Ready to Invest in a Vitamix Blender? This Is the One We Recommend Most (2024)

Our Top Picks

Recall Note: In June 2024, Vitamix and the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced an expanded recall on a set of accessories: 8- and 20-ounce cups and removable small blades compatible with many Ascent and Venturist models. The cups can detach from the blade while it is spinning, which can cause injury. The affected items are compatible with the Ascent A2500, but they were only sold separately or in bundles, and the standard model does not include them. The motor bases, standard blades, and full-sized pitchers for Ascent blenders are not involved in the recall. If you have any of the recalled items, you can contact Vitamix for a free self-installed repair kit.

The Ascent series is Vitamix's flagship line, with huge power, great design, and simple controls. Of the four Ascent blenders we tested, the A2500 was our favorite thanks not only to its smoothie performance but also to its smart features. It has speed and timer settings that adjust automatically to the container size you're using, as well as whether you're crushing ice, blending raw produce, or pureeing a soup. In our kale smoothie test, this model left behind the fewest fibrous bits in the strainer, making a frothy and truly even-textured drink. The half-gallon jar is a boon for large recipes, but it causes problems for small ones: Our test peanut butter stuck to the pitcher before it could get fully ground, and we had a lot of trouble trying to scrape down the sides. (There are a variety of smaller containers and other accessories you can use with the A2500, but they're sold separately.)

Capacity: 64 ounces | Power: 2.2 horsepower | Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 17 inches | Weight: 11.86 pounds

The Vitamix E310 has many of the brand's great features for a comparatively low price. Its 10 speed options give you control over whether you get a slushy frozen margarita or smooth milkshake, and the power and vortex motion kept everything from sticking to the sides of the 48-ounce pitcher in testing. It's the second-cheapest Vitamix we tested, and it well outperformed the lowest-priced Vitamix ONE (which has since been discontinued anyway). We also love how compact the blender is compared to other models, making it easy to store in or under a cabinet.

The E310's 2-horsepower motor puts it among the most powerful blenders in general, but it's weaker than the other Vitamixes on this list. It did a great job at crushing ice quickly and efficiently, while its smoothie and peanut butter left a little something to be desired in testing. There were fibrous bits and chunks of peanut left over after the same amount of blending that yielded perfectly even texture with more expensive models. Still, you can't beat this price for a real Vitamix.

Capacity: 48 ounces | Power: 2 horsepower | Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 18 inches | Weight: 10.5 pounds

The newest model on this list, the Vitamix Propel 750 has the same 2.2-horsepower motor, 64-ounce capacity, and preset programs that make the A2500 great. It also left behind no kale chunks or protein powder clumps when we tested it with smoothies, but that's not the big reason we've included it here. That would be the Propel 750's ability to cook soup all by itself. The blades can actually spin so fast that they will heat the contents of the pitcher to steaming through friction. It's a fun feature that really did work when we tried it out. On top of that, the Propel's pitcher and lid are dishwasher-safe, something none of the other Vitamix models can claim. On the downside, the Propel 750 is the most expensive base model on our list, and the extra functions might not be worth the extra money to every user.

Capacity: 64 ounces | Power: 2.2 horsepower | Dimensions: 9 x 7.5 x 18 inches | Weight: 10 pounds

In contrast to the A2500, the Vitamix 5300 is straightforward — and fully manual, with a continuous speed-control dial and a pulse switch. It produced the silkiest smoothie in our tests after only a minute of blending, leaving behind only a little more grit in the strainer than the A2500. It's also a little bit cheaper than the A2500 as a nice bonus. Our main complaint is that the 5300 got pretty messy. The lid didn't fit super-snugly and tended to drip when we removed it. The included tamper also doesn't make a good seal with the oversized hole in the lid, and bits of smoothie and peanut butter spattered out in testing.

Capacity: 48 ounces | Power: 2.2 horsepower | Dimensions: 7.25 x 8.75 x 17.25 inches | Weight: 12 pounds

The short, squat pitchers included with most Vitamix blenders help save space for storage, but they're not as good at funneling all the ingredients into the blades as the tall jar that comes with the 5200. We loved how the shape created a powerful vortex to pull in all the smoothie ingredients and peanuts and make a consistent blend. It has the same 64-ounce capacity as the largest Vitamix models, but it's better than them at handling small batches. You can easily puree anything from smoothies to nut butter to nut milk and know the results will be smooth and consistent every time. It’s a favorite in our test kitchen.

On the other hand, the 5200 doesn't have the Ascent series' control bells and whistles — no timers or automated settings. It's also more difficult to clean since it's hard to squeeze a sponge all the way into the bottom of the pitcher. You can run some soap and hot water through a blend cycle to help loosen stuck-on food, but we didn't find that to be the full "self-cleaning" function the brand promises and still had to go back for manual scrubbing.

Capacity: 64 ounces | Power: 2 horsepower | Dimensions: 20.5 x 8.75 x 7.25 inches | Weight: 10.6 pounds

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I clean a Vitamix blender?

  Many Vitamix machines have a self-clean setting. You fill the container halfway with warm water, add a couple drops of dish soap, and run the machine to loosen anything stuck to the blade and sides. Then you can just pour out the dirty water and let the pitcher air-dry — in theory. We didn't find the self-clean setting to work perfectly and generally had to take off the pitcher and blades to hand-wash with a sponge.

  You should never submerge the base of any blender in water or rinse it under the tap; to remove stains and spills, unplug the machine and wipe the base down with a damp sponge.

• Are Vitamix blenders dishwasher-safe?

  That depends on the model. Vitamix Propel blenders have pitchers and lids that can go in the dishwasher, but the brand's other blenders mostly do not. Check your model's user manual to be sure. No matter what, you should put only the pitcher and lid in the dishwasher; it can dull and corrode the blade itself.

• Where are Vitamix blenders made?

  Vitamix blenders are made in Olmstead Falls, Ohio. The company started in 1921 as a mail-order seller of vitamins and health foods, and released its first electric blender (then called the Vita-Mix) in 1937.

• How long do Vitamix blenders last?

  With the proper care, a Vitamix can last for 10 years or more. That means washing it after every use, keeping the blades clean and dry, and avoiding taxing the motor with hard spices, coffee beans, or other ingredients a blender isn't meant to handle. All Vitamix blenders come with a 5- or 10-year warranty, and some have the option to purchase an extended warranty.

• Can you use a Vitamix blender as a food processor?

  Not really. A food processor works quite differently than a blender, with sharper and slower-spinning blades that chop food into uniform pieces rather than a blender's duller, faster blades that crush and pulverize. It's possible to chop tomato and onion for something like salsa fresca in a blender on low speed, but you won't have as much control or consistency as you would with a dedicated food processor. With that said, Vitamix sells food processor attachments compatible with several of its blender motor bases.