Oh Yeah, I Have a Story For You!

I have already funded my Roth for this year, so that was one of the things I wanted to accomplish with my working for the summer...The other was, I wanted to buy a really good blender.  I have smoothies about one a day.  I love them.  With my stomach problems, they help me digest and I can put flax and chia and veggies in them that I would not really eat otherwise.

I usu put 1 - 2 small servings of fruit 1/2 cup or so.  about 8 - 10 oz liquid, handful of spinach or kale and ground flax, ground chia, ground hemp - if I can find it and scoop of vegan protein.  I also put in frozen 1/2 banana and maybe couple ice cubes.  Blend and enjoy.  Sometimes I put a little honey, or pb or stevia - for a little sweet treat.  I make them for my husband and my aunt and uncle - everyone loves them.

You can also do less liquid, more fruit and basically create a sherbert/ice cream consistency and enjoy with some fresh fruit garnish or some nuts/seeds on top.  A smoothie "bowl". 

Anyway, I have used my $150 Ninja from Walmart for about 5 years.  I still like it, it works fine.  Is noisy and does not blend quite as smooth as the store smoothies - but I am convinced these smoothies are just for once a week treat - they can't have the fiber and nutrients mine from home have - or they would not taste so good.

So, I finally saved up for my $500 Vitamix.  I was so excited.  I ordered in on Prime day Monday, so I saved $70.  When I got home Friday, it was waiting for me.  I did not see the box it came in, DH had already taken it out.  (I would have taken pictures - the box was almost too small).  But the unit looked perfect - no visible damage whatsoever.  Even the box of the machine inside the brown cardboard box looked fine.

Well, I put my fruit in, my liquid (almond milk), my half banana, some garden spinach, my protein, etc.  I blend it and pour it out.  Honestly, DH enjoyed our smoothies - but the spinach was in chunks, not obliterated, about the same as in my clunky old Ninja.  I washed the pitcher and was about to leave the kitchen...I see the Vitamix unit itself flashing an electronic error message.  Sure enough, DH and I consult the manual - it says to call 800# for support.

So, I call - it is well after 5pm central time - they are closed.  Call during the week.  Uh, what?!

What do I do next?  What I always do - Google it.  Basically the message mine was flashing after one mediocre smoothie was that the motor had "heated up" too much.  What?!  You have to be kidding me.

I promptly requested a return on my Amazon account, printed the label and boxed the unit back up...in the barely big enough box.  I told DH that a much better strategy would have been a box big enough to allow for padding in between the two boxes, not a barely bigger box directly up against the normal smoothie box.  I would not be surprised if the jarring of shipment damaged the inside of the unit with no visible outer damage.

Oh well, not my problem - at least once I get my refund. 

I went to Walmart and bought an $80 magic bullet type blender.  I already gave my aunt and uncle my Ninja and was happy to do it, after they are letting me stay with them on and off for 4 - 6 months.

I would love any smoothie stories out there...Anyone?