How to Prolong the Life of Your Blender

If you want your blender to keep working for a long time you need to use it correctly. Here are a few tips help to prolong the life of your blender, brought to you by the friendly technicians at the Mending Shed.

All blenders are not created equal. Don't think a $19 blender is going to work the same as a $99 or $199 blender. Cheap blenders are not made to handle the same kind of abuse that a more expensive model is made to handle.

Ice is rough on blenders; anything frozen should be set out to thaw for ten minutes. This softens food and ice just enough that you can process it without damaging your blender. If your ice is in large cubes I recommend crushing the ice in a bag using a rolling pen or hammer before you put it in the blender.

Make sure the blade has stopped spinning completely before you remove the jar from the base. Removing the jar while the motor and blade are still turning wears down the teeth on the blade assembly and the drive coupling.

Don’t move the jar around while the blender is running. Doing this will not improve the blending action and only damages the couplings on the motor and the jar assembly.

The blender jar is not designed as a storage container; when you are finished blending poor the excess mixture into a different container for storage. By exposing your blender jar to moisture, such as smoothie or wash water for an extended length of time will allow liquid to get into the blade assembly making it sticky and difficult to turn; especially if the blender goes unused for several weeks. 

Don’t stick anything in the jar while the blender is running for any reason; this is not only dangerous to you it is a sure way to damage the blade. Don’t do it. If you feel your mixture needs some coaxing toward the blade, shut off the blender and wait for the blade and motor to stop spinning before you stick something, like a spoon, in the jar to move the food around.

Even with special care, parts on your blender may ware out eventually. Depending on the brand and model, you may be able to buy a new replacement part. Contact the company that made your blender to find out if the part you need is available and where you can purchase it.

Happy Blending!

The most commonly needed replacement part for a KitchenAid blender is the drive coupling. The following is a video on how to replace a coupling yourself.

Let us know what you think about the video, post a comment below.

Power Wheels Battery Care and Storage

Power Wheels Battery Care and Storage

Spring is on its way and now it the time to dust off those Power Wheels vehicles and get them ready to roll for the season. One of the most common problems people discover is the battery is completely dead and won’t take a charge; time to order a new battery. The following are a few guidelines to help lengthen the life of your Power Wheels battery.

Power Wheels Recommendations

1. Charge an average of 18-24 hours to keep batteries in maximum condition.
2. Use Charger in dry locations only.
3. Never short-circuit the batteries.
4. Examine the battery, charger and connectors for excessive wear or damage each time you charge your battery. If damage has occurred or excessive wear is detected, do not use the vehicle until you have replaced the worn or damaged part as it could result in a fire causing in injury or property damage.
5. Examine the battery case for cracks of other damage which could cause acid to leak during the charging process. If damage is detected, do not charge or use. Contact your local service center for assistance.
6. Please take precautions to protect the surface on which you charge your batteries. It is not recommended to charge on kitchen counter tops.
7. Only adults should charge batteries. Never allow children to charge batteries.
8. Carry the batteries by supporting the bottom and sides of battery case. Never lift or carry batteries by wires or connectors.
9. Do not store batteries in extreme heat (85 degrees or higher) or extreme cold(-10 degreed or below) during snowy or rainy weather ,the vehicle should be stored inside or under a protective cover, remember to chare the batteries for 18 hours at least once a month while the vehicle is not in regular use.

Mending Shed Technicians Recommendations

1. Always keep it charged to capacity. 
2. Don’t leave it uncharged for long periods of time.
3. Never leave a battery on the charger longer than it needs to be there. When charge is complete take it off the charger.
4. Never charge the battery partially and then take it off the charger. It shortens the life of the battery; which means you will have to buy a new one more often.
5. When it’s time to store your Power Wheels vehicle for the winter, charge the battery to capacity and then store it in a dry place.
6. Take the battery out once a month and recharge it to keep it in working condition. You can store the battery and the charger together in dry location near an outlet to make monthly charging easier.
7. If you choose to store the battery in the battery compartment of your Power Wheels vehicle you should leave it disconnected from the vehicle to keep the battery charged longer.
8. As always, unplug the charger when it’s not in use.

Batteries do wear out over time, but following these guidelines will help to keep them working for as long as possible.