Vita-Mix Blenders & Mixers

[Richard Kilgore]

A 64 ounce container comes standard with the Vita-Mix 5200s and Vita-Preps. I just gpt a Vita-Prep and am going to get a second container, either the 48 or 32 ounce. Has anyone found the 32 ounce to have any advantages over the 48, or vice versa?

Also, how different are the containers for the 5200 and the Prep? Are they interchangeable?

[jsmeeker]

Richard,

What made you get the commerical Vita-Prep over the consumer Vita-Mix?

[Richard Kilgore]

The short answer is it has a 3 hp vs 2 hp motor, Sam says it makes finer purees, and I was able to buy it on eBay for only $45 more than what it cost with tax at Costco. If it will survive in a commercial kitchen for 3 years, with home use I'll be able to put it in my will. That seems like a reasonable deal for only 10% more.

The longer answer is in a discussion in the The Art & Science of the Smoothie topic. There are trade-offs and not everyone agrees that it's worth it. I am sure the consumer model is fine, and better for people with weak hands for any reason, since the consumer model has a lid design that is easier to put on and remove.

[ojisan]

Vita-mix seems to have an interesting marketing strategy: the Professional CIA model...

< http://www.vitamix.com/professionalseries/start/default.asp >

I'd assumed this model was meant for students/grads who will work in commercial kitchens. However, it's not based on the 3hp Vita-Prep, but is actually a relabeled 5200 instead. I'm guessing the Pro is targeted at Food Network home-chef wannabes.

[kitchenspecialist]

I use my Vita Mix for blending chutneys when the ingredients are still hot. When I get back from work, if I have to make chutney, I do not have time to saute them and then grind in an Indian blender after the ingredients cool. I just half cook the ingredients, put it in the vita mix and within two minutes, the chutney is ready and it also finishes cooking when grinding.

Tomato Chutney:

Ingredients:

Onion - 1 - chopped

Tomatoes - 2 - medium size

seasoning:

mustard seeds

asafoetida

curry leaves

Spice powder (you can make it in bulk and refrigerate it for at least two months in the refrigerator.:

Urad dhal - 1 cup

Chana dhal - 1/2 cup

red chillies - 15

curry leaves

coriander seeds - 2 Tbsp

Saute all the ingredients in oil and powder them coarsely in a mixer grinder.

Making the chutney:

Heat the oil in an iron skillet and season it with mustard seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida. Then add chopped onions. Once the onions turn colorless, add chopped tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are soft, remove it from the heat.

In Vitamix, add 4tbsp of spice powder. Add the sauteed oinon and tomatoes. Blend for 2 minutes. (do not blend it to a very fine paste. It has to be little bit coarse). Add salt to taste.

This tomato chutney can stay in the fridge for a week. You can eat it with idli, dosa, chapathi or rice.

[sygyzy]

I use my Vitamix all the time. Nobody can understand paying this much for a blender until they've used it. Tonight I made butternut squash soup from Bouchon.

[OliverB]

Tonight I made butternut squash soup from Bouchon.

I think you just sold me one....

Have to wait 'till xmas, but I see the distinct glow of a VitaPrep on the horizont (going with the pro model for same reasons as poster above).

Hey, it's almost December!

[Richard Kilgore]

I finally bit the bullet and ordered an additional container for my Vita-Prep. I had been considering getting the smallest one - 32 ounce capacity - and this video clip during which Martha Stewart used that size container when Paula Wolfert was on her show recently, pushed me over the edge. It's just the right size for any number of smaller jobs that would leave much of the contained on the walls of the container as you poured it out of the standard 64 ounce size.

[tomdarch]

I finally bit the bullet and ordered an additional container for my Vita-Prep. I had been considering getting the smallest one - 32 ounce capacity - and this video clip during which Martha Stewart used that size container when Paula Wolfert was on her show recently, pushed me over the edge. It's just the right size for any number of smaller jobs that would leave much of the contained on the walls of the container as you poured it out of the standard 64 ounce size.

E Gads! Maybe it's the small container, maybe Martha and Paula are smaller than I think, but in that video, the base looks HUGE! After watching some of the demos on YouTube - all hosted by male chefs - in Martha's video, it looked much larger.

(To comment on "NOT Good Things" - that video player on Martha's site made me want to reach through the Internets Series of Tubes and smack whomever coded it - it was awful at streaming/caching - in other words, it played for 2 seconds, then "loaded" for a few seconds, then repeated - just lousy!)

On some blog or something (researching blenders like these leads one down some odd alleys of the internet into the weird world of raw foodists...), I came across an interesting comment. Evidently, there is a plastic linkage between the motor and the blades that is designed to snap if the blades jam - the "drive socket", I think? In general, this sounds like a good idea. But... the comment was that VitaMix says to not put ice into the machine, and that this sort of thing will cause the part to snap. 1) Is it correct that VitaMix advises against crushing ice in the machines? and 2)Is that just posterior-covering - has anyone here snapped their "drive socket", and how?

Oh, and in the "blender stunt" category, has anyone here blended in dry ice to make ice cream?

[slkinsey]

That seems like an internet rumor about the "plastic linkage." When I've overworked the motor, it simply cuts off for a while. No big deal. The "linkage" between the motor and the blades consists of a metal female part on the top of the motor base fitting into a metal male part in the base of the container. The female part appears to be directly connected to the blades. The metal "drive socket" which is on the top of the motor us surrounded in plastic, but I believe the metal part screws into the connection with the motor.

I have also never heard any advice to not put ice into the machine. Indeed, one of the selling points of these blenders is that their ability to make frozen drinks.

Edited November 17, 2009 by slkinsey (log)

[tomdarch]

Oh- another question: Has anyone ever blown a fuse/circuit breaker with either a 5000 series or a VitaPrep? My kitchen currently only has one 15 amp circuit available where I could plug this in.

(I realized at some point that a VitaPrep is basically the same as a heavy duty woodworking router! Similar wattage/HP and rpm ranges - except that the VitaPrep goes to slower speeds. One turns food into slush, the other turns wood into sawdust.)

[Richard Kilgore]

I finally bit the bullet and ordered an additional container for my Vita-Prep. I had been considering getting the smallest one - 32 ounce capacity - and this video clip during which Martha Stewart used that size container when Paula Wolfert was on her show recently, pushed me over the edge. It's just the right size for any number of smaller jobs that would leave much of the contained on the walls of the container as you poured it out of the standard 64 ounce size.

E Gads! Maybe it's the small container, maybe Martha and Paula are smaller than I think, but in that video, the base looks HUGE! After watching some of the demos on YouTube - all hosted by male chefs - in Martha's video, it looked much larger.

The base is larger than your average home blender, but it looks disproportionately larger in the video clip because of its relation to the small 32 ounce container. (I think most home blender containers are about 48 ounces.) The standard 64 ounce container looks large but does not stand out because it is in good proportional balance against the base.

[Scout_21]

Regarding the ice rumor...I was told I could fill it up and crank it to high if I wanted to make some "snow" for drinks and such. I hope to be getting a Vita-prep soon.

Oh, here's a video made by Vita-mix from their website on how to crush ice for slushies (as opposed to a snow texture)

http://community.vitamix.com/_Crush-Ice/video/292497/22442.html

Edited November 18, 2009 by Scout_21 (log)

[tomdarch]

Well, I went ahead and ordered a Vita-Prep 3 (1005), so I'll soon experience this next dimension in blending...

Watching the promo video on the site where they make strawberry "ice cream" got me thinking. How close can you come to "pacotizing" with one of these? Obviously, a PacoJet can produce a much "thicker" end result, where a "blender" keeps the blades in place and the food has to be able to move around it. But I'm imagining freezing the "mix" in an ice cube tray, then "blending" it, probably with a lot of tamper-action, then re-freezing it. I already see some problems - like the fact that the re-freezing is likely to create a big, solid block, but we'll see. Maybe enough air can be incorporated to counteract that effect.

[Richard Kilgore]

I did my first soup using the Vita-Prep for Thanksgiving - the Pumpkin and Roquefort Soup from Paula Wolfert's new Mediterranean Clay Pot Cooking. The ingredients included match sticks of prosciutto. I really anticipated some fragments, but two minutes in the blender and it was velvet smooth. No straining needed.

[Scout_21]

When I froze and ice cream base in an ice cube tray them blended it I got a powder effect like what Albert Adria did in his Natura book. I'm not saying that it's impossible and I was trying to create a powder. Good luck and I'd love to know if you get good results. Cheers

[DRuger]

I don't own the Vita-Mix, however my wife loves her blender. She's burned out about 3 of em since we got married 13 years ago. We bought a Kitchen Aid model because of how heavy it appeard to be built and we like it. Fortunatly the catalog we purchased from had free lifetime replacement cause we've used it twice now!

A friend has a Vita-Mix and I often ask him to put it to use to make peanut butter, and he to loves the power of that Vita-Mix. It will crush rock I swear, it cleans easy, and the customer service with them he said is great. It's true that the Vita_Mix will pretty much make a liquid of anything. Put it in and it's gone.

If you want to make smoothies on an occational basis a (good) blender will do fine, but if you want long term reliability, & power, get the Vita-Mix. You won't regret it.

My next "blender" will be the Vita-Mix.

[Richard Kilgore]

A beleaguered UPS employee delivered my 32 ounce "Compact" Vita-Prep blender container tonight. They sure are proud of their plastic, but it's just what I needed. This is a better size for making 12 - 24 ounces of smoothie in the morning, thicker desserts in the evening and smaller amount of sauces and soups anytime VS the standard 64 ounce size that comes with the Vita-Prep and the Vita-Mix 5200 series. It will clear my kitchen cabinets and the lid is secure but easier to put on and take off.

Vita-Mix should make this size and the 48 ounce an option to the 64 ounce when you buy the machine. I saw a demo of a Blend-Tech at COSTCO a week or two ago and unless I am mistaken a 32 ounce container comes standard on their machine. (I am sure that one important sales consideration for both companies is appearance: the 32 ounce looks in proportion on the Blendtec and the 64 ounce on the Vita-Mix. So for either one, you may need to add a container to meet your needs.

My research lead me to theblenderplace.com, which appears to have the best selection and prices on Vita-Mix replacement parts. They are oriented to the trade and are apparently not particularly retail-friendly as far as returns go (read the fine print); they processed my payment on November 16th when they were back-ordered; and it arrived about four weeks late. Their customer service rep was appropriately apologetic about the back-order and this was not a life-or-death order for me, so I may be okay with ordering from them again. But be aware. It may be prudent to confirm availability by phone before ordering.

[CaliPoutine]

What is the deal with the viata mix creations? Its a todays special value on QVC for 376.00( shipping included). It lists for 449.00 on the vita mix website.

There are also 5 easy payments and that is kinda attractive to me.

I'd probably only make soup/smoothies/nut butter with it.

[Richard Kilgore]

What is a Vita-Mix "creations"?

[sct4a]

What is the deal with the viata mix creations? Its a todays special value on QVC for 376.00( shipping included). It lists for 449.00 on the vita mix website.

There are also 5 easy payments and that is kinda attractive to me.

I'd probably only make soup/smoothies/nut butter with it.

Looks like a waste of money. I'd go for the vita prep 3 (model 1005) instead. About the same list price but alot of extra power. The vita mix creations seems to just be a bundle with some basic cookbook and cd of the same stuff. I have a vita prep 3 and its def worth the extra few bucks. If you really wanted the lower end model you can find it on its own for less, $376 isnt that amazing of a deal.

[CaliPoutine]

I dont know why its called Creations, but thats what I was asking. I think its exclusive to QVC and the vita mix website. I ordered it, but now I'm contemplating cancelling it.

I really would only use it for smoothies and soups and maybe nut butters.

[OliverB]

I'm getting a bit confused by all the mix and prep and numbers. Is the Vita Mix Vita Prep 3 the top model? I think so, but....

Since they're retty close in price and I expect this thing to last a long time, the difference in price is negligible and the extra power might be nice to have. I plan to make soups and veggie juices as well as plenty ice snow for making sausages.

Also saw there are 3 different plades, ice, dry, and wet. Does it come with all of those? A smaller container is less important to me, I'd rather make stuff once or twice a week and refrigerate than dealing with it every day. The Vita Prep 3 sells for $480 on ebay it seems.

[sct4a]

I'm getting a bit confused by all the mix and prep and numbers. Is the Vita Mix Vita Prep 3 the top model? I think so, but....

Since they're retty close in price and I expect this thing to last a long time, the difference in price is negligible and the extra power might be nice to have. I plan to make soups and veggie juices as well as plenty ice snow for making sausages.

Also saw there are 3 different plades, ice, dry, and wet. Does it come with all of those? A smaller container is less important to me, I'd rather make stuff once or twice a week and refrigerate than dealing with it every day. The Vita Prep 3 sells for $480 on ebay it seems.

There is two product lines the professional line which the top model is the vita prep 3 (model #1005) that has a 3hp motor and the home line which is vita mix 5200 that has a 2hp motor. I can't speak for the vita mix but the vita prep 3 does not come with any additional blades or containers just the primary container and blade. When your shopping at this price point obviously it is going to be a bit of an investment for anybody so why not get the extra power and go with a vita prep 3? They are both around the same price point. I'm not sure where you are located but if your in or around NYC there is a restaurant supply shop on 14th that stock the vita prep 3's that will do a better price on them then that ebay listing for cash no tax and no receipt.

[therippa]

I just got the Vita-Mix 5200 at costco (I've been researching it for two weeks now, was going to get the vita-prep 3 2hp model for the same price).

I thought my old blender worked well...I was wrong. Right now I'm enjoying a smoothie through a very thin straw.

Has anyone tried any of the recipes in the book?