Restaurants and smoothie shops as well as coffee and beverage servers most of the time operate a high powered high quality Blender. These are either Waring, Vita Mix, or Blendtec type smoothie and drink machines. Click on Alterna Jar for more information.
It is common that jars and blades and their bearings wear out and need to be replaced. Restaurants, depending on size, buy sometimes from 4 to 20 new jars every year. Those that operate a blender that has a jar where blade assemblies can be replaced, buy the complete jar less frequently, but replace the lower cost replacement component "the blade cutting unit" or blending assembly, about 2 to 3 times a year. The only high performance smoothie machine that requires a complete whole new jar replacement is Blendtec.
It is estimated that globally about 30 to 50 million of these high performance food processors are in use. On average after warranty is expired, a blending container is replaced once every two years. This is including, on average, all, residential and commercial uses. In reality, residential kitchen applicators replace their blade and or jar about 3 to 5 years, while restaurants and especially smoothie shops replace their jars or blades about every 6 month. Giving this number, the global market is about 20 million jars per year between Vita Mix, Blendtec, and Waring.
Warranty of course varies between the brands and also subject to residential or commercial use. A commercial machine is not necessarily better. But for sure the warranty for commercial blending application is less than that for residential use. For example, Waring is all commercially focused and offers a 2 years warranty for parts and 1 year for service, in the USA. Blendtec and Vita Mix offer a 5 to 8 year warranty for residential operation and 1 year for commercial use. In other outside USA markets, the residential use warranty is between 2 to 3 years and commercial warranty is 1 year.
Ideally, if there was one type of jar that can fit on all three of these blender brands, the one product can literally address a 100 million dollar industry for replacement aftermarket jars.
Dealers Wanted!
The Alterna Jar is basically made to fit 2 different type of blenders. One is the Blendtec blender series. The other is the 'other' blender group, which is basically all the same, when it comes to blender jar compatibility.
They all fit on each others' blender platform, in other words. These are the Waring 3.5 hp blenders (not anything else from Waring), the Vita Mix type blenders, the Omni by JTC, and all their associated private label brands - all the same, basically, when it comes to their jars fitting onto one and the other blender.
The Blendtec blenders' motor turns clockwise and the Blendtec blender base comes with a drive socket attached to the motor axle permanently, metal on metal, no clutch. A clutch would be a way out to absorb energy (bad energy that could break the motor). And the Blendtec blender jars have permanently installed blades that cannot be removed, taken out without breaking the jar and/or the blade bearing assembly, and the blades are not sharp either.
As a matter of fact, Blendtec apparently insists that their blades perform better dull than any other sharpened blades / knives. The only beef with that is however that a dull sword does not cut off heads as easy or as clean as a sword that has a very sharp edge. Also a dull shear machine, if you get your hand in it, instead of cutting off your fingers clean, it will likely pull in your whole hand and arm etc.... you get the point. Bottom line, sharpened is better, no matter who you talk too. That said, and the point is, the blades in the Alterna Jar are sharp, very sharp. For Blendtec applications, the blade in the jar has been sharpened on the right side, ... because the knives are rotating right ways - clockwise.
The drive socket gear is smaller in the Blendtec blenders, so of course the blade assembly in the Alterna jar for the Vita Mix blenders does fit into the Blendtec drive socket. Three things then; The Alterna blade assembly for the use in the Alterna jar on top of the Blendtec blender has a removable blade assembly that is sharpened, turns clockwise, and has the appropriate gear to fit on all Blendtec blenders, except with use in a sound enclosure. For that, there is a new jar on its way in the early 2016.
The blades therefore being different for the use in the Alterna Jar on top of the Waring 3.5 hp blenders and it's alike-kind-type blender bases. The knives are sharpened on the left side of the blade because it turns counter-clockwise. The gear is larger thicker because the drive socket part of that area of the blender motor axle is larger.
Then how do these different Alterna Jar configurations sit on each of these blenders? The Alterna Jar sits on the Blendtec blenders just normal, line its original Wildside or Fourside jar, straight and square. Remember, the Alterna jar was made with the intention that it also fits on the other kind blenders, like Waring, Omni, Vitamix,.... That in mind we engineered the bottom base of the jar in a way that just by turning the jar 45 degrees in an angle it would also fit on the other kind blender bases, thus missing the rubber cushion stubs.
People or restaurants that have both type of blenders, have the opportunity to switch the blade assembly out accordingly and use the Alterna Jar on both blenders. It is not so much that one should switch back and forth between the two uses. Mostly it is advantageous for restaurants that have Blendtec blenders in their shop and want to switch their blender equipment to Waring or Vitamix, for example. They don't have to buy all new jars. A Blade assembly is so much more inexpensive.
By Alterna Jar
Blenders for the delicious smoothie concoction production are employed in restaurants, smoothie shops, or at home among many people in the world. These blenders come with different features, different sizes of containers, their blades / motors turning in either direction, sharp or dull blades / knives and various different designs of blade knife shapes. The issue discussed here is however the pros and cons of blenders and their jars with a removable or a fixed installed blade assembly.
A removable blade assembly is a blade cutting unit containing the knives connected to a shaft that connects to the blender gear. In between is a bearing that keeps the assembly turning smoothly without interruption. These bearings are a conglomerate of steel, usually carbide steel balls sealed up like also seen and used in roller blades. This sealed bearing unit is inside a housing along the shaft that is sealed from both ends in and outside of the jar to prevent water from leaking through either direction.
The blade assembly is inserted into the jar from the inside, sitting it into a hole on the bottom of the blender container. The blade assembly has a threaded area on the bottom. As inserted, from the outside a so-called nut or blade bottom plate, also known as a blade retaining nut (depending on who is the manufacturer), is then screwed onto the thread. This tightens and seals the blade assembly inside the jar to the container bottom and on the outside bottom. In between the bottom plate and the jar is a O-Ring gasket inserted that prevents water from entering.
Various styles of blades knives exist. Most companies use a 4 part or even a 6 part knife assembly where 4 to 6 knives protrude from the center shaft on top of the blender cutting assembly into different directions. Some of these ends point upwards 45 degrees, some are about horizontal, and others point down.
The blending results vary depending on the blade design together in connection with the layout and design of the blender container subject to specific interaction. The best type of blades are sharpened knives, sharp is better than dull.
These type of blades are usually made for jars that sit on blender motors which turn counter-clockwise. This is really for no scientific particular reason. At least some few smoothie and raw food gurus might claim there could be a cosmic harmony at play if the blender motor and the knife cutting assembly turn with the earth rotation, which is counter-clockwise. This may however at the minimum be really far-fetched from a credible reality.
Blender brands such as Vita-Mix, Waring, Hamilton Beach, JTC Omniblend, Omega, Kitchenaid, along that line, a few among many other blenders, have motors that turn counter-clockwise. In general, and usually, the more expensive upper-blender class has jars with very sturdy durable blade units that are screwed on from the outside of the blender container. The cheaper low-end blenders like Kitchenaid, Oster, Cusineart, and low end Hamilton Beach have much thinner units and also have to come off every time a jar needs washing.
Washing a jar with the blade installed or taken out should always be an option. Taking the blade out may also have the associated benefit to replace if the bearing might be worn out or simply has seized up due to age and wear and tear. It is just more sanitary if a user has the option and discretion to remove the whole blade assembly unit for cleaning, or for replacement if broken, or for sharpening or re-sharpening… any kind of maintenance.
Usually those companies that offer blender jars with removable or replaceable blade assembly cutting units, also offer a jar without blades by itself and the blade assembly by itself.
The bearings of these type of blades are prong usually to seize when over-exposed to water either through washing them in the dishwasher or soaking the jar and the blades inside the sink. It is possible that water could get into the bearing housing, although not likely or it won’t happen easily. It will happen over time due to wear and tear, and then the blade needs to be replaced, one of the advantages a removable blade – type blender container has over a container with a fixed installed blade, because that too tends to seize up.
As far as it is known, only Blendtec® offers a blender jar type with a fixed permanently installed blade. Instead of however equipped with ball bearings, these assemblies consist of bushings. A bushing is as opposed to balls (bearings) depending on a specific design, a buffer, a cushion type of two ends that are greased up and rub against each other in a manner that little friction arises, as little as possible.
In the cases of the Blendtec Jars, either Wildside®, the Fourside®, or the Twister® Jar, Blendtec uses such a bushing instead of ball bearings. This allows for a much smaller housing around the shaft that must stay lubricated to easily turn and follow the torque forced onto the dual wing-tipped blade assembly. By the way, Blendtec blades are not sharp.
The advantage of a bushing is that is uses up less space than the ball bearings in a housing and therefore can be installed closer to the motor gear, of course in respect to other blenders, that being really minimal. The disadvantage is that bushings are usually not as strong and durable as ball bearings.
Water still can get into the though hermetically sealed off blade shaft bushing housing, especially and controversially associated to the lack of usage. Water and usage usually keeps and helps to keep the bushing seal area lubricated and seal. If it dries out too long especially after usage it can often happen that the seal separates and the bushing seizes up and you can’t no longer use the container .
These types of bushing-operated blender blades are not replaceable. Sure they are removable and replaceable if one had the tools to remove them and put them back in once cleaned up and repaired. Consumers, especially however restaurant shop and smoothie shop operators tend to move away from fixed blade blender jars because of the cost factor. They have to replace the whole jar, which is still good and usable, however just because removable blade features are not available.
Other advantages of have a blender jar with the option to remove and replace blades is not just for the purpose of repair and maintenance, but also for opening the door to use and facilitate different styles of blades. Of course a controversy exists that one blade may do it all. But it has been proven, although in general it is true that even a dry blade can blend up wet ingredients, a wet blade also blends very effectively dry grain wheat ingredients and coffee, and ice too can be blended with any of the various blade and knife design setups, that differences and high efficiency outcomes vary subject to blade design. A smoothie shop that makes one kind of an ice type smoothie may over time help to save energy and even prolong the life of the jar and the blades all together as opposed to using a more generic blade assembly unit.
As introduced up on top, blending is done with much variable consideration to the design of the jar, the blades, and the sharpness, as well as the power of the motor, and believe it or not, also of how the ingredients are placed inside a jar, in which order, if hard solid frozen or fresh soft is on top or bottom. Even the use of a tamper adds to the variable of blending effectiveness.
Tampers are mostly only used when the consistency of the ingredients is more solid than liquid – it’s a liquid to solids ratio issue in most cases. As long as the blender unit can turn and create a vortex, the action in which the blades propel all ingredients in a turning action and creating a liquefying emulsifying texture of the ingredients, no tamper is needed. Getting stuck, especially when making intentionally solids purees or paste, even nut butters, some kind of a stir stick, aka plunger (ouch – not toilet related) can just give the push to get that vortex going or to stir the puree into a fine creamy concoction.
Sharper blades can cut better. That is definitely demystified. No way that dull knifes are better than sharp knives. The consumer and commercial smoothie market will soon see the Blendtec blender industry with sharpened knives. As a matter of fact, a company called Alterna jars already has come out with sharpened knives, they are also removable and replaceable, of course. The Alterna jar is made to fit on the Blendtec blenders, as well as with a simple blade assembly switch, will fit also on those blenders that turn counter-clockwise.
Using blenders from Waring, Vitamix and Blendtec delivers the same gain of blending raw foodstuffs into consumable products. However, each of these has unique features that distinguish their functionality. Alterna jars also introduce an innovative perspective into the blending process. It is necessary to evaluate the distinct characteristics of all the blending equipment above to enable users make the appropriate decision when performing blending operations. Below is an assessment of the various features of Waring MX1000 to MX1500XT high power blender series, Vitamix 5200/6300, and the Blendtec various blenders as well as the Designer Series Blenders.
Waring 3.5 Hp MX1200XT Series Blender
- Shatterproof and heavy-duty plastic material used for creating the lightweight and BPA-free carafe
- Powerful 3.5HP motor and strong stainless-steel blades crush ice, creating frozen cocktails and blending thick and creamy smoothies
- Warranty of two years from Waring
- The electronic keypad membrane is easy to clean with a beautiful blue backlit LCD screen.
- Adjustable speed control provides for variable speed function to allow different type of operations and at different speeds.
- Reprogrammable beverage stations for ease of use on some models.
- Dual pulse functions.
- Debatable 45,000 RPM bare motor speed for powerful and fast crushing operation.
- Price range (MX1000) starting below $300 and going over $700 (MX1500)
- Does not come with a tamper tool, but really could use one. The jar is squared off on bottom from wall to bottom of container area – there is no transition.
Vitamix 5200/6300
- Relatively costly at around $450 to $500, upwards to $600 and $700, depending on the model you buy, and offers basic blender setup, having standard pitcher of 64 ounces – smaller sized jars are available.
- Certified Reconditioned blenders available at lower cost but are not necessarily new.
- Free shipping provided within the US if blender is ordered through a link on most affiliate marketing sites with a coupon code.
- Features 2-peak horsepower motor which spins blade at variable speeds
- 7-year manufacturer’s warranty for residential use and 1 to 2 years for commercial use.
- Highly-versatile and durable blender
- Quite tall at 21 inches with pitcher
- Four-tipped blade that is separate from pitcher (Vitamix has wet, dry, and ice blade options)
- Toggle switch and dial interface offers precise, manual blending control
- Includes tamper tool for pushing down blending contents
Blendtec Designer Series Blender
- Fairly expensive ($500 / $600) with just the basic blender setup offered which comes with 64-ounce standard pitcher
- Factory Recertified blenders available only for Total Blender Classic Series
- Free shipping offered for US orders done via some online resellers
- More power with 3 peak horsepower motor of 1560 watts and high spin-rate (is a marketing driven term)
- Manufacturer’s warranty of up to 7 years available in the USA residential use, Commercial 1 to 2 years in the USA. Europe and Australia have less warranty
- Durable and highly versatile functions
- Relatively short at 15 ½ inches with pitcher and can thus fit under regular kitchen cabinets
- Blade fused to pitcher making it necessary to replace blade alongside pitcher
- Features ‘touch user interface’ and not buttons for control functions
- Lacks tamper but has square-pitcher and special straight-blade design for efficient blending
- Straight, single-prong, wing-tip blade
- No tamper claimed to be necessary. But consumers have repeatedly requested tamper availability – See Universal Tamper.
Advantages of Alterna Jars
- Offers good retrofit on multiple blending machines of high-performance, including those from Vitamix, Blendtec blenders, Waring and JTC Omniblend, few among others
- Sits straight onto Blendtec, and on Vitamix, Omni, Waring 3.5HP and Good4U blenders in angel perpendicular 45 degrees turned
- Gears modified in various dimensions for correct fitting into applicable blenders
- Capable of producing diverse concoctions and blends like smoothies, ice cream, hot soups, sauces, sorbet, purees, rice, paste and broccoli and ice cubes among others. Improves blending quality especially with nut butters, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, and other real hard to emulsify ingredients that would otherwise leave visible particles
- Features replaceable blades compatible with Blendtec, Vita-Mix, Omni and Waring blenders
Selecting the correct blade-cutting assembly unit enables users of Alterna jar to achieve convenient blending operations with their blender.
By Alterna Jar (C) 2015
The Alterna Jars are engineered and developed in the USA with the intention to retrofit one and the same container perfectly
on multiple high performance smoothie blending machines. These are all Blendtec blenders, Vitamix(TM), JTC Omniblend, Waring(TM) MX1050XT blenders, and a few others. Blendtec blenders have a different jar base design and normally a Blendtec(R) jar will not fit onto the Vitamix or Omni Blender or Waring blenders (MX Raptor type). And the Vitamix blender jars, Waring, Omni JTC fit all on the other blender base, but they do not fit on the Blendtec blender base, normally.
And so we have designed a container that fits on both of these general blender platforms. The only difference is, you will sit the Alterna jar onto the Blendtec blenders straight, and on Waring, Good4U, etc... blenders in an angel perpendicular 45 degrees turned. The patent-pending design with specifically engineered jar cutouts allow space for the Alterna jar to sit on the Waring rubber blender cushion (and JTC and Vitamix...). The Waring et al blenders turn counter-clockwise and Blendtec turns clockwise, however. And so the blades need to be sharpened on opposite sides and the user who wants to use the Alterna Jar on a Blendtec blender must have the correct Alterna Blade for Blendtec blenders installed while the user who wants to use the Alterna Jar on a Vitamix or Waring or JTC blender, must use the jar with the correct Alterna blade blending assembly for the Waring and JTC et al blenders. The gears are modified in size and dimensions accordingly to fit correctly into the applicable blender.
Note, minimum size of blending capability is 16 ounces and maximum effectiveness is at around 55 ounces to 64 ounces, depending on liquid content ratio to solids. The Alterna Jar is capable of various blends and concoctions such as smoothies, hot soups, ice cream, sorbet, sauces, purees, paste, rice, grain to flour, broccoli, cabbage, avocado pits, ice cubes...
The other patent-pending engineering of this high performance jar set up for perfect Blendtec blender and Waring (et al) blender application is the requirement to elongate the gear - shaft to make room below the jar (jar and gear patent pending) for the bottom plate screw / nut so you can tighten down the changeable replaceable blade unit cutting blending assembly on the Alterna Jar specifically for Blendtec blender applications. Blendtec does not have jars with replaceable blades, but Vitamix and OMNI and Waring however do.
We have noticed on many occasions that customers / blender users would have bought a Blendtec blender but instead bought a Vitamix or JTC Omni blender or Waring MX1050XT blender because Blendtec has a fixed installed blade. The issue is, the blade will wear out (the bearing / bushing, to be exact) and then the blender operator has to purchase a brand new Blendtec jar. Bearing-operated blade assembly cutting units hold up longer than bushing driven blades, because they have better seals and gaskets and harder bearings (bearings are better than bushings). The bearings balls are made from a carbide alloy, the same used for roller skates and blades. And this is a big money savings issue especially for restaurant smoothie shop operators.
No matter if you have a Vitamix, Waring MX XT blender, JTC Omni or Blendtec blender, you can use the same Alterna Jar, however by selecting the correct blade cutting blending assembly unit. Select between the Alterna Blade - Blendtec or Alterna Blade Waring, Waring also fitting on Vitamix, Good4U Raw Power, and JTC Omni Blenders, perhaps others, such as Omega and Centaur blenders.
Disclaimer: We are no longer selling smoothie blenders. The mere fact that our Alterna Jar and it's blades are interchangeable and also fit on various other diverse high power blender brands is not prohibited by law, but not likely supported by it's brand owners. Brand owners may probably do and/or threaten to void warranty, however Alterna will gladly issue warranty coverage over said claimed equipment if it can legitimately be proven that a problem may have been caused by the Altern jar and/or its blade mechanism and its usage, provided it has been used correctly in accordance to our jar and blade maintenance guideline. If a blade has seized up and being used regardless, it can cause potentially to drive socket and/or cause motor damage. The trademarks of Waring, Vitamix, Blendtec, etc... are owned by their applicable owners. The Alterna Jar and Blades are patent pending and trademark registered.
The Orem Utah Blendtec company makes great blenders. They are very powerful blenders and blend efficiently. Blendtec blenders themselves will outlast their jars and blades by many years. Blendtec blenders are commonly known for its high quality textured blending. Tom Dickson, the CEO of the company, is well-known to blend up ipods, phones and rocks or diamonds with his successful "Will-it-Blend" blending presentations posted on Youtube. Blendtec's latest jar success is the twister jar; before it was the wildside container and the regular fourside jar.
The wildside jar used to be known as the 5-side jar or 3 quart jar. It surely has 5 patented sides, but it was never really or 
truly a 3 quart 96 ounces container. The blades, there are 2 knives, one on each side of the axle, are dull and turn counter-clockwise. If the blade bushing, note - it does not have bearings- wears out and seizes up, users have to replace the entire complete jar. This is because the blade assembly unit is fix installed and cannot be removed or exchanged like with the famous Vita-Mix design. Vita-Mix and Blendtec are arch rivals when it comes to tamper usage and application and removable exchangeable blades versus fix-installed blades. Vita-Mix also turns the blade counter-clockwise and their blades are sharped.
A Blendtec fourside jar runs about 70 to 80$ dollars, a Blendtec wildeside jar runs about $95 to $110 dollars. Vitamix blade assemblies cost about $ 65 to $70 dollars while their jar complete with blade is exorbitantly 150$ dollars expensive. These are USA prices. In other markets such as Australia or Brazil, Blendtec Jars are at least twice as expensive as here in the USA and Vitamix jars cost at least 50% plus over the US.
If you have a Blendtec blender as a consumer with a US 7 year warranty (Europe for example provides a 3 year Total Blender Blendtec warranty), while still on warranty, if you happen to experience a blade bearing / bushing seizing up, Blendtec is usually very accommodating (Not in Europe, Brazil or Australia though). Just give them a call, if you can, and they will send you a new container if your initial blender purchase is still under warranty, of course. If your warranty has expired, you are looking at having to purchase a new jar. With Vitamix you just buy a new blade and swap that out. This is one of the reasons why many consumers and shop operators buy the Vita-Mix type (also the Warring or Omni) blenders in the first place.
Restaurant or commercial use warranty of Blendtec Blenders is in the US 1 year. Restaurants use the jars more than ten thousand times per year. Therefore the blade bushing wears out faster in a restaurant / commercial application over a household consumer usage. Go to for example your local restaurant equipment supply store where restaurant and smoothie shop operators usually buy their equipment and restaurant supply from and ask them what the biggest draw-back for Blendtec blenders is. They will tell you that many of their commercial customers go through a lot of Blendtec jars every year because you cannot switch out the blade assembly. This is very expensive for these business people because they have to buy all whole new complete jars every time.
Now, this is the question that we propose -and we have already the solution for it as well: What if consumers and commercial operators could purchase a Blendtec blender container that has a better and removable / replaceable or exchangeable blade unit cutting assembly? What if there was an alternative jar and blade solution to the Blendtec blender smoothie application? What if the blade bearing were to wear out for example, and instead of having to buy a whole new jar, you could just replace the blade assembly for your Blendtec blender, just like you could do with your Vitamix?
To take it a step further, Alterna Blender Jars and Blades makes one and the same blender container to fit on Blendtec blenders, also to fit on Waring MX1050XT (and alike 3.5 hp extreme blenders), on the JTC Omni Blender, and Vita-Mix alike type blenders (also the Good4U)... just swap out the blade for the different direction and different size of gear.
Blendtec jars and blenders do not come with tampers. Vitamix blenders however do. Alterna makes a universal tamper specifically for the Alterna jar for your Blendtec blender application.
It is common that jars and blades and their bearings wear out and need to be replaced. Restaurants, depending on size, buy sometimes from 4 to 20 new jars every year. Those that operate a blender that has a jar where blade assemblies can be replaced, buy the complete jar less frequently, but replace the lower cost replacement component "the blade cutting unit" or blending assembly, about 2 to 3 times a year. The only high performance smoothie machine that requires a complete whole new jar replacement is Blendtec.
And so we have designed a container that fits on both of these general blender platforms. The only difference is, you will sit the Alterna jar onto the Blendtec blenders straight, and on Waring, Good4U, etc... blenders in an angel perpendicular 45 degrees turned. The patent-pending design with specifically engineered jar cutouts allow space for the Alterna jar to sit on the Waring rubber blender cushion (and JTC and Vitamix...). The Waring et al blenders turn counter-clockwise and Blendtec turns clockwise, however. And so the blades need to be sharpened on opposite sides and the user who wants to use the Alterna Jar on a Blendtec blender must have the correct Alterna Blade for Blendtec blenders installed while the user who wants to use the Alterna Jar on a Vitamix or Waring or JTC blender, must use the jar with the correct Alterna blade blending assembly for the Waring and JTC et al blenders. The gears are modified in size and dimensions accordingly to fit correctly into the applicable blender.
The Orem Utah Blendtec company makes great blenders. They are very powerful blenders and blend efficiently. Blendtec blenders themselves will outlast their jars and blades by many years. Blendtec blenders are commonly known for its high quality textured blending. Tom Dickson, the CEO of the company, is well-known to blend up ipods, phones and rocks or diamonds with his successful "Will-it-Blend" blending presentations posted on Youtube. Blendtec's latest jar success is the twister jar; before it was the wildside container and the regular fourside jar.
truly a 3 quart 96 ounces container. The blades, there are 2 knives, one on each side of the axle, are dull and turn counter-clockwise. If the blade bushing, note - it does not have bearings- wears out and seizes up, users have to replace the entire complete jar. This is because the blade assembly unit is fix installed and cannot be removed or exchanged like with the famous Vita-Mix design. Vita-Mix and Blendtec are arch rivals when it comes to tamper usage and application and removable exchangeable blades versus fix-installed blades. Vita-Mix also turns the blade counter-clockwise and their blades are sharped.
