Vitamix 5200 Blender, Black

In the last 20 years I’ve owned no fewer than 5 different blenders – some better than others, but not one of them worthy of a good review. The last one was this KitchenAid KSB1570SL 5-Speed Blender with 56-Ounce BPA-Free Pitcher – Silver which I was reasonably pleased with until the pitcher started leaking. So I bought a replacement pitcher and eventually it sprung a leak too.

I’ve easily spent more than $600 on assorted blenders over the years, so I decided it was time to get off the porch and run with the big dogs. I chose to take a trip to the top and get a Vitamix, and I’m so happy I did. This blender has all I need, and I’m still discovering the myriad other ways I can put it to use. I immediately fell in love with homemade peanut butter, and I have finally been able to turn my favorite tomato soup recipe into a velvet-like purée, seeds and all. It’s so easy to use and easy to clean – this blender is as good as it gets.

My adult children accused me of buying an expensive blender well beyond my needs, and I can’t tell you how satisfying it has been to prove them both wrong. I refuse to lend it to them (they’ve both asked), and both are saving their money to get their own.

With a 7-year warranty, I envision getting more use out of the blender than all the others combined – I should have done this years ago. Color me happy.

This isn’t just a blender. That’s what you have to tell yourself to actually spend the money on one of these things. I know there is that age old debate about Vitamix vs Blendtech but I’ve never tried a Blendtech because our Vitamix has been a work horse for years of daily use and still keeps going! It’s what my parents had, it’s what everyone in my family has and they all love it as much as we do. I guess it’s kinda like Ford vs Chevy. 😉

Anyway, I’m going to make this short and sweet. Our 3 year old son has autism and severe sensory issues making him the pickiest eater on the face of the planet. That being said, he will drink just about anything we put in his cup as long as it passes the look, smell and texture tests. If it weren’t for the Vitamix I don’t know how we would’ve fed our child and made sure he got the protein, fresh fruits and vegetables etc. that his little growing mind and body need. We can sneak ANYTHING into his smoothies and he has no idea because the Vitamix works so incredibly well at blending everything flawlessly. No chunks, no pulp, no fuss! Smooth and creamy and delicious no matter what we throw in there!

Not only do we use this every day for his “dinner”, but I use it every day for my green smoothies and my husband uses it for his protein shakes. This thing has taken a lot of abuse and gets a pretty intense daily work out of frozen fruits and ice cubes etc. and it still works like it did when we bought it FIVE YEARS AGO. We haven’t had to replace parts or have any maintenance done. Just regular cleaning and care. Boom. This is so much more than a blender, it’s a way of life.

Instead of parroting what you’ve probably already gleaned, I’ll focus on why/how I use this as a juicer; pricing; organics & Blendtec options. Although I’m a big fan, I try to be discerning & will includes some ‘peeves’ below.

JUICING
Aside from making nut butters, ice creams, hot/cold soups, flours & smoothies, the 5200 does a decent job juicing. If you use a base of watery veggies like cucumber or celery and blend half of the pitcher first, they will create enough liquid such that you needn’t add much water. To give you an idea, I blended a full pitcher of only kale, adding only 1 1/2c of water. Once strained, the end result was 6 cups of liquid, 4 1/2 of which was pure kale juice. This will vary depending on the vegetables. So, if you’re on the fence as to whether you’ll get a juicer or a blender but can’t afford both, go w/ Vitamix because you can do both.

Once blended, strain the smoothie through a ‘nut milk bag’ ($9) or an old pillow case/tee-shirt, if you’re really pressed for cash; just squeeze it into a large bowl. An Omega or a Breville juicer might be more ideal, but chances are you’ll have a lot more to clean, take up more space & be out an additional $150+. So, if you’re concerned with cost, space or ease of cleaning, the 5200 is a good alternative for juicing.

“Isn’t fiber good for you? What’s the point of juicing?” Although fiber is good for you, the air & fiber in smoothies is quite filling. I can only drink so much at a time. By juicing, I can ingest a greater concentration of minerals & enzymes, instead of so much air & fiber. If you have digestive issues, juicing is a sure way to make sure those nutrients get into your system. I do prefer smoothies for fruits as that fiber regulates the absorption of sugars. This is why I love the Vitamix. I can do juices as well as smoothies, butters, etc. If you look at it this way, the Vitamix is both convenient & affordable…ish.

PULP
Once juiced, there’s not much nutritional value in pulp fiber, but if you want to stretch your dollar, you can put the flavorless pulp to good use. You can use it as a flour-type base to bake with, make pizza with or throw into a dehydrator to make raw cookies, crackers or crust. I flattened & dried mine, added sesame seeds & spices, then baked them. Made some delicious, healthy crackers for the hummus I made the day before. Tons of recipes online. Try ‘liferegenerator’ on YouTube.

WHY 5200 IN PARTICULAR?
Unlike the cheaper 2-speed TurboBlend, the variable-speed 5200 allows me to blend at the exact speed I need for a salsa or hummus, for example. The 5200 has no presets, but I’ve noticed that the time I blend a smoothie depends on the amount & type of smoothie I’m making. There is no preset time that’s best for all smoothies. I prefer to manipulate each dish. Most times you’ll only blend for a minute or so, so I doubt you’ll have time for laundry in between. Of all the variable-speed Vitamixes, this is the most affordable.

COST
This exact model is available at Costco (not online) for $375. Comes with nice recipe book & DVD. Save your money. Some Costcos only carry the 6300 which costs as much as Amazon’s 5200, but comes w/presets. Costco’s *online* offerings for the 5200 usually cost more than what is found in stores because they include a second pitcher.

The only model I’d consider, other than the 5200, is the Professional 300 (aka Professional 7500, not to be confused with the more expensive 750 w/presets). It runs a bit more quietly, has a shorter carafe, wider blade & wider base so it blends more efficiently and is easier to clean and remove thick contents. If you prefer the next generation Pro 300, Vitamix has the refurbished model on offer w/a 5-year warranty for $399. Go to VM site & click ‘Specials’. They only have so many available every month or so. They also have a $330 refurbished, variable speed model w/like warranty. Bottom line, you needn’t pay over $400 for a good Vitamix.

AFFORDING ORGANICS
“May not be organic, but at least I’m ingesting more veggies.” Mmmmm….Yeah-NO. Consider that, if you blend to increase your intake of vitamins, minerals & enzymes, but you’re not using organic produce, you’ll also be giving yourself direct, concentrated shots of harmful pesticides & other genetically modified material. Spinach is one of the more popular green juice/smoothie ingredients. Spinach, along w/ celery & apple, is some of the most sprayed & treated produce if not organic. (Do a Google image search for: dirty dozen organic). Pesticides are known to cause a host of neurological diseases, like Parkinson’s… which my dad had.

Don’t fret. You don’t have to break the bank as there are many options for organic produce than overpriced, gourmet Whole Foods, or those three items at your local store. Check local farmer’s markets, warehouses, co-ops. Some online stores will deliver. I just got a 10lb bag of organic carrots for $5 & about 12 organic apples for $8 at Costco. If you’re in So Cal, ‘Better Life Organics’ is a great place for a huge variety of goodies. Google ‘organics’ for your area. Don’t be discouraged by the high prices and little variety at your local market. Of course, you can always start growing your own.

BLENDTEC
The shorter, wider carafe & wider blade create a better vortex to suck down ingredients of a full pitcher, particularly the Blendtec with Wildside jar. So, for making a full pitcher of smoothies, you’re less likely to need a tamper. However, you simply need a tamper to make nut butters and ice creams. Blendtec doesn’t have a tamper, so you must keep stopping, removing lid, stirring, replacing & restarting. Gets real old, real quick. (Search YouTube for “Blendtec Total Blender vs. Vitamix 5200, Part 3 of 5 – Peanut Butter”). Blendtec does offer a “Twister Jar,” but it costs over $100 extra & it still doesn’t work as well as the tamper. If you don’t make nut butters or ice creams, then you might consider a Blendtec as you can use the same pitcher for dry blending. The 5200 *can* make flours from hard items like popcorn seeds, but VM suggests buying a separate jar to keep the blades sharp. (Blendtec uses blunt blades and more horsepower in regular pitcher whereas Vitamix uses sharper blades that might dull w/lots of hard/dry blending. Blendtecs are a bit louder, but they do fit under most cabinets. Blendtec looks more slick and pretty, w/animations and flat buttons. Vitamix looks more industrial and ‘hardcore’. It looks like it means business. Vitamix has been around much longer than Blendtec & lots of raw vegans seem to prefer VM, so there’s a bit of snob appeal for some. Make no mistake, you can’t go wrong with either.

CLOUDY PITCHER
Yes, you can easily clean your blender with a few drops of soap & switching it on high. However, if you wish to keep your pitcher from turning cloudy, I suggest using a soft sponge on it a couple of times per week. Most importantly, *dry it immediately*. Letting the blender drip-dry will cause clouding. It will also turn the black top grey.

PEEVES
The tall, skinny carafe. If I’m blending a full load of a thick smoothie, the vortex created by the narrow jar doesn’t always recycle the mixed contents at the top w/o a bit of prodding. Minor annoyance because it will ultimately blend it all if I blend half of the mixture first, then add the other. Here is where the Next Generation Vitamixes and the Blendtec’s w/Wildside Jar excel. The wider blades, wider bottoms and shorter profiles recycle a full pitcher more quickly and efficiently. The 5200 will get the job done just fine, though, with a few extra pushes from the tamper stick. On the other hand, if your making nut butters, the narrow pitcher comes in handy.

CONCLUSION
In summary, you don’t need a juicer & a blender to have it all. You needn’t pony up extra cash for presets. The 5200 does everything you’ll need. You needn’t pay over $400 when Costco & Vitamix’ site have reasonable options. Blendtec simply needs a tamper, costs more & is louder, but creates a better vortex, thanks to the shorter, wider profile carafe. Affordable organics are available if you look hard enough & buy in bulk. If you live alone, consider that my neighbor & I go in on bulk items together. Where there’s a will…

I’ve made dishes I’ve never thought of – Brazil nut milk… dandelion green juice (hardcore)… raw vegan pizza w/my pulp… mango/mint smoothies… coconut/almond yogurt… raw vegan cookies… pistachio ice cream. (Banana or coconut or avocado all work wonderfully for a creamy ice cream base.) All of these recipes take only minutes to make.

In the end, the 5200 is the best price/value Vitamix. It will front as a blender & juicer. Vitamix is simply the best all-around blender for most uses, but don’t spend over $400 when you don’t have to. [YouTube: “Equipment Review: Best Blenders”]

Just ordered a 3rd Vitamix 5200. I have had two since 2001. They each lasted about 8 years with heavy use. I use them in a small Espresso bar and I figure they each blended 25,000 to 40,000 drinks each before dying. Through the years I would have to replace the blades when the bearings wore out on them, the plastic gear hub on top of blender when it stripped and the blender container once in a while because of cracks. I tried a Oster blender first and it didn’t last a month. For home use the Vitamix should go for ever.