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Is a tamper in the box?
Updated
A tamper is a plastic pusher that goes through the lid while the blender runs. For smoothies with plenty of liquid you will not need one. For nut butter, hummus and thick frozen blends, it is the difference between blending and stopping every ten seconds to scrape. Three of the seven picks include one.
What a tamper fixes
Vitamix's blender guide says to use the tamper for thicker mixtures to keep ingredients moving around and through the blades. It says this helps prevent cavitation, which is when air pockets form around the blade. Its low-profile tamper page says the tamper lets you process thick mixtures and work all the ingredients into the blend.
The picks
| Blender | Tamper | Watts in the spec table |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamix 5200 | Included | 1,380 W |
| Vitamix Propel 750 | Included | 1,400 W |
| Blendtec Total Blender Classic | None. Maker says the jar does not need one | 1,560 W |
| Ninja Professional Plus BN701 | Not in the box | 1,400 W |
| nutribullet Blender Combo | Included | 1,200 W |
| KitchenAid K400 (KSB4027) | Not in the box | 1,200 W |
| Breville Fresh and Furious | Not in the box | 1,100 W |
- The Blendtec Total Blender Classic listing says no tamper is required and that the four sided jar pulls food toward the blade. That is the maker's claim. Its blending capacity is 32 oz, so thick batches are small ones.
- The KitchenAid K400 (KSB4027) here is the KSB4027, with no tamper. KitchenAid sells a KSB4028 version with a tamper in the title. If thick blends matter to you, check which model number you are buying.
- The Ninja Professional Plus BN701 and Breville Fresh and Furious listings do not list a tamper.
No tamper? Do it the slow way
Ninja's FAQ for the BN700 series gives the fix when ingredients stick to the sides: scrape the sides and add more liquid if needed. Stop the motor and unplug the base first. Vitamix's guide is blunt about it: do not put utensils, scrapers or fingers in the blender while the motor is running. Only a tamper made for your jar is safe to use while it runs, because it is sized so it cannot reach the blades with the lid on.
For nut butter
The checker only matches nut butter to picks with a tamper, or a maker claim that none is needed, and at least 1,200 listed watts. That floor is our rule of thumb. For two people at an 18 inch gap that gives: Vitamix Propel 750, Blendtec Total Blender Classic (check the height, the listing does not give it with the jar) and nutribullet Blender Combo.
Match a blender to your household with the size and power checker, or compare all seven picks on the roundup page.