There are some blenders that double as a food processor, and if you're looking for such a 2 in 1 device that can make your smoothies and dips but is also ready to churn up the toughest food in your pantry, you might have come across the Cleanblend blender. This is a powerful blender and food processor that has a very affordable price.
If you're considering it, we're here to give you all the information you need before you make that decision, and that's why we've written this Cleanblend blender review. Cleanblend has two main blenders - a more expensive one which doubles as a food processor, and a cheaper one that is more standard.
This review will focus on the 3 HP (horsepower) dual blender food processor combo. That being said, if you don't need the food processor aspect or just want to save some money, the cheaper option may be what you're looking for. A lot of what you learn in this review will be consistent across Cleanblend products, though there are also great cheaper (but smaller) options from Breville and Ninja.
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Table of Contents
What’s So Good about the Cleanblend Blender ?
With its low price tag, this powerful heavy-duty blender/food processor costs just as much as some of the mid-range standard blenders (think Cuisinart or Calphalon), and that's what Cleanblend has built their brand around. On top of being affordable, all Cleanblend products come with a 5-year warranty, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and free delivery. That's some high-quality customer service right there. Most blenders come with a warranty, but some are as short as one year, while the longest ones (namely Vitamix) will only be 10 years. Its large size and its versatility for the price are what set this blender apart from the crowd.
Important Feature #1: Motor Strength
The Cleanblend blender is powered by a motor that puts out 1800 watts, so the blades can spin as fast as possible and blend even the toughest and hardest ingredients. For some perspective, even most stronger blenders such as Breville's The Boss top out at about 1500 watts, with some of the weaker ones (the Ninja Professional Blender and the Breville Fresh and Furious) having motors of about 1000 watts or even less.
Cleanblend's blender is as strong as they come, and you'll never have to worry about unwanted chunks in your new mixture. The blender also has a knob with about 10 different speeds so you can really fine-tune the settings and get the exact speed you want, for the exact consistency you want in your mixture whether its a dip, sauce, smoothie, nut butter, or anything in between. On top of that, the blender has a pulse feature for anything stubborn enough to resist its top speeds.
Important Feature #2: The Physical Design
It's not just the motor and the pulse that makes the Cleanblend blender so effective and efficient, it's also the physical design. Coming with a 64-oz., or two-liter, BPA-free plastic pitcher, this blender is big enough to fit large recipes, so you can either do meal-prep for the week in one or two blends, or you can make a batch of smoothies or cocktails for all your guests and show off your new skills in the kitchen.
On top of the size, this blender comes with two sets of stainless-steel blades that are sure to cut up everything you throw at them. The first set of blades is comprised of two upright blades in the center of the pitcher, while the other set is made up of four blades closer to the wall of the jug which will scoop up any trapped bits of food that might be hiding in the corner, guaranteeing zero chunks in your smoothie. The lid of the pitcher also has a removable middle section which allows you to add ingredients to your mixture while you blend. The blender comes with a tamper that fits perfectly in this middle section, so you can push your ingredients down and stir a little to make sure absolutely everything gets blended up.
The actual base of the blender is also well-designed. It features a retractable cord that wraps around a ring on the underside of the base, so it's easy to store or pack up. You can keep the cord at the length you need without it hanging loose when you're not using the blender. The base also has a suction pad on each corner so it won't move around too much while you're blending.
The Pros and the Cons
Now that you've got a pretty good idea of how the Cleanblend blender is built, we'll break it all down into a short list of pros and cons, so you know exactly what to be aware of if you decide to purchase the Cleanblend.
Pros
- At 1800 watts, has the strongest motor for a blender at this price range.
- Large size makes it great for meal-prep or making smoothies or cocktails for multiple people
- Perfectly designed for both convenience and optimal performance
- Won't move around too much
Cons
- Isn't as clearly labeled ie intuitive as some other brands (namely Ninja and Breville)
- Lacks any preset functions that different blenders have, such as Breville's Fresh and Furious or The Boss
What Do the Reviews Say?
Reviewers and customers alike have given very positive feedback on the Cleanblend blender. Users focused on the strong motor which gives the smoothest blend possible and the price that gives you a great deal for the features you're getting.
How Does It Compare?
You already know about the Cleanblend, but maybe there's a different product that you want more. That's why we've compared the Cleanblend to blenders from the top competing brands. For the sake of simplicity, we've only compared the Cleanblend to blenders of comparable size.
Cleanblend Blender vs Breville The Boss Blender
The main appeal of Breville's The Boss blender is its easy-to-use preset options which are tailor-made to give you the perfect smoothies (there's one option specifically for green smoothies and one for other smoothies), frozen desserts, or soups. That gives you one less thing to worry about, especially if you're new to the blending game. It also has a convenient auto-clean function that is a staple of most Breville products.
At 1500 watts, The Boss has a weaker motor than the Cleanblend 3HP blender, but it's still more than strong enough to get the job done. Just like the Cleanblend blender, The Boss holds 64 ounces and has a knob to adjust its speed so you can be pretty specific.
The real drawback of The Boss is that it's much more expensive than the Cleanblend. We're talking close to double the price for a blender that actually has a weaker motor. I wouldn't go with The Boss unless you're absolutely dying for those preset options. But honestly, even if you need them, there are still cheaper options to go with.
If you do prefer the overall build of The Boss, but don't want to spend the money, you might be interested in the Breville Fresh and Furious. It comes with all of the same essential features of The Boss, but is smaller and has a weaker motor. For your compromise, you're getting a great blender that, while not as strong as the Cleanblend, is easy to use and costs around half the price.
Cleanblend vs Vitamix 5200
The Vitamix 5200 is actually more expensive even than The Boss, which just goes to show what a steal the Cleanblend is considering its size. I wish I could make this matchup sound even, but there's honestly no real reason to go with the Vitamix. Vitamix sells this blender for an insane sum (though it does come with a 7-year warranty).
It is the same size as the Cleanblend, with a weaker motor of 1500 watts (the same as The Boss) though it doesn't have the convenient presets or auto-clean function that The Boss has. There might be more to talk about if money didn't exist, but since it does, save your money and buy the Cleanblend. Considering the weaker motor and the identical size, you're actually paying more money for a worse product if you decide to go with the Vitamix 5200.
Cleanblend vs Ninja Professional Blender
This is where things get much more competitive. The Ninja Professional Blender is the only blender on this list that's really on the Cleanblend's level, and the main reason for that is that while the other two blenders are much more expensive, the Ninja Professional Blender is actually cheaper. It's even bigger too.
The Ninja Professional Blender costs just over $100 on Ninja's website, and its pitcher holds a whopping 70 ounces. That being said, it only has three different speed settings, so there's not a lot of flexibility. Its motor only puts out 1100 watts, so it's weaker than the Cleanblend and might take a while to blend up your ingredients if you actually make use of all 70 ounces.
There's a decision to be made here. If you don't mind the weaker engine, if you like the bigger pitcher, or if you just want to save money, then the Ninja Professional Blender is the choice for you. Otherwise, you should stick with the Cleanblend and its powerful motor.
Cleanblend vs The Blendtec Designer 725
I'll start by saying the Blendtec clearly takes the "Designer" part of its blender's name very seriously. This blender is gorgeous, and that could be a huge appeal for a lot of customers looking to keep the aesthetic of their kitchen in check. It has a sleek stainless-steel design that comes in both black and white, and instead of a knob or buttons for speed selection, it has a nice electronic, touch-activated sliding strip, though in terms of actual function you may find something physical a little more comfortable.
It comes with five presets (Smoothie, Salsa, Ice Cream, Whole Juice, and Hot Soup) as well as an auto-clean function, so its much easier to use than the Cleanblend. Plus, it has a convenient "add 10 seconds" button so you can quickly adjust if your drink isn't quite right.
This blender can even compete with the Cleanblend in terms of motor strength with its 1800 watts. Also, this thing is huge. Its pitcher can fit more than 2.5 liters of ingredients, so this is really a restaurant-grade blender. That being said, it costs a hefty sum, so even with the smart technology the blender boasts, which detect air bubbles and overheating, there's no reason to buy this for personal use over the Cleanblend. This is a commercial blender, not a personal one.
What's the Difference Between a Blender and a Food Processor?
The main appeal of the Cleanblend (other than its price) is the fact that it doubles as a food processor, and this is mostly due to its strong 2000-watt motor. Now, what exactly is the difference between a blender and a food processor? A simple way to think of it is that a food processor is basically just a stronger blender, with a different shaped container and different blades. What that means in practice, is that a blender is mostly meant for making smoothies, protein shakes, and other drinks. It can handle some softer solids and a vegetable or two, but mostly it's designed for liquids.
A food processor is, of course, meant for food. A proper food processor might not have a delicate enough option that's ideal for smoothies, but it'll have the motor strength to blend or slice a bunch of fruits and vegetables, grate cheese, stir butter, mix dough, and crush nuts for nut butter. Basically, if you'll be adding water, you want a blender. Otherwise, you need a food processor.
Because of its strong motor and its different speed settings, the Cleanblend is ideal for both. This is becoming true of a lot of blenders these days, almost all of which are capable of at least crushing ice and vegetables, but none of those blenders have the horsepower of the Cleanblend. If you don't need the heavy-duty food processor tasks, you can still get some hybrid versatility out of most blenders.
If you know you really only need just a blender or just a food processor - one but not the other, it might be better to save some money and find a cheaper, specialized mixer. If you're looking for a great cheap way to buy both, you'll definitely want to buy the Cleanblend.
Verdict
So as a quick recap, the Cleanblend Blender is a great, cheap blender that also doubles as a food processor thanks to its strong motor and multiple speed settings. The other blenders of its size are usually much more expensive and have weaker motors. Despite its lower price, the Cleanblend goes toe-to-toe with the heavy hitters like Vitamix or Blendtec. Though it may be worth it to go with Breville's The Boss if you have the cash and want those fancy and convenient preset options, the Vitamix isn't really worth buying considering how expensive it is.
The Ninja Professional Blender is more even competition for the Cleanblend, as its cheaper and bigger, but it has a much weaker motor. It basically comes down to the tradeoff of what you're looking for in your blender. If you don't need a food processor, the Ninja blender is a good buy.
If you're not sold on the Cleanblend or any of the other blenders we've mentioned in this article, remember that we only compared blenders that are close to the Cleanblend's size of two liters. If the size isn't an issue or you specifically want something a little easier to fit into your kitchen, you might want an alternative to the Cleanblend that's smaller and, unlike blenders such as The Boss and Vitamix 5200, actually falls within a similar price range.
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