The Vitamix!!

[Yeshia]

Well as most of you know I recently bought my Vitamix blender, and to be honest at first I didn't realize what all the fuss was about. :rolleyes:

I made my morning coffee power drink at first, it was good, but no better that my magic bullet which was much easier to use and clean.

Then I made green smoothies and it WAS nice not to have green strands floating in them...

Then I made mashed potatoes and Deviled eggs and.....

ORGASM!

They blew my mind!!

Before I loved the mashed potatoes but they still tasted Cauliflower based , now I cannot tell the difference, so smooth , so creamy yum!

The Deviled eggs ( Vegan ) were decadently mouth watering, I eat them all!!


So to all those who keep asking the question?

" Should I invest in the Vitamix?

MY answer is


"YES"


P.S.
I do realize I compare everything to the almighty orgasm these days, well I read in another post that it is due to my 100%raw lifestyle and possibly the Maca:D soo its not really my fault. :o
I am single with no boyfriend at the moment and am a tingly bundle of sensation when I am not detoxing and I take my pleasure where i can hehe mostly my Rawlicioius food. :D

[Dj 247]

Yeshia, you are too funny! I am one of those people who think the Vitamix is over priced hype. I guess you really do have to see (taste) it to believe it.

[Yeshia]

Yeshia, you are too funny! I am one of those people who think the Vitamix is over priced hype. I guess you really do have to see (taste) it to believe it.

he he it even processes plastic to a smooth paste:eek:

How do I know you ask ?

Well as I was making my Cauliflower I pushed down with ythe plunger but for got to put the lid on and it got caught in the blades . I n 1 second it slices and pureed the end of it!:eek:

I had to throw the whole batch out no matter how smooth i am not eating plastic lol:D

[lynnc72]

I just took a raw food prep class at the local raw restaurant and learned from the chef about the Jack Lalanne's Health Master 100.

She has burned out two Vitamix blenders already and they don't give her the warranty because she's using it constantly in her restaurant. But she's covered for 6 years with the Health Master 100. She said it has the same motor as the Vitamix. I haven't looked into this yet.

This blender debut only three months ago. It's half the price of a Vitamix.

I was thinking of replacing my decade old blender with the Health Master 100 and I thought I'd share.

[shine72]

Yeshia - Glad to see you finally came to appreciate the true power of the Vitamix!;) :D

[crystalmoon]

lynnc72 I am sooooooooooo grateful for your post. I am a single unemployed mum in the Uk where it costs nearly £600 to get a vitamix cos of shipping costs:(
I thought I was never going to be able to afford one & our thrift shops arent allowed to sell electrical second hand goods either.
You just changed my life with your post :) I really mean it...I was able to order the La Lanne Health Master for £119
I am awesomely excited! Its gonna take a few weeks to get here...I really want to be able to add GS to my raw diet but my cheap blender just cant cope with it even if i process it in my food processor first LOL
Thank you Thank you Thank you

[lynnc72]

You're welcomed, Crystalmoon! Glad I could help :D

[baltochef]

I just took a raw food prep class at the local raw restaurant and learned from the chef about the Jack Lalanne's Health Master 100.

She has burned out two Vitamix blenders already and they don't give her the warranty because she's using it constantly in her restaurant. But she's covered for 6 years with the Health Master 100. She said it has the same motor as the Vitamix. I haven't looked into this yet.
This blender debut only three months ago. It's half the price of a Vitamix.

I was thinking of replacing my decade old blender with the Health Master 100 and I thought I'd share.

lynnc72

I am a chef who has worked in many restaurants..

Some were run by owners that were willing to purchase restaurant quality equipment, & others were run by owners who chose to purchase blenders & food processors that were designed for the home..

Believe me when I say that unless Jack LaLanne & his investors are willing to lose money on the sale of each & every Health Master 100 blender; that there is NO way that they have the same motors in them that the Vita-Mix blenders do..

It's just not commercially & economically feasible for them to do so!!

Period..

Vita-Mix Corporation makes a variety of blenders, both for home use & for commercial use..

The commercial blenders have motors that are rated for continuous use under heavy loads..

They cost two, three, & four times what the least expensive Vita-Mix blender designed for home use does..

They are NOT the same as the motors in Vita-Mix's line of blenders that are marketed towards home users!!

I would be willing to stake my reputation as a chef that the reason that the chef in question teaching the course that you attended was not having Vita-Mix honor their warranty; is that she was using a Vita-Mix blender designed for intermittant home use in a commercial environment under vigorous, constant, HEAVY use..

I have witnessed chefs & prep cooks ruin both Vita-Mix & Waring commercial blenders; as well as Robot Coupe commercial food processors,,

In order to trash these machines you have to REALLY misuse the machine..

By ignoring all of the basic, common sense guidelines that apply to any mechanical device with a motor in it that is intended for food prep; a person CAN & WILL ruin them..

That being said, a chef really has to abuse a non-commercial version of a Vita-Mix in order to ruin it..

These blenders are very much head & shoulders above, motor wise, the rest of the blenders marketed for home use; regardless of brand name or country of origin..

The commercial Vita-Mix blenders are even better yet..

A common mistake when home buyers purchase expensive, electric motor equipped kitchen appliances; is to ONLY look at the wattage or horsepower ratings of the appliance in question..

You can have ten electric motors, all with the same nominal horsepower ratings; & all ten motors will perform differently under laboratory & real world conditions..

All ten will also have different life spans when tested under destructive conditions..

Without getting too technical, the quality of, the diameter of, & the material used to construct the wiring in an electric motor has MUCH to do with what that particular motor is capable of withstanding under real world use..

Abuse is abuse, & it will ALWAYS trump even the highest quality appliances!!..

In conclusion, I want to say that I have nothing against the Jack LaLanne Health Master 100 blender..

I am sure that it is a fine machine, used within it's limitations; as are ALL home blenders..

Just don't expect them to perform to the standards of a Vita-MIx, Blend Tec, or Waring blender; they are NOT capable of doing so..

I am aware that internet ettiquette frowns upon the over use of capitalizations & highlighting..

I feel that this issue of blender & appliance quality is importabnt enough that you will all forgive me??..

I feel quite strongly about this issue, wanted to get my point across emphatically, & do not want people in the raw community to spend their money thinking that they were purchasing Vita-Mix quality at half the price..

You get what you pay for..

If you are not willing to, or cannot afford the price of the more expensive blenders; then don't expect the less expensive blenders to work the same..

Bruce

[lynnc72]

Thank you Bruce for your expertise. I'm leaning towards the Vitamix now.

Part of my hesitancy in buying expensive equipment is, I don't know if I'll commit to raw again. This is my second time going raw. Last time was over a year ago. After feeling constantly sluggish and tired, converting to raw has made me feel incredible.

My biggest problem is peer pressure. My BF and friends have a negative response to my "strange" diet. :(

[baltochef]

lynnc72

You'll never regret purchasing the Vita-Mix (Waring or Blend Tec) blender..

Even if you don't stay raw, you'll always find uses for such a good blender in a SAD kitchen..

They also hold their value remarkably well, so selling it down the road & recouping yor investment is another possibility..

Bruce

[spiralgirl]

Bruce,

Thanks for your advise here. I've held off getting a good blender. I want one and my sister and I can pool our money together to get a Vitamix (thinking of the 5000 that comes with the extra carafe, 9although don't know if it's necessary)). I was leaning the way of the Blendtec for awhile but they only have a 3 year warranty and I heard they are loud.

Lately I've been leaning towards the Vitamix as I hear great things. There is this one made by a Canadian company that is a 700 watt blender that I may get to tide me over until I get a Vitamix. Also I'd heard about the Jack LaLanne one and debated going that route.

I appreciate you pointing out that Vitamix is a quality machine and worth the investment. :)

[baltochef]

spiralgirl

I purchased a Blend Tec through Raw Guru before I got the Vita-Prep 3..

I returned it for several reasons..

First, the lid fit too loosely to suit me..

Second, I diodn't care for the quality of the construction on the carafe, especially around the base..

Third, It was WAY louder than my 35 yr old Oster Osterizer, which is a loud blender itself..

Fourth, I realised that, for me at least, a blender should be as simple as possible..In theory all of the programmable speeds are nice, but I realised that I didn't really need the majority of them..Simplicity rules!!..

I ended up purchasing the Vita-Prep 3, as it is near the bottom of the rung model in the Vita-Mix commercial blender line-up..I wanted the commercial motor in my blender..

I think, but am not positive, that the price has come down slightly since I bought mine 7 months ago..I paid approximately $475.00 for mine..

Bruce

[baltochef]

To all prospective purchasers of the Vita-Mix, Blend Tec, & Waring XTreme blenders..

If one of the above is what you REALLY want, then save your money for it..

Check out yard sales & flea markets for one of the older Oster Osterizer blenders..

Oster was one of, if not the first companies to market blenders for the home cook..

There are LOTS of them around in the used market..

The design of the glass carafes & the blade assemblies in these blenders is first rate..

As long as you feed in the bulky, tough foods slowly a little at a time after the blender has started running, they will handle most raw foodist kitchen tasks..

If you save making nut butters, hummus, & other hard to move foods for the food processor; even a 40 yr old blender should hold up until you can afford an expensive blender..

Bruce

[subbacultcha]

I'm so getting a vita-mix. The exchange rate is crazy at the moment so if I order one from america off ebay (I'm in UK) it'll only cost me about £180 - ace!

[Radiantly Raw]

I couldn't agree more with Bruce. My hubby & I have researched the blender question over and over. We've decided that the VitaMix is the way to go.

Even though my hubby is currently an IT project manager, he worked in a restaurant for 3 years after an IT lay off a few years ago. It was a place that served milk shakes as much as they serve food. They used the professional series Blend Tecs and he said they burned them out again and again. I know that they used them a lot, but they also paid over $1200 a piece for them. So, that's his experience with them, for what it's worth... I've never used them, but just wanted to share that.

We seriously considered the Health Master, but for the reasons Bruce mentioned, we're saving for the VitaMix instead.

[diali36]

Just finished doing some reserch and decided on getting a Braum Power Max blender for $45 from Wal Mart. For the price and what I want it to do it should fit the bill. Consumer Digest rated it tops in it's class for a home blender. Just ordered it today so I'll let you'll know when I get how I really feel about it.

[crystalmoon]

Subbacultcha Hi, check how much it will cost to ship the vitamix to the Uk & also the taxes before you purchase from the US it can sometimes be a couple of hundred quid

[lily]

Subbacultcha, you can get a vitamix in the UK from several of the UK raw websites, (I googled) and there are no carriage costs. I got mine from Total Raw, I think that was the name, and it cost, if I remember rightly, £500, with no extra to pay for carriage, as I said.

Other sites do them too, but that is the cheapest I found -- still pricey, but I'm absolutely thrilled with it -- it really does live up to its reputation, in my opinion.

lily

[Tinacampy]

I got a Vitamix on eBay and it's amazing. I use it mostly for green smoothies, but I have used it for raw ice cream (made w/ very ripe fruit and ice, period...) So good. It really has been a good investment for my family b/c my kids are drinking green smoothies several times a week.

You can also blend veggies and water for 60-90 seconds and it warms it (if you keep it going, it will almost bring it to a boil).

I think I paid just under $300 total... Can't remember, it's been a while.

[ron4540]

I saw the Vitamix in person at the Green Festival in Washington, DC in October, and was tempted to buy one. However, I couldn't justify it on the basis of cost.

I'm using the KitchenAid 5-speed blender, which I got refurbished on amazon.com with free shipping. Pricing and availability vary, but they generally can be had for $29 to $39 (compared to $120 new). I've been pretty happy with mine. For hard to process food, I use the food processor first, and then transfer to the blender.

Is the Vitamix really 10 times better? I don't think so. However, I just might go ahead and buy one when my KitchenAid blender dies. But it may be a very, very long time away.

[irishserra]

I'm so happy for you that you have your Vitamix.

I was very fortunate, as my grandma purchased one and gave it to me. Unfortunately, I put it away for a year and a half before I learned about raw, and now I use it every day! I LOVE my smoothies...

With regard to Maca, I purchased some last week from Alissa's store after I read your previous post. I can't wait for it to get here!!!

[subbacultcha]

Subbacultcha Hi, check how much it will cost to ship the vitamix to the Uk & also the taxes before you purchase from the US it can sometimes be a couple of hundred quid

I've done a bit of research now and it looks like the total will be $520, which is £210. I think Vita-mix sell them for £399, so that's quite a reduction. Either way I still can't afford it, I'll have to wait til Christmas!

[subbacultcha]

Subbacultcha, you can get a vitamix in the UK from several of the UK raw websites, (I googled) and there are no carriage costs. I got mine from Total Raw, I think that was the name, and it cost, if I remember rightly, £500, with no extra to pay for carriage, as I said.

Other sites do them too, but that is the cheapest I found -- still pricey, but I'm absolutely thrilled with it -- it really does live up to its reputation, in my opinion.

lily
Thanks for your advice, I will look into getting one from there if the ebay thing doesn't work out!

[lily]

You're very welcome! Good luck with your hunt.

lily

[baltochef]

I saw the Vitamix in person at the Green Festival in Washington, DC in October, and was tempted to buy one. However, I couldn't justify it on the basis of cost.

Is the Vitamix really 10 times better? I don't think so. However, I just might go ahead and buy one when my KitchenAid blender dies. But it may be a very, very long time away.

Ron4540

The Vita-Mix blenders are substantially better than any other home blender..

When Vita-Mix first started making blenders they were designed to be used in professional kitchens in restaurants, where they had to be able to withstand being used for hours at a time under heavy load conditions..

Not only are the motors more powerful, but they are capable of being run under heavy loads that would burn out the motors in a home blender in a matter of minutes..

You get what you pay for!!..

Bruce

[Dylan]

Such a great product, I use it every day!

by the way, I got a chance to use the 5000, it's the one with the twist dial that lets you go from coarse chop to super blend and OMGOMGOMGOMG it is SOOO cool. I swear you can blend ANYTHING in the world and not even get a mess on the sides of the blender. It is absolutely unreal. (also super expensive, so I'll only use it in my dreams lol :rolleyes: )

I see it sometime in my future though.

[tvillemom]

I want a vitamix!!! I doubt I will ever get one, but I tried some dressing at a raw food potluck....it was made with a vitamix and it was so thick and creamy!! I know the difference in the quality of what comes OUT of the vitamix, compared with what my blender will do!!


STILL DREAMING....

Wendi

[crystalmoon]

wow £210 is a great price, hope you can get one at that price soon :)
Every time Ive checked ebay they've been way more expensive than that.
I think the cheapest I found online was £399 so Ive taken a chance & ordered the Jack La Lanne one for £ 119 (including 3 years extra warranty 7 express delivery costs). I should get it this week...Im really craving green smoothies ;)

[spiralgirl]

baltochef,

Thanks for your advice regarding the Blendtec. I just wasn't sure since it didn't have as long a warranty and the Vitamix is the most talked about raw food blender it seems.

[KLSLE7]

I love my vita-mixer! It is the one item I would not want to live without. If you are going to invest in a mixer, get the best... the vita-mixer. If you get a runner-up, you will only want the best... thus, spending more money than you had to spend to begin with. Also, it seems to always hold true... you get what you pay for.:rolleyes:

[baltochef]

baltochef,

Thanks for your advice regarding the Blendtec. I just wasn't sure since it didn't have as long a warranty and the Vitamix is the most talked about raw food blender it seems.
spiralgirl

Vita-Mix's are the most talked about for several reasons..

First, they have been manufactured longer than any other powerful blender on the market..Waring has made blenders for longer, but their market segment started out as & has continued to be dominated by the bar blender..The Waring bar blenders have never had the capacity, nor the power to compete against the Vita-Mix's..Only recently has Waring brought to market the EXtreme which can compete against the Vita-Mix line of blenders..Blend Tec blenders have only been made for a few years, so they are not talked about as much..

Second, the Vita-Mix has always had this kind of cult status..I don't know quite how this cult thing got started, but I can tell you that it has existed for over 30 years..I can remember back in my "hippie" days, the several people that owned them were looked upon with a kind of awe..The few people that I met over the years that owned a Vita-Mix, to a person waxed enthusiasticaly about them..The cult status may have something to do with the fact that until recently, Vita-Mix only seemed to advertise in the backs of magazines like Prevention, Organic Gardening, & other similar, not very mainstream magazines..

Third,the blenders themselves are capable of blending tasks that no other blenders could perform..Until the recent introduction of the Blend Tec, Waring EXtreme, & now this 5.4 Hp blender being touted by Blind Guru on YouTube; Vita-Mix pretty much had the powerful, large capacity blender market to itself..

It is my belief that the growing numbers of raw foodists, & other health conscious people, who desire to blend hard-to-move foods is sparking this rennaissance in blender technology..

In the average SAD kitchen there is simply not much need for blenders like these..Most SAD cooks do not blend that much, relying more on the immense variety of already prepared foods available in the grocery store..

Bruce

[solongng00dnite]

Does the version of the vitamix matter alot? I am looking into buying one that is a 4500. Will that be good enough? It is about $100 cheaper so I am all about it. And is the dry container really necessary or can you use the wet one to make nut butters and such

[spiralgirl]

[/B]
spiralgirl

Vita-Mix's are the most talked about for several reasons..
Third,the blenders themselves are capable of blending tasks that no other blenders could perform..Until the recent introduction of the Blend Tec, Waring EXtreme, & now this 5.4 Hp blender being touted by Blind Guru on YouTube; Vita-Mix pretty much had the powerful, large capacity blender market to itself..

Bruce

Bruce,

So glad you mentioned the blindguru and youtube videos. I was so confused as certain raw sites were saying Blendtec was better than Vitamix. Then I saw blindguru's youtube video where he makes carrot juice and he showed the Vitamix as not being able to do a good job compared to the Waring XTreme. Then I was thinking okay Waring is the best one but really wanted to order through a Canadian company and couldn't find one that had that brand.

Then it was back to me hearing about the Vitamix on this site and thinking okay that has to be the best one. I'm on a few other forums as well and one person bought a Blendtec and was unhappy with it since because she thought she should be able to push a button and have it work right away. Now I don't know how the Vitamix works but is it something you need to master to get a good consistency or do you just push a button and it does it's thing.

[baltochef]

Spiralgirl

All blenders, regardless of make & model, will have their individual idiosyncracies that will you need to make allowances for in the way that YOU use them..

I returned the Blend Tec & purchased the Vita-Prep 3 for the reasons that I've already stated..

For me I feel VERY comfortable in how I am able to control the motors' speed with the control setup of the Vita-Prep 3..

As do some of the other Vita-Mix models, it has an On-Off (up-down) switch located on the right side of the control panel (as you look at the machine)..

On the left side of the panel is a simple High-Low (up-down) switch..

Located between the two simple up-down switches is a rheostat dial knob labeled 1-10 that controls the motor's speed when the High-Low switch is in the Low position..

When you throw the High-Low switch into the High position the motor is at it's maximum speed & power rating..

When the rheostat dial knob is turned all of the way to maximun, the motor will be operating at approximately 85-90% of full capacity..

All of these functions allow you to dial in & choose a virtually limitless combination of settings so as to customize the motor's speed to ANY situation..

The Vita-Prep 3 is at the bottom of the Commercial Vita-Mix product line-up..

It supposedly retails for close to $600.00..

I purchased mine back in March 2007 for $479.00..

I decided to go with it after hearing good things about it; & after not liking some things about the Blend Tec (already discussed)..

It is my opinion that all three of the top so-called most powerful blenders are all capable of accomplishing most raw (or SAD) kitchen tasks..

Each has it's strengths & weaknesses

You, as the consumer much choose based upon whatever criteria that YOU establish as the basis for your needs..

Bruce

[Yeshia]

I bought the 4500 and am thrilled with it

Many here have said the dry container wasn't necessary .

If i find I need it I will buy later on :D

[solongng00dnite]

I bought the 4500 and am thrilled with it

Many here have said the dry container wasn't necessary .

If i find I need it I will buy later on :D

Thanks Yeshia. I think I am going to buy it when I get home. It is a refurbished one but it has a warranty so hopefully all will be well. I am so excited.