Best Vitamix Blender
Vitamix is one of the most respected names in the blender world, and their products are loved by professionals and the public alike. They have built a reputation on reliability and durability, making their blenders the paragon that other brands attempt to match.
They aren’t the cheapest blenders out there, though, so if you are going to invest in one of their machines you’ll want some assurance that it will perform as well as you would expect. In this article, we profile six of the most popular Vitamix Blenders, scrutinizing them all to see which one is truly the best.
- Self-cleaning: Add water and detergent and switch on to clean in 60-seconds
- Aircraft-grade stainless steel blades are robust and efficient
- Heats while blending for great soups and broths
- Comes with a 7-year warranty (as do all Vitamix Blenders)
- 64 oz capacity for larger batch blending
- Dimensions: 8.75 x 7.25 x 20.5
- Weight: 10.56 lbs
- 5 preset programs for better blending and convenience
- Variable speed control allows you to adjust during the blending process
- Grinds nuts, coffee, and seeds
- Heats while blending for hearty soups and sauces
- 64 oz capacity for larger families
- Dimensions: 17.5 x 7.7 x 9.4
- 13 lbs
- 10 variable speeds make blending a dream
- Added pulse feature for stubborn ingredients
- Mixes batter and doughs with ease
- Makes hot and hearty soups and sauces
- 48 oz capacity blending cup for smaller families
- Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 17
- Weight: 11.5 lbs
- Variable speed controls plus a pulse feature
- Built-in wireless connectivity allows you to control the blender via your phone
- Digital timer
- Pair with Vitamix app to unlock 500 recipes and 17 programs
- 64 oz capacity
- Dimensions: 20.5 x 7.25 x 8.75
- Weight: 11 lbs
- 5 program settings make selecting the correct blend consistency easy
- Wireless connectivity to unlock recipes and programs
- Programmable timer for convenience
- Variable speed control plus a pulse feature
- 64 oz capacity for bigger families
- Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 17
- Weight: 14.92 lbs
- 6 program buttons for easy control and smoother blending
- Extremely quiet motor
- Digital display that’s clear and easy to read
- Magnetically secured back plate for easy removal and cleaning
- 48 oz capacity
- Dimensions: 12.8 x 13.8 x 22
- Weight: 12 lbs
This 5200 blender is one of Vitamix’s biggest selling blenders on Amazon. For a Vitamix, it’s reasonably cheap, although it’s still many times the cost of some its class. It has aircraft-grade stainless steel blades, so nothing is too robust for this blender. It also self-cleans: just pop in some water and detergent and switch it on to clean itself in around 60-seconds.
Pros
- Aircraft-grade stainless steel blades
- Self-cleans
- Comes with a 7-year warranty
- Heats while blending
Cons
- Hard to get food cleaned from under the blades
- Very noisy during operation
This professional series blender has a variable speed control that lets you adjust the speed during the blending process. It also has 5 preset buttons to make selecting the correct setting easier, and the heat-while-blending feature will produce great soups and sauces.
Pros
- Heats while blending
- 5 preset programs
- Variable speed control
- 64 oz capacity for larger families
Cons
- Unstable and moves when the motor is on high-speed settings
- Very loud during operation
- Expensive compared to other blenders in its class
This Explorian model is the cheapest in the line-up and is our budget pick. It has a slightly smaller capacity than the professional series (48 oz instead of 64 oz), but that doesn’t mean it isn’t adequately substantial to cater for family size blending. It has 10 variable speeds and a pulse feature for stubborn ingredients. It can mix batter and dough easily, and if a hearty soup is what you’re into, this model will not disappoint.
Pros
- 10 variable speed controls
- Pulse feature
- Heats while blending
- BPA free plastics
Cons
- Gets very hot during use
This A2300 model has a low-profile blending jar so that it can sit on the countertop under standard kitchen cupboards. It has a 64 oz capacity and wireless connectivity to pair with the Vitamix app, giving you 500 recipes and 17 new programs. It has the ability to read the jar size and adjust the blending time automatically, and it also comes with variable speeds and a pulse feature.
Pros
- Wireless connectivity
- 64 oz capacity
- Aircraft-grade steel blades
- Digital timer
Cons
- Food collects on the lid, under the seal
- Doesn’t blend smaller quantities well
This Vitamix is similar to the A2300, but the difference is that it has touchscreen controls and a programmable digital timer. It also has a 64 oz capacity, so blending for the family or for professional use is easy. Let’s not forget that it also has wireless connectivity, which enables the motor base to read the jar size and auto adjust the blending times accordingly.
Pros
- Touchscreen controls
- Programmable digital timer
- 64 oz capacity
- Wireless connectivity
Cons
- The lid can be tricky to get off
- Works even with the lid off, so spills may be an issue
There’s no getting away from the fact that this blender is expensive and requires substantial countertop space as it is aimed at commercial counters in coffee shops and cafes. It has a magnetic removable back plate to make cleaning a breeze, and it’s called the “Quiet One” so you’ll hardly notice when the blender is on.
Pros
- Extremely quiet
- 48 oz capacity
- Magnetic back plate for easy cleaning
- Great for commercial use
Cons
- Very expensive
- The lid doesn’t seal properly
Vitamix Blender Buyer’s Guide
Let’s get the obvious thing out of the way first: Vitamix blenders are not cheap. They are very expensive when compared to other blenders in their class, but they are also truly excellent machines! The customer satisfaction levels are extremely high with these blenders, so it’s obvious to see what that larger price tag gets you.
Choosing the right Vitamix comes down to how you intend to use it. If you want it for the use in a small home or with a small family, then consider one of the cheaper models, like the 5200 or the Explorian. If you want a Vitamix for commercial use, then consider going high end with the 36019 blender because of its quiet motor and removable magnetic back plate.
Beyond capacity, here are some other elements you should keep in mind:
Functions
Do you want variable speed control or pulse functions? What about wireless connectivity? For the right price, anything is possible, and given the cost of an average Vitamix, you’d be forgiven for thinking that you should expect these functions as standard.
Power
Vitamix likes to measure their motors in horsepower, so it’s not surprising to learn that the A2300 model has a 2.3-horsepower motor, which means it’ll pulverize the most robust of ingredients. Even the cheaper models manage to produce 2-horsepower. In wattage terms, that’s the equivalent of 1200 to 1500-watts, making Vitamix blenders among the most powerful machines on the market.
Styling
When it comes to style, Vitamix has stuck to a uniform design here. They aren’t going to win any design awards, and their blenders aren’t the prettiest to look at, but we don’t think that’s what Vitamix is about. They build reliable, efficient blenders, first and foremost, and that’s why almost everyone aspires to own one.
Clever Technology
Aside from digital programmable timers, variable speed control, and unique blade designs, you can now get your Vitamix to connect with an app to unlock recipes and programs. You can also train your Vitamix to automatically recognize the weight of the blending jar and adjust the blend times accordingly.
Product Warranty
Vitamix is so sure that their blenders work and rarely malfunction that they offer a standard 7-year warranty on their products. Accordingly, when you’re spending hundreds on that new Vitamix, you can buy with the confidence that the machine is covered.
Brand Loyalty
Brand loyalty is vital, especially if a company wants to survive in the long-term. Vitamix recognizes this and works hard to nurture their loyal customer base. As we’ve said previously, these blenders aren’t the cheapest on the market, so they have to be good at what they do, and if you look at the Amazon reviews, they score highly for satisfaction and performance.
FAQ
Can my Vitamix work as a juicer?
No. The Vitamix works in a way the pulverizes the fruit into a smooth paste rather than extracting the juice. You need to look for a blender with a juicing function.
How do you clean a Vitamix Blender?
Pop in a few drops of washing up liquid along with a cup or two of water and then switch the machine to the highest setting and switch it on. It should take about a minute. Then pour out the water and rinse it under the tap.
How does the Vitamix heat while blending?
It heats by friction. The speed of the blades causes the liquid to warm, and after about 5-minutes you should have piping hot soup or sauce. It doesn’t, however, heat to boiling temperatures.
Final Thoughts
When choosing a blender, try and get the best you can with your money. Buying a cheaper model might mean having to replace it sooner than you’d like. With a Vitamix, however, you can buy with confidence that it is a quality blender, backed by one of the best names in the business and guaranteed for 7 years.
Our pick for the best Vitamix blender is the 5200 model. It sits at a middle price point; it has a huge capacity; it has variable speed controls that let you adjust the speed while blending; and, best of all, it self-cleans.
