iCucina Portable Bullet vs. Oster My Blend Side-by-Side Comparison
iCucina Portable Bullet vs. Oster My Blend. Our team rigorously tested both personal blenders to provide a comprehensive comparison of their actual practicality.
Specifications
Design
We aren’t much impressed with this blender’s quality, but overall, built materials are fine for a machine at this price and we really like the simplicity the iCucina provides. Nevertheless, the mid-range segment is a tough market to compete in, simply because there’s so many products to choose from, and therefore it’d be better if iCucina emphasized on eye-catching style. Some improvements on the blade assembly would help increase its appeal as well.
The overall design is thoughtful and well-made for the price. It is developed with extra features that some people might find useful. Not only that, but attention to detail on all parts and surfaces also makes the Oster BLSTPB-WBL a personal blender of hi-tech and refinement.
Usability
Locking the cup with the blade attached in the motor base may be disruptive and requires a bit of practice. Otherwise, the iCucina doesn’t disappoint too much when it comes to ease of use. Cleaning it is also not much of an issue especially when the cups, lids, and blade assembly are all dishwasher-safe.
Using the Oster BLSTPB-WBL is not much of an issue but requires a bit of a learning curve at first. The most frustrating part is locking the cup with the blade attached in the motor base. Still, once you get the swing of things, it won’t challenge you anymore. Cleaning, on the other hand, will definitely be a problem if you don’t have a bottle brush available.
Performance
We were more than a little surprised at the results yielded by this iCucina since they didn’t come out as good as we expected. The 300-watt motor and fast spinning blades weren’t enough to help it overcome our challenges.
In the protein shake test, it was among the worst, leaving a mass of partially unblended food chunks. It also failed to power through whole ice cubes or create a smooth mixture of fibrous greens. And as weak as it was in processing frozen fruits, we assure this blender is only suited to blend softer ingredients.
As a low-powered portable blender, this Oster was just moderately capable of making protein shakes and frozen fruit smoothies. We wondered if it would somehow be more efficient than its rivals and provide us with fluffy crushed ice or a quick extraction of leafy greens, but it turned out that such tasks were far beyond its strength.
Overall Scores
Pros & Cons
- It’s good for simple plant-based blends.
- Built quality is mediocre but fine for the price.
- Simple design allows for straightforward use, cleaning, and storage.
- It stands stably, rather than jumping around, while working.
- It is affordable but better than its competitors at blending frozen fruits.
- The light-duty motor works consistently for basic tasks like making smoothies, protein shakes, whole-food sauces, and more.
- Its usability allows for an enjoyable blending experience.
- There is a built-in, resettable fuse, which will revive the motor in 15 minutes if it overheats.
- The lack of versatility.
- Short power cord.
- The blending jar is somewhat difficult to clean due to its narrow design.
- The small circumference of the jar’s opening makes adding powders and fruits quite messy.
- This blender is not ideal for quick fibrous meals.
Conclusion
These two personal blender models share several similarities as they are both considered to be average in terms of their features and suitability for simple blends. Performance testing revealed that they performed comparably in preparing protein shakes and smoothies. It should be noted that the results of neither blender were entirely smooth, though, as they both produced somewhat grainy blends.
When blending high-fiber foods like kale and spinach, the Oster left a slightly larger amount of fibrous pulp behind, which compromised the nutritional values in the final product. Considering this, the iCucina seems to be a better choice for those who want to focus on green smoothies.
In terms of design, both blenders feature straightforward operation that makes them as simple to use as any basic personal blender. However, you’ll need to lock their cups into the bases for hands-free operation, which may be slightly confusing and requires a bit of trial and error to master.
Behind the Comparison
Tina Pham is a staff writer and reviewer, with five years of experience in the industry. As a passionate amateur home cook, she loves to discover practical cooking solutions, and has made it her mission to bring her findings to every kitchen. Her ultimate goal is making cooking more of a pleasure for all.
Lap is Head of the Research, Testing, and Review Team (RTR Team) at HealthyKitchen101.com, where he directs and supervises the testing of kitchen gadgets and appliances.
Tuyet Pham is an award-winning Saigonese chef passionate about delicious and healthful foods. At HealthyKitchen101, she develops recipes and collaborates with our Research, Testing, and Review lab to evaluate the performance of cooking appliances. Her assessments add a strong authoritative voice to our product scoring process.
