like the motor is burning and makes a terrible noise. We tried it for two weeks, but the smell persists. The functionality of the smoothie maker is good, but the burning smell is unsettling. We are returning it and trying again one last time.Customer Review: Works well enough
Summary: 3 Stars
I have had this product for some time now. It is still in good condition, though I don't use it every week. My only complaint is that it's very loud, even for a blender. Otherwise, its well made. The lid locks on and is easy to get on and off. It looks nice enough.Customer Review: Good blending, bad parts
Summary: 2 Stars
I've used my Back to Basics Signature smoothie maker regularly for 2-3 years. After a couple of months of using it, the spout stopped working. First it leaked, and even after it stopped working and I stopped using it, it still leaked. I didn't know there was a screw-on stopper (or maybe I didn't get one?). So every time I made a smoothie, I had to disassemble the non-working spout and clean it to keep from having rotted smoothie in my next drink. This is probably my fault, not knowing about the stopper-replacement for the spout, but still, when I bought the thing, one of the reasons I bought it was because I liked the spout, which became unusable soon after buying the machine.
Now, the base leaks, which means that as soon as the machine has liquid in it, it starts to leak out the bottom and makes a pretty good mess. I can't use it any more.
I called the company, and they said they don't have any replacement bases. I will say that the company rep was friendly and offered me a 50% discount off the MSRP if I bought a new one through their web site, but she also said that I might find one on sale for less (less than their MSRP minus 50%), especially once you factor in the shipping charges.
The machine worked really well when it worked, but that's small consolation as I see it lying in the garbage can. If I were a prospective buyer, I would ignore the 5 star reviews from people who have had the machine for only a few weeks or months. That's because it really is a good machine, great at blending, chopping ice, etc. but given a little time it becomes a NOT good machine, at least in my experience.
On the other hand, these days, if a product works reasonably well for 2 - 3 years, you figure it could be worse. My family got a lot of good frozen smoothies out of this machine. If we accept that we're in a throw-away society, then this product isn't so bad. But I'm getting tired of participating in that cycle - buy crap, toss it a couple of years later, buy more crap, repeat. Good for the general economy maybe, but bad for my own economy and bad for the environment.
Customer Review: Smoke Signals
Summary: 2 Stars
My parents wanted the same smoothie maker that my sister has, and this is it. My sister hasn't had any trouble with hers at all. She's had it for a couple of years but uses it rarely. I researched this one and was leary to buy it because it's terrible track record of breaking. I tried to find another with the same features within my price range and couldn't find anything. So reluctantly, I bought this one hoping for the best. My mom didn't get to finish making her first pitcher of drinks before it started smoking! Amazon had excellent service and sent us a new one before we could even get the old one in the mail. I haven't heard yet if the new one is holding up or not. If you don't have to have the spout on the bottom, I would recommend the Osterizer blender. I have made a hundred great smoothies in mine.Customer Review: Can't get replacement part
Summary: 2 Stars
My problem with the blender is that the coupling broke (either wore down from the blender not being exactly down in the slot or it stripped the inside so it won't screw back on.) There is no way to replace it. Back to Basics seems to have many other replacement parts available, but not that one. The glass is nice though.
We had it for less than a year.