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Juschef Professional Blender review

REVIEW – There’s a big market for home blenders that provide decent power without breaking the bank. Today we’re looking at the Juschef Professional Blender, which promises high-powered function at a price tag of under $100 while adding a heating feature. Let’s see what it’s got!

What is it?

It’s a high speed blender that also heats liquids.

Hardware specs

  • 14.6 pounds
  • 9” deep by 8.5” wide by 19” tall (22-1/2” with stirring rod)
  • 35,000 RPM blade speed
  • 900 W motor power, 800 W heater
  • 110-120V, 60Hz
  • BPA Free glass pitcher
  • 56 ounce capacity

What’s in the box?

The package includes the blender base, the pitcher, a locking lid, a lid cap, a stirring rod and a cleaning brush. An instruction manual (not shown below) is also included in the kit.

Design and features

The Juschef Professional Blender is a big, heavy beast of a blender. Heavy duty plastics, a weighted base, and a thick glass pitcher give the Juschef what feels like professional-level durability and stability. All the components are substantial and beefy, including the pitcher lid and stirring rod. You’ll want to find a permanent space on your counter for this 15 pound appliance; just note that it’s 19”+ height won’t fit under most cabinets.

The blender has the ability to heat liquids, and the heating unit is built into the pitcher base. While it’s a nice bonus feature, I’m not crazy about this part of the design because the electronics are exposed. While those elements are sealed off in use, you can’t submerge the pitcher in water for cleaning. It also adds quite a bit of weight to the pitcher.

The pitcher itself is nice and thick, and has a maximum capacity of 56 ounces (40 ounces for heating). Unfortunately, the liquid measurements only start at the 24 ounce mark. The picture below shows 12 ounces of stock in the pitcher, measured separately. Not a huge deal, but it would be nice if the measurements ran down the whole side.

The lid mechanism is nice and sturdy, with a rubber gasket underneath to ensure a tight seal. You’ll need to rotate the lid tab into the locking slot before it will start, which is a good safety feature. I have no doubt that the lid will hold up to extended use.

 

The kit includes a pitcher cap and stirring rod that fit precisely in the lid. Both are built from durable plastic and are just as burly as the lid itself.

All of your operations are managed through an LED interface. There are 8 preset options as well as a “DIY” function for custom blending. 6 touch-panel buttons are utilized to set your operations. We’ll talk more about this in the Performance section.

The Juschef Professional blender sports a 900 watt power motor, which puts it above your typical countertop blender in terms of power (like the Ninja lineup), but not quite as powerful as high-end home models like the Vitamix or Blendtec. The blade speed is rated at 35,000 RPMs. This combination makes for a blender that, on paper, should handle most of your home needs.

Performance

The Juschef Professional Blender is a good choice for safety and durability. The whole unit is rock solid, and won’t bounce around your counter even when crushing ice at the highest blend settings. You also have to lock the lid to operate the unit, which is great for safety. You’ll find, however, that there’s a bit of a learning curve to understand all of the operations.

There’s no easy way to put this: the manual is just awful. It’s really poorly written with bad grammar and unclear instructions. It’s also incomplete and doesn’t explain how the presets work. The congee function, for example, is simply described as “To make healthy congee.”  Do you know what a congee is, or how to make one? I had to google it. It’s basically a rice-based soup or porridge that’s heated and blended. The blender gives no instructions about whether you add raw or cooked rice first, how long it will heat, or how the blend function works to make it. The same goes for “Porridge,” “Chi Soup,” and “Soy Milk.” Some of the functions are more obvious, and a quick reference guide is supplied with a recipe for each function… but I couldn’t tell you what the presets actually do or how long they take to work. There’s no online support either. You’re on your own.

To start things up, you’ll plug in the blender and add your desired ingredients. Lock the lid, and the unit will beep and the display lights up. We’re not “on” yet though. You have to press the power button to get into the features. It’s not particularly obvious, and Amazon reviews point to a bit of confusion and frustration with this.

Once you hit the power button, the rest of the buttons light up to indicate operation. Select “DIY” and you can set your own power level and duration using the up and down arrows at the bottom of the panel. You’ll hit the “DIY” button to cycle through each setting, then “On/Stop” to fire it up.

If you choose the “Menu” button, you can now cycle through the available functions. “Menu” or the up/down arrows now toggle through the preset functions, and you hit “On/Stop” to start the function.

As I mentioned earlier, each function does some combination of blending and/or heating if needed. The Smoothie function, for example, runs a 45 second cycle that winds up the blender to different speeds during operation. All good there. The Simmer function is stated as being used “To make different kinds of smooth soups,” but it doesn’t blend the ingredients other than the occasional 3 second whirl to stir things up. You have to blend your stuff first. It’s all very confusing.

Once we get past the interface woes, the blender actually does a fairly good job. Here’s a pitcher full of fresh tomatoes from my garden that I pureed using the DIY feature in about a minute on a higher setting. The result was pretty well done, with a little thickness, but no seed or skin remnants in the blend:

Running on the preset smoothie function, I added a combination of spinach, frozen fruit, almond milk, protein powder, and some diced ginger. It did not completely liquefy the spinach or the ginger and left some frozen fruit chunks, but the results were generally smooth. It’s about what I would expect from a blender at this level.

For my next trick, I decided to make a soup using the simmer function. We’ve got cucumbers and tomatoes (my garden is going nuts this week), basil, some chicken stock, a couple picked garlic bulbs, with some jalapenos to give it some oomph:

On my first go I tried the “simmer” function, assuming would also blend as the instructions implied. I got a hot bowl of stuff. This was how I learned that the instruction manual isn’t too clear.

When I realized that it was just heating, I stopped the process, blended the ingredients, and restarted the simmer mode. I did, in fact, get a nice smooth soup out of the deal:

It took about 20 minutes to get to full heat. That may be because simmer is intended to be a slower process. I haven’t quite figured that out yet. After all is said and done, however, I’d probably skip the heating feature and use my stovetop to get faster, more predictable results.

The blending function on the Juschef is plenty strong for most home uses and the stability of the unit is great, but I am also concerned about cleaning. It’s hard to clean since you have to be so careful around those components at the base of the pitcher. There’s also the blade configuration to consider. The blades are three separate components,  bolted together to form a six-bladed configuration that cannot be removed from the unit. Here’s the problem: see that discoloration in the crevasses?

I am hoping that’s not rust. I’ve only used it a few times. Those little nooks and crannies will accumulate moisture and material, and present a real problem for cleaning and potential rusting no matter how well you clean and dry it. The unit ships with a soft brush that’s nice, but I am not sure that it is getting the job done.

What I like

  • Heavy, stable unit that won’t bounce around
  • Nice safety features
  • Well-build components
  • Strong blending capabilities

What needs to be improved

  • Awful documentation and instructions
  • Confusing user interface requires a steep learning curve
  • Hard to clean due to electronic components in the pitcher
  • Blade assembly will accumulate material, and might be susceptible to  rust

Final thoughts

At a retail price of $80-$90, the Juschef Professional Blender seems to be a good value for the money. It’s a stable, powerful unit that will handle most kitchen needs. The heating feature may be useful to some as well. Usability is not good, however, so expect some trial and error to use anything beyond the basic features. Cleaning and maintenance is also a potential trouble spot. I think you’d do well to check out some competitors in this category before buying this item.

Price: Between $80 and $90 depending on availability.
Where to buy: Buy it on Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Juschef.

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Juschef Professional Blender review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 3, 2018 at 9:00 am.

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Pop some corn with the sound of your voice with this GE microwave

NEWS – GE’s 0.9 Cu. Ft. Capacity Smart Countertop Microwave Oven with Scan-To-Cook Technology (JES1097SMSS) adds Alexa voice control to your microwave.  The microwave connects to your home WiFi, so you can control it with voice commands through your Alexa device.  

The 0.9 ft³ oven has 900W of cooking power.  It has a variety of pre-set controls for defrosting food, reheating a dinner plate, popping corn, baking potatoes, and more.  Or you can use Alexa voice commands to set time and power levels, add cooking time, stop the microwave, and other commands.  And using the GE app, you can scan the bar code on a food package, and the GE Smart Countertop Microwave automatically adjusts power levels, cook times, and more, according to package instructions.

The interior has an LED light and a glass turntable.  The exterior measures 19″ wide x 11 ½” tall x 14 ½” deep, and the interior measures 13.7″ wide x 8.7″ tall x 12.4″ deep.  It has a gray body and a stainless steel door.

The MSRP is $139.00.  Check the GE website to learn more about the 0.9 Cu. Ft. Capacity Smart Countertop Microwave Oven with Scan-To-Cook Technology and to find local retailers.  Amazon also sells this microwave for $125.99.

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Pop some corn with the sound of your voice with this GE microwave originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 28, 2018 at 8:00 am.

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Save the world, one meal at a time, starting in your kitchen

NEWS – Even when you prepare every meal from home from scratch, there’s a lot of food waste.  I’m not even talking about packaging; I mean the peelings and trimmings from fresh fruits and vegetables.  In nature, food materials take only 1-2 months to decompose.  If you throw those food trimmings into the garbage, they’ll go to the landfill.  They’ll decompose eventually in the landfill, but they’ll take up to a year to do it, and they’ll produce methane as they decompose.  (Methane has 21 times the global-warming potential than carbon dioxide.)  Composting would be the most earth-friendly method of disposing of your fresh food waste, but that’s not always easily done in an urban environment.

The designers of the Living Composter, a biomorphic worm house, collected data for almost two years, then created an algorithm to figure out the best shape for both worm health and human convenience.  The composter is meant for use in your kitchen.  It’s made of recycled plastics with a wood top; it measures 17.7” long x 8.7” wide x 6.5” tall.  You fill the vessel with a dirt/sawdust mixture and add some redworms.  (You’ll need to supply your own worms and dirt mixture.)

“Drop fruit and vegetable peelings, grain foods, and tea bags into a top opening.  The worms will eat at least half of their own weight of scraps per day. The composter can ‘process’ over two pounds of food a week, enough to keep up with most or all of the scraps in a two- or three-person household.  Spread the easily removed compost next to your plants or in pots, and watch those babies grow.”

Vermicompost (worm “castings” or manure) is packed with water-soluble plant nutrients, beneficial enzymes, and microbes, and it improves soil’s ability to hold moisture. As little as a tablespoon of vermicompost could feed a 6″ potted plant for over two months.  You’ll not only reduce the impact of your food waste by composting it, you’ll produce some of the best fertilizer possible for your own plants.

The Living Composter is $199.00 at UncommonGoods.

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Save the world, one meal at a time, starting in your kitchen originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 20, 2018 at 10:00 am.

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Replace your clunky wooden cutting board with the woodNflex flexible cutting board

NEWS – I fashion myself as somewhat of an amateur cook. One of the things I use a lot to prepare meals is an old wooden cutting board. I’ve tried using those flexible plastic boards, but I just prefer the feel of my old wooden board. The problem with wood, of course, is that it’s a little cumbersome and it doesn’t flex or bend, until now. The woodNflex flexible cutting board gives you the best of both worlds.

woodNflex has a natural wood cutting surface that is backed by food-grade silicone. The thick silicone base gives the board grip and some bendability.

The wood cutting surface is a veneer made from natural American hardwood.

woodNflex’s lightweight and thin design make it easy to wash and store. It also adds a protective layer to your countertop. And because it’s flexible, it’s easier to transfer whatever you’re cutting from the board to a bowl or pan.

You can even use it as a server for things like cheese and party favors.

The board measures 14” x 11” and comes in either oak ($32.99) or dark walnut ($34.99).

The woodNflex cutting board is available on Amazon.

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Replace your clunky wooden cutting board with the woodNflex flexible cutting board originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 19, 2018 at 8:43 am.

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Sodastream Fizzi One Touch review

I used to be addicted to Diet Coke. But then I became sensitive to caffeine and had to cut out all caffeinated drinks. I took this problem and turned it into my motivation to stop drinking artificially sweetened drinks. But the problem is that I really missed fizzy drinks. For a while, I made my own using seltzer, stevia, and Cappella’s flavor drops. This worked fine but it meant that I needed to keep a supply of bottled seltzer. Then I switched to a SodaStream Crystal Sparkling Water Maker for on-demand fizzy drink goodness. I loved that machine. Well, except that I had problems getting consistent fizziness of my drinks. But those days are gone now that I’ve started using the SodaStream Fizzi One Touch. Let’s check it out.

What is it?

The SodaStream Fizzi One Touch is a table-top appliance that carbonates water with 3 levels of carbonation to choose from.

What’s in the box?

SodaStream Fizzi One Touch
60 liter co2 carbonator
1 liter BPA-free reusable source carbonating bottle
AC adapter

Design and features

The Fizzi One Touch looks similar to other SodaStream sparkling water makers. It’s a 5″ x 7 1/4″ x 17″ high gloss black plastic device with the SodaStream logo on the front.

The back of the One Touch pops off the back of the unit to reveal the holder for the CO2 cartridge.

Installing the cartridge takes just a few seconds. All you have to do is peel off the wrapper at the top and remove the cap. This reveals the connector.

Then you slide the cartridge in place and screw it into the receptacle.

The next step is to attach the AC adapter to the bottom of the unit and route the cable. This is the first SodaStream that I’ve used that requires power. The others that I’ve tried over the years were manual sparkling water makers that required me to press the button as many times as needed to carbonate the water. That’s where the Fizzi One Touch is so much better because it does all the work for you!

The Fizzi One Touch comes with one BPA-free 1 Liter plastic bottle. The bottle is clear with a chrome-covered cap and base. Printed on the bottom is a fill line that helps you fill the bottle to the appropriate level.

The One Touch has a nozzle that goes into the bottle to “inject” the carbonation into the water.

Around the nozzle is an automatic clamp that holds the top of the bottom when you insert it.

You might be wondering if you can fill the bottle with something other than water and the answer to that question is no. The SodaStream is designed to only carbonate water. Trying other liquids can result in a mess and/or ruining your SodaStream, so don’t try it.

The nozzle swivels out from the unit to allow you to angle the bottle into the clamp.

When the bottle is in place, you press the bottle back into the unit so it’s in an upright position and is ready for carbonation.

As I mentioned earlier, the SodaStream Fizzi One Touch is a powered carbonator. On the top of the unit are three buttons that light up in blue when the unit is active. The left button (one drop) is for light fizz, the middle button (two drops) is for medium fizz, and the right button (three drops) is for high fizz.

It takes one button press to wake up the unit at which point the buttons will light up. Then you can press the button you want for the desired amount of fizz. Then the Fizzi will carbonate the water in the attached bottle. As soon as the lights on the buttons go out, you can remove the bottle.

See it in action

Using the One Touch is pretty much effortless. I prefer to fill the bottle with water and put it in the fridge so it gets cold BEFORE I make my drinks. But that’s just because I don’t want to water down the flavor with melting ice.

I like my homemade flavored soda drinks to be very fizzy, so I always use the max fizz button. I’ve been VERY happy with the performance of the Fizzi One Touch. Each time the fizz level is exactly the same unlike other SodaStream that I’ve used that have different fizz levels based on how many times and how long you press the manual button. I much prefer the One Touch do the work to get it the same fizz level each and every time.

Time will tell if the CO2 cartridge in the One Touch actually ends up lasting longer or not as long as the cartridge in a manual sparkling water maker. From what I’ve read, one cartridge should be able to carbonate up to 60 liters. New cartridges cost about $15 when you trade in your old one at Best Buy, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc.

What I like

  • Consistent results with one button press
  • Easy to use

What needs to be improved

  • A 2nd bottle would be nice

Final thoughts

I love the SodaStream Fizzi One Touch. It has removed the only pain point that I had from the previous SodaStream that I used but adding the one touch carbonation feature. The only way that I could be better would be to include an extra bottle but otherwise, it’s a definite keeper and popular gadget in our kitchen.

Price: $129.99
Where to buy: SodaStream and William Sonoma
Source: The sample for this review was provided by SodaStream.

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Sodastream Fizzi One Touch review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 14, 2018 at 12:46 pm.

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