Magic Bullet Express 17-Piece High-Speed Blender Mixing System
by Magic Bullet
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Magic Bullet Express 17-Piece High-Speed Blender Mixing System
Customer Review: Very versatile appliance--we use it everyday!
Summary: 5 Stars
In our house, this appliance has replaced several bulkier, much more expensive appliances (our blender, smoothie maker, 2 coffee grinders (one was used to chop nuts and grains), juicer, and food processers. I wish the Magic Bullet had come out years ago!
We use MB every morning to make excellent, sugar-free smoothies of all sorts. With about 3/4 C milk, frozen fruit, and a packet of sweetener you can make a terrific shake-like smoothie. Just freeze any type of peeled fruit--it's a perfect way to use up all that fruit that is just a bit past its prime, but still edible! We freeze everything from grapes, oranges, berries, nectarines, to cantelope, even watermelon. I do recommend breaking larger pieces into smaller, cube-shaped pieces for ease of blending and to reduce wear to your bullet). By keeping gallon-sized freezer bags of fruit in our freezer for easy access and adding in a decent protein powder, we can make a nice, quick meal on-the-go. My three kids love starting the day with a made-to-order "milkshake" and, unbeknownst to them, they've already gotten at least two servings of fruit, and sometimes even a serving of veggies (a couple of baby carrots or slices of cucumbers added in still taste great)!
Use the same fruit/milk/sweetener combination, but with less milk, blend and return it to the freezer for a quick and terrific homemade ice cream!. I also freeze cubes of left-over coffee (with added creamer and sweetener) for a quick frozen coffee drink (just add a bit of milk to the frozen cubes, another pack of sweetener, and maybe even some chocolate sauce for a frozen mocha latte!). Frozen cubes of orange juice + some sweetener and a bit of milk makes a terrific orangecicle shake! By mixing packets of unsweetened fruit drink-mixes with low-cal sweetener and a quart of water, you can freeze cubes of flavored mix to blend into Italian Ice in less than a minute! As you can see, the possibilities are limited only by your own imagination.
We also use the MB to make everything from salsa to ground nuts to grinding our whole-bean coffee. The only problem with grinding coffee with the bullet is that, as coffee beans are highly acidic, the coffee will "etch" the plastic casing and also leave a flavor of coffee in its parts. We simply have designated one set of blades and cup for only grinding coffee.
I cannot say enough about the Magic Bullet's versatility! As a family with 4 members having allergies to gluten, and one with a dairy allergy, it has proved invaluable. Aside from the obvious convenience of being able to make some shakes with milk, and others with soy or milk-substitute, I can also grind up whole, non-glutenous grains or nuts to make my own wheat-free flours for baking. We use it to make rice-milk, almond-milk, whip up some soy-butter, you name it!
Now, the only bad part (things not necessarily limited to the MB): After a while, the blades dull, the rubber seal-gaskets start to give way (luckily, several extras are included!). If you're not careful to check the base to ensure it hasn't come loose (which can happen when you're blending things with large chunks or hard items), you can end up with a real mess on your hands. This has happened to me once or twice--the most notable being while using the larger blender attachment (the one with the optional juicer) to make margaritas. Months later, and despite a whole blender of margarita mix soaking the motorized-base, our MB continues to work well and withstand the rigors of being used several times every day.
At the risk of sounding like some silly paid-program, I have to say that for less than $50, you can't go wrong with the Magic Bullet. I've bought them for family members, who are also very happy with them, so I don't think my experiences with it are unique. Happy bulleting! :-)
Customer Review: Bad rap
Summary: 5 Stars
I have the Magic Bullet and I read some less than good reviews on the unit. I would like to put those to rest if I may.
1. After using the magic bullet, could smell the motor burning up.
Having worked with motors in the past, I can put that bad rap to rest. There are two types of electrical motors commonly used in the market today. One is an induction motor. and the other is the brush and commentator motor. Although the induction motor is most commonly used, there are some brush types out there. The burning electrical smell you sensed is common, especially when first using the motor. When first used, the brushes are not worn slightly to perfectly fit against the commentator. Until that happens, the brushes will slightly arc and you will sense an electrical smell but it doesn't take long till they are perfectly fitted to the commentator. After that, the smell will no longer be there. This is normal and is not a problem. It is not a sign of overheating or any damage to the motor.
2. I found an excellent quick way to clean the Bullet. I first spray the blade and inside of the cup to remove larger particles, then I fill the cup about 1/3 full with water and just a drop of soap detergent. Screw the blade lid on firmly and pulse it a few times. Unscrew and rinse and you will have a sparkling clean unit. This will get into areas that otherwise you couldn't possibly reach especially in and around the blade area.
3. I have also found that removing the processed food from the cup is best done with a small rubber spatula as use of a metal object like a knife or fork etc will eventually scratch and mar the plastic.
4. My Magic Bullet came with several replacement rubber gaskets that are used inside the black blade screw on caps. When you have cleaned your unit and you are going to store with blade cap screwed onto the food cup, do not screw the blade cap tightly with the food cup as when it is stored even overnite, the rubber gasket will tend to flatten out and then need replacement.
I always leave mine about a turn loose and you will get a lot more use out the gaskets.
5. When I am making a sandwich spread or anything requiring mayo I wait until I have finished processing the food and then I mix the processed food and mayo in a separate bowl. If you add the mayo before processing, the mayo and the fool is going to stick to the sides and even tapping is not going to loosen it.
6. The instruction book says that you need to occasionally tap the blade/cup unit to free up food to get to the blade. I have personally found that a back and forth shaking motion does a much better job as all the food in usually at the bottom anyway and a few shakes will move it into the blades and wa-la, it works mucho bettro.
7. If you read the instructions and use accordingly, you will find the magic bullet works, (Maybe not excatly like on TV) but I am very pleased with mine. I have also fould that the shorter pulses seem to work best as they don't tend to sling the food out and away from the blade.
8. I tried processing some pecans, mixed a little soy milk and honey and created some great tasting health food.
If you are considering the Magic Bullet, I can just say that it is like anything else, when directions are followed, it will work fine. When I picked up the Base unit, the weight tells me that the motor is plenty big enough to get the job done. A light motor, light duty, a heavy motor, heavy duty. Enjoy
Thanks for your time,
Darryl K Springston
Customer Review: Very useful, surprisingly good quality product + sharing my favorite recipe.
Summary: 5 Stars
When I first saw the TV infomercials (back when I still watched TV...) for the Magic Bullet, I was really tempted to get one. But, knowing how so many of the late-night infomercial products are of less than wondrous quality, I held off. Especially, since the price was still pretty high at the time too. Then, a few years ago, I saw that Costco was carrying this product and decided to go for it. Since you can always (!) take most things (except electronics) back to them if/when they no longer function, I figured it was time to indulge myself. I purchased this particular set and have been using it for years now. It works great and has never given me a moment's problem. I love the color coded mugs. I always wash the blade attachment immediately after use and let it air dry. I also store it on its own, not attached to anything. I have never had to replace the gasket yet although, just recently, I did decide to purchase the gasket set 4 Replacement Gaskets compatible with Original Magic Bullet to have on standby because I figure mine will eventually wear out. It seems like it should be about due to, even though it really does not show any inclination in that direction... At this rate, I'll be lucky to remember that I bought/have replacement gaskets by the time I get around to needing them.
I use my Magic Bullet daily to make my morning health smoothie. I have also used it to chop garlic and onions and also herbs and spices. It has worked great for everything. And it's so easy to clean up quickly.
All in all, this is a surprisingly good quality product and I am enjoying mine very much! I have bought several more of the newer models, with more attachments, as presents for friends and relatives. It's relatively inexpensive, yet very attractive, fun, useful and desirable. I just have to figure out each time if the person I want to buy one for has one yet or not. Easy to do, just by talking about what I use mine for.
I thought I would share with you the recipe for my morning health shake, as it seems to be getting rave reviews from all my friends who have tried it:
Morning Health Shake
1 cup of oat milk, or almond milk or fresh squeezed orange juice
1 small banana, sliced (or ½ large banana)
1 raw egg
½ cup of blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries (or two or more combined)
2 packets of Stevia (Now Foods Organic Stevia - which I have not yet found on Amazon)
2 Tablespoons of Raw Cocoa Powder Navitas Naturals Organic Raw Cacao Power, Mayan Superfood, 16-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 2)
Blend the above. I sometimes add more oat milk to top it off a bit and reblend.
If fresh berries are not available, I often use my own fresh frozen berries that I store when I pick them or when the price is low at the store.
Enjoy!
P.S.: All the ingredients I use are certified organic - always. Otherwise, why bother? If it's not organic, it's no longer a "Health Shake". More like a GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) and pesticides and additives shake, right?
Customer Review: When in doubt, read the manual
Summary: 5 Stars
For the most part, anything that is advertised on those infomercials over-promises or fails to deliver. I ordered a Magic Bullet anyway because it seemed to be just the sort of kitchen appliance that I needed...small, safe and useful. I crossed my fingers and ordered one. When the package arrived, it was packed nicely in a large case containing all the parts and accessories as advertised; mixing cups, drinking/mixing mugs, small blender attachment, juicer attachment, shaker cups, two receipe books, an instruction manual, blades and motor base. Basically, the Magic Bullet is a small compact blender that is turned on it's head. Instead of putting items from the top and blending/chopping them, you put the contents in a holding cup and twist on the cap/blade. This whole unit is then placed upside down on the base and you turn it on. After the contents are processed, you take the unit off the base and twist off the blade/cap. A great and ingenious idea. But the big question is, does it work as advertised? The surprising answer is yes.
I've had this unit for about a month and a half now and am thoroughly surprised at how nice it works. I have made smoothies that not only rival the local juice bars, but the product tastes better and is a snap to make. I have also made personal servings of soup and vegatable smoothies. Making a tuna-egg-mayo spread was blended very nicely and the whole family ate it up in a couple of days. To get this unit to work as it was intended has to do with reading the manual. It states very clearly that there are certain ways to load your mixing cup. In cases where things do not get blended or are stuck at the top of the cup, the instructions tell you to take the blending cup off and to tap it a few times to get all the contents to the bottom. There is no problem in overheating *if you read the manual*. About 90% of the jobs can be done in about 10 seconds or less by using the pulse method. If you continuously blend/chop and leave it on like a regular blender, it will overheat and possibly break the unit. Nothing needs to be processed for more than 30 seconds so this is a moot point. Clean-up is one of the best features of this appliance. Just run the mixing cups and blades under water with a little soap, and you are done. This unit is so easy to use that our family uses it on a daily basis.
As far as the cost is concerned, it may seem a little on the steep end, but the Magic Bullet pays for itself in no time at all. It has many useful features which allow you to use it as a coffee grinder, a chopper, a blender, a smoothie maker, a sandwich spread maker, soup mixer, etc. I have never used a small kitchen appliance as much as I have used the Magic Bullet. The big blender made by -------, which has been sitting on the shelf for many years is now officially retired.
A few minutes of your time in reading the manual will help you dodge any bullets in using the Magic Bullet.
Customer Review: Bad reviews come from people who didn't read the directions
Summary: 5 Stars
If you're here reading reviews, I imagine you want the answer to two questions:
1) Does it do everything they say it does? Yes, it does. In fact, it also does a great job of foaming milk for cappuccino, which the advertisements never mention.
2) Is there a catch? A little, depending on what you call a catch.
- You really have to follow the directions explicitly. It seems to me that all these bad reviews come from people who didn't. The directions aren't at all complicated, but there are a couple things you have to do correctly in order to make it work and keep it from breaking. You can't just throw everything in and leave it on for a minute like a regular blender or it will break. Luckily, you don't need to because it blends anything in a few seconds.
-There is some technique. You need to learn how to "pulse" it in order to chop, rather than purée. Some reviewers were complaining that it puréed when they wanted it to chop. Since it's designed to do both, you can't just expect the blender to magically know which one you want it to do. You have to learn the pulsing technique in order to get it to chop, but it should only take a few tries before you get the hang of it.
-The chop is more like a shred. If you use the pulse technique for chopping, you'll get the same effect as a cheese grater, only much faster and it works on harder foods.
-It doesn't really chop (shred) watery foods so well. It's great for onions, meat or cheese. The commercial never claims that it will chop fruits and vegetables, but I think a lot of people got misled because it says it chops, so they assumed it would chop everything.
I really do use this every day. I use it to whip cream, beat eggs, make smoothies, make apple sauce or pear sauce, juice fruit, make sauces and guacamole, shred cheese and onions, foam milk and to mix flour together with milk, butter and eggs for pancakes.
UPDATE: I first wrote this in February 2006 and it is now October 2008. After pretty much daily use, my Magic Bullet is now on its last legs and I need to buy a new one. The cups have all cracked (I didn't drop them or anything), so that they leak when I blend. One of the tabs that hold the cups down broke, so that I have to make sure I insert it in exactly the right way to blend it. The blender is also leaking some black stuff, which can't be a good sign. I'll leave it up to the reader to decide whether or not this was a long enough life span for this product.