[Mannlicher]

I guess it really depends on what you use the appliance for. I have been getting by with an old Cuisinart blender for probably 10 years now. I use it often for smoothies, making hot sauce, and other chores.

[stir it up]

By that sort of reasoning, anyone with a kitchen should have a fully dressed Montegue

LOL, OK, I was a little facetious and extreme with that offhand remark. Point taken.

But I've got to say how much I love having a Vitamix at home. I put it off because of the price, then finally getting one, I don't know how I ever went without one.

It will grind whole grains into flour in a snap, which adds greatly to your breadbaking. It will puree soups and sauces to such a velvety consistency you wouldn't get with other devices. It will even juice a carrot into smooth carrot juice. This year when the flood of heirloom tomatoes came on, my husband made sauce and paste by blending the whole tomatoes skins and all, and you would have no idea. He blended in other veggies and herbs for flavor too. I made a nice apple and raspberry jam, skins on the apples and all, it came out a beautiful color, I didn't need to add pectin, and the raspberry seeds disappeared completely. I regularly make flavorful soup broths in there by putting in raw veggies like tomatoes, celery, onions, carrots, sweet peppers, herbs, etc., and blending to a smooth consistency.

I find as everything is made cheaper and cheaper, it's rare to find a sturdy well made simple appliance that has power and durability. This one's made in USA, a simple design, and a seven year full warranty to back it up. When I thought I burned mine out, forcing sprouted wheat into the blades with almost no liquid, and the protector switch disabled it, I called the company to say I thought I wrecked the blender, and they offered to send a courier to pick it up and courier another machine to me, but advised me that it's probably just been protected by the overload switch (which it was). I have a blender graveyard of old blenders burned out (including my Cuisinart one), you get the sense with the Vitamix that you're set, and won't have to buy more new blenders down the road.

I think of it as another appliance in the kitchen, stove, food processor, dishwasher, etc. to justify the cost, it does more than replace a basic blender. But if all someone needs is a basic blender, then the Consumer Reports best buy one I mentioned is about $50, and sounds like you got a great one that meets your needs KYheirloomer. The Vitamix showed me "needs" I didn't even know I had before I got it, and I love that darned machine!

[JuniperHome]

Bump for a great product in the VitaMix.


You can't beat homemade baby food.

[amazingrace]

Well, back the original theme of the thread. I recently purchased the Oster fusion blender, and I highly recommend it for anyone wanting a moderately priced, but well-made product. For some functions, it is self-reversing, so the blades are less likely to get jammed with food. I use it for a variety of things, especially fruit smoothies. I like its streamlined black features too.

[MikeLM]

Yeah, I encountered the VitaMix roadshow while visiting our son in Reno, and, in a fit of extravagance, bought one and lugged it back to Chicago on the plane. (That was just before the stock market completely tanked.) Wouldn't do it now.

That thing is awesome. I'm planning to blend a coconut sometime soon - without peeling it.

My wife had a spasm when I told her what I had paid, but after three or four awesome frozen daiquiris, she calmed down. (Passed out, actually.)

I'm a lifelong tool nut, whether kitchen or woodshop, and I think I've got a tool in the VitaMix that will last me the rest of my life.

Mike

[boar_d_laze]

We don't have a Vita-Mix but we do have a commercial blender, and the difference between commercial and residential -- even the pretend commercial blenders -- is pretty big.

There's some sort of practical reality based on need. Not that I'm particularly practical or feel much of a tug from reality. But you might. Maybe. If you're serious about difficult tasks like frozen daiquris, worth the extra $50. A residential won't make a slush without melting half the ice. If all you're going to use it for is simple purees, stick with the residential models.

BDL

[chefhow]

Ive got a Vita Mix(have always wanted to do one of their print ads) and a Waring Pro and the Waring sits in the cabinet. I got my Vitamix about 8 years ago when I ordered one for my restaurant and the one they sent was a refurb, called the company to complain and they sent me a new one and told me to keep the other. I have used it religiously at work and home since. It is a tank and has never shut down on me.

[KYHeirloomer]

All y'all would make great casket salesmen. You make it sound like I positively need the solid bronze one.

I'm mean, why do I need a VitaMix? So, among other things, I can use it to grind my own grain, mix frozen daiquiries, and turn soup into perfect puree.

For those of you rolling in money, if you feel it's worth 400 bucks to accomplish those tasks, God bless you. I don't grind my own grain (and if I did, I'd get a grain mill, not use a blender) nor am I a bartender. And, as for the perfect pureed soup, if my food processor, immersion blender, or "cheap" stand blender doesn't do it, that's what we have strainers and chinois for.

For me a blender is a secondary tool. I probably use my meat grinder more often. So for me to spend that sort of money on a little-used tool would, depending on how kind you wish to be, range from being profligate to stupid. Even if I got it at the "bargain" price of $350.

[ChrisLehrer]

I'm with KY. We got a Cuisinart blender 8 years ago as a wedding present; I think it cost about $85 then, and is maybe $110 now. It did burn out once, because I did something stupid, and they asked no questions and just had us send back the base -- and then they sent us a whole new one, so now I have two blender jars, which is handy every once in a long while.

I can see that if I used a blender more than once a week, every week, and wanted to use it for a lot of heavy stuff, the investment in a VitaMix would be worthwhile, but otherwise, I just can't see it. I have made frozen daiquiris in the Cuisinart, which has a special "ice chop" feature, and it worked fine.

The only thing I can think of that I would really want to do in a blender and can't is make crab or lobster bisque enrichment by grinding the shells to near-puree. Poach, strain super-fine, use liquid for flavoring. Good for crustacean butter, too, but you can do that in a stand mixer. But in any event, how often can I really afford (in whatever sense) to make crab or lobster bisque?

[amazingrace]

I remember a Jackie Gleason "Honeymooners" episode in which Kramden's newest money scheme was an appliance called the "the Vegivita--something-something" (a spoof on the Vitamixer)He and Norton were doing a TV commercial. Norton asks "but can it core a apple, OH chef of the future?". Of course, Kramden's answer was "yes, it can core a apple".

I think the Vita Mix is a fine product. Most people who own one are very pleased with their purchase, and probably would replace it in kind if it were to wear out. It's not my thing, though. I like what I have. I like that it didn't cost much. And I especially like that if my dear daughter covets it, I can simply give it to her and go buy another one.