Won VItamix 5200, Keep or Sell

fitformidlife

I won a Vitamix 5200 this weekend that's being shipped to me. When I found out how much it's worth, I figured I'd just sell it without even opening it. However, in reading some reviews, it seems like people love the thing with an almost cultish amount of affection. I like smoothies myself and have a Ninja and a Nutribullet. They work okay, but I use them sporadically. Part of the reason is that they don't work as well as advertised, i.e. leaving lumps and chunks. From what I've read, VItamix doesn't have that problem so perhaps I'd use it more consistently, but I'm not really sure. Supposedly you can even make hot soups right in it, which is of course beyond the Ninja and Bullet.

I can't find very much negative about the Vitamix when I search reviews, and the one negative review I found was packed with comments from Vitamix defenders. I trust MFP as a place to get an honest opinion, so I'd love both pro and con opinions on whether to keep or sell it.

jim180155

Keep the Vitamix. I once ran a 1962 Buick through mine. It didn't taste very good, but it was nice and smooth.

nobel99

I bought a VITAMIX in 1998 and it's still going strong. It is quite powerful but LOUD. I make fruit smoothies often. I can throw in carrots and wheatgerm etc and my kids don't know because you cannot see it....pretty much pulverizes everything that gets thrown in. I used to make soups.....I oughta get back into that. When I first bought it...I made all the recipes...ice cream, smoothies, soups etc. Now I just throw whatever leftover fruit I have (Apple cores and all) , a bunch of ice cubes and sometime a smidge of honey and blend it up. There's never any left. Easy to get a full day's worth of fruits and or veggies into one shake

knittnponder

I've had my vitamin for almost 7 years and we still use it at least once a day, usually more. I regularly make green smoothies but I also do nut butters, pancake and waffles using whole grains and pureeing pretty much anything you want to puree. You can also put some water in it with whatever you want to chop and do a couple of quick bursts. Drain off the water and you have chopped whatever very quickly. It was worth the investment for us. I can drop a frozen solid banana in that sucker and get a creamy, smooth "ice cream" with no chunks or lumps.

Sunbrooke

If you can get most of the proce back, sell it and get a Blendtec. Keep the difference in price. Blendtecs are just as good (seems to be a matter or personal preference) and cost less. They are also quite a bit shorter.

Kristinemomof3

We love our vitamix & use it almost daily, we've had it for about 12 years.

Rocbola

Sell it..... to me!!!!!!!

No really though, keep it, those things are awesome.

Rocbola

Keep the Vitamix. I once ran a 1962 Buick through mine. It didn't taste very good, but it was nice and smooth.

'62 Pontiac tastes a little better, especially with a little cilantro.

Lrdoflamancha

Can I start the bidding at $100.00?

MelodyandBarbells

I don't have a vitamix. But I do have a $35 blender I've had since college and get "fair" results with a little advance chopping. Since you said you have two toys already and you barely use them, I would be surprised if you suddenly started using a vitamix with any regularity. I would suggest that to need such an expensive upgrade, you'd need to be using your existing tools fairly heavily and wishing you had something better.

culo97

If someone gifted me a Vitamix 5200, I'd get rid of my Nutribullet and enjoy the upgrade. But then again, I'm too cheap to buy a $500 blender/mixer.

I've seen restaurant chefs and home cooks rave about Vitamix for decades. I can't think of a better endorsement for food equipment.

fitformidlife

Thanks for all the comments! I'm definitely too cheap to ever buy a $400 to $500 blender. It was painful enough buying the Ninja and Bullet and I waited until they were in stores and got hefty coupons for them. I fear I wouldn't use it, and then it loses a lot of its sales value even if I only try it a few times. But it does sound like it solves some of the problems that keep me from using the others more. I might just list it for sale on our community intranet, then keep it if no one bites. It's tempting to keep though because I can see integrating it into our overall meals a lot more than the others, like making homemade almond milk (I drink the purchased stuff regularly) and adding soup as a side dish to meals. I love soup but never actually make it and hate getting that processed, sodium laden stuff in cans.

evileen99

You will have ZERO lumps using the Vitamix. I swear it could blend rocks into a smoothie and you'd never know.

Sunbrooke

A turbo blender really is worth the cost. I would rather give up my microwave than my Blendtec. It has changed how my family eats and is sooooo much easier to clean than a normal blender. It really is another major appliance. I use mine more than once a day.

Keep the Vitamix! It's a sign!

lngrunert

I rarely used a blender for anything before I splurged for my Vitamix ($379 at Costco). Now I use it at least 3-4 times a week for making smoothies, sauces, purees, fillings, dips...you name it. It makes the best hummus with no need for tahini - you just dump whole sesame seeds in.

I cook a lot, and its one of the best investments I've ever made. And clean up is a breeze. I think it's one of the reasons I use it so much; if it were a pain to clean, I probably wouldn't use it so frequently.