Vitamix Blenders - which one to buy?

[sheryl]

Help me decide.

 

C is the original series, right? It's taller.

 

G is the "next generation" series and is squattier (is that a word) to sit UNDER the cabinet.

 

 

Which one would you get and why?

 

I wish the st. st. canisters (or whatever they are called) were on the new models.

 

Hopefully the plastic is not unhealthy.

[Butter]

Other: Ninja.  Cheaper and seriously awesome.  I've used my mom's Vitamix many times.  I *much* prefer my Ninja.

[Slache]

Other: Ninja.  Cheaper and seriously awesome.  I've used my mom's Vitamix many times.  I *much* prefer my Ninja.

Can you make whole juice and almond flour with it?

[Butter]

Can you make whole juice and almond flour with it?

 

I never have, but I googled and people have done both.

[sheryl]

Butter, can the Ninja do everything a vitamix does?

 

c'mon people :) y'all helped me decide on my stand mixer. Now I need help deciding on my blender! I've been planning on vitamix for quite some time. someone would have to explain in detail why another would be better.

[Professormom]

I have a vitamix, the Culinary Institute Model that Williams Sonoma sells. It is about 6 years old. Motor is still great. I love it. I do wish they would have had the squat model out when I bought mine because not fitting under the cabinet is a problem. Also, the short, squat canister is way easier to clean.

 

I would be careful about not using the dry materials accessory though. I ground coffee in mine a few months ago, and it is still everywhere. I am pretty sure it is in the housing now, so every time I think I get it out, more spits up in the next use.

 

Hope that helps!

Edited February 9, 2016 by Professormom

[kewb]

I have a c series. Love my vitamix. I bought mine 3 years ago and still regret that I hemmed and hawed about spending the $$ for years prior to purchasing.

[Tammyla]

I'm not sure which model to recommend, but I have the tall one (love it btw).  The short one would fit on the counter under my cabinet, but I would still have to pull it out to use; I keep mine plugged in on the L part of my counter... because I use it daily for my smoothies.  

 

Mine was a gift and came with the dry container, so I didn't have to choose.

[Slache]

I have a c series. Love my vitamix. I bought mine 3 years ago and still regret that I hemmed and hawed about spending the $$ for years prior to purchasing.

Thanks for the push. :)

[sheryl]

ok, thanks for that! good point, tammyla, that regardless of height it still needs to be pulled out to use.

 

I know each one comes with one canister (what is it called?) for wet, right? But, does both series offer the dry canister for

additional purchase?

[Slache]

ok, thanks for that! good point, tammyla, that regardless of height it still needs to be pulled out to use.

 

I know each one comes with one canister (what is it called?) for wet, right? But, does both series offer the dry canister for

additional purchase?

The Blendtec comes with both and appears easier to clean. I want this one.

 

http://m.costco.com/Blendtec®-Total-Blender-with-WildSide-Jar-%26-Twister-Jar.product.100052400.html

[3 ladybugs]

I have the taller model but the one that has preset settings. I could have got the shorter model but I wouldn't have got the preset settings without paying a bunch more. 

 

So your question is incomplete to me. I would go with the one with preset settings that you can afford. If that is the taller one, it still fits under the cabinets if you take off the top, so it isn't that big of a deal. If you can afford the squatty one with preset settings, then get that one. I use the preset settings A LOT. I don't know about your house, but in my house, my children will be angels for hours till the phone rings, and the same is true when I cook and need to pay attention to something. Preset settings gives me a "set it and forget it" button. 

 

I love mine, and have been known to take it on trips. So that should tell you plenty about it. ;)

[Chris in VA]

I love mine. I got the tall one, but originally I chose it because it came in a cheaper, refurbished model. They sent me a brand new one, though, because they were out of stock in the refurbished one (awesome customer service).  I would get the shorter one if I could re-choose. It's super-easy to clean, either way.

 

I thought about the Ninja, but I don't like the sharp blades--seriously, razor-sharp. The Vitamix blades are sharp, but it's the power/speed at which they turn that makes them excellent blenders. I have a fear of sharp cuts and I would not stick my hand in a Ninja--not that you should in a Vitamix, either, but if there's a little tiny stuck-on piece of fruit or something, I don't have to fear with the Vitamix. Plus, I am not certain, but I think the container and blade are one piece with the Vitamix, and two pieces (blades on on a central "stick") with the Ninja.  *shudder* Just writing this is giving me the willies.

 

And the Vitamix is warranteed for 8 years (mine is, anyway), no shipping charges and super service. I think the Ninja warrantee is good, too, but Vitamix is made in Ohio, and I love Ohio. hahaha There's a reason for ya.

[sheryl]

Thanks for these replies. Yikes, Chris, I'm not a fan of getting cut either. I already accidently cut my pinky 10 years ago and it's never been quite the same. Accidents do happen. Yesterday I was cleaning our coffee pot (st. st. perk) and I ran my hand

inside (usually my hand is holding a sponge but ,no, not yesterday!)and my same pinky hit something and made it bleed. It's still

sore typing this and all of the pinky finger letters on the keyboard...enter key.

 

I'm from Ohio and may be a little biased but I know they are great machines.

[sheryl]

I have a vitamix, the Culinary Institute Model that Williams Sonoma sells. It is about 6 years old. Motor is still great. I love it. I do wish they would have had the squat model out when I bought mine because not fitting under the cabinet is a problem. Also, the short, squat canister is way easier to clean.

 

I would be careful about not using the dry materials accessory though. I ground coffee in mine a few months ago, and it is still everywhere. I am pretty sure it is in the housing now, so every time I think I get it out, more spits up in the next use.

 

Hope that helps!

 

what do you mean by not using dry materials....?

[arnold]

I have a vitamix, the Culinary Institute Model that Williams Sonoma sells. 

This is the model I have.  Works great, no complaints or problems.

[Butter]

Butter, can the Ninja do everything a vitamix does?

 

Yes.  Possibly more.  My Ninja came with a dough blade that makes awesome cookie and bread and muffin dough super fast.  My mom's Vitamix can't do that.

 

The blade not being attached to the blender actually makes it easier to clean and not get cut.  I've been cut on my mom's Vitamix, but not the Ninja.  The blades are equally sharp.  I loathed cleaning the Vitamix.  They lie when they say it's super easy.

 

Consumer Reports rates them the same.  My sister does ridiculous amounts of research before buying anything.  She compared all the good blenders.  Ninja was the best.

[Tammyla]

I believe, all models come with the wet container and you can purchase a dry container separately.  

 

I love, love my vitamix and like another poster mentioned, regret waiting years to purchase one because of the price$$$.  I do/did have a Ninja, but the blades were a worry and it didn't work as well for smoothies; I'm picky with textures.  jmo, ymmv Ninja lovers.  I gladly donated my Ninja a few weeks ago, but wish I'd purchased the Vitamin instead.  To be honest, I did not spend the dollars on the Vitamin, dh did for our anniversary and it's one of my favorite gifts ever.

 

Cleaning the Vitamix one of my favorite things...Just rinse and water and soap and pop it back on the stand and let it clean itself and then rinse.  It doesn't add dishes to my dishwasher and I love that it's clean and ready to go in under a minute.  Like I said, mine sits on the counter and I use it everyday for smoothies to get my veggies and fruits.

 

ok, thanks for that! good point, tammyla, that regardless of height it still needs to be pulled out to use.

I know each one comes with one canister (what is it called?) for wet, right? But, does both series offer the dry canister for
additional purchase?

Wanted to add, we purchased from QVC  on a rec from a friend.  I was able to use it for a month with the option of returning it minus shipping.  Dh said to get and I could make up my mind and quit wondering about it with out the guilt of wasting money.  If you know someone who owns one, ask to try it out first.  

 

 

Edited February 10, 2016 by Tammyla

[Chris in VA]

Yes.  Possibly more.  My Ninja came with a dough blade that makes awesome cookie and bread and muffin dough super fast.  My mom's Vitamix can't do that.

 

The blade not being attached to the blender actually makes it easier to clean and not get cut.  I've been cut on my mom's Vitamix, but not the Ninja.  The blades are equally sharp.  I loathed cleaning the Vitamix.  They lie when they say it's super easy.

 

Consumer Reports rates them the same.  My sister does ridiculous amounts of research before buying anything.  She compared all the good blenders.  Ninja was the best.

 

(Bold) Really? I clean my VM the way the manual says, by running warm, soapy water for 30 secs. Very easy, never had a problem. I don't have to touch the blades at all. Were you trying to clean it by hand instead?

 

I am not sure which VM your mom has, but mine can make dough. It has a pulse button.

 

I wonder if maybe some older models aren't as versatile.

 

(And no, I don't want to do a Vitamix/Ninja War! lol  Not wanting to add something like crockpots, shoes on/off, shopping carts to the WTM culture! :laugh: )

 

[Butter]

I love, love my vitamix and like another poster mentioned, regret waiting years to purchase one because of the price$$$.  I do/did have a Ninja, but the blades were a worry and it didn't work as well for smoothies; I'm picky with textures.

 

I made smoothies for breakfast just this morning.  They were completely smooth.  In fact, my son complained they were *too* smooth lol  Note: There are different types of Ninjas.  The cheap ones may not give you smooth smoothies.

[dirty ethel rackham]

Thanks for these replies. Yikes, Chris, I'm not a fan of getting cut either. I already accidently cut my pinky 10 years ago and it's never been quite the same. Accidents do happen. Yesterday I was cleaning our coffee pot (st. st. perk) and I ran my hand

inside (usually my hand is holding a sponge but ,no, not yesterday!)and my same pinky hit something and made it bleed. It's still

sore typing this and all of the pinky finger letters on the keyboard...enter key.

 

I'm from Ohio and may be a little biased but I know they are great machines.

All the reasons to get a Blendtec.  The blades are not sharp.  They rely on speed, not sharp blades to get the job done.  I've had mine for 2 years and I love it.  I did get a replacement jar because the one I had started leaking a little.  It was free under warrantee.  I keep the old one for dry ingredients. 

[prairiewindmomma]

I have a blendtec.  I'm kinda meh on it.  It's great for fresh green smoothies. Fantastic.  No complaints there.

 

The spinach ice-cream is ok.  

 

It chokes on anything if it does not have enough liquid. I've had problems adding frozen items to a smoothie and getting it to blend down. I have had to use a wooden spoon and add a lot more liquid enough times that I laugh at the blendtec commercials. I don't know how it can blend a dang phone or a coke can and not handle frozen cherries or cooked potatoes. 

 

It does not dice or do any of the things that a good food processor can.  

 

If I had my $500 back, I would buy a ninja and a large capacity cuisinart.  When my Blendtec dies (it's now almost 6 years old), that's what I'm going to do instead.

[Tarashaun]

The Blendtec comes with both and appears easier to clean. I want this one.

 

http://m.costco.com/Blendtec®-Total-Blender-with-WildSide-Jar-%26-Twister-Jar.product.100052400.html

 

you can get here with offers. 

http://www.blenderbabes.com/blender-babes-101/blender-reviews/blendtec-vs-vitamix/#design

[Liz CA]

I have a blendtec.  I'm kinda meh on it.  It's great for fresh green smoothies. Fantastic.  No complaints there.

 

The spinach ice-cream is ok.  

 

It chokes on anything if it does not have enough liquid. I've had problems adding frozen items to a smoothie and getting it to blend down. I have had to use a wooden spoon and add a lot more liquid enough times that I laugh at the blendtec commercials. I don't know how it can blend a dang phone or a coke can and not handle frozen cherries or cooked potatoes. 

 

It does not dice or do any of the things that a good food processor can.  

 

If I had my $500 back, I would buy a ninja and a large capacity cuisinart.  When my Blendtec dies (it's now almost 6 years old), that's what I'm going to do instead.

 

I read in this review http://www.cnet.com/products/kitchenaid-5-speed-diamond-blender/

that the Kitchen Aid 5 speed Diamond Blender rivals the big two, Vitamix and Blendtec. I ordered one and will find out shortly how accurate the review is. We do fruit / vegetable smoothies but I also wanted to try almond butter. Evidently, it also grates cheese...

[laundrycrisis]

We have an old tall Vitamix. I have a spare container with a dry blade but I have never used it because I have a separate coffee grinder and food processor and I've never wanted to make flour. Vitamix has great customer service if you buy a model with a long warranty. Our motor speed became inconsistent during the 7 year warranty period and they replaced the whole blender. Now we are out of warranty. When this one goes I will probably trade it in on a refurb. I may think about the shorter container. I have never had any trouble cleaning the Vitamix. I just spray it with hot water. It is wonderful for smoothies, sauces and creaming part of homemade soup to improve the texture.

[Mom28kds]

I recently got a refurbished 7500 a few weeks ago. I love that it sits under the counter and so easy to wash. After many hours of research I decided I'd rather have the shorter under the cabinet model over preset settings. I knew I would be apt to use it more if I didn't have to put it together before using. It's right there ready :) The preset settings are just an amount of time. I'm usually cleaning up the ingredients while it's running anyway. I love mine and am finding more and more I can use it for. I've wanted one for years but didn't want to pay the price. Finally decided to spend my birthday money on it. I would do your research and decide what things are more important for you. It's different for different people. I just wanted to share my thoughts on making my decision because hearing others is what helped me. My sister had one for 10 years, sold it and got a 6300 from Costco. She said that the presets are nice but she doesn't need them. What ever direction you go, you won't be disappointed. You can google reconditioned vitamix and it'll pull up their site. They are much cheaper. Enjoy :)

[redsquirrel]

I have this one:

 

https://www.vitamix.com/shop/certified-reconditioned-5300?skuId=058544

 

I voted "g" in your poll, but I am not sure that is what mine is.  It is the next generation, and it doesn't have the pre-programmed cycles.  I love it. I love that it fits under my cabinet with the lid on.  It is supposed to be quieter and more powerful than the original, but I don't have a basis of comparison. The wider bottom means it is easier to clean.  My hand can fit down there if I need to clean it (carefully! those blades are sharp!!) if needed, but it's not needed often.

 

This is a heavy item. I keep my stand mixer, bread machine, and food processor in a cupboard and I get them out as needed. They are heavy, but not as heavy as the vitamix. I do know a few people who keep their original in a cabinet because it doesn't fit well on the counter.

 

I think both are just fine, really. But measure where you want it to go and see if it will fit. Be sure to allow for a couple inches for taking the lid off etc. You don't want a tight fit.

 

I've never bothered with the 'dry' container. My container is a little battered, but I don't care.

 

The one thing I knew was that the preset settings are a waste of money. You don't need that at all.

Edited March 31, 2016 by redsquirrel

[Corraleno]

My Vitamix is more than 10 yrs old and still going strong. They didn't have the shorter model when I bought mine, but I think if I ever have to replace it I would get the shorter one that fits under the cabinets. I don't know why people say it's hard to clean — it cleans itself just by blending a little hot water and dish soap. I love love LOVE my Vitamix!

[umsami]

I've had mine for over 20 years, still going strong. :)  Mine was the first model after they changed from the metal canisters with the spout.  I have a dry and a wet ingredients canister.  Love it. 

 

Yes, I wish it wasn't so bulky sometimes, but it's just so gosh darn useful, that i cut it some slack.