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How good are usually your homemade recipes? In this quick guide, we’ll be looking at how to use Oster blender to make smoothie combos that are pleasurable as they are nutritious.
As you (might) know, the brand is one of the best choices when looking for a decent blender under $50. It also has a few mid-range machines, such as the Versa-series that now comes with more power to even grind coffee beans and other tough ingredients.
Nonetheless, all the catalog of Oster stills falls in the category of regular blenders. And for that, you’ll want to use it right to achieve the desired results without stressing out the motor or blades.
Update: The 6 Best Oster Blenders With Watts
Blender Model | Best of | Motor Power Output |
---|---|---|
Oster (CKSTWF2000) Glass Blender& Waffle Maker | Overall Bestseller | 1200-900Watts |
Oster Pro 1200 Countertop Combo Blender | Best of Versatility | 1200-900Watts |
Oster (BLSTPB-WBL) Personal Portable Blender for Travel | Best of Single Blending | 250 Watts |
Oster Versa 1400 professional Performance Blender | Best of Value | 1400 Watts |
Oster (6812-00114) Precise-Blend Glass Jar Blender | Best under $50 | 700 Watts |
Oster (BVCB07-Z00-NP0) Reverse Crush Glass Blender | Best of Alternative | 1000-600Watts |
You Should Know Your Blender First
Before you embark on your culinary adventure, it’s always great to familiarize yourself with your machines. The rule applies to not only blenders but also food processors, grinders, mixers, cookers, barbecue grills, and other kitchen appliances.
So, the idea’s to understand the makeup of your Oster blender before you assume its capabilities. And the features that best define it are:
- Blender Jar
Apart from Hamilton Beach, Oster also has some of the bestselling blenders with a glass jar to keep your kitchen plastic-free.
The plastic (BPA-free, of course) is most on the cups with the Oster line of the single-serve portable blender. But its short line of high-speed blenders also comes with a tougher, Tritan pitcher, which is less fragile.
- Blade Design
Unlike the likes of Breville Super Q or Vitamix and Blendtec, Oster usually blends by chopping down the ingredients: not pummeling. Hence, the reason the blades are razor-sharp.
- Motor Power:
On most of the Oster countertop blenders (with a glass jar), you’ll notice they all have a power output under 1000 Watts. Reason: glass is very fragile and can easily crack/ break from the rapid beating of tough ingredients like ice cubes.
Also, this should explain why the Oster Versa, which was actually on my list of high-speed blenders for making flour, has a Tritan jar.
- Basic Controls
Technically, it should be simple to operate an Oster if you already know how to use the Ninja blender. True, the control panel is far from alike on both brands. But in many cases, the machines have one-touch buttons for three precision speeds, pulse, and timed preset programs.
In the other few cases, the Oster blenders don’t have multiple blending speeds or timed programs. Instead, there are dedicated buttons with preprogrammed speeds that you use to manually perform the various blending functions.
- Drive Gear System
Different from Ninja and other regular blenders, Oster usually has a signature “Duralast all-metal drive gear”. Thus, can work on tough produce like almonds and ice for a long time without disintegrating like the plastic ones.
How to Use Oster Blender to Make Smoothie
Although there are others, the above five features are the most crucial when you want to use an Oster blender. It’s what decides whether the blend you’ll be making will be lumpy or stringy and the type of ice to add.
That said, the following are the various steps to follow when you want to use an Oster blender to make a smoothie.
Step 1: Gather Everything Needed
As with any recipe, the first step to using your Oster blender for smoothies is to collect your ingredients in one place. If it’s a Berry snack, have the strawberries/ raspberries/ blueberries, banana, honey, ice, and water/ milk/ juice on the worktable.
When you gather the ingredients, you can also pull out your tools from the cabinet and have them on the counter as well. The tools needed in this case include the Oster blender, knife, and chopping board (optional).
Step 2: Chop Your Fruit & Vegetable into Cubes
As I’ve mentioned, the Oster blender usually blends by chopping down the ingredients until they’re fully pulverized. Thus, you’ll want to further chop down your produce into smaller sizes before tossing into the jar to ease the stress on the motor.
Furthermore, you might want to use mini ice cubes to chill your smoothie for the hot summer heat. And if you don’t have them, just crush the large cubes into small sizes (1 inch or less) to enhance the blending process.
Note: The high-speed Oster blenders rated 1200 watts and above can work on regular ice cubes well. You could use these cubes with the 700-watt blenders too, but do remember the blade will be chopping them. And that will have a high risk of unblended chunks if the edges have lost their sharpness.
Step 3: Get Your Oster Blender Jar Ready
After chopping and dicing all the ingredients, you can do a quick rinse of the blender jar with running water before adding them. Some people will do this step before prepping the food and there’s nothing wrong with it.
Step 4: Arrange the Prepped Ingredients into the Jar
If the blender jar’s clean, you can now add your prepped produce, starting with the lightest/ softest through the heaviest/ toughest.
For instance, in the Berry smoothie, you’ll start with the liquid, followed by the pieces of ripe banana, strawberries, honey, and ice. If you’ve used frozen fruits, they should be last to put with ice.
And when using the blender for green smoothies, make sure you add the fruits before those leafy greens. Otherwise, having the greens first will bottle-neck the fruits in the middle of the jar and will take longer to reach the blades.
When you add the fruits first, the blender will also have a more powerful vortex to pull the top ingredients into the blades. And that will end up speeding up the whole process.
Step 5: Power up Your Blender & Pulse
After you secure the lid and mount the jar on the power base, I’d recommend pulsing your mixture about five times. The idea’s to further chop the ingredients to get the machine going and also help dislodge any pieces stuck in the blades.
Step 6: Use the Pulse or Precision Speeds
When blending, it’s always great to start on low before increasing to the highest speed. But most of the Oster blenders don’t have the ten variable speed settings- they have three precision speeds instead.
So, after you’ve pulsed the mixture, start the motor and hit the “High” speed button. Then, let it run until you have a smooth blend.
Alternatively, you can use the preset “Smoothie” button, but remember the blending timeout isn’t accurate for all recipes. Thus, you might have to finish up manually for another 10-15 seconds, especially when preparing smoothie combos.
If your Oster blender’s struggling with the blend being too thick, you can add a little extra liquid. Luckily, the jar lid has a feeder lid cap that you can easily remove to add ingredients during blending.
Key Takeaway: Working an Oster Portable Personal Blender
Oster has some of the bestselling portable blenders for travel. Some of the countertop machines also have a multifunctional base that you can hook up the standard jar or the personal cups.
But unlike the standard pitcher, these personal cups usually blend while inverted (placed upside down). Thus, loading the ingredients should be inversely as well: starting with the hard foods and the softest on top.
Furthermore, the single-serve cups usually don’t have breathing opening in the bigger jars. You’ll want to avoid blending your smoothies with warm/ hot liquids to prevent the cups from bursting open (after pressure build-up).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Oster blender crush ice?
Yes, an Oster blender can crush ice if you’d want to enjoy a chilled smoothie. But you’ll want to add 1-inch cubes or crushed ice to the jar to avoid stressing up the motor or winding up with chunky drinks.
Can you put an Oster blender in the dishwasher?
Yes, indeed, you can put an Oster blender glass jar in the dishwasher if you don’t have time to hand-wash manually. But like other delicate glassware, set the machine at a low-temperature cleaning cycle.
How much is an Oster blender
The price of the Oster blender here in the US falls at $40-$100 on the basic countertop models for medium to large blending amounts. If it’s single blending, you can get compact personal blenders for as low as $30. Then, the priciest series will be the high-speed Oster Versa at $270 on regular days or $200 during deals.
How to clean Oster blender
As with any other brand, you can clean the Oster blender by simply adding 3 cups of water and 1-2 drops of dishwashing soap into the jar. Then blend the mixture for 20-30 seconds and rinse with clean running water.
Alternatively, you can hand-wash the blender and its components in warm soapy water, then rinse. Or else arrange in the dishwasher and run a cleaning cycle.
How to remove the Oster blender blade
To remove the Oster blender blade for a thorough cleaning, you only need to turn the jar upside down so the base is the top. Next, turn the threaded jar nut (also called jar skirt) anticlockwise to loosen it open. Then take out the sealing ring (not to lose it) and the blade attachment.
You Might still Taste Some Grit
Until now, these are some of the key tips you have to remember when you want to use an Oster blender to make smoothie recipes. It’s an easy guide and when done right, you may be lucky to extend the life of your machine for several more years.
However, a high-speed blender necessarily doesn’t equate to high power. The Oster machine still doesn’t have the prowess we have on a Blendtec or Vitamix for juicing and smoothies. And even though drinkable and pleasurable, you’ll still feel some grainy taste in your drink.
So, you’ll want to retain those plans to upgrade to a high-power blender on your wishlist.