Last month I was lucky enough to meet the Executive Chairman of Vitamix at the LOHAS Forum. During our conversation, we commiserated on how we love smoothies and choose them over juice or juicing. I shyly admitted that I did not own one, but instead, used my Magic Bullet religiously every day. This prompted him to have his team send me a Vitamix so that I could see for myself why Vitamix is a superior product.
Personally, I’ve been solicited by many brands, many times, but I don’t usually review products positively unless I really believe in them or like them. It wouldn’t be ethical. So, when Vitamix so generously gifted me with their machine, a review was not top of mind. After trying it, however, I knew I needed to share my thoughts with you.
You would think that blending and food processing products, regardless of brand, would all basically work the same. But owning a Cuisinart, a Hand Blender by Hamilton Beach, a Magic Bullet and now a Vitamix, I can honestly say that they don’t. Each one comes with its own advantages, and each with its disadvantages. When it comes to blending, smoothing, and juicing, however, the Vitamix is the best by far.
Texture: Until I used the Vitamix, I found that with almost every machine I used, the Magic Bullet included, there would inevitably be chunks of food in my smoothie or the texture would be grainy. The Vitamix results in a much more thorough and consistent texture.
Flavor: Since other machines aren’t as thorough or fine in their blending, the flavors of the food wouldn’t be as strong. Sometimes, the taste of the resulting food would be somewhat flat. When I made my first smoothie, I was shocked by the difference. Smoothies, as well as other recipes are much more robust and flavorful.
Recipes: The Vitamix comes with a wonderful recipe book. The recipe book not only has great, flavorful recipes, but each comes with a nutritional breakdown so that you know what kind of nutrients you are getting in your meal or food. Recipes include beverages, soups, dips and spreads, sauces, breads, breakfast, desserts, marinades and even recipes for kids.
Versatility: There is one container with one blade attached inside. I wouldn’t use the Vitamix for shredding or grating as much as blending and mixing. There are 10 speeds on a dial, allowing you to very smoothly increase the speed. There is also a very high speed, giving you full control over the level of blending you want. That said, it pays to follow the directions of their recipes pretty thoroughly, as this will ensure that you get the right consistency of certain foods.
Convenience: Cleaning the machine is very easy and using it is probably the least messiest of any of the other types of products I own. That said, if you have a small kitchen, the Vitamix can feel like a real space hogger. The base of the machine is very large and requires a good amount of storage space or space on your kitchen counter. I’ve adapted, however, as the quality of my smoothies is well worth the sacrifice in space.
Cost: I’m not going to lie. This is not a cheap product. At $400 – $500 per machine, you are making a real commitment. That said, if you juice or make smoothies on a daily basis, the Vitamix will be a true asset and will deliver the best “dish” or drink you can get.
Have you tried the Vitamix? What do you think? Get your own Here!