Waring PB25EX Kitchen Classics

...robust and I have known Waring blenders to still be operating as good as new after 15 years with no faults or damages.


Miscellaneous Information
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As with all machines that contain motors, the base of the blender does become warm after constant use, constant use I define as being used to make a variety of drinks for about an hour. Although it is not anywhere near hot enough to ...
...to cool down before putting away.

Thanks to its sturdy build and rubber feet, the noise level and vibration from the motor is minimal. The only real noise comes from when you initialy start blending with the sound of ice hitting the stainless steel jug.


Conclusion
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So yes this is a very expensive machine, which may not have some of the features found on other blenders by more ... more

Having worked in the catering industry for a couple of years, I grew very fond of freshly made smoothies, especially as I didn't have to pay for them. So after leaving the industry, and suffering from smoothie withdrawal symptoms, I was on the look out for a decent blender.

In the catering industry, there is one manufacturer who is renowned for their professional blenders, this being Waring. Having used their professional blenders I was well aware of their quality and durability, so it was an easy choice to make as to where to start my search. Now being a bit vain, when I spotted the PB25EX with its stainless steel jug, I knew immediately that it was the one for me.

The Look
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Okay, if a blender could be described as looking sexy, then this is it. The PB25EX has a robust base, made out of hard wearing plastic and is jet black. The base itself is very heavy, as it houses a very powerful motor, and so sits on four rubber feet. On the front of the machine is a very simple 3 position flick switch made out of metal.

The really sexy part of this blender is the polished stainless steel jug, which fits into the base unit, via a polished stainless steel blade unit. The jug itself is shaped with 4 concave sides, and has a stainless steel handle to finish it off. Too be honest this was one of the reasons I got this model as it looks very classy sitting on the work surface in your kitchen.

The lid to the jug is made of solid black rubber, which fits snugly into the jug via a system of ridges. In the centre of the lid is a transparent section which lifts up so that you can quickly add ingredients whilst blending.

Although it may not look as streamlined as some domestic blenders, you can tell by just looking at it, that it is a very well made machine and is extremely robust.

Features
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The outstanding feature of this blender is the polished stainless steel jug, which other than looking very sexy also has the benefit of holding the temperature of your drink a lot longer than a perspex jug. On top of this it holds its looks a lot longer than a perspex jug. Having used this machine near enough on a daily basis, the jug looks as goods as it does today as when I got the machine. Of course being stainless steel, it is prone to showing finger prints, but with regular cleaning, these are not a problem. The jug itself is a litre capacity, which is more than enough for making a batch of smoothies, although less than some of the more common brand name blenders.. Although I love the stainless steel look, it does have the problem that you cannot see if the ingredients are blended properly, and are forced to look through the lid to check. For me this is a small price to pay for having a good looking machine, but for some people they will find this more than annoying.

The machine itself contains a 350 watt motor which is controlled by a simple flick switch. The switch has 3 positions with the first one being off. You have the choice of having it on at either half speed or full speed; personally I mainly use it at half speed as it allows time for your ingredients to move around and be fully blended. This is purely a manual system, and there is no timer function or pulsing button, which compared to the modern range of blenders, is a bit of a let down.

The blending mechanism features 4 blades, 2 point at 45 degrees upwards and 2 pointing 45 degrees downwards. The mechanism screws into the base of the jug and then sits onto the drive mechanism in the top of the base unit. The blades are extremely strong, and will cut through a wide range of ingredients both hard and soft.

Does it Work
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Yes, although the blender does not have as powerful motor as some manufacturers, this works in it's favour. By having just a slightly slower speed, it allows for the contents in the jug to circulate fully. Also the way the blades are set, allows for dual action, with the ingredients being forced through at two different angles. It is more than capable of blending any ingredients and makes fast work of smashing through ice.

Cleaning
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Cleaning the machine is very simple as the jug lifts off and unscrews from the blade mechanism. Although you can put the jug through a dishwasher, I prefer to wash mine by hand, so that it retains its shine. The blades are very easy to wash although a little bit fiddly to dry. The base unit, although doesn't get dirty in operation (unless you forget to put the lid on), can easily be wiped down with a damp cloth.

Ease of Use
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Very is nothing complex about this machine. Plug it in, put your desired ingredients in and flick the switch that is it. There are a couple of things to remember, firstly make sure that before you use it that the jug is screwed tightly into the blade unit. There is a rubber seal which prevents leakage, but unless this is tight you will still get the occasional drip. Secondly, make sure you put the lid in before you switch it on, if you don't all the mixture will shoot out over the top.

Price and Availability
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Okay, this is by no means is a cheap machine, and is shockingly over priced at £199.00 on Amazon, thankfully I got mine for a lot less through some old contacts. In its defence, this machine is pure quality, it is extremely robust and I have known Waring blenders to still be operating as good as new after 15 years with no faults or damages.

Miscellaneous Information
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As with all machines that contain motors, the base of the blender does become warm after constant use, constant use I define as being used to make a variety of drinks for about an hour. Although it is not anywhere near hot enough to burn you, I would always recommend leaving the machine out, to cool down before putting away.

Thanks to its sturdy build and rubber feet, the noise level and vibration from the motor is minimal. The only real noise comes from when you initialy start blending with the sound of ice hitting the stainless steel jug.

Conclusion
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So yes this is a very expensive machine, which may not have some of the features found on other blenders by more well known household names. But what you are paying for is a very good looking machine which will run and run and run. Probably the most robust domestic blender on the market, which is also extremely easy to operate and clean. Although it is not as powerful as some blenders, it still makes very fine smoothies in roughly the same length of time. I would only recommend getting one of these if you plan to use it on a daily basis and are not going to discard it to the back of your cupboard after just a few months.
 

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