It takes A LOT of guesswork in a standard food blender to make a drink with ice. That’s why picking between the Margaritaville Key West vs Bahamas is a great idea. Not only are both blenders perfect for mixing cocktails at the touch of a button. But they also feature premium-grade blades that shave, not crush, ice which is 100% times better!
The Margaritaville Key West is the better opponent than the Margaritaville Bahamas for mixing cocktails at home. It has pre-programmed functions for 1-3 servings. It has a larger ice reservoir in a more portable and compact design. And the glass pitcher is sturdy and strong with dishwasher-safe parts.
The Bahamas, I would like to think, is good for beginners and solo drinkers. Though it has the same jar size as the Key West – 36 ounces – its plastic jar seems basic and has only a single button for blending.
Margaritaville Key West vs Bahamas: Comparision Chart
Last update on 2024-07-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Margaritaville Key West vs Bahamas: Differences
The ease with which you can make a margarita, or any other drink with ice, on the Key West is unprecedented. And for many other reasons, which I’ve stated below, the Key West wins 3 – 0 against the Bahamas.
While both the Key West and Bahamas have basic functions in common, the Key West is slightly more upgraded with pre-programmed settings and a glass pitcher.
1. Blending Performance
The Winner: Margaritaville Key West
+Motor
Possessing the same jar capacity and drink size, the Margaritaville Key West and Bahamas also feature two modes of blending: automatic and manual. But what’s different, and in favor of the Key West, is the power rating.
It’s a battle of wits if you’d like, between 550 vs 450 – with the same size and blending features. So here, power is a key feature that separates the functionalities of both blenders. And the Key West comes out at the top as being more powerful and sturdy to use for frozen drinks.
2. Controls / Settings
The Winner: Margaritaville Key West
+Pre-Programmed Settings
Now, for an ice blender, the Margaritaville is quite versatile and productive to use. I say this because it features 3 different drink settings in relation to the size of the drink you want to blend.
The Key West lets you pick from 1, 2, and 3 drink servings at the touch of a button. You don’t have to worry about blending the drink a bit longer or ruining the icy texture of the drink. With these pre-programmed settings, you leave the timing and speed settings to the machine itself.
On the Margarita Bahamas, you will find a single pre-programmed setting. While both blenders come with 3 drink servings capacity, in the Bahamas, you don’t have the precision in blending programmability the way you do on the Key West.
+Ice Capacity
Speaking of sizes, I would also like to point out that both the Key West and Bahamas feature a separate ice reservoir on top of the blending jar. This means you don’t need to separately add crushed ice to your cocktail after blending it.
Plus, the beauty of the Margaritaville blenders, both Key West and Bahamas, is that they shave ice, not crush ice. This creates the perfect cocktail texture, especially for a drink like margarita. The drinking experience of frozen drinks is more favorable and memorable, rather than stiff which is what crushed ice can taste like.
But the Margaritaville Key West features a larger ice reservoir than the Bahamas. It can store up to 3 jars of ice for making 3 cocktails at once. While the Bahamas stores only 1 jar of ice at a time in its reservoir. If you’re making 3 cocktails at once, you have to refill the ice reservoir with more ice after the first drink.
Both blenders feature a 36-ounce jar for blending.
3. Cleaning & Maintenance
The Winner: Margaritaville Key West
+Material
The Key West is a sturdier and stronger blender for frozen drinks. This is because its jar is made up of high-quality and durable glass. And since the pitcher is made of glass, it’s heavier and very well-constructed.
There are many benefits to using glass in a blender for frozen drinks than plastic. The Bahamas features a pitcher made of thick plastic. For starters, glass is more long-lasting. It is also food-friendly and is less likely to crack than plastic even with a high blending speed.
The glass pitcher of the Key West cleans very quickly. It disassembles for rinsing and takes only a few seconds to re-assemble. You can also use another plastic pitcher on the Key West if you’d like, as it is compatible for interchangeable use.
The plastic base of the Bahamas container is prone to cracks but it is also quick and simple to clean. It’s heavy-duty with a wide base. The only benefit of using plastic instead of glass is the risk of breaking it is non-existent. With glass, you do run the risk of breaking the pitcher. Even if you drop plastic, it won’t break. But cracks are to be expected.
+Size
Despite having a smaller ice reservoir, but the same jar size as the Key West, the Bahamas has a wider and taller design. So it is bulkier to keep on the countertop than the Key West. So make sure you have plenty of room on the countertop for this beast.
Conversely, the Key West is heavier (19.8 lbs) because of its glass pitcher. The plastic pitcher on the Bahamas sheds some of the weight which is why it’s at 15.7 lbs.
But when it comes to using a frozen concoction blender, the heavier the better. So the relatively compact and heavy build of the Key West is more favorable.
Margaritaville Key West vs Bahamas: Similarities
1. Blending Capacity
Barring the 1, 2, and 3 servings buttons on the Key West, both blenders offer the same blending size from 1 to 3 servings. They both feature the same 36-ounce jar. So you can make bar-quality drinks at home for multiple people at the same time.
This is, on its own, already an upgrade from standard one-drink blenders. The design and functionality of the Margaritaville blenders allow large quantities without making a fuss.
2. Automatic Blending
Both blenders shave the ice automatically. And the performance is such that the blades do not crush but shave the ice. This creates the more drinkable and appetizing texture of the ice which is perfect for frozen cocktails or mocktails. You can also make other drinks like an iced frappe with these blenders.
The automatic blending is quick, accurate, and more importantly, consistent. Even for blending 3 servings at a time, it won’t lose speed.
The automatic shave and blender feature on both blenders stops automatically. From the ice reservoir, the machines how much ice to add to the pitcher (with the pre-programmed features of the Key West) and when to stop blending before the ice turns to water.
This is a common complaint with standard blenders which is why buying a separate frozen blender for making cocktails is very important.
3. Dishwasher-Safe Parts
One minor inconvenience about both the Margaritaville Key West vs Bahamas is that they do not feature a self-dispensing function. This means you will need to disassemble the pitcher after use to rinse it in the kitchen sink.
But, thankfully, you can also clean the pitchers in the dishwasher.
I would like to point out that both blenders feature jars that are spill-proof thanks to the easy-pour spout. So you shouldn’t expect any mess, to begin with, for cleaning. For the quick rinse after making a drink, the jar handle makes it easy and quick to access. Plus, the dishwasher-safe parts ensure long-lasting performance and build quality.
Quick Rundown of Margaritaville Key West
- Makes up to 2.5 pitchers of frozen concoctions thanks to its extra-large ice reservoir
- Creates premium shaved ice rather than crushed ice like a blender, for an authentic frozen concoction experience. Key West Frozen Concoction Maker with 36-ounce blending jar for creating fun, tropics-inspired party drinks
- Includes 4 pre-programmed drink settings, plus automatic shave 'n blend cycle and manual blend only/shave only cycles
- Easy-pour Jar allows you to mix your concoction, then just pop open the hatch and pour it
- Measures 9 x 14 x 19 inches; All parts dishwasher safe; 1-year limited warranty; Powered by 450 watts
Last update on 2024-07-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Quick Rundown of Margaritaville Bahamas
- FROZEN DRINK MAKER: Nothing captures island-inspired delight like this versatile frozen beverage maker
- PRECISE MEASUREMENTS: No-brainer mixer is designed with markings up the side for precise measurements
- EASY TO USE: Easy to use with automatic and manual controls that shaves and blends, blends only, or shaves only; automatic shave and blend cycle mixes the perfect amounts of ice with ingredients; manual features allow you to choose between blend or shave only
- EASY TO POUR JAR: Features easy-pour jar for a quick, clean pour without the hassle of removing/replacing the lid
- WHAT'S INCLUDED: Bahamas margarita machine includes 1 36-ounce pitcher and 1 no-brainer measuring cup; (L x W x H): 14 x 9 x 18 inches
Last update on 2024-07-25 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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References
- Margaritaville Key West from Margaritaville https://www.margaritavillecargo.com/key-west.html
- Margaritaville Bahamas from Margarirtaville https://www.margaritavillecargo.com/bahamas.html
I am sure you love food. Otherwise, you won’t be here. As a full-time and a part-time chef at a local restaurant, I know my way around food. Ever since I was a young girl, I enjoyed helping my mom in the kitchen.
We would often experiment with the spices, ingredients, and flavors and create great meals for my brothers and dad. Since cocking was my first passion, I decided to go in that direction. I finished culinary school, got my first job, and started developing my skills.
Later when kids came, I had all the liberty in the kitchen to combine some of the unique flavors. A lot of them were a success, but now and there I would make a couple of mistakes.