Question 1

Is it BPA free?

Accepted Answer

The information about plastics is completely wrong.  The only plastic that sometimes has BPA is polycarbonate, which is a number 7 inside the triangle.  However,

A: 7 means 'other' - lots of other kinds of  plastic are also numbered 7.  
B: there are now a lot of BPA polycarbonate plastics (which are also numbered 7).

This means that there are two ways you can know if something is BPA-free. First, if the number in the triangle is 6 or below.  Second, if the number is 7 but the manufacturer guarantees that the material is BPA free (and you don't think they're lying).

For anyone curious, a 1 is Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which can be stiff if it's thick enough but is more commonly thin and semi-flexible.  This is the clear plastic most disposable drink bottles are made of, along with a lot of other things.  Manufacturers love it because it's appealing to the eye and cheap.  There are some cancer concerns related to it, but I don't know if they've been substantiated.  This and polycarbonate are the only two plastics that I'm aware of having any health issues raised about them.  2 is high density polyethylene (HDPE) which is rigid but either cloudy or opaque.  3 is polyvinyl chloride, aka vinyl, very flexible and often semi-transparent.  A lot of shampoo bottles, for instance, are made of this.   4 is low density polyethylene (LDPE) which is cloudy or opaque and more flexible than HDPE though less than vinyl.  5 is polypropylene (PP) which is tough, high temperature-resistant, easily made food-safe and generally rigid.  It is also cloudy or opaque.  6 is polystyrene, which is what is commonly called styrofoam, although this is actually no longer correct (which is good, because the original styrofoam had a lot health concerns associated with it), but so are some other rigid light-weight plastics.  Anything you think of as 'styrofoam' (e.g. disposable hot-liquid cups) is almost guaranteed to be polystyrene, but so are some other rigid light-weight plastics.  And, as stated above, 7 means 'other' which includes multiple kinds of plastics/resins, including polycarbonate (with or without Bisphenyl A, aka BPA).

All of this information is widely available from reputable sources, online and otherwise.  There are plenty of problems with using plastics - considering that they are petroleum-derived products and unlike glass cannot be recycled back to the same grade material they started with (they can only be 'downcycled') - without spreading information.

Question 2

Would this work well for making blended margaritas? I'm nervous about frequently blending ice.

Accepted Answer

Let me preface by saying really like my bullet. For the price paid  ($40) it's been great. I use it primarily for smoothies but commonly end up with things being a tad less blended  (ice leaves a few rounded small chunks) than I would like. If smoothies were all I cared about I would stay with this. I've had it about 6 years and like the ease of quick single serve smoothies. Now I am looking for something new because I have NOT been able to get the nice blended margarita consistency I want (like ice for snow cones). Also, now I'm in a position to spend more money than I had when I purchased this.

Question 3

Does it chop nuts?

Accepted Answer

I recommend the slap chop for nuts.

Question 4

Would this work for hummus?

Accepted Answer

No, it worked for a couple of times for hummus and then the third time I made hummus it broke.  And I only had it for less than a year and I didn't use it very often

ASIN	B012T634SM
Best Sellers Rank	#211 in Home & Kitchen ( See Top 100 in Home & Kitchen ) #8 in Kitchen Small Appliances
Blade Material	Stainless Steel
Brand Name	Magic Bullet
Capacity	22 fluid ounces
Color	Silver
Container Count	6
Container Material	Plastic
Control Type	Push Button
Controls Type	Push Button
Customer Reviews	4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars (120,942)
Global Trade Identification Number	00856915005155
Included Components	Cross-blade, Lid, Party Mug, Recipe Guide, Short Cup, Tall Cup
Item Dimensions D x W x H	4.5"D x 4"W x 11.8"H
Item Type Name	Hi-Speed Blender/Mixer System
Item Weight	3.3 pounds
Manufacturer	Magic Bullet
Manufacturer Contact Information	Los Angeles, CA 90025, US
Material	Plastic
Material Type Free	BPA Free
Model Number	MBR-1101
Number of Items	1
Number of Packs	1
Number of Speeds	6
Other Special Features of the Product	Compact, Dishwasher Safe, Lightweight, Single Serve
Part Number	MBR - 1101
Power Source	Corded Electric
Recommended Uses For Product	Blending, Chopping, Grinding, Mixing, Whipping
Style	Countertop Blenders
UPC	856915005155
Unit Count	1 Count
Voltage	120 volts
Warranty Description	5 Year Warranty
Warranty Type	Limited Warranty
Wattage	250 watts

Personal Blender for Shakes, Smoothies, Food Prep, and Frozen Blending, 22 Ounces, 250 Watt, Silver, MBR-1101

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