Help me choose a blender please!

[greenbunny]

I've been living without my vitamix for so long that I simply can't stand it anymore!!! It will still take months more to finish my kitchen, put down flooring and get my stuff out of storage. I spend a small fortune at this small live food place - enought that I could have bought another blender and another dehydrator - so that is what I'm going to do. Buy another whole set.

Getting another excalibur is easy. No decisions.

The blender though!!! Since I already have a vitamix I think I'll get a K-tec. The total blender has more power than the vitamix and will give more options with all those buttons, quiet and shorter etc. But here's where I can't figure things out. I already have a strong blender (once I get it out of storage that is) that I can make nutbutters in (with the plunger) but sometimes it gets overheated with what I put it through. One would think that the extra horse-power in the k-tec would take care of that, but it doesn't have a plunger so the info says it will only make nut powder without oil or water. Lame. Better to have the plunger if you ask me. But the point is that I need a strong enough blender to make my mashed "dough" that has soaked almonds, sunflowers and dates which the vitamix only does with the plunger. I can't even tell if the k-tec will be able to do that with all its power.

Then put into this lack of information the new choice of the k-tec that has a mixer attached to it so that it is two appliances in one. Does anyone own that???? The blender part is less powerful. Only 1000 watt instead of 1500. But I presently don't own a mixer. I make lots of my dough for cookies and crackers and mix in all sorts of seasonings so I imagine that a mixer might be useful instead of using my hands. Mixers are expensive (almost as much as the blender itself) so getting a mixer along with a blender would make me feel less like I'm wasting money on buying a redundant appliance. But if the blender is less powerful and won't do what I need the it to do I will feel even more stupid for not getting the blender that I need.

I'm stuck. Do I buy the more powerful device without the plunger, the device with the mixer or just get a second vitamix because I know it does what I need it to do?

Please HELP!
Thanks,
Greenbunny

[Miss Joan]

Hi, I just purchased a Vita-Mix 5000 online on their website. There was an optional dry blade container to grind dry ingredients and knead dough so you don't have to do it by hand. It just plops out and you let it rise. On the website there are 4 short videos -- one showing the bread dough. I can't recall, but I thought Vita-Mix also made a blender with a stronger motor. Wow! You must really be an expert to want more power. I'm blown away by this one. Sounds like you need a commercial model. With my blender they gave me a 5% discount coupon to use within 30 days. The website also gave free shipping. If my son-in-law doesn't use my coupon you're welcomed to it. Good luck. Miss Joan

[rawhippie]

hey greenbunny, do you own a champion juicer?
i have a vitamix as well, but i don't know what plunger you're talking about. what is it and how is it used?

[FreshyABC]

Hi! I have a friend who loves her K-Tec and makes regular bread dough with it. Myself I bought a $25 food processor at Wal-Mart and have used it for years now. That's what I'd do.