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While living in a small but cozy (and well-loved) one-room apartment, I unleashed my inner talent as an amateur chef and party host until I acquired a Vitamix 5200. I told myself I would never be able to do that. The kitchen has no storage or counter space, limiting the amount of chopping, slicing, and dicing you can experiment with. But more importantly, in true New York City style, to me he's missing two key kitchen essentials. An accessible outlet for connecting your dishwasher to a food processor, air fryer, or other trendy kitchen appliances.
With summer approaching, I decided to end this madness and find solutions to small kitchen woes. The answer, I've found, is simple: get a good blender. These powerful and expensive appliances allow you to easily chop, blend, grind, slice, and dice virtually anything. All in one sleek, do-it-all appliance. Even better, you could make soups, sauces, smoothies, cocktails, butters, sorbets, and anything else you could imagine or eat.
After traveling down the blender rabbit hole, I settled on my beloved Vitamix 5200. I quickly fell in love with its powerful speed and control, large batch size, and easy-to-access two-part lid. After rigorously testing this blender by making everything from smoothies and frozen margaritas to peanut butter and salsa, I'm convinced. everyone I need a Vitamix 5200 in my kitchen this summer.
vitamix 5200 blender
The Vitamix 5200 is a high-capacity, high-voltage blender that can hold up to 64 ounces of food. It features variable speed control with a knob on the base, allowing you to adjust the speed for different textures. This allows you to lower the speed control for something like a thick salsa, or increase the speed for a smooth, creamy peanut butter. The hardened stainless steel blade is aircraft grade and designed to blend hard ingredients. This self-cleaning blender also comes with a classic tamper and splash disc that easily slides into the two-part lid plug to help you make homemade ice cream.
$400 on Amazon
$450 for Vitamix
Test method
We put the blender through a series of exhaustive tests to create sauces, dips, and cocktails with a variety of textures. The process started with a rich green smoothie, creamy peanut butter, lots of tomato soup, and crushed sorbet. We then blended chunky salsa, textured guacamole, rich frosé, and finally tested the blender's abilities further with an ice-cold margarita.
I used the recommended variable speed settings using the Vitamix Cookbook guidelines for each recipe. We also used the auto-clean setting (basically mixing water and dish soap for 30-60 seconds) after each test to see how effective this feature was.
We also considered:
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Functionality: I tested the blending power and versatility of the 5200 in each food test to see if each truly delivered the texture I wanted. For example, did the peanut butter really stay creamy? Did the soup stay warm? Was the blender easy to clean after each test? We also considered the noise level for each test.
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build: From the blender's batch size and setup process to the ease of use of each control, whether the controls are clearly labeled, how many settings are included, how easily the blender fits into the base, and safety. We took everything into consideration, including how much So was the lid. We also tested the overall quality and counter-appeal of the materials, including size and overall aesthetics.
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durability: I tested the blender's ability to withstand daily use, including how easily the jar stains and cracks, whether the blades are scratch-free, and whether it can withstand frequent washing cycles.
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guarantee: This blender comes with a full 7-year warranty, which is important to consider when choosing a high-end device like the Vitamix 5200.
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price: Prices for this blender start at $400, which is more than four times the price of personal blenders like the NutriBullet and Ninja Single Serve. Definitely on the pricey side in the blender realm, but well worth the splurge.
What I like about this blender
Setup was easy
Usually blenders don't require much setup, but with the 5200 all I had to do was loosen the cord, pop it on top of the container, and make sure the lid was tightly closed. It is said that it took less than a minute to fully assemble.
High power allows for various speed settings
This blender truly exceeded my expectations and I don't know how I ever lived without my Vitamix. It did everything I wanted, exactly the way I wanted it, using all 10 settings.
Most recipes in the Vitamix cookbook recommend starting with a low variable and slowly increasing speed, and it worked efficiently and quickly every time. You could make everything from chunky salsas to frosty margaritas and even rich peanut butter. I could have made it richer by lowering the speed setting. The versatility of this blender also makes it ideal for those who like to experiment in the kitchen or are looking for a go-to everyday recipe.
Equipped with an easy-to-understand control panel
There are only three blending options: on/off, high/variable, and a 10-count speed dial, but they were all very easy to use and understand. I appreciated being able to increase the speed at any time, unlike other blenders that lock you into one setting at a time. Most recipes start at Variable 1, but the ability to slowly increase speed makes it easier to control each recipe.
If you're looking for a blender with preset settings (like smoothie or soup mode), this isn't the blender for you. But after using Vitamix, I found that I didn't really need any special buttons to find the right settings for my recipes.
Expensive but solid
The Vitamix weighs a whopping 10.56 pounds, which is impressive considering all the high-level materials and machinery involved (did we mention the aircraft-grade blades?). Although it's a bit tall, it's light enough that it's easy to store, but I'll definitely keep it on my kitchen counter for now. This speaks volumes considering the lack of space in the kitchen.
Comes with a two-part lid and tamper
To be honest, I didn't understand the point of the two-part lid. However, when using a tamper or getting tired of removing the lid, I realized how convenient it is to have this easy access at my fingertips.
This means that instead of removing the lid completely, you can simply open the middle part of the lid (splatter-proof design) to easily pour liquids or add small pieces of food.
it's not that noisy
Honestly, blenders are noisy. However, I found the 5200 to be soft compared to other blenders such as the Nutribullet and Ninja blenders. Mixing the ice made it a little louder, but that's to be expected.
It has quite a large capacity
As someone who cooks for one person, I never thought this would be an issue to consider. But when I (accidentally) made a large batch of tomato soup, I realized how practical the tall container size is. This is especially helpful for people who cook in large quantities, such as large families or people preparing meals.
Comes with extra long cord and cord retainer
Vitamix knew what they could do when they added a long cord that could be easily rolled up and stored neatly under the base. This had a huge impact on the blender's ease of use and functionality, as the power outlet is hidden behind the fridge and hard to reach.
Made from BPA-free materials
These pesky “chemicals everywhere” are, as you might imagine, in everything. Except for this blender. He appreciates not having to worry about BPA when using this Vitamix.
The measurements are engraved on the container
What I especially liked is that the ounces, cups, and milliliters are clearly stamped on the side of the container, and they won't fade or scratch when washed.
What I didn't like about this blender
Comes with a small and thick lid flap
I liked the two-part lid, but the flap on the lid was sometimes difficult to secure in place. This was also a tall blender so I had no choice. I've noticed that the lid doesn't always seem to “click” properly, but this seems to be partly due to the rubbery material. I guess I wanted the satisfying “click” sound of the appliance locking securely into place, but that's not the case with this Vitamix. It's still sturdy, but I wish it felt more secure.
Cleaning was mostly easy until I made peanut butter.
Care and cleaning of your Vitamix is easy. Simply fill the container with warm water and a few drops of dish soap, then set the setting to speed 1, then variable speed 10, then high speed for 30 to 60 seconds. .
This self-cleaning method worked brilliantly, except when testing thick foods like when I made peanut butter. This required me to manually (carefully) clean the bottom of the container, which was a pain considering the deep bottom of the blender. You can purchase a slim silicone blender spatula for these scraping needs. I recommend it.
Vitamix Underblade Scraper
This handy blade scraper can get under the hard-to-reach areas of your blender for scraping and cleaning. Ideal for rich blends such as butter and dips.
$15 at Target
Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap
You can use any type of dish detergent mixed with water to self-clean your Vitamix. I liked using Dawn. That's because it's made with oil stain-fighting technology and a concentrated formula that works well in a high-powered blender.
conclusion
The Vitamix 5200 has revolutionized my kitchen. I can't imagine how I lived without being able to quickly make homemade peanut butter, salsas, and soups. We already know this blender will be a staple for making frozen cocktails, dips, sauces, and sorbets this summer. I immediately wholeheartedly recommend this blender to anyone who has a small kitchen or limited storage space.
Note: Prices above reflect retailer listed prices at the time of publication.
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