Axton Reed

Another quick check is the gasket orientation on the blade assembly: if the flat side isn’t against the jar the metal collar can rub and sound like grinding even when the ring is only hand snug. Unplug it and spin the base’s drive coupler and the jar’s blade hub separately; any notchiness, wobble, or black rubber crumbs around the coupler means it’s slipping/chattering rather than a motor bearing. Also make sure the base sits flat and the jar is fully clocked into the lugs - being slightly mis-seated can make the gears chatter and amplify vibration. If the water test plus these tweaks quiet it, it was resonance/fit; if not, push for a jar or coupler swap under warranty before it gets worse.

Adding one thing - Agree with that - also look for a real raised lip around the screen and cameras (about 1 mm) and a softer TPU bumper since hard clear polycarbonate shells are the ones that tend to crack on short drops. If you want slim but tough and the sweet spot is a hybrid with TPU sides, air-cushion corners, and a thin PC back paired with a tempered glass screen protector, so you get corner and face-down protection without much bulk. Bonus points for a grippy microtexture and a solid warranty or drop-replacement program in case the shell does fail.

Oh, I feel your pain and my blender did the same thing last month after I got it. First off and make sure the lid is on tight because some have a safety feature that won't let it run otherwise. Works like a charm once that's set. If that's not it, try pressing the reset button if there's one on the base, sometimes they trip for no reason. And hey, if you're still stuck, maybe ask a grandkid to take a look, mine always figures out these gadgets faster than I do.

Just email them all saying 'Hey team, conflicting priorities here - can we hop on a quick call to rank these tasks?'

Only push once if you add real info. Say you have a higher offer but prefer them and ask if they can meet a specific number. "If you can do X total comp, I will sign today."