Nutrabolt Vortex Portable Mixer v 2.0.0, 18 fl oz

First of all, let's be realistic and admit that this product is not a $699 Vitamixer, i.e., it's not built for heavy mixing or pulsing. It is meant to mix protein drinks, fruit juices and the like. I love it and can't believe I waited so long to look for a product to replace my messy Mason jar and lid. I use the Vortex to mix up my juice, water, vitamin powders and Metamucil in... twice a day. It is AWESOME for this purpose. It may only last a year if I take good care of it, but at this price and when considering how pleased I am with the product, that is fine for me... as long as they haven't discontinue such a great product by the time I need more for Christmas gifts... and I will be buying more for gifts.PRO's:*it is lightweight, and battery operated so very portable with no cord and chucks easily into gym bag or purse.*it's not ugly, with clean, modern lines.*lid is tight-fitting and has an open/close hole for travel and sipping - like a regular travel cup.*unlike one of the assertions in a negative review here, the rotating blade is made of a strong, stiff plastic and not out of paper.*it has 4, 6, 8, 10oz markers on the side, which is very convenient and avoids the need to measure juice or water first and then pour in.Mini-CON's:*do not submerge the entire unit or put into dishwasher. just be sure to rinse out the interior thoroughly with hot water immediately after each use so nothing sticks and dries on the inside.*don't try to twist off the bottom. batteries fit under a tight-fitting rubber flap on bottom.*remember to put liquids in first, then add any powders.*does not grind/emulsify/chop/mush-up anything... it is a lightweight mixer for mixing up lightweight elements - and not a blender or ice crusher.Highly recommend the Cellucor Vortex if your needs are similar to mine.IMPORTANT REVIEW UPDATE 8/20/13:Cannot say enough good about this Vortex! Going to buy another now just in case and several for gifts, 'cuz I can't do without it. FYI, best way I found to clean it on a daily basis is to rinse it out IMMEDIATELY after using and fill with very hot tap water and then turn it on... which will allow its spinning blade to swish out any residue easily and thoroughly. Pour out the water and set it aside to dry until you need it next time. Awesome unit.

Or at least its the neatest gadget in my kitchen! This is the coolest thing, and it actually works! In fact as soon as my friends saw it they immediately went to Amazon and ordered their own. I was the envy of the classroom :-) I use this to mix Amazing Grass with Almond Milk, and depending on what mood I'm in I'll either throw in a spoon of peanut butter or nutella for an added kick. And this thing is able to blend it all. You wouldn't think that little plastic u-shaped hook could handle it, but it does.The lid seals well, so you don't have to worry about any spills or splashes. In fact, all though the directions say not to do this, I have blended without the lid on :-) I also like that I don't have to hold the button for it to blend. One push and it does all the work for me, and if anything settles to the bottom, another quick push and everything is blended smoothly again.Batteries seem to last well. I use Duracell, and they've lasted since the day I bought it. I do recommend using quality batteries, the cheap one's won't work as well--I learned this the hard way on a recent trip where I forgot to pack my Duracells.Clean up--now this is the tricky part. Yep its great, awesome, does what it claims...so of course there must be a downside. Cleaning the lid is easy :-) The cup requires some finesse. You cannot submerge the cup in water due to the battery compartment. What I do is immediately rinse the cup when I'm finished with it. This is easily done with access to a sink and hot water. It rinses out easily, and you can blend the hot water to remove any build up. When home I use hot water and soap, blend well and wipe it clean. I let it air dry over night.If I don't plan on using the mixer for a long period of I time I make sure to remove the batteries. Other then the clean up issue, this is still an awesome mixer to use. I use it almost daily. It mixes heavy powdered protein drinks with ease--whether in water or soy/almond milk. Everyone who does buy one reports back happily with their purchase! I love mine, and god forbid if something happens to it I will purchase another!

Actually, this isn't a bad machine; it did a decent job ~ when it worked. The unit I had, sucked-up AAA-batteries like crazy! I used it once everyday; just long enough to mix sport-powder with apple juice. Then after 3-days, I had to change the batteries and again 2-days later. After a week or so of use, the Vortex started having problems like the "pulse" stop working, then the "on" button had to be pushed several times before it kicked-in. Thinking the batteries might be low again, I replaced them but the problems carried on. Eventually, the poor thing gave up and died. I returned it for a refund.