The Magic Bullet is a cute little blender with apparent capabilities to do just about anything in the kitchen. If you believe the commercials. So how well does this device actually do when you take it out of the camera lights and put it into your own home, with actual ingredients?
Overview
Kitchen gadgets are a huge industry. It’s easy to see why, most of us love to cook, or would love to cook more if it wasn’t such a pain. Anything that makes life easier in the kitchen makes life better in general.
Also, people in general wish that they did more cooking, and will easily picture themselves using a product for the kitchen and being happier. That’s why these sorts of products usually do well in the market, and why there’s always something new coming out. Marketers know that if they can get you to imagine using their product, half the battle is completed.
The Claim
Magic Bullet is the personal, versatile, countertop magician according to its ads. That’s why you shouldn’t call it a blender, it’s rather insulting for a machine that can supposedly do so much.
The Hype
The hype surrounding the Magic Bullet is mostly due to its ads that really drive home how much it can do. Not only that but they try to convince the consumer that you can construct full meals using the device, when really it’s just good for side jobs and preparation. For example the original ad shows them making pesto sauce and alfredo sauce, all with the same blender.
Most people won’t be using it in an attempt to concoct an entire meal, so they’ve spent a lot of time and effort trying to convince them of something that probably won’t happen anyway.
The Cost
Magic Bullet is quite pricy compared to other TV products. It’s $50 for the complete set, which gives you lots of different containers, all of the different blades, and supposedly everything you need to replicate the results from the commercials
The Commitment
If you currently don’t use a blender very often, you’ll have to commit to creating things in the kitchen that need to be blended. The common complaint that people have when buying kitchen gadgets like this is that they don’t get enough use out of them. Buying a product like the Magic Bullet will not cause you to start cooking more.
That’s why you should first develop the habit of cooking more meals from scratch, or using more fresh fruits and vegetables before putting any money down on it. That way you already know you’ll use it, and you’ll be able to save time and have more fun in the kitchen.
Evaluation
Be sure that when you use the Magic Bullet, you’re not afraid to pick it up and give it a shake in between blends. This helps the contents at the top of the cup fall down so they get blended as well. This is only possible because of the small size of the unit. You may not feel comfortable picking it up at first, but once you see that it’s not dangerous or heavy, it’s not too hard.
Does Magic Bullet Really Work?
The Magic Bullet works really well for some things, and not very well for others. If you stick to making mixed drinks, and chopping up foods that easily fit into the cups. you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the job this little thing can do. If you expect it to replace every job that your food processor does, as suggested by the long-winded advertorials, you’ll be disappointed.
Our Recommendation
Add this to your kitchen collection, because it’s just fun to have around and perfect for some jobs. For example, if you’re making different kinds of mixed drinks, you’ll want to break it out. Also, if you’re just making an omelet or two you’ll want to use it to quickly blend up the eggs.
Large jobs are a challenge for this tiny unit, so don’t expect it to chop up big things like potatoes or full size tomatoes or onions. Use your other products for things like those, and but out your Magic Bullet for everything in between.
I purchased it because I split it between myself and my girl.
We use it for smoothies every other morning, sometimes blending a few eggs quickly, and to do homemade salsa.
It works as advertised, though not as powerfully as a larger blender (of course).
With the Ninja having come out, I’d say the pros should go there, but I’m happy to have bought the Bullet.
If you want to make healthy drinks with fruit and vegetables, the Nutri Bullet Pro is the best product you can buy. I bought mine from HSN and have used it every day for the past couple months to get my servings of fruit and vegetables in my day, most of them before I head out the door to work every morning. I fill the large cup (it comes with several) about a third with spinach, kale or a mixture of greens (you can’t taste them at all) then add fresh pineapple, strawberries, banana and frozen blueberries. I top it off with coconut water (sometimes I get the kind with mango or papaya added) and a bit of the super food mix that came with it, screw on the blade and turn it on for about 30 seconds. It emulsifies everything into a silky smooth delicious drink that I now wake up craving every morning. This is the best purchase I have ever made.
My friends bought one of these a while back and ended up returning it to the store right away. They claimed that it was worthless and it did not work as promised. I am not sure what they were trying to chop up in it, but I am assuming that, whatever it was, was too big for this machine to properly process. I am surprised to see all of the rave reviews and comments, though, so I am pretty sure that they just were not using it properly. Guess you really have to know a product and its capabilities before testing it.
Oh, how I’ve wanted to try this product. I love smoothies, and I’m a sucker for infomercials, so I’m actually surprised I haven’t given in and purchased one. My niece has a Magic Bullet and loves it. But she recently moved out of state, so I can’t ask her if I can try it for myself. Like Eugene said, I would like to get reviews from a few personal friends or relatives before shelling out the $50.
I really loved the infomercial for this product, so I asked for it for Christmas, and it is great for making smoothies, but it definitely doesn’t live up to its hype. I had a Magic Bullet party, where my friends and I tried to make some of the recipes in the booklet, but if we put anything more than small, already chopped pieces in it, the motor sounded like it was straining and it gave off a burning plastic smell. It’s really not good for anything more than just small jobs. Also, the commercial claims it can chop and dice, but really it just shreds things. We put chicken and cheese in it to make quesadillas, and it all came out in a shredded mess.
That being said, I’ve really enjoyed making smoothies (Just don’t try to put ice cubes in it!) and using it for things like pulverizing crackers or stale bread for breadcrumbs. It’s good for some things, but it can’t do everything it claims. And it’s a little pricey for being so limited.
My aunt is the ultimate, extreme lover of all things “As Seen on TV.” She has seen and purchased it all and when it comes to the Magic Bullet she can’t rave enough. She loved the product so much that she bought one for the family. I have to admit that even though it is small in size it is really powerful. It can be used to chop up the hardest nuts in a matter of seconds, it’s pretty impressive. At $50 my initial reaction is that it’s pretty expensive, but if you have a lot of “chopping duties” in your kitchen, this is a great buy!
This is a pretty good blender for the price but I don’t think it’s a good purchase if you do a lot of blending… I think it’s more suited for the casual user. I don’t own one; my neighbor does. I find that it’s a nice little gadget but there were some things we just couldn’t blend without the machine screeching and crying for help. We made adjustments as needed but it goes to show that not all As Seen On TV products are worth their weight. In the end, I recommend you evaluate just how much you will be using this and on what items. A good sturdy blender in the $100 range, though more expensive, might prove the better buy here.
After I had my last child, I stayed up all night watching infomercials. I was plagued with insomnia. Anyways, I saw this commercial over and over and over until one day I just “bit the bullet”, and bought the magic bullet. LOL. I know that was lame, but anyways, I was pleased, very pleased with my purchase. It paid well for itself as it’s still functional and serving it’s purpose. To the poster above me, go ahead and pay the fifty bucks. It’ll pay for itself.
I guess this gadget would be very helpful in my kitchen. But it is a little expensive don’t you think? I wouldn’t pay 50 bucks for it without any strong recommendations.