Blendtec

Using the Manual Speeds

Each Blendtec blender interface was designed to be distinct and offer variable interests for individual consumers!  The manual speeds Blendtec offers on their blenders can be powerful tools for you, providing you more control over your blends.  Manually blending requires a better understanding of your blender and what speed to take certain recipes.  That’s why many people enjoy the automatic features that Blendtec offers because there is no guess work involved.  Blendtec constantly keeps improving their models to accommodate consumers of all types.  The Manual Speeds are important and every Blendtec blender offers them.  Here are your options for manual blending speeds:

Total Blender Classic Manual Speeds

The Total Blender Classic comes with 2 push button manual speed settings consisting of 10 total speeds.  To start your blend you have to push the Up arrow which will place you on speed 1, as you push or hold down the Up arrow the blender will quickly move up to higher speeds until it reaches it’s highest potential speed, which is speed 10.  You can see the speeds as you change them on the illuminated display, you can also see what speed your own and how many seconds the blender has been running.

The speeds are easy to use because they are very straight forward but some individuals enjoy the Classic 560 and 575 models because you can jump ahead and start on a higher speed immediately instead of always having to start on speed 1. On the Blendtec Total Blender Classic you can’t start on a high speed, you start from speed 1 and climb to higher speeds!  The Push buttons on the newer Blendtec 560 and Blendtec 575 models are more responsive than the Total Blender Classic(only sold as refurbished $279), you are able to jump from a very high to very low speed quickly and jump back and forth!

Blendtec Classic 560 and 575

The Blendtec 560 and Blendtec 575 have a very responsive set of manual speeds which work the same way. The Blendtec 560 comes with 4 manual blend speeds where the Blendtec 575 comes with 5, giving you one more speed setting.  You can switch back and forth from these speeds while the blender is running.  This allows you to start at a higher speed immediately and quickly change speeds by pushing another button!  Unfortunately the only downfall to the Blendtec 560 is there are no automatic blend cycles which change speeds on their own.

The 4 manual speed blend cycles will run for 50 seconds once started; even as you switch through the speeds you will be able to see the timer on the illuminated display counting how many seconds the cycle has been running, the same as the Total Blender Classic.  You can stop the blender at anytime during the cycle by pressing the stop button.  Both the Blendtec Classic Series models and Blendtec Designer Series models have their manual speeds set to stop once the timer gets to 50 seconds. The Total Blender Classic has 10 individual speeds but they’re not as responsive where the newer Blendtec 560 and Blendtec 575 blenders have only 4 or 5 speeds but are much more responsive.

Note: The Blendtec 575 Lo speed is the same as speed 1 and 2 on the Total Blender Classic, and the next speed up is the same as speed 3 and 4, and so on, the manual speeds on the newer Blendtec Classic 560 and 575 models pulsate somewhat while running.

A Little more about the Blendtec 575 – The Blendtec 575 model has a few advanced features which you see on some of the higher priced Designer Series blenders.  For example, the smoothie button runs the same blend cycle as all the Blendtec Designer Series automatic Smoothie buttons do.  The Blendtec 575 blender is the only Blendtec blender which has a 60 second automatic run cycle and a 90 second automatic run cycle.  These buttons are meant to liquify, heat, and puree because once pushed the blender will start slow but then immediately go to it’s highest speed and stay on the highest speed the entire time, meant for cooking soups and liquifying juices.  The Self Clean button also is a feature which comes on the Designer series models and works the same way.

Blendtec Designer Series Slide Touch Manual Speeds

Similar to the Push button Blendtec 560 and Blendtec 575 Classic Series blenders, the Blendtec Designer Series Slide Touch Technology allows you to start the blend at any speed and then further control the blend by sliding your finger back and forth on the slider.  The responsive Slide Touch allows for immediate control of your blend!  You can start the blend on anyone of 6, 8, or 100 speeds and the slider is very responsive as you slide your finger to lower or higher speeds up and down the slider. The Blendtec 625 Slide touch is equipped with 6 speed settings which you can slide and control, the Blendtec 675 comes with 8 speed settings, and the advanced smart touch slider on the Blendtec 725 Designer comes with 100 speeds, it is very responsive to the touch, and also very powerful with a 3.8 hp, 1800 watt, 15 amp motor.

The Blendtec Designer Series blenders all come with other automatic functions, you can read more about those in our Blendtec vs Vitamix Full Review.

Tips on using Manual Speeds for Blendtec 

For Juices, Smoothies, and Ice Creams you’ll want to start on the slower speeds and let the blender start pulling the ingredients into the blade before switching to a higher speed to liquify your blend.  Reason being is you can easily get an air pocket where the ingredients lift up off the blade and don’t pull anything down.  The Blendtec is designed to create a vortex with everything inside the jar and pull ingredients into the blades.   Start slow then speed it up to finish the job, this works for almost all recipes, especially smoothies, juices, ice creams, and soups.  If your grinding grains you can start at a high speed, accept if you’re grinding coffee beans, you’ll want to keep coffee bean grinding on low speeds

Related: Blendtec Classic Series 560 – How to make the basics – Featuring Manual Speed operations

Related: Blendtec Total Blender vs Blendtec Classic 560 and Blendtec Classic 575

Note: Hot Soups require about 3 to 4 minutes of blending on the blenders highest speed for it to heat up and get cooked, start slow then speed it up.

Note: For Dips, Batters, sauces, and dressings use slow speeds, don’t run the blender for a long period of time, and don’t run it on a high speed.

Note: Smoothies and Juices, start slow then speed up to liquify!  For a smoothie don’t run it as long and don’t take it to the highest speed because you want it to be thicker.

Note: For Ice Cream, start slow and wait for it to pull the ingredients down, then go a little faster, then crank it.  When you see the swirl shape at the top it’s done.

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