I Found a True Power Blender Without the Vitamix Price? Meet the Obliterator

Always one willing to test an appliance that makes a bold claim, I love it when something leads with hyperbole, whether it purports to be the first, smallest or fastest in its category. My latest blender obsession stakes a pretty big one right in its very name: the Obliterator. My husband likes to call it the Eliminator. He’s not entirely wrong. It effectively eliminates the boundaries between three-dimensional foodstuffs, such as cubes of butternut squash or almonds.

Offered by Chefman, slipping in a bit of subtext even in its brand name, the Obliterator offers specs and performance similar to the industry-standard Vitamix, but for a fraction of the cost. Its regular price is $160, but it is frequently on sale at Amazon for $130 or less, sometimes as much as 50% off. Right now, for instance, it’s just $80.

While its warranty admittedly can’t compete with Vitamix’s (few can), if you’re looking for an introduction to a high-volume blender with professional power — but without the commitment of a legacy appliance at a professional-level price — the Obliterator is a solid choice.

What can you obliterate? Soup, nut butters, ice, etc.

My curiosity about the ability of an appliance to obliterate began with soups. I’d been making what I thought were nice pureed soups from scratch with an immersion blender in my early cooking-forward days, ignoring the fact that “puree” was only a loose interpretation of the result. “Very finely chopped” more accurately described the texture I achieved with a handheld appliance.

Once I was introduced to a Vitamix in culinary school, I was basically ruined for all other blenders, or so I thought. In a post-culinary school landscape (and with a post-culinary school budget), I wasn’t about to acquire such an appliance, and so I made do with the inferior results that an immersion blender could deliver. (Or maybe I stopped making soup altogether out of disappointment? Honestly, I have blocked it all out.)

The Obliterator managed to restore my elegant soup dreams. With a generous container, powerful motor, and weighty base — not to mention the satisfying digital display that scrolls “Obliterator” when you turn it on — it has proven equal to the challenge. Butternut squash, mushrooms and even broccoli have been effectively blended into soup for homogeneity. Nary a tiny floret bud has remained unobliterated.

While homemade nut butters have not previously been part of my regular repertoire, I was also committed to seeing the Obliterator in action on something a little harder than already-cooked squash cubes. Here, I also tested an auto-grind feature with raw almonds, where the machine assesses the task at hand and adjusts the speed and timing in bursts to maximize results. 

I may not have previously been in the practice of regular nut butters, but the outcome, a creamy almond butter with just a splash of avocado oil to help it along, came together in less than a couple of minutes. (And in less monetary output, it stands to mention. Plus, you can adjust the salt and/or sugar to your liking. So maybe I’ll get in the habit.)

The ice crush feature is also a standout for the Obliterator, easily and quickly reducing cubes to what can best be described as fluffy snow in about 90 seconds, ideal if your household craves snow cones or tropical cocktails, utilizing a specific ice setting that does the work in bursts.

Premium features and accessories I loved

The Obliterator’s ability to live up to its hyperbole was my main concern; however, there were also some bonus aspects I very much appreciated. Honestly, you get a lot for your $160 (or less), both in terms of features and functionality.

A 20-ounce “travel jar” with a lid offers portability and convenience and is perfect for smoothies and other small jobs, such as quick sauces or salad dressings. If you’re making hollandaise for one or two, for example, this is ideal. The blender blades screw into the jar, similar to how the smoothie-standard Ninja functions, and the whole thing rests easily and snugly on the motor base, with no fussing to make sure everything is aligned correctly. Did I make a smoothie using the nut butter from the previous experiment for a truly meta obliteration? Yes, I did. 

Also, as someone who sometimes doesn’t open the manual — which I honestly believe makes me a fair and just reviewer, since I’m functioning like an average consumer would — I was pleased to discover that the tamper that’s included to help keep your soft herbs and whatnot down while blending, twists apart to reveal a hidden, narrow scraper tool, perfect for getting at the nut butter and other ingredients that like to try to permanently affix themselves along the seams of the jug. Before that’s even necessary, though, a self-cleaning setting, whereby you add warm water and a bit of dish soap and hit go, really made light work of even the sticky, post-nut-butter situation.

A “fix jar” message whenever the jug isn’t in place reassures you that you won’t accidentally obliterate a body part, which is nice. Finally, as countertop appliances go, the look is quite sleek.

Obliterator vs. Vitamix: a cage match by the numbers

So, if you’re wondering whether to go all in on a Vitamix or try a cheaper appliance first, such as the Obliterator, here’s how everything stacks up.

I’d call to attention that the Obliterator is about as close to a Vitamix as you can get in every meaningful way, especially with the weighted base that lets you feel comfortable walking away even when it’s operating at high speeds. It’s not necessarily quiet, especially if you’re working with hard items, but it’s so efficient that the noise doesn’t last long.

Should you hesitate to obliterate? Not really

The only aspect I was not able to measure here about the Obliterator is its longevity, especially if you were to use it regularly for big projects like weekly nut butters or a local snow cone business. That said, it has an impressive 4.8/5 rating with nearly 1,000 reviews on the Chefman website, and it frequently retails on Amazon for half its MSRP at $80. At that level, the Obliterator is truly a bargain, and a risk well worth taking.