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Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container, Graphite

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,466 ratings

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Graphite
Blender

Purchase options and add-ons

Brand Vitamix
Color Graphite
Special Feature Dishwasher Safe
Capacity 64 Fluid Ounces
Product Dimensions 8"D x 11"W x 17"H
Material
Stainless Steel, Tritan
Wattage
1440 watts
Item Weight
14.9 Pounds
Is Dishwasher Safe
Yes

About this item

  • Program Settings: Five program settings (for Smoothies, Hot Soups, Dips & Spreads, Frozen Desserts, and Self-Cleaning) ensure walk-away convenience and consistent results. The A3500 pairs with the Vitamix Perfect Blend App: Unlock the Ascent Series A3500's full potential with 17 programs and 500+ recipes with the iOS + Android app.
  • Touchscreen Controls give the machine a sleek silhouette and are easily wiped clean.Electrical Ratings - 120 V, 50-60 Hz, 12 Amps. Cord: 4 feet. HP: 2.2-peak
  • You're in Control: Variable Speed Control and Pulse feature let you manually fine-tune the texture of any recipe
  • Built-In Wireless Connectivity: The motor base is able to read the container size you’ve chosen and automatically adjust program settings and maximum blending times accordingly. Add a range of compatible container sizes, building a customized blending system designed to fit your needs.
  • Programmable Timer: A built-in timer helps avoid over- or under-processing your custom recipes. Set the timer to the length of your blend, and it will turn the machine off automatically. What's in the Box: motor base, low-profile 64 oz. container, low-profile classic tamper, Simply Blending Cookbook

Customer ratings by feature

Blending power
4.6 4.6
Easy to use
4.6 4.6
Easy to clean
4.6 4.6
Sheerness
4.5 4.5

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$631.64
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 19
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$198.75
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Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container, Graphite
Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container, Graphite
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Price-10% $631.64
List:$699.95
$699.95-8% $579.95
List:$629.95
-9% $118.74
List:$129.99
$319.95$599.95
Delivery
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 19
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 19
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 19
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 19
Get it as soon as Tuesday, Mar 19
Customer Ratings
Blending power
4.6
4.6
4.5
4.5
4.6
4.7
Easy to clean
4.6
4.6
4.8
4.5
4.6
4.6
Easy to use
4.6
4.6
4.7
4.7
4.6
Sheerness
4.5
4.5
4.2
4.6
4.7
Noise level
3.8
3.8
3.8
3.8
Sold By
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
South Western Limited
CountryCollectibles27
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
material
Tritan, Stainless Steel
Tritan
BPA-Free Tritan
Plastic, Stainless Steel
Tritan
number of speeds
10
10
10
3
10
10
wattage
1440 watts
1500 watts
1380 watts
1200 watts
1440 watts
1440 watts
blade material
Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel
Plastic, Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel
Stainless Steel
dishwasher safe
voltage
120 volts
120 volts
120 volts
120 volts

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From the manufacturer

Blend Like a Pro

Vitamix Ascent Series A3500


Our most advanced blender features 5 program settings (for Smoothies, Hot Soups, Dips & Spreads, Frozen Desserts, and Self-Cleaning) that automatically adjust to your container size, process your recipes, and stop the blender when complete. Touchscreen controls are easily wiped clean, and a programmable built-in timer helps you achieve your perfect blend, every time.

Create a personalized blending system by pairing the Ascent Series A3500 with a range of compatible container sizes.

The Vitamix Difference

Vitamix Programs: Hot soups, smoothies, cleaning, nut butters, frozen desserts

Program Settings

Make smoothies (and more) with the press of a button. Our program settings offer walk-away convenience & consistent results for your favorite blends.

Self Detect Technology

Self-Detect Technology

This blender is smart! The motor base automatically recognizes your container size and adjusts program settings and maximum blend times.

variable speed

Variable Speed, Pulse & Timer

You’re in control—adjust speed or Pulse to fine-tune textures as you blend, or use the built-in timer for consistent results on your favorite recipes.

Self Cleaning: Easy cleaning, no disassembly

Easy Cleaning

Just blend warm water and a drop of dish soap at your machine's highest speed, and watch it self-clean in 60 seconds—no disassembly required.

high performance motor

High-Performance Motor

Blend frozen fruit, heavy powder, all the greens—our powerful motors transform tough ingredients into smooth blends, year after year.

container design

Precise Container Design

Every angle of our patented container is designed to fold ingredients back to the blades for faster, smoother blends—creating the Vitamix vortex.

stainless steel baldes

Stainless-Steel Blades

Our laser-cut blades are designed to deliver the same quality results, from first blend to last, and are resistant to dulling or bending.

friction heating

Blade Friction Heating

Our blades reach speeds fast enough to create friction heat, bringing cold ingredients to steaming hot in about six minutes.

What You Can Make

Explore all the amazing things you can make in every Vitamix blender.


We’re so much more than smoothie makers. We’re dreamers and doers, on a journey to infuse healthy, delicious food into our lives. From meal time to snack time—explore new ingredients, create classics, never get bored.

Make It In Minutes

Vitamix Hot Soups

Hot Soup without stove

Make steaming-hot soup without a stove—in under 10 minutes. The friction from our blades brings soup to serving temperature, right in the container.

Frozen desserts

Frozen treats in seconds

Create chilled desserts—just add frozen ingredients to your machine and you’ll be enjoying ice cream, fruit sorbet and more in seconds.

Grind nuts, coffee and more

Grind nuts, coffee and more

Making nut butter has never been easier. Grind your favorite nuts into delicious nut butter, turn coffee beans into ground coffee, and more.

Batters doughs

Mix batters & dough

Quickly and easily mix batter for pancakes, waffles, cookies, muffins, crepes, and cakes. Vitamix machines can also knead bread and pizza dough.

smoothies & juices

Smoothies & Juices

Turn fruits and veggies into refreshing smoothies and juices. Vitamix blenders use the whole ingredient, including the fiber, to make healthy snacks.

dips & spread

Dips & Spreads

Whether you’re looking for easy after-school snacks or planning a big party, our simple dips and spreads are healthy and delicious.

dressings

Dressings & Sauces

Create flavorful dressings that can double as marinades for your entrées. If sauce is on the menu, make pesto, tomato sauce, or applesauce in seconds.

baby food

Baby Food

Control exactly what your baby eats. Prep, blend, and make batches of nutritious homemade baby food in seconds in your Vitamix machine.

Product information

Warranty & Support

Product Warranty: For warranty information about this product, please click here. [PDF ]

Feedback

Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender, Professional-Grade, 64 oz. Low-Profile Container, Graphite


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Product guides and documents

Product Description

Five program settings (for Smoothies, Hot Soups, Dips & Spreads, Frozen Desserts, and Self-Cleaning) automatically adjust to the container size you’ve selected, process your recipes, and stop the blender when complete. Built-in wireless connectivity will allow Ascent™ Series blenders to evolve with the latest innovations for years to come.

Vitamix fuels passions. It’s why we’re the brand most trusted by professional chefs. But you won’t just find us in restaurant kitchens. You’ll also find us in home kitchens around the world. Because whether you’re interested in the culinary arts, making healthier choices, or enjoying restaurant-quality smoothies at home—when you’re ready to move on and move up, when you’re ready to invest in your passion, you’re ready for Vitamix.

Built to Last
A bargain blender's not a bargain if it doesn't last. We know purchasing a Vitamix blender is an investment. But Vitamix blenders are built to last, helping you buy dependable, not disposable.

Easy to Clean
Just blend warm water and a drop of dish soap at your machine's highest speed, and watch it self-clean in 60 seconds or less - no disassembly required.

The Difference Is in the Blend
Since the number-one reason people purchase a blender is to make smoothies, it’s important to get them right. Whether you prefer an icy blend or a perfectly smooth purée, nutrition-packed with veggies or a light, fruity treat, Vitamix smoothies give you a delicious, even blend in every sip.

Power
We don’t aim to have the highest horsepower. You don’t need more horses; you need trained ones. The focused power of our complete blending system causes every component of the Vitamix machine to work together, creating faster, smoother blends packed with flavor.

The Universal Tool
Make smoothies & juices, hot soups, flours & dough, nut butter, frozen desserts, batters, dressings & sauces, non-dairy milks, and more.

Manufactured in Cleveland, Ohio USA

Top Brand: Vitamix

Highly Rated
4.6/5 star rating from 100K+ customer ratings
Trending
100K+ orders for this brand in past 3 months
Low Returns
Customers usually keep items from this brand

Important information

To report an issue with this product or seller, click here.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
3,466 global ratings

Customers say

Customers like the quality, blending, and power of the food blender. They mention that it's a great kitchen workhorse, makes the best queso, soups, nut butters, and smoothies, is super-powerful, and can blend anything. They also appreciate ease of use, and ease of cleaning. However, some customers differ on performance, noise, and value.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

267 customers mention221 positive46 negative

Customers like the quality of the food blender. They say it's a great, restaurant quality machine that will make excellent, smooth, nut butters, and smoothies. Customers also say it is a kitchen workhorse, and makes the best queso, soups, hummus, and other foods. They also mention it'd be a good investment for those looking for a high-quality kitchen work horse.

"...Ultimately what you're paying for when getting a Vitamix machine is quality blades, a powerful motor, solid construction, and with the Ascent series..." Read more

"...I've made three batches of cashew butter and it was delicious!! So much so, I had to quit making it, as I was eating too much...." Read more

"...understand how to get the exact results you want, but this Vitamix is absolutely amazing...." Read more

"...Pros: excellent power range, speed and controls; awesome attachments...." Read more

136 customers mention95 positive41 negative

Customers are mixed about the value of the food blender. Some mention it's well worth every penny and saves them money and time, while others say it' s pricey and loud. Some customers also say the jar is cheap and doesn't last.

"...I do think it's absolutely worth the price if you can afford it, because you have to consider that Vitamix is guaranteeing that it'll last at least..." Read more

"...So, bottom line, is the blender worth the bucks? Yes. However, there appears to be an issue with the sensor on some Ascent models (a bad batch?),..." Read more

"...Cons: pricy and loud." Read more

"...Worth every penny." Read more

89 customers mention79 positive10 negative

Customers find the ease of cleaning of the food blender to be a great feature. They mention that it is self-cleaning, dishwasher safe, and easy to use and clean. Some say that the copper cleans up nice and that the cleanup was under a minute.

"...The other thing I really like is the the self cleaning feature...." Read more

"...My very favorite option is that this blender is truly is SELF-cleaning! I love not having to disassemble and expose my fingers to sharp blades...." Read more

"...Everything was easy to assemble and use. Every attachment is dishwasher safe (except the motor base), however the recommended cleaning method using..." Read more

"...The stainless steel shell is easy to clean. The base is a little heavy, but it's stable...." Read more

72 customers mention69 positive3 negative

Customers find the food blender easy to use. They say that it is easy to assemble and use, it gets the job done effortlessly, and it's super easy to make smoothies and salsa's. The clips are easy to work with, making eating much more simple and convenient. The blender is well thought out and gives a great user experience, and even tells you how to load it. It's fun to use and makes smoothies a breeze.

"...This blender is so easy that I've rediscovered the kitchen - ha!!! Right now, I'm in withdrawal from making "malts" every night. It's so much fun...." Read more

"...Also purchased the food processor attachment. Everything was easy to assemble and use...." Read more

"...The controls are easy to read and intuitive and, as suggested earlier, it’s a very intuitive machine overall...." Read more

"...I love how easy it is to use. I make a frappucino every morning and this does better than my other blenders...." Read more

71 customers mention65 positive6 negative

Customers are impressed with the power of the food blender. They say it's super-powerful, well-powered, and awesome. Some say the power behind the blend is amazing, and that it helps make clean eating easier. Customers are also impressed with its power in chopping and say it packs plenty of power.

"...'re paying for when getting a Vitamix machine is quality blades, a powerful motor, solid construction, and with the Ascent series a 10 year warranty...." Read more

"...I'm very glad I have this blender; for me it's very useful and provides all the power to do what it's designed for, with ease...." Read more

"We absolutely love it. This machine is insanely powerful and virtually idiot proof...." Read more

"Well powered and functions perfectly." Read more

62 customers mention54 positive8 negative

Customers like the blending power of the Vitamix. They mention that it blends chunky ingredients completely smooth, and it makes a homogeneous mixture. They also mention that the blender can blend something solid, such as pieces of ice and seeds of fruit. The quality of the blend is improved with regular use, and the blender gets customers excited to blend and try new recipes.

"...Frappes. Soups. You name it. It actually got me excited to blend, try new recipes, and encourages me to eat healthier...." Read more

"...soup (think Campbell's Creamy Tomato), and this blender gets the ingredients blended so well that you can do just that. No chunks...." Read more

"...The blending power that Vitamix offers is outstanding...." Read more

"...It actually blends better than anything we've owned (Look at the videos and reviews online, look at the coffee shops and see what they have).-..." Read more

96 customers mention64 positive32 negative

Customers are mixed about the performance of the food blender. Some mention it performed flawlessly, while others say that it just doesn't work. Some say that the smoothie and ice cream functions are nice, while other say that they don't get a satisfying result.

"...I'm very glad I have this blender; for me it's very useful and provides all the power to do what it's designed for, with ease...." Read more

"...of use, I started getting an error code E 1, that would keep the blender from working...." Read more

"...The “set it and forget it” smoothie and ice cream functions are nice, but I almost never get a perfectly blended smoothie, hummus, or nut butter...." Read more

"Expensive but it works great and looks good out on the kitchen counter" Read more

58 customers mention29 positive29 negative

Customers are mixed about the noise of the food blender. Some mention that it's much quieter than their Blendtec, while others say that it is a bit loud. However, some say that the noise is quieter, than their previous basic Vitamix blender.

"...Having said that, the loudness is not intolerable, at least for me. You'll also notice a kind of "burning" smell when you use it the first few times...." Read more

"...And, yes it is loud (don't expect to have a quote conversation standing next to it). They say the Accent A3500 is quieter than other models...." Read more

"...Easy to use button or variable knob. Quiet until you get to the highest variable levels 6–10. Makes quick work and no mess." Read more

"...Yes, it is loud but not nearly as loud as our last blender. This particular model is quieter than some of the other Vitamix choices...." Read more

The cost is high, but I consider it an investment in my health...
5 Stars
The cost is high, but I consider it an investment in my health...
This is the first Vitamix blender I've ever owned. I had always wanted one but I just couldn't justify spending the money. I never really understood the hype; don't all blenders do the same thing? I honestly thought I'd be paying 5x more for a blender just because of the brand name. So I stuck with my Ninja blender for more than a decade. It did the job just fine but I was never truly satisfied with its consistency of crushed ice. It was grittier than I would have liked. This prompted my search for a newer, more powerful blender.Initially I only cared about whether the new blender crushed ice into a smooth texture so I could replicate Starbucks Frappuccinos and slushies. As many folks do, I gravitated towards buying a brand I was already familiar with. In my case it was Ninja. So that's what I initially bought. A more powerful version of what I already had. I will say that it DID manage to impress me with its ice crushing ability, but I was less impressed at how little Ninja's design had changed since my last purchase 10 years ago. Water gets trapped in the container handle, and I just hate the blade that takes up so much space in it. So I started looking into alternatives. That's when I decided to learn more about Vitamix and whether it really was worth hundreds of dollars more than my Ninja.Long story short: the answer is yes. Yes, it is worth it. There were three features in particular that really sold me: the blade design, its ability to make hot soup right in the container, and the 10-year warranty. I cannot stress enough how much better the Vitamix blade design is compared to the Ninja. There are two main blade types that you'll find in a blender: those that chop, and those that pulverize.Blades that chop are cheaper but will wear down over time requiring you to sharpen or replace them. Blending hard items like ice cubes can be particularly rough for chopping blades and will cause them to dull faster. Ninja blenders use chopping blades. Vitamix, on the other hand, uses pulverizing blades that are dull by design and never need sharpening. Instead of taking up the entire container, the blade sits compactly at the bottom. It blends by pulling ingredients down towards the blade and pulverizing the heck out of them. Trust me, this makes a HUGE difference in the texture and consistency of your blends.For example, I added mandarin slices one time to a smoothie I made using my Ninja which uses chopping blades. It tasted fine but it couldn't fully break down the little white fibers that hold citrus fruit segments together. I didn't really like that texture so I just considered it a faux pas on my end for using an ingredient that maybe isn't ideal to put in a blender. Turns out that while not ideal for my Ninja, the Vitamix A3500 had NO issues whatsoever pulverizing mandarins into a completely smooth texture. That's the moment I thought, "Ok, I totally get the hype now."The type of blade also determines how much liquid you need to add for it to perform its best. Chopping blades typically need more liquid to keep them moving. That can result in watered down results. With the Vitamix blades, you don't need to add as much liquid. My personal experience is that everything just tastes better coming from the Vitamix, hands down.Ultimately what you're paying for when getting a Vitamix machine is quality blades, a powerful motor, solid construction, and with the Ascent series a 10 year warranty. Ninja offers a one year warranty. Vitamix can pulverize just about everything you put in it into a completely smooth texture. It's actually impressive. But the blades alone are not enough, the motor needs to be powerful enough too...The motor in this thing IS very powerful. People complain about how loud this machine is, and that powerful motor is the reason why. If you want quiet, look for a cheaper blender with less power. But for me the noise is a more than fair trade-off due to the consistently amazing blends it gives me. And to its credit, it's only really loud when used on its highest settings. Having said that, the loudness is not intolerable, at least for me. You'll also notice a kind of "burning" smell when you use it the first few times. Don't be alarmed by this. It's a brand new motor and needs time to cure (or "break in"). The smell will go away after you've done a few blends on its highest speed.The power cord is very short, I think it's 3 feet long. So it'll need to be placed close to an outlet. The length of cord makes sense though given how much power it puts out. It's not ideal to use long cords with high powered appliances, so I don't recommended using an extension cord. If there's no other way, then I'd say use the shortest extension cord possible and make sure it's rated for appliance use. Also, despite its low profile design, it would not fit under my cabinets. To be fair, I think my cabinets sit lower than average. Luckily I have one section of counter space that sits lower which makes it the only place I could put it. Otherwise I would have to store the container instead of keeping it on the base.What started out as a quest for better ice consistency evolved into a more complex obsession with blending. I use the Vitamix every single day. Sometimes more than once. I've made smoothies in it. Frappes. Soups. You name it. It actually got me excited to blend, try new recipes, and encourages me to eat healthier. I'm not someone that enjoys spending a lot of time cooking or preparing elaborate meals, and my laziness led to eating unhealthy (but zero effort) food. But I can make an entire soup in five minutes now using fresh ingredients by just throwing some vegetables and broth into this thing, blend, and eat. It's almost TOO easy and I no longer have an excuse to avoid eating better.What can I say. I am absolutely obsessed with Vitamix now and a total convert. I do think it's absolutely worth the price if you can afford it, because you have to consider that Vitamix is guaranteeing that it'll last at least 10 years. Plus, I'm not sure if any other brand is going to give the exact same results. I had no idea what I was missing until I tried it myself, now I can't ever go back.
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Top reviews from the United States

Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2021
Color: Brushed Stainless Metal FinishStyle: BlenderVerified Purchase
Customer image
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the Price - But Watch for Error Code
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2021
I had been wanting to purchase a Vitamix for years, particularly because it was advertised to make soup. But I hesitated due to the price. I mean, who can justify paying $600 for a blender. But recently I got into a whole food kick and I decided that eating soups made from fresh vegetables would be a helpful. So I took the plunge.

I decided on the Ascent A3500, because I like all the bells and whistles. I like the fact that I just push a button and it does all the timing and speed transitions for me. I can set it and walk away, where as with some models, you have to manually control the speeds and settings while you are blending. It also got a lot of good reviews and recommendations. So for me, this was the model I decided to purchase.

I also decided to order the blender through Amazon Prime, so I could send it back if I didn't like it. I like the safety net of being able to change my mind if I decide I don't want to keep something. Especially now that I can just drop it off a the UPS store to make a return.

Anyway, out of the box, I really liked the blender. Yes, it smelled like it was burning at first, as the motor was broken in. And, yes it is loud (don't expect to have a quote conversation standing next to it). They say the Accent A3500 is quieter than other models. I can't imagine how loud they are if that is true. It is also really big. But I found a place on my counter for it, and left it there. Right away I made a smoothie. And, I was impressed with how smooth it came out. I had put in spinach, flax and chia seed, as well as frozen fruit and ice. It can out so smooth. Unlike some smaller blenders that left small bits of ice.

I next made some Leek and Artichoke soup that was delicious and it had me convinced I had made a good choice. Although there are some soups you can just blend straight in the blender (tomato soup for one), most soups you have to do some prep work and cook the ingredients on the stove first to meld flavors. But after that, you just throw everything into the blender and voila! Pureed, hot, steaming soup. The friction of the blades is what heats the soup. And, again, so smooth. I like drinking my soup (think Campbell's Creamy Tomato), and this blender gets the ingredients blended so well that you can do just that. No chunks.

I continued using the blender almost everyday in some fashion. However, after a few days of use, I started getting an error code E 1, that would keep the blender from working. After doing some research, I learned that it was a sensor error; the blender was having problems reading the container connection. The literature said just to turn it off and turn it back on. That worked at first, but I started getting the error code a lot and turning it off and on didn't work.

I looked on line and found this was a problem for some of the Ascent blenders and people had been instructed to send the blender back for repair if it persisted. Since I bought mine on Amazon, I returned it and ordered another. The first order was a package deal with a book. Wanting to see if I could get a blender from a different batch, I ordered it without the book.

The new blender has been great! I have had it for a little over a month, with no error codes so far, and I use it almost everyday. My main uses are smoothies, soups, and a new one for me, nut butters. I've made three batches of cashew butter and it was delicious!! So much so, I had to quit making it, as I was eating too much. Note: I had the blender plugged into a power strip and it would trip the strip when making nut butters. However, when I put it in a regular plug (no strip) it did fine. I think the power strip was too sensitive.

The other thing I really like is the the self cleaning feature. While you may have to take a wash cloth to the inside once in a while, for the most part, the self cleaning does the trick.

So, bottom line, is the blender worth the bucks? Yes. However, there appears to be an issue with the sensor on some Ascent models (a bad batch?), so you may have to send it back or send it to Vitamix for repair. If that sort of thing makes you crazy, I would use caution. Other than that, I really love the Vitamix A3500.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2023
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5.0 out of 5 stars The cost is high, but I consider it an investment in my health...
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2023
This is the first Vitamix blender I've ever owned. I had always wanted one but I just couldn't justify spending the money. I never really understood the hype; don't all blenders do the same thing? I honestly thought I'd be paying 5x more for a blender just because of the brand name. So I stuck with my Ninja blender for more than a decade. It did the job just fine but I was never truly satisfied with its consistency of crushed ice. It was grittier than I would have liked. This prompted my search for a newer, more powerful blender.

Initially I only cared about whether the new blender crushed ice into a smooth texture so I could replicate Starbucks Frappuccinos and slushies. As many folks do, I gravitated towards buying a brand I was already familiar with. In my case it was Ninja. So that's what I initially bought. A more powerful version of what I already had. I will say that it DID manage to impress me with its ice crushing ability, but I was less impressed at how little Ninja's design had changed since my last purchase 10 years ago. Water gets trapped in the container handle, and I just hate the blade that takes up so much space in it. So I started looking into alternatives. That's when I decided to learn more about Vitamix and whether it really was worth hundreds of dollars more than my Ninja.

Long story short: the answer is yes. Yes, it is worth it. There were three features in particular that really sold me: the blade design, its ability to make hot soup right in the container, and the 10-year warranty. I cannot stress enough how much better the Vitamix blade design is compared to the Ninja. There are two main blade types that you'll find in a blender: those that chop, and those that pulverize.

Blades that chop are cheaper but will wear down over time requiring you to sharpen or replace them. Blending hard items like ice cubes can be particularly rough for chopping blades and will cause them to dull faster. Ninja blenders use chopping blades. Vitamix, on the other hand, uses pulverizing blades that are dull by design and never need sharpening. Instead of taking up the entire container, the blade sits compactly at the bottom. It blends by pulling ingredients down towards the blade and pulverizing the heck out of them. Trust me, this makes a HUGE difference in the texture and consistency of your blends.

For example, I added mandarin slices one time to a smoothie I made using my Ninja which uses chopping blades. It tasted fine but it couldn't fully break down the little white fibers that hold citrus fruit segments together. I didn't really like that texture so I just considered it a faux pas on my end for using an ingredient that maybe isn't ideal to put in a blender. Turns out that while not ideal for my Ninja, the Vitamix A3500 had NO issues whatsoever pulverizing mandarins into a completely smooth texture. That's the moment I thought, "Ok, I totally get the hype now."

The type of blade also determines how much liquid you need to add for it to perform its best. Chopping blades typically need more liquid to keep them moving. That can result in watered down results. With the Vitamix blades, you don't need to add as much liquid. My personal experience is that everything just tastes better coming from the Vitamix, hands down.

Ultimately what you're paying for when getting a Vitamix machine is quality blades, a powerful motor, solid construction, and with the Ascent series a 10 year warranty. Ninja offers a one year warranty. Vitamix can pulverize just about everything you put in it into a completely smooth texture. It's actually impressive. But the blades alone are not enough, the motor needs to be powerful enough too...

The motor in this thing IS very powerful. People complain about how loud this machine is, and that powerful motor is the reason why. If you want quiet, look for a cheaper blender with less power. But for me the noise is a more than fair trade-off due to the consistently amazing blends it gives me. And to its credit, it's only really loud when used on its highest settings. Having said that, the loudness is not intolerable, at least for me. You'll also notice a kind of "burning" smell when you use it the first few times. Don't be alarmed by this. It's a brand new motor and needs time to cure (or "break in"). The smell will go away after you've done a few blends on its highest speed.

The power cord is very short, I think it's 3 feet long. So it'll need to be placed close to an outlet. The length of cord makes sense though given how much power it puts out. It's not ideal to use long cords with high powered appliances, so I don't recommended using an extension cord. If there's no other way, then I'd say use the shortest extension cord possible and make sure it's rated for appliance use. Also, despite its low profile design, it would not fit under my cabinets. To be fair, I think my cabinets sit lower than average. Luckily I have one section of counter space that sits lower which makes it the only place I could put it. Otherwise I would have to store the container instead of keeping it on the base.

What started out as a quest for better ice consistency evolved into a more complex obsession with blending. I use the Vitamix every single day. Sometimes more than once. I've made smoothies in it. Frappes. Soups. You name it. It actually got me excited to blend, try new recipes, and encourages me to eat healthier. I'm not someone that enjoys spending a lot of time cooking or preparing elaborate meals, and my laziness led to eating unhealthy (but zero effort) food. But I can make an entire soup in five minutes now using fresh ingredients by just throwing some vegetables and broth into this thing, blend, and eat. It's almost TOO easy and I no longer have an excuse to avoid eating better.

What can I say. I am absolutely obsessed with Vitamix now and a total convert. I do think it's absolutely worth the price if you can afford it, because you have to consider that Vitamix is guaranteeing that it'll last at least 10 years. Plus, I'm not sure if any other brand is going to give the exact same results. I had no idea what I was missing until I tried it myself, now I can't ever go back.
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