Dynamic, high-powered Vitamix blenders are all the rage, with the brand’s models serving as a consumer-adored, go-to splurge for quite some time. But why? The blenders that cost a few hundred dollars are just that good.
Taking a whole new spin — or should we say, blend? — on pureeing, condensing and even heating up your food and drinks, the multifaceted blender is the gold standard of convenience and precision.
“You can do things you just can’t do in an average blender,” Desiree Nielsen, RD, a Vancouver-based nutritionist and author of the bestselling cookbook, “Eat More Plants,” told the New York Post. “You can make nut butter and turn cashews into cream, so you can turn very dense foods into very smooth and creamy soups or sauces. You don’t get that same effect from a food processor or standard blender.”
RELATED: Best portable blenders we reviewed
The Post Wanted team decided to put three Vitamix models to the test. Specifically, we blended many smoothies, sauces and even homemade hummus for months and are here to relay our impressions, along with the pros and cons for each blender.
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Vitamix is a family-owned company that has been around for 103 years. The brand invented the premium blending category and continues to lead by holding true to the same mission: creating long-lasting machines that deliver exceptional power and performance.
“Vitamix built these high-performing blenders to make whole-food eating easy and delicious, a commitment to healthy eating that continues today,” Ashley Hansen, senior product manager at Vitamix, exclusively told the New York Post. “Each blender has a variety of functions that make it unique across our product line-up.”
“Vitamix machines have been proven to last up to 10 times longer than the average blender, making them an investment in wellness and whole-ingredient cooking you can count on for years, even generations, to come,” Hansen added.
What’s more, Vitamix products’ versatility and ability to create precise textures across a multitude of applications also make them a smart buy. From pureeing to whipping to wet-chopping ingredients for meal prep, a Vitamix is no one-trick pony.
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The Vitamix 5200 Blender has an array of noteworthy features, including variable speed control to achieve a variety of textures, hardened stainless steel blades to chop effectively and a self-cleaning feature to make cleanup ultra easy.
I don’t know about you, but spending upwards of $550 on a blender just seems like a stab to your bank account. It’s not something you can wear or use as a home decor piece per se, but it’s a heavy-duty appliance that’ll last you for years — if you decide to bite the bullet and indulge.
Speaking of bullet, I’ve been using my NutriBullet ($40) for years to make strawberry, banana and almond milk smoothies and it’s the perfect size for me. But, when I’ve wanted to make a summertime mixed drink or anything that requires a food processor, I’ve felt limited.
Luckily, the Vitamix has a large capacity, variable speed control to adjust pulsing levels and texture, and aircraft-grade stainless steel blades that work so quickly they can heat soups. Yeah, pretty amazing.
When I took the Vitamix 5200 Blender out of the box, it just felt sturdy and a great quality kitchen gadget. The thick handle is practical and safe, as is the pour spout for a mess-free transfer. It also comes with a long tamper that “maintains circulation by preventing air pockets from forming during blending,” per Vitamix’s instruction manual.
Impressively, and the cherry on top of all selling points, is its self-cleaning function. Why is this important? Well, if you’ve ever made anything from a blender, you know that cleaning leftover residue and scrubbing all the nooks and crannies can take much effort and stress trying to get it pristine again.
After making smoothies and my homemade romesco sauce for filet mignon (which consisted of throwing in near-whole roasted peppers, may I add), I simply added two pumps of dish soap and warm water, blended it for about thirty seconds, and then repeated the process twice. Though I had to use a sponge to clean off some of the lid, the container was spotless.
I made a multi-step sauce and even homemade hummus with my Vitamix. The variable speed control was a nice touch to control the consistency of the chickpeas I was blending along the way. And, it turned out delicious!
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“Setting up my Vitamix Explorian blender was effortless — open the box and plug it in,” Emma Sutton-Williams, commerce writer/reporter, shared after putting hers to the test. “Its sleek design and compact size make it an excellent fit for New York countertops, where space is often very tight.”
With a 48-ounce container that easily fits under most kitchen cabinets, this Vitamix is both practical and stylish.
“I’ve found that blenders excel at making egg-white cocktails, surpassing any manual shaker,” she said. “As a Pisco Sour enthusiast, I often struggle to achieve the right froth by hand. However, this Vitamix delivers perfect egg-white peaks every time, making my signature drink truly impressive.”
The container is BPA-free and heat-safe, so she tested it with steaming hot soup at 178 degrees — no problem at all. “I like to boil my potatoes and other hearty vegetables and then pull out half of the soup and place it in the Explorian E310 to purée,” she noted. “The results were perfection. My soup had a creamy texture with zero lumps or bumps.”
She then removed the cap and used the long tamper provided to push food around from the top of the blender, coaxing any stubborn pieces to get cut down smoothly by the rotating metal blades.
It offers ten-speed settings, an on/off switch, and a pulse function for quick bursts if you don’t want a super-blended outcome.
“When I was finished, I rinsed it out with water, and it came out squeaky clean,” she said. “The blade isn’t removable, so if anything gets stuck underneath, you might need a long, pliable wire brush. Fortunately, I didn’t need one.”
In fact, Vitamix recommends adding water with a few drops of soap and running the blender for 60 seconds. This method should effortlessly clean it out.
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Holly J Coley, commerce updates editor, has owned multiple Vitamix blenders in her adult life and there’s a reason. “They’re the best blenders. I’ll die on that hill. Come for me,” she highlighted.
The Vitamix A330 is one of her favorites that she has had the pleasure to test (and own). Similar to other blenders, it can blend, puree, grate, chop and liquefy. However, unlike other blender brands, it does all of these things well and then some.
“For context, I have knives, chopping machines and all other culinary tools in my apartment that I rarely use because I have this Vitamix,” Coley noted. “It really can do it all, including puree ingredients at such a high speed that it will turn everything into a literal hot soup, ready to be poured into a bowl and enjoyed.”
This model has a touchscreen and a dial to control speed variables and functions. All of this is laid out in the directions, which you’ll want to read to get the most from the machine. “Truthfully, this is my one major con of the Vitamix, because I hate directions and just want to start cooking,” Coley said. “However, you’ll want to go through it because there’s no way you’ll figure out how to make ice cream, hummus, pesto or really anything else without it. Sure, you’ll be able to blend and chop but you won’t get the most of what the machine is capable of, and that’s really why you’re buying it.”
A hardcover recipe book (with gorgeous pictures), is included in the order and it will really make you want to explore all the fun things that can be done with the blender as well.
“I generally use the Vitamix A330 to make nice cream, which is a healthy version of ice cream made with ice, frozen fruit and protein powder,” Coley explained. “The machine is incredible at pulverizing ice and other hard ingredients like blocks of chocolate, carrots…anything that’s a pain to cut. I don’t recommend using anything that’s prone to staining, such as turmeric, as that will impact the color of the pitcher.”
However, the blender is easy to clean with or without a dishwasher. Coley typically adds water and some soap to hers, covers it with the lid, and then turns on the highest speed. “The power from the machine is enough to remove anything stuck to the sides, and then all I need to do is rinse out the suds,” she concluded.
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“I was blown away by the power and sophisticated technology of Ninja’s newest Detect Duo Power Blender from the moment I first tested it,” Meaghan Roche, senior commerce SEO manager, shared. “I’ve long relied on Ninja’s affordable yet cutting-edge kitchen appliances (like my favorite air fryer), but was especially impressed by the new BlendSense Technology that allows this blender to automatically adjust power, speed and time based on any ingredients you toss in; all the work is done for you.”
And speaking of work, this blender is powerful with up to 1800 watts to cut through even the toughest ingredients. Yes, even ice is neatly blended in to cool your drink without the crunchy ice rocks that so many blenders leave behind.
“Additionally, I can’t say enough about what a great value this duo blender offers,” Roche added. “The huge 72-ounce full-size pitcher (yes, it’s bigger than my head) is more than enough capacity for a party, and the two 24-ounce single-serve cups are ultra convenient for small batches and smoothies on the go, complete with spout lids.”
In most cases, the single cup is all Roche needs for a post-workout treat, but she said she’s excited to start making her own sauces and even frozen drinks with the big batch pitcher. “If you’ve ever had to clean up after blending, you already know the best part about this Ninja is that the containers, lids and blades are safe for the top-rack of the dishwasher,” she noted.
Here is the testing criteria the Post Wanted team used when using each blender:
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