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Vitamix Blenders FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Vitamix Performance and Specifications

Q: What can you make with a full-size Vitamix?

A:
All kinds of things: it’s like a blender, a food processor, and even a cooker all in one, enabling you to prepare smoothies, juices, nut butters, milks (from grains, seeds or coconut), dips and spreads, soups, frozen desserts, chopped fruits or salads, dressings, batters, flours, and purées or thicker sauces.

Q: What’s special about the dry grains Vitamix container?

A: The Dry Grains container has blades specially designed for grinding whole grains and simulating the kneading process to prepare dough for the oven.

Q: What’s the difference between the blades in the standard Vitamix container vs. the Dry Grains container?

A: The blades in the standard containers pull food down through the blades during processing. The Dry Grains container blades push foods up and away to keep the grains from compacting, making it the better choice for grinding dry grains or kneading sticky dough. Vitamix recommends the Dry Grains Container if you intend to process large amounts of whole grains into fresh flours, but if you only want to do that occasionally, you can use the standard one. You cannot use the Dry Grains Container to prepare smoothies or with other ‘wet’ ingredients such as juices, soups, and frozen treats, however.

Q: How can the same machine not only cook soups but also freeze desserts?

A: High speed blade action is the secret to friction cooking and making frozen treats in the Vitamix machine. For frozen treats, the high-performance hammermill and cutting blades crush frozen ingredients and release coldness. Vitamix processing is so fast, there is no time for melting and the mixture refreezes itself. For cooking soups, the blade speed builds a friction heat that can bring fresh ingredients to steaming hot in 4-6 minutes.

Q: What is the difference between home and commercial units?

A: Commercial models have appropriate certifications for use in a Foodservice business. Household units include a longer warranty to cover household use and Commercial units include a shorter warranty to cover commercial applications with more intensive use. Commercial/restaurant-quality technology is also available for home use in the Vitamix Professional Series.

Q: I’ve seen different Vitamix models that look similar but have different names and prices, even within Canada, plus some model names which aren’t generally available in Canada except at some online outlets. What are the differences between the Vitamix Aspire, 5200, Total Nutrition Center, CIA Professional Series and the Pro 500, for example?

A: You can read a detailed response to the latter part of the question in our article Vitamix Blender Models Compared.

For the former, the first part of the answer is there are a number of new models which Vitamix Canada offers itself, with Canadian names (rather than just model numbers), a 7 year warranty, and certain accessories (like a particular cook book, or which containers they come with) which may vary somewhat from the names and accessories offered for comparable models in the USA.

There are also a number of models Vitamix has specially licensed for certain outlets like The Shopping Channel and selected retailers, which are often built on the classic or C-Series base of what is still called the 5200 model in the USA, and generally only have a five year warranty, and which may vary in their accessories, finish, or additional speed switches or controls. These include the aforementioned Aspire, CIA Professional Series, and Total Nutrition Center, in Canada: the Professional Series 200, in both countries and the 5200 Super – Healthy Lifestyle the 5200 Deluxe – Complete Kitchen or models 1709, 1363, 1364, or 1365 Creations II or Creations GC or Turbo Blend VS, in the USA.

Vitamix also offers a number of reconditioned models with different model names or numbers than the current series, often with a 5 rather than a 7 year warranty term. Sometimes they are essentially the same units as when they were originally issued, but some are ‘hybrids’ of older bases and motors with the newer larger containers.

In addition, when you look up some of the models being offered by online retailers, you may find they are actually commercial units, with much shorter warranties (typically 3 years for the base and 1 year for the container and blades, rather than a full 7 year warranty on both).

Q: Do you have an authorized repair station in my area?

A: All repairs in Canada are sent directly to their warehouse in Windsor, Ontario:

Vitamix Corporation

Attention: Repair Department *
200 – 1701 Shepard St. East
Windsor, ON N8Y 4Y5

All repairs in the United States are returned directly to the factory:

Vitamix Corporation
Attention: Repair Department *
8615 Usher Road
Cleveland, OH 44138

Contact Vitamix Customer Service at 1-800-848-2649 (option 2) for a return authorization number.

Vitamix Engineering and Warranty

Q: How long is the Warranty for Vitamix machines?

A: It depends on the series, model, and outlet. The warranty for commercial use units is much shorter (typically 3 years for the base). For home use, most of the new models being offered through Vitamix itself and ourselves are warranted for 7 years. Some models which are only sold by certain outlets are only warranted for 5.

Q: What are the main differences between the older Classic (C-Series) and newer Next Generation (G-Series) models (besides price)?

A: There are three main differences to the G-Series (although there may be some exceptions): 1) their motors are more powerful (2.2 peak horsepower, rather than 2) and yet substantially quieter 2) they’re shorter - they’re designed to fit within the standard minimum 18 space between a countertop and the kitchen cabinet, even with the largest container in place and 3) they tend to have some additional preset controls making some tasks easier than having to manually adjust the variable speeds to different parts of an operation. Other variations include which recipe books, additional containers, or other accessories they come with (which is also the case within the C-Series itself).

Q: What is the 'Optimum batch size' variable we see in some comparisons, and why do many recommend one get a standard 32 or 48 ounce 'Wet' container in addition to the Low Profile 64 ounce container that comes with most of the G-Series models?

A: The 64 ounce Low Profile container has a wider bottom, which is better at blending at least 2 cups of material at once. Iif there is less than that, it can be difficult to reach it with the tamper (a plastic rod to push the food down towards the blades), and some of it may stick to the sides without having been thoroughly chopped up. The 32 or 48 ounce containers have narrower bottoms, and can process small batches, like just a cup of a dressing, or just a bit of peanut butter.

Q: What are the measurements of the Vitamix machine?

A: Dimensions vary based on the blender model and vintage.

- The Classic (C-Series) Models have a 63.4 square inch (409.0 cm) Footprint.

- The Next Generation (G-Series) models have a 72.4 sq. in / 467.1 cm2 Footprint. 

- The unit dimensions for the Classic blenders with a 64 oz container are:

Height: 20.5 in / 52.07 cm
Depth: 8.75 in / 22.23 cm
Width: 7.25 in /18.42 cm
Weight: 10 lbs. 9 oz / 4.79 kg
Cord length: 6 ft / 1.83 m

- Unit dimensions for Classic blenders that come with a 48 oz container:

Height: 17.4 in / 44.20 cm
Depth: 8.75 in / 22.23 cm
Width: 7.25 in /18.42 cm
Weight: 10 lbs. 9 oz / 4.79 kg
Cord length: 6 ft / 1.83 m

- Unit dimensions for a Classic 32 oz container:

* Height: 9.8 in / 24.89 cm (or when sitting on a blender base 16.9 in / 42.93 cm)
* Capacity: 32 oz/0.9 L

- For the Next-Generation models, which are designed to fit under most kitchen cabinets even with the largest container in place, the Unit Dimensions with the Low Profile 64 oz size container in are:
9.4 in. Deep x 7.7 in. Wide x 17.5 in. High, and they weigh 5.67 kg / 12.5 lbs.

- There are also some hybrid models which use the slightly smaller Classic base and a low profile container, and a smaller S-Series of Personal Blenders, which are just 14.55'' (37 cm) tall with their 20-ounce container in place, or 15.66'' (39.4 cm) tall with their 40-ounce container in place), 8.34'' (21 cm) deep, and 5.9'' (15 cm) wide, and also have a combined weight of 12 lb, 6-ounce / 5.6 kg.

Vitamix Nutrition and Recipes

Q: What is whole food juice? 

A: Whole food juice is the combination of the juice and fibre from either fruits or vegetables prepared in the Vitamix machine. The speed and tremendous force of the Vitamix stainless steel blade tips travel at 240 mph at high speed and the customized hammermill and cutting blades literally pulverize food down to the cellular level. All the vitamins, enzymes, and nutrition come to you intact with full flavour in Vitamix whole food juice.

Q: Why is Vitamix juice better than extracted juice?

A: Vitamix juice includes both the juice and pulp from your produce. The pulp contains valuable nutrition that is missing in extracted juice. Vitamix juice helps make it easy to get the FDA recommended servings of fruits and vegetables we need daily for a healthy diet.

Q: Can extracted juice be made in the Vitamix machine?

A: Yes, extracted juice can be made in the Vitamix machine by straining the whole food juice through a Vitamix nut milk bag.

Q: How is whole wheat ground in the Vitamix machine?

A: The Vitamix Whole Grains Cookbook provides recommendations on grinding various grains. Whole wheat is derived from whole kernel wheat berries. The Dry Grains container blades push grains up and away, making it the better choice for grinding dry grains. For further instructions, refer to the Whole Grains cookbook, which is included with the 32 oz Dry Grains container.

Q: Does the Vitamix bake the bread?

A: No. The Vitamix prepares the bread dough for rising and baking in less than 5 minutes. This time includes the time needed to grind your choice of whole grains into flour. The Vitamix will mix and knead the dough, which can be put in a bread pan to rise and bake in your oven.

Q: Can the Vitamix grind pastry-fine flour?

A: The variable speed control makes it possible to grind grains into many textures including the fine texture needed for pastry flour.

Q: When making juice in the Vitamix, does it require adding liquid in the process?

A: Yes, when making juice in the Vitamix water and/or ice is added.

Q: Can I just throw in any whole fruits and vegetables?

A: Yes, but some combinations of fruits and vegetables can produce results that do not taste good. We recommend testing in small batches first when straying from the kitchen tested recipes in our cookbooks.

Q: Can chunky soup be made in the Vitamix?

A: Yes, start with last night’s leftovers! For example, take a few strips of cooked chicken or a small baked potato and add them to your smooth Vitamix soup using the variable speed setting 1. Chop and mix for just a few seconds for a hearty chunky soup.

General Information

Q: How long has Vitamix been in business?

A: Vitamix has been in business for over 90 years.

Q: Is Vitamix a member of the Better Business Bureau?

A: Yes, Vitamix has been a member of the Better Business Bureau since 1967.