...78ish and then I saw the Pacific PB7001 for £9.28, I noticed on the price sign this item was 'discontinued'. At such a bargain price I would resist, when I went to Asda later the same week this same blender was selling off for £7.00 but what they hey. I went to Tesco at the weekend and this ... Read review
Advantages: Cheaper than chips, easy to use and works well Disadvantages: Not that reliable, not very attractive
...and then I saw the Pacific PB7001 for £9.28, I noticed on the price sign this item was 'discontinued'. At such a bargain price I would resist, when I went to Asda later the same week this same blender was selling off for £7.00 but what they hey. I went to Tesco at the weekend and this item is now selling off for £7.97.
When I got the blender home I quickly unpacked it, there is nothing particularly interesting in the box. The blender ... ...nearly 2 litres, a lid with a feeding hole, a washable hole cover, a base unit with wired lead and fused plug and a special key which allows you to remove the blades. There is nothing to put together with this appliance simply fit the jug to the base unit and lock into place, construct the lid by securing the hole cover to the lid, plug in to the mains and you're ready to go.
The blender is very simple to use, with the jug in place ... more
With everyone telling us we should eat five portions of fruit and veg a day, eat three portions of wholegrain, drink pre-biotic, probiotic yoghurts, get more omega 3, etc. It seems to me that the entire country is on a health kick these days, but all these things are so damned expensive, unless you are a celebrity or royalty how are you supposed to afford all these things?! Now, my boyfriend and I recently decided to try and avoid over processed food and eat some more fruit. We all like smoothies but they are one of the most expensive accessories in the healthy living program. And so, this is where getting a blender comes in…
One day as I walked around Tesco I noticed the small area at my local store which is stocked with electrical equipment I saw a small range of blenders. There where a few hand held blenders and an even smaller number of jug blenders, however there was a Tesco own brand for about £20, a Tesco value model for £9.78ish and then I saw the Pacific PB7001 for £9.28, I noticed on the price sign this item was 'discontinued'. At such a bargain price I would resist, when I went to Asda later the same week this same blender was selling off for £7.00 but what they hey. I went to Tesco at the weekend and this item is now selling off for £7.97.
When I got the blender home I quickly unpacked it, there is nothing particularly interesting in the box. The blender is composed of a large jug with a capacity of nearly 2 litres, a lid with a feeding hole, a washable hole cover, a base unit with wired lead and fused plug and a special key which allows you to remove the blades. There is nothing to put together with this appliance simply fit the jug to the base unit and lock into place, construct the lid by securing the hole cover to the lid, plug in to the mains and you're ready to go.
The blender is very simple to use, with the jug in place add your ingredients to be blended, then secure the lid which locks in place with a small catch. You can then begin blending, there are three settings on the base unit, P this means you have to hold the dial in place for just a moment, 1 is the slower blending option or 2 for extreme blending. Until the jug is in locked into place and the lid catch is in the correct position the appliance will not work. I think that this is a great feature meaning you can ensure safe and clean use.
I have used my blender to make smoothies form frozen fruit and fresh fruit, I have used it to make pasta sauces and soups. I tend to use the P setting initially and then turn it up to 1 and eventually 2. It is very easy to use and extremely effective. Once it has been used it is straightforward to clean and maintain. You simply run the jug and lid sections under warm running water which removes any food pieces from the device. You then remove the blade with the provided key and wash in the same way as the rest of the apparatus. The instructions say you should then dry everything and store in a clean, dry place. I don't bother with all that all I do is leave the bits to dry and reconstruct the blender on the worktop and leave it until I next use it. I have also washed the parts of this blender in the dishwasher but this is certainly not advisable as the heat has changed the shape of the jug slightly and means the lid catch does not reach the position it should do, so the blender is not slightly temperamental.
The blender is not very attractive, it looks rather cheap but to be honest this doesn't really worry me. The base is white and slim line with a large rounded dial and small rubber feet on the base. The jug is large and clear with measures in millilitres along the side, the rounded handle spans the entire height of the jug and is thick white plastic. The jug also has a convenient pouring spout. The lid is then white with the hole cover being clear.
The instructions included in this box are ridiculously long winded and frankly unnecessary, I didn't read them before using the blender, which just proves they are not particularly useful either. They do contain some helpful tips on cleaning though.
Overall, this blender is cheap, easy to use, but I would not say it is particularly reliable or attractive. Maybe I would think differently if I hadn't stuck the jug in the dishwasher. To be honest though I don't mind if this appliance doesn't last more than a few months as it was such a good deal, I think the price of this item far outweighs any of it's downfalls. I think anyone could use and everyone could make use of a blender.
(update 09/03/2008) In the last few days since I wrote this review, the white plastic covering of the handle has come away, My boyfriend not just takes this off and presses the plastic tracking into place so that the blender thinks the lid if locked into place. I think this makes the device rather unsafe, as it is possible to blend without the lid in place. This is yet another problem created from sticking the jug element in the dishwasher. If you do get one of these I would definitely recommend not putting it in the dishwasher, if you read the instructions it does clearly state not to. OOOPPPSSS!!!
(update 19/03/2008) The blender has now well and truly given up the ghost, I think our's will be going straight into the bin. If you have the opportunity, I would advise against getting one. Expect another blender or juicer review in the near future
