I don't know how many of you guys know this, but I cannot cook. Despite all the eating I do, cooking just eludes me. However, I have come to realise that I could assemble, I could bake and I could blend! So I was a little curious when Froothie approached me and asked if I'll like to try out a blender from them. Note that this is NOT a paid post, nor am I keeping the blender - I'm simply getting it from them to review it! And I'm sure most of you have not heard of Froothie - neither have I, but turns out they are rated no. 1 blender in Australia, and was founded there. They started out by supplying cafes/juice bars with fruits and equipment before encouraging people to create their own Froothies. Then they partnered with Optimum Appliances to market the equipment. Good idea since we are in a market dominated by Vitamix and Blendtec - we could always do with more options.

So here it is! In this review I will list out 3 pros and 2 cons of the Optimum G2.1 Platinum Series Blender. Then you can decide if you want to buy it or not.

PROS

3. Easy to set up and use

Beyond the durability of the blender, which was tested with the ice cubes and half a kg of almonds (I tried to make almond butter), it's also a breeze to set up the blender. Because the jug is made with BPA-free plastic, its quite light to carry and you don't have to worry about breaking it. Just put it on the base and plug it in, and select from a range of 6 pre-set options from the touch-sensitive surface: Fruit, Sorbet, Grind, Nut Milk, Soup and Sauces. You can also opt for manual setting of time/speed, as well as Pulse mode.

CONS

2. Can be difficult to clean

Washing up is totally a breeze if you blend liquid - however because of the double blades, it can be quite dangerous if you want to try to get solid food bits out from underneath it. I got a little annoyed trying to scrape the almond butter off the bottom - I tried filling the jug with some plain, hot water and a did a mild pulse to rid it of most, but seems like there's still some stubborn bits in there. I do think you can unscrew the blades if you want though.

(I found out later you should put a drop of detergent in with 2-3 cups warm water and blend for 30-60 seconds after use. On a monthly basis, add a cup of vinegar to 2-3 cups warm water and blend, and soak it overnight with vinegar and + scrub to remove any film on the jar if there is any.).

CONCLUSION

Not for the faint of heart, or the casual occasional solo smoothie drinker. If you use the blender frequently and find it struggling to the meet the demands of your kitchen/consumption needs, then consider getting the Froothie Optimum G2.1 Platinum Series Blender. I find it best if you make a lot of food that requires blending (like soups, juices, nut milks) frequently and require something heavy-duty but reliable (there's a 10 year international warranty on the motor!).

WANT TO BUY

Right now the blender is going at half price PLUS you get a special S$20 off if you enter the code "alexis-optimum-20". That means including shipping and tax, with the coupon code, it only costs S$739 instead of S$1549+. At risk of sounding like a salesperson.. that sounds like a really good deal.
PS: You can also apply the coupon code for the Optimum 9200A and Optimum 9400.