Blender Leaking? 5 Steps to Stopping That Leak

Is your blender leaking? The culprit might surprise you. Here are 5 steps to stopping that leak.

Trying to make a breakfast smoothie early in the morning, only to end up with a messy kitchen, is a nightmare, to say the least. The thing with blenders is that there’s no middle ground with them. They either operate perfectly or repaint your kitchen walls in seconds.

To be fair, they rely on strong motors to spin their blades at unbelievable speeds, so it’s not always entirely their fault. When they work normally, they’re life-savers. Imagine trying to prepare some salsa by hand! It would take hours and a lot of effort.

That being said, I know you didn’t come here to hear me talk about how wonderful they are. You need answers, and you need them fast.

There are many reasons why your blender might be leaking. From user error to worn-out gaskets, the list of possibilities can go on and on. Luckily, you don’t have to do the research, as I’ve already taken care of it for you.

Below, you’ll find a compendium of the most common reasons why your blender is leaking, you’ll be surprised at how many of them can be fixed in seconds, never to be worried about again.

Are you ready? Let’s get that blender back to normal!

Fixing a Leaky Blender

A leaky blender is never good news, but as I said above, more often than not, fixing it is very simple and quick. Your trusted blender might be leaking due to:

• A cracked lid
• User error
• Overfilling
• A cracked jar
• A broken or worn out gasket

At this point, you’re probably wondering what I mean by “user error”. Be patient, I promise you’ll laugh when you read it.

#1 A Cracked Lid

As it happens to many other things in life, blender components wear out. If your blender is suddenly leaking, the first thing you want to take a look at is your lid.

It’s very easy to miss at first, as you don’t expect this problem to be present in your appliance. Sometimes, the crack or tear is not even visible unless you really try to spot it. Unfortunately, you don’t need to be able to see it for it to wreak havoc.

And while this problem is much more common in old appliances, even new ones could have it, all it takes is an accidental drop, careless washing, or even poor transportation conditions in your manufacturer’s supply chain.

Solution: Check your blender’s lid for tearing.

You can do this simply by removing it from the blender, turning it upside down and putting some water on it. If you see any droplets coming out the other end, you’ve solved the mystery, and you’ll need to replace it.

 #2 User Error

Did you put the lid on properly? This is something you might think is obvious, but you’d be surprised at how many times, people with leaky blenders find this to be the issue, and laugh it off.

There’s a very good chance that your blender is fine, and the leaking is coming from a lid that was not properly pushed down all the way. Hey! I don’t blame you, life gets hectic now and then, and something like this is very easy to miss.

Solution: I know this sounds ridiculous, but you could try putting a post-it on your blender, it works great for me.

#3 Don’t Overfill It!

Believe it or not, even if you make sure to push your blender’s lid all the way down, you might still find yourself in the middle of a food hurricane.

If your blender is leaking, you might be overfilling it. This can happen very easily, especially if your appliance is small or designed for single batches. With blenders, it’s all about centrifugal force. When the blades are activated, they push the food upwards before shredding it to pieces.

Exceeding your blender’s maximum capacity can cause the lid to be pushed slightly upwards, just enough to let some of its contents seep out.

Solution: Use your blender responsibly. If your appliance is small, but you love preparing several margaritas at a time to please your guests, it might be a good idea to get a larger one.

 #4 There’s a Crack in Your Jar

Hairline fractures on your blender’s jar might sound unimportant, but trust me, they are not.

Blender jars are designed to be extremely resistant to temperature, moisture, and many other elements, but they’re not indestructible. If you’ve ever accidentally dropped or hit yours, it might have cracked. In fact, sometimes it’s not even something you did, but quick temperature changes.

I’ve heard of some people having this issue when they keep their blenders in a very cool spot, and suddenly pour boiling water into them. This can cause a spontaneous reaction in the tempered glass and damage it.

And by that, I don’t mean penny-sized holes on the side of it, I mean hairline fractures so small, you would not be able to spot them unless you were really looking.

As opposed to rice cookers, blender jars cannot be fixed with food-grade epoxy.

I mean, they can, but given the amount of force they have to withstand while operating, patching the cracks is neither a sustainable, nor durable solution.

Solution: Get a new blender jar.

I know you were probably hoping for a more helpful answer, but trust me, this is the best choice you can make. Trying to fix and patch it will not work in the long run, and will probably keep causing you trouble and leaking all over your kitchen countertop.

Getting a replacement is tricky, as not all jars will work on all blenders. You’ll either have to contact your manufacturer or look online for the part that corresponds to your blender’s model. 

#5 Your Gasket Is Broken

Last, but definitely not least, is the possibility of a broken gasket.

In case you’re not familiar with it, a blender gasket is a small rubber ring that goes between the bottom of the jar, and the body of the blender’s motor, right where the blades are positioned.

This essential little component is solely responsible for creating a leak-proof seal between both parts. When it breaks or wears out too much, its containment capacity is severely compromised, resulting in a watery disaster.

If I had to take a guess, I’d say this is most likely your issue, as damaging your jar or your lid is much more complicated than having your gasket wear out.

Who would have thought a small piece of rubber could be so important?

Solution: If you find your gasket to be broken or worn out, you’ll have to replace it. Click here to learn more.

As opposed to your jar, finding a good gasket replacement is extremely simple. Any hardware store near you should have them, and if you’re not feeling like leaving the house, you can also order them online. All you have to do is measure the diameter of yours to make sure the new one will fit tightly.

Do You Need to Call a Professional?

The answer is complicated.

It all depends on the status of your warranty, and the cost of the repairs. If you’re still under coverage, the best thing to do is call your manufacturer when your blender is leaking to have them fix it. Under normal circumstances, they should be able to help you out for free.

That being said, most blender manufacturers will not make your warranty valid if the damage came from an accidental drop or extraordinary operating conditions, so keep that in mind.

Also, if the damaged part is your gasket, waiting for days or weeks to get it replaced is not worth it, you can definitely tackle that one yourself.

On the other hand, if you’re no longer under warranty coverage, and you have a broken jar, it’s usually best to get a new blender altogether, as a spare will cost you nearly as much, and finding the right model can be a Herculean task.

Conclusion

When your blender is leaking, your kitchen can become a mess really fast. These appliances are just as good at destroying, as they are at creating.

More often than not, this occurrence is not related to a faulty part, but improper operation or exceeding the appliance’s maximum capacity. It’s always advised to read your user manual and make sure you’re operating it adequately, as failing to do so could result in malfunction or injury to you.

While having this issue is never convenient, blenders are relatively simpler and more user-friendly than other household appliances when it comes to troubleshooting and repairs, so addressing the leaks should not be too challenging.

That being said, it’s always a good idea to check your warranty coverage before tampering with your appliance, as some DIYs could void it and leave you stranded, and unable to get a replacement from your manufacturer.

Thank you for reading. I hope the information provided above was helpful to you. If you learned something valuable today, why not keep expanding your knowledge with our wonderful resources below?

Happy troubleshooting!