What exactly is a Vitamix blender and why purchase one of them over a regular blender? According to Newsweek, Vitamix users are in a cult of their own
Here’s what they report:
How Does It Work? The curved bottom creates a vortex that pulls food through the angled blades which can travel up to 240 miles per hour, virtually pulverizing whatever is inside. Greg Moores, Vitamix’s Vice President for Engineering explains it like this: “They (the mixers) are essentially bashing the materials to death breaking down the cell walls to emulsify them at a molecular level.”
Why the Fuss? In theory, this is a healthier way to blend foods because it emulsifies plant matter more than your teeth can by chewing it. A nutritionist and wellness coach in Bethesda, Md., who teaches Vitamix cooking classes, sums it up like this, “They’ve become an icon for healthy eating. A Vitamix is the fad symbol of your commitment to nutrition and healthy living.”
The Price? Not cheap. The 5200, which retails for $449, is one of the cheaper models. That doesn’t seem to stop consumers from buying. Vitamix expects to sell 1.4 million blenders this year.
Are there cheaper alternatives? Yes, there are and here are some we found.
The Ninja
In a comparison test performed by Huffington Post, that pits the against the Vitamix, they said that Ninja and the Vitamix performed almost exactly the same when used to make smoothies and milkshakes. The Vitamix was a little quieter and easier to clean, but at a savings of $320, the Ninja is a great alternative.
Consumer Reports rated both the Ninja and Vitamix in first place and the Ninja is rated as a best-seller on Amazon.com. Most of Ninja’s blenders sell for under $100 and customer reviews on Amazon.com range from 3.5/5 stars to 4.5/5 stars for various versions of the blender.
Here are some comments:
“I love this blender. Does what it says, powerful and very easy to clean and disassemble. I bought this to start juicing with fresh fruits and veggies and it pulverizes and makes delicious smoothies!”
“Best bang for your buck – Great blender for the money…Comparable to $400 competitors. I’ve had it for a long time and I use it every day. Super sturdy, but not exactly huge…”
The NutriBullet
The NutriBullet also promised to pulverize all vegetables and nuts without leaving behind any pulp or chunky substances. If you are juicing for yourself this is a great choice. But for a family, not so much because it’s only capable of making single servings.
This blender goes for about 125.00 and has a rating of almost 5/5 stars on Amazon.
Comments are mostly positive, including:
“I love this handy little blender, it’s lightweight, powerful, and easy to clean. This model has sharper blades than my old blender and it doesn’t take up too much space on my counter top. Since upgrading my old blender to the Nutribullet 900 watt I’ve been using it every day to make dips, protein shakes and smoothies. The machine blends root veggies, frozen fruit, chia seeds, flax seeds, and ice cubes to a smooth consistency without any lumps. I haven’t experienced any leaks like some reviewers have mentioned, I think the trick is not to overfill it with too much food or liquid beyond the max fill mark. So far so good, touch wood! My only complaint is I wish the package included more small cups, but despite this I highly recommend this product to anyone interested in maintaining a healthy lifestyle without breaking the bank on a $500 blender.”
Cleanblend
The Cleanblend, made by Cleanblend Blender Company, is currently having a sale for this higher-end blender for $189.99 for Amazon Prime Members. This is a 310.00 savings from its usual price tag. This blender is oversized, with a virtually unbreakable 64-ounce BPA Free container, stainless steel enclosed blade assembly with sealed ball bearing, and a 5 year warranty.
One customer gave the Cleanblend a glowing rating on Amazon:
“I have never owned a $500 blender, like the ones this blender competes with, but I have done a lot of research on which one to buy. This blender has the same exact specifications as those that cost 2-3x more. I have been using this blender for a few months and can’t say enough about its performance. It’s just a great machine, has a heavy duty motor and is well designed. It just chews up everything I put in it.”
Another who tested the machine wrote, “I really like this blender it does a lot of what the Vitamix does at a fraction of the cost.”