It can be quite a challenge to find a good blender with a glass jar.
There is not a lot of options in the market as most blender jars are made of plastics. Very often, appliances or containers made of glass are also more expensive than their plastics counterparts.
However, the Oster Blender Pro 1200 with glass jar is a very affordable blender.
The main blender jar is a 48-oz Boroclass glass jar, but you also get a free 24-oz BPA-free plastic smoothie to-go cup. You can even get the food processor attachment and the entire blender-food processor combo will still cost under $100.
Another plus point for this blender is its all-metal drive connection, which is more durable than the commonly-used plastic drive. Overall, it feels more solid and is better-built compared to blenders in the same price range.
To cap it off, you get a solid 3-year warranty for the blender parts and a 10-year warranty for the motor and metal drive shaft.
But this Oster glass blender also has its share of disadvantages.
Let’s quickly dive into the details.
Delivers Peak Power of 1200 Watts/16 Horsepower
The Oster Blender Pro 1200 boosts a pretty high peak power of 1200 watts.
BUT it is important to note that what’s being advertised is the peak power delivered. The actual delivered power when it is continuously blending is much lower.
We have to remember that this Oster glass blender is ultimately in the low to mid-range blender market. Hence, we should not be expecting the average blending power of the Oster Blender Pro 1200 to match those of high-end blenders, such as Vitamix (which are advertised at peak 1400 watts).
Having said that, the Oster Blender Pro 1200 have no problems delivering smooth drinkable green smoothies. Sometimes, it may need just a little longer.
Larger Blades with Dual Direction Technology
The blender spins the blades in the forward and reverse directions during the pre-programmed settings for better blending results. The blades are also 50% larger than previous Oster blender series.
Easy to Use Touch Buttons
Oster blenders are generally simple to use, including the Pro 1200.
In terms of operating the blender, there are a total of 9 buttons on the control panel. The buttons are well-labelled and intuitive to use.
You can enjoy one-touch blending with the 3 pre-programmed blending cycles for Green/Frozen Smoothies, Food Chop/Salsa and Milkshakes.
However, I find that the Green/Frozen Smoothie could be a little too short for some of my leafy greens. It took a bit more extra blending time, but eventually the blender does the job of delivering a reasonably smooth green smoothie.
The manual controls are limited to 3 speed settings (low, medium and high) and a pulse button.
You can press on the Stop button to stop any non-pulse blending. And pretty self-explanatory, the On/Off button is used to power on or off the unit.
Blade Assembly Could Be Dangerous
I don’t like that the blades are not fixed to the base of the blender jar.
You have to place the blade into the threaded jar bottom then place the sealing ring over the blades. After that, carefully make sure that the sealing ring snap into the locking groove, using your fingers or the back of a spoon.
You have to be very careful when assembly the blades as they are very sharp.
After the blade is safely and firmly assembled to the jar bottom, turn the glass blender jar upside-down and screw the blade assembly to the base of the jar.
IMPORTANT: You need to screw the blade assembly to the bottom of the glass jar tightly to prevent the jar from leaking from the bottom.
Look Out for the “Locking Tab”
When assembling the Oster blender glass jar onto the motor base, look out for the “locking tab” on the side of the blender jar bottom and set it into position in the motor base.
There is no twist-and-lock mechanism. Instead, the “locking tab” serves as a lever to hold the blender in place.
Loud
The blender does sound loud and strained, especially when blending ice and frozen fruits.
Check out these helpful tips from Oster for crushing ice:
When crushing ice cubes (without water), use up to 6 large ice cubes with the Pulse button.
When crushing ice with liquid, there is no limit on the number of ice cubes to be used. Make sure that the jar is filled with enough water until the ice floats, and blend on high speed.
As the blender uses sharp blades (instead of blunt blades like Vitamix), the blades could get dull over time if it is heavily used on tasks such as crushing ice.
Difficult to Get Replacement Gasket
It’s great that the Oster blender is durable. Unfortunately not all parts can last so long without replacement.
One of the biggest complaints by existing users is the lack of replacement gasket. Some have even resorted to making their own DIY silicone gasket.
What can you make with the Oster Blender Pro 1200?
The Oster blender is highly versatile and multi-functional. It does a decent job out of crushing ice, pureeing baby food, making nut milk, making salsa, and blending smoothies, salad dressing, sauces and dips, frozen dessert and frozen/icy drinks.
What can you NOT make with the Oster Blender Pro?
However, it is not high powered enough to mill grains into flour or make nut butters. Not to mention, cleaning up the greasy sealing ring and blender parts from processing oily ingredients can be a nightmare.
Even though the glass jar for Oster blender can handle hot liquids, it cannot be used to make hot soups.
IMPORTANT: When handling hot ingredients in the glass blender jar, make sure that you take off the filler cap to prevent the build up of pressure from the steam. NEVER blend hot ingredients in the smoothie cup.
How to Clean the Oster Blender Pro 1200 with Glass Jar?
The Oster glass jar blender can be self-cleaned by running the blender with soapy water for 20-30 seconds using the low or medium speed, followed by a clean water rinse.
For a more thorough cleaning, you can dissemble all the parts. The glass jar, smoothie cup, jar lid, filler cap, blades and sealing ring are dishwasher safe. But I find it easy enough to hand wash them in warm soapy water.
What Accessories Can I Get?
You can also purchase the compatible 5-cup food processor attachment so that the Oster Pro 1200 becomes a blender-food processor combo. It comes with a stainless-steel metal slicing disk and a s-blade.
PROS
- Affordable
- 48-oz blender jar made of glass
- Comes with a 24-ounce smoothie cup (BPA-free plastic) and sip-and-seal lid
- Stainless blades
- Dual direction blade technology for better blending results
- Larger blade design vs previous models
- All-metal drive connection
- 3 speed buttons and a pulse button for manual controls
- 3 pre-programmed blending cycles for smoothies, food chop and milkshakes
- Filler cup that doubles as a 2-ounce measuring cup
- Dishwasher safe
- BPA-free
- Generous warranty
- Food processor attachment can be purchased separately
CONS
- No tamper
- Blade assembly can be dangerous due to the sharp blades
- Difficult to find replacement parts
Specifications
- Weight: 10 Ibs
- Dimension: 7.25 x 8 x 14.25 inches
- Blender jar capacity: 48 oz
- Smoothie cup capacity: 24 ox
- Color: Brushed Nickel
- Peak Power: 1200 watts, 1.6 hp
- Cord Length: 16 inches
- Warranty: 3-year warranty for blender parts and 10 year warranty of all-metal motor and drive connections
FAQs
Are glass blenders good?
The key benefits of glass are its resistance to scratches, stains, odors and temperature. Compared to plastic blender jars, glass jar will not discolour and will not retain odors. This can help to prevent the blended liquids from taking on unwanted flavors.
The surfaces of the plastic jar may become scratched over time, especially when used for crushing ice, marring its clear surface. Not only does the glass jar retain its good looks longer, the smoother surface also makes it easier to clean.
Glass is also BPA-free, so you don’t have to worry about health risks.
Over the years, plastic pitchers have become more popular with blender manufactures because of their shatterproof properties which can withstand our demands for high speed blending. As a result, you will find that high-end high-powered blenders, such as Vitamix and Blendtec, do not offer a glass blender jar. Vitamix has introduced a new stainless-steel pitcher as an alternative to plastics in 2020.
The downsides of glass jars are that they are heavier and more fragile.
Blenders with glass jars typically have less power and may be under powered for tasks such as making nut butter or milling grains into flour.
Why are the lights on my Oster blender blinking?
Flashing blue light indicates that the blender is ready to be used.
Final Verdict
I would recommend the Oster Blender Pro 1200 for those who are looking for an affordable entry-level countertop blender with glass jar.
It is probably the best glass jar blender you can get for this price range, considering its versatility and durability. It works well as a personal blender with the free 24-oz smoothie to-go cup. You can also purchase the food processor attachment so that the Oster Pro can help you with food prep.
The blender has an all-metal drive connection, which is more durable than the plastic parts used by most of its peers. The 3 year warranty is also very generous compared to blenders of its price range.
Operating the blender is easy. However, manually assembling the blades can be hazardous as the blades are very sharp. If you are someone who is very clumsy, you might want to look out for other blenders with a fixed blade assembly. Similarly, if you are going to use the blender everyday, you might find it more inconvenient.
The Oster Pro 1200 blender does a decent job. But if you are looking for a blender that delivers consistently high power to handle tough ingredients, you’ll still need a more expensive blender such as the Vitamix or Blendtec.