What are your thoughts of getting a Vitamix blender?

cfennerr
cfennerr Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone,

I am looking to go on a strict diet, but I can't stand eating veggies unless its a salad with lots of croutons and ranch. Obviously that is bad, but I stumbled onto green smoothies and it looks like the perfect way to get veggies for someone like me.

Anyways after looking into it I found a ton of people recommend a Vitamix blender for green smoothies as it's one of the best blenders and can blend ever the toughest seeds. Is this true?

I looked at their store and found they are having a sale on their reconditioned blenders which seems like a lot for a blender, but it's a small investment for my health I am willing to take.


It is very tempting as I've heard they can normally go for over $600 easily and I would get a nice variable speed version for about $300 with the sale and free shipping code.

I just want to hear your thoughts on if its a good investment into my health if I will use it on a regular basis.

Thanks!

Replies

  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
    We just got one (for dog food - no seriously. The German Shepard in my picture eats a home cooked diet of blended butternut squash, peas, carrots, lean turkey and brown rice sometimes hard boiled eggs. We use the blender three times a day for her alone). I LOVE it. It blends really well.
    It's also super easy to clean.
  • LisaBeateith2012
    LisaBeateith2012 Posts: 346 Member
    I bought a vitamix last July and boy am I healthier now....I have a green smoothie every morning without fail.....I feel fantastic...…not to mention my gallbladder is happier.........I have no attacks!! This is because of the vitamix and changing my diet.....the kids are also much healthier as they are getting all their vitamins and minerals from having a smoothie in the mornings. If u look in my diary u can see what smoothies I have every morning...my diary is open have a look. I definitely would get one if I was u......it's life changing!!!:drinker:
  • delicious_cocktail
    delicious_cocktail Posts: 5,797 Member
    I can't vouch for their reconditioned stock but the new ones are certainly worth the price.

    I don't recommend going on a strict diet for the long term. Seek moderation.
  • DancingOnCloud9
    DancingOnCloud9 Posts: 26 Member
    To be honest, I haven't heard much about the vitamix, so I can't recommend nor can I shoot down this product. I have the same issue with veggies, there are a few that I do enjoy, but for the most part, I'd rather just have an 8 oz glass of veggie drink that I can drink down. (Kale, lean protein powder, and 4oz of cran-apple juice and 4oz water is my favorite.). I personally use a cheap $10 16oz blender/cup that I got at K-mart a few years back. My husband and I make 2 drinks a day and it hasn't done us wrong yet.....*knock on wood*. We had a juicer, but it was a pain to clean and it doesn't keep the pulp in the drink like the blender. There's no bells and whistles, but it gets the job done and it breaks down the veggies enough that it's a juice.

    Juice idea's, the premix jamba packs in the frozen section go really well with veggie drinks, I do a .25 of the bag for each drink and add my veggies, protein, and half juice/water.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    They're great and I wouldn't drink green smoothies without a high-powered blender, but some much cheaper blenders are sort of close in smoothness. Not close enough for me but maybe for others.

    Do you shop at Costco? They have a good deal on a Blendtec right now, the closest competitor. I've had one for about 4 years and use it a lot.

    http://www.costco.com/Blendtec®-Total-Blender-Classic-with-WildSide-%26-Twister-Jars.product.100052400.html
  • LisaBeateith2012
    LisaBeateith2012 Posts: 346 Member
    We just got one (for dog food - no seriously. The German Shepard in my picture eats a home cooked diet of blended butternut squash, peas, carrots, lean turkey and brown rice sometimes hard boiled eggs. We use the blender three times a day for her alone). I LOVE it. It blends really well.
    It's also super easy to clean.
    Now this is love.....what a well looked after dog...very impressed!! You have given me an idea to do this for my cats....thank you so much...I don't know why I never thought of this for my wee companions! Keep up the good work! :flowerforyou:
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I just want to hear your thoughts on if its a good investment into my health if I will use it on a regular basis.

    If you don't like to eat veggies, but would drink veg smoothies on a regular basis, then my thought is that this would be a great investment for you. I'm not a smoothie person myself, but my sister has a Vitamix and LOVES it.
  • dpwellman
    dpwellman Posts: 3,271 Member
    Blendtec is as good for around $100 less
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    Is like driving a Cadillac.

    I usually add a couple of handfuls of spinach or kale to my shakes. It turns them green but the taste is no different. Just play with the amount of veggies added until you feel like the flavor is changing, then back off.

    Great way to get greens if you don't like to eat vegetables.
  • BexleyGirl
    BexleyGirl Posts: 102
    All I can say is the Vitamix is the BEST purchase I have ever made. Not only was it an investment in my health, but it was an investment in the health of my husband and little girl. You will not regret it.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    We just got one (for dog food - no seriously. The German Shepard in my picture eats a home cooked diet of blended butternut squash, peas, carrots, lean turkey and brown rice sometimes hard boiled eggs. We use the blender three times a day for her alone). I LOVE it. It blends really well.
    It's also super easy to clean.

    I won't comment on the fact that you are feeding a carnivore a vegetarian diet....
  • TanzaMarie
    TanzaMarie Posts: 94 Member
    LOVE the vitamix. There is nothing it can't blend and with tough leaves like kale, that definitely important. If you don't want to fork over the money for a vitamix, the Ninja is decent, but nothing is better than a vitamix!
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    We just got one (for dog food - no seriously. The German Shepard in my picture eats a home cooked diet of blended butternut squash, peas, carrots, lean turkey and brown rice sometimes hard boiled eggs. We use the blender three times a day for her alone). I LOVE it. It blends really well.
    It's also super easy to clean.

    I won't comment on the fact that you are feeding a carnivore a vegetarian diet....
    Except you did comment...? Today's dogs are omnivores and that diet has turkey and eggs.

    I have an obligate carnivore pet that I make food for in the Blendtec. It's just chicken blended smooth.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    I don't have nearly enough interest to justify the cost. I know a few people who love theirs, though!
  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
    We just got one (for dog food - no seriously. The German Shepard in my picture eats a home cooked diet of blended butternut squash, peas, carrots, lean turkey and brown rice sometimes hard boiled eggs. We use the blender three times a day for her alone). I LOVE it. It blends really well.
    It's also super easy to clean.
    Now this is love.....what a well looked after dog...very impressed!! You have given me an idea to do this for my cats....thank you so much...I don't know why I never thought of this for my wee companions! Keep up the good work! :flowerforyou:
    She has IBS and a disorder which causes her to loose protein. It's literally the only the thing she can eat. IF you do this with cats you HAVE to give them a Taurine supplement.
  • thesupremeforce
    thesupremeforce Posts: 1,206 Member
    We just got one (for dog food - no seriously. The German Shepard in my picture eats a home cooked diet of blended butternut squash, peas, carrots, lean turkey and brown rice sometimes hard boiled eggs. We use the blender three times a day for her alone). I LOVE it. It blends really well.
    It's also super easy to clean.

    I won't comment on the fact that you are feeding a carnivore a vegetarian diet....

    There's turkey in there. It's not like dog food is entirely meat (or even close to being so). I had a dog who due to allergy issues only ate chicken and potatoes for the last year of her life.
  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
    We just got one (for dog food - no seriously. The German Shepard in my picture eats a home cooked diet of blended butternut squash, peas, carrots, lean turkey and brown rice sometimes hard boiled eggs. We use the blender three times a day for her alone). I LOVE it. It blends really well.
    It's also super easy to clean.

    I won't comment on the fact that you are feeding a carnivore a vegetarian diet....
    Um turkey isn't vegetarian. An my dog has IBS, and lymphangiectasia. We spent thousands of dollars at special vets and had a biopsy of her intestines and had to see a dog nutritionist this is literally the only thing she's allowed to eat and we have to weigh everything.
  • hellomuffintop
    hellomuffintop Posts: 1 Member
    Do you currently own any kind of blender? I started drinking green smoothies a couple of months ago and find my regular old Hamilton Beach blender is still fine for now. Obviously it will not blend the tougher stuff, but it's a good start to see if you even like the green smoothies and will stick with them. With my blender I've done spinach / other leafy greens, zucchini, peppers, steamed carrots and steamed beets. For things like apples, I just core and peel them first.

    I do still want to get a Vitamix eventually but I'm glad I tested things out first. It's too much money to spend on something you might only use for a week! :)

    (If you don't own a blender you might be able to borrow one from someone for a couple of weeks. Blenders seem like the kind of thing that a lot of people buy but don't always use that often.)
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    As much as I would love to have a vitamix I just can't bear to spend that much. I have a Nutribullet ($80 at Bed Bath & Beyond with a 20% off coupon) which is great! I make smoothies every morning. They are so filling and I have already seen weight loss because I'm eating fresh fruits and veggies more.
  • MasterKat
    MasterKat Posts: 149
    They're great and I wouldn't drink green smoothies without a high-powered blender, but some much cheaper blenders are sort of close in smoothness. Not close enough for me but maybe for others.

    Do you shop at Costco? They have a good deal on a Blendtec right now, the closest competitor. I've had one for about 4 years and use it a lot.

    http://www.costco.com/Blendtec®-Total-Blender-Classic-with-WildSide-%26-Twister-Jars.product.100052400.html


    I'm on my way to pick up a Blendtec tonight...SUPER excited! I've been watching the Demos the past few weeks...done a ton of research. I have my American Express waiting patiently for our trip to Costco tonight!
  • angie007az
    angie007az Posts: 406 Member
    I think it would be an excellent investment in your health.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Not sure on the Vitamix, but I have the Nutribullet and love it. I make a smoothie every evening with a frozen banana, 2tbs of peanut butter, 4 ice cubes, a cup of almond milk, and a scoop of protein powder and it makes a soft serve ice cream smoothie. So good. Sometimes I add vegetables as well, but not usually.
  • Greytfish
    Greytfish Posts: 810
    We just got one (for dog food - no seriously. The German Shepard in my picture eats a home cooked diet of blended butternut squash, peas, carrots, lean turkey and brown rice sometimes hard boiled eggs. We use the blender three times a day for her alone). I LOVE it. It blends really well.
    It's also super easy to clean.
    Now this is love.....what a well looked after dog...very impressed!! You have given me an idea to do this for my cats....thank you so much...I don't know why I never thought of this for my wee companions! Keep up the good work! :flowerforyou:

    Feeding a carnovore an almost entirely veg diet is not exactly in the realm of love. It is probably a good amount of effort.
  • MorgueBabe
    MorgueBabe Posts: 1,188 Member
    We just got one (for dog food - no seriously. The German Shepard in my picture eats a home cooked diet of blended butternut squash, peas, carrots, lean turkey and brown rice sometimes hard boiled eggs. We use the blender three times a day for her alone). I LOVE it. It blends really well.
    It's also super easy to clean.
    Now this is love.....what a well looked after dog...very impressed!! You have given me an idea to do this for my cats....thank you so much...I don't know why I never thought of this for my wee companions! Keep up the good work! :flowerforyou:

    Feeding a carnovore an almost entirely veg diet is not exactly in the realm of love. It is probably a good amount of effort.
    Jesus H Christ read my post above. Nevermind the fact when she hurt foot I spent 8 months going to the vet every 4 days with her... and we get her blood tested every 3 months to make sure she's absorbing her protein.
    Our vet says in all her years, our dog is has the best blood work of any other lympgenctasia dog she's ever treated. Literally "perfect" is the word she uses for her bloodwork and levels. So trust me it's a lot more than "a good amount of effort".
  • gsgitu
    gsgitu Posts: 118 Member
    i researched for weeks on a blender. ninja, bullet, vitamix, blendtec, etc, etc. ended up with the Vitamix. i will probably never have to buy another blender. awesome. yea, the regular ones work and i may not use it every day. but i can't tell you how many of the regular ole blenders i went through and replaced. after it coming down to blend tec and vitamix, i honestly can't remember what the deal maker was about the vitamix. i got it at costco and got the one with the dry container so i can make flour out of my wheat berries and use it to grind coffee etc. i couldn't be happier that i spent the money on it. the difference is amazing in just making a smoothie or something simple. save your pennies and get vitamix
  • perrinjoshua
    perrinjoshua Posts: 286 Member
    I have been looking into the Vitamix blender for myself as well. I am getting pretty good results with my current blender but since I have been going more and more into smoothies in the morning and want to continue to incorporate more raw vegetables into my diet, it seems to be the best one out there, according to the market surveys as well as first hand recommendations from friends that have one. I think it would be worth the investment. The prices on their blenders does vary and right now I am looking at the one below the $600 mark because once taxes, etc., come into play it will become $600. I'm looking forward to getting one next month some time. Enjoy your smoothies!
  • cfennerr
    cfennerr Posts: 4
    The Vitamix I would get is only $300 after using the free shipping code 06-008426 and comes with the variable speed, new container, recipe book, and a 5 year warranty on their site. I think I will be purchasing one, now is it worth the additional cost for the higher end models? The presets and smaller wider container are tempting. hmmm....

    Also how is the recipe book? Should I look elsewhere for recipes or is it pretty expansive?
  • gsgitu
    gsgitu Posts: 118 Member
    The Vitamix I would get is only $300 after using the free shipping code 06-008426 and comes with the variable speed, new container, recipe book, and a 5 year warranty on their site. I think I will be purchasing one, now is it worth the additional cost for the higher end models? The presets and smaller wider container are tempting. hmmm....

    Also how is the recipe book? Should I look elsewhere for recipes or is it pretty expansive?
    not sure the presets are necessary. a majority of recipes you switch it on turn up to 10 and flip the ludicrous speed button. only grinding coffee have i ever really used a lower speed, most it is just high speed. recipe book is a good guide. gives you an idea of how to use the machine. good baseline. and some decent recipes. of course you can find plenty on the webs.
    also if you get one, the plunger is a must use on a lot of stuff. what i found is you put it in and move it in a circular pattern, don't just plunge it up and down. add liquid, this is a quality machine but you can still burn it up. my son went to make something and i heard this terrible noise coming from our new $500 blender. he didn't put any liquid and packed it with something, don't remember what it was. enjoy. we love ours.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    I like having it. Nice kitchen tool. Wouldn't buy it. The kitchenaid we had before was inferior but still made fine shakes. $300+ isn't the only option.

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