Oster Versa Blender Review & Giveaway

Oster provided the product for giveaway

In 1924, John Oster started a company in his garage. His first product was hair clippers for cutting men’s hair! These days, Oster is known for their kitchen small appliances, and is now owned by Sunbeam.

While they’ve been manufacturing quality kitchen blenders for some time now, Oster hasn’t been able to compete in the high-end blender market that Vitamix and BlendTec have long dominated, until now. We’re impressed with their Oster Versa line – with an all-metal drive, dual directional blade, 1,400-watt motor that runs at 28,000 RPMs.

Not everyone can afford a Vitamix or BlendTec – the Oster Versa 1100 is priced right at less than $200. Plus, it also includes a food processor component AND a to-go smoothie cup that can be used on the Versa.

How does it blend?

Side by side with my Vitamix, I blended a morning frozen fruit smoothie with a handful of spinach. The Versa performed fabulously, the frozen berries and fresh spinach smoothie was smooth, creamy, no un-blended bits. I did have to use the “Reverse Blend” button twice to get all of the spinach, but the job was done well.

I like having the Reverse button, it saves me opening up the lid, using a small spatula to get pieces unstuck. On the Vitamix, I don’t have a reverse button, but it is rare that I need to open up the Vitamix lid, unless I’m making something like almond butter.

How does it process?

The food processor attachment did an okay job. The container is smaller than I’m used it, but for small jobs it’s fine. Personally, I probably would just use my trusty Cuisinart food processor. But for a starter kitchen, the Oster Versa is actually a really good deal – high performance blending with food processing capability.

Smoothies to go

The smaller 20-ounce to-go cups are very convenient, but they didn’t perform as well with hard vegetables, like carrots and fresh leafy greens. Because the jar is so skinny and tall, the ingredients just couldn’t get to the blade very well. But for soft fruits, frozen small berries, it worked well enough. Tip – as you fill the cup with your ingredients, place the hard to blend stuff in last, so that it will be closest to the blades. Have plenty of liquid in the cup to make the ingredients move better.

Lots of parts to keep track of

The great thing about all-in-one machines is multi functionality at one price. The bad thing? Don’t ever lose your manual and keep track of all your parts. The Oster Versa 1100 has a lot of parts, and you have to remember what goes where, or keep your manual handy.

Conclusion

It’s a powerful blender. I like the all-metal drive, and 7 year warranty. The price is right for a powerhouse blender that can also multi-task. It’s great for starter kitchens – if you don’t have a reliable food processor, or can’t afford a Vitamix or BlendTec, put this Oster Versa 1100 on your wish list.