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Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender, Professional-Grade, 48 oz. Container, Brushed Stainless Finish
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Purchase options and add-ons
Brand | Vitamix |
Color | Brushed Stainless |
Special Feature | Blends |
Capacity | 64 Fluid Ounces |
Product Dimensions | 11"D x 8"W x 17"H |
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About this item
- 48-Ounce Container is ideal for smaller to medium-sized blends
- Program Settings: Five program settings (for Smoothies, Hot Soups, Dips & Spreads, Frozen Desserts, and Self-Cleaning) ensure walk-away convenience and consistent results
- Touchscreen Controls give the machine a sleek silhouette and are easily wiped clean
- Variable Speed Control and Pulse feature let you manually fine-tune the texture of any recipe
- Wireless Connectivity: The motor base can detect the container size and automatically adjust program settings and maximum blending times accordingly. Add a range of compatible containers and attachments, building a customized system designed to fit your needs
- Programmable Timer: A built-in timer helps avoid over- or under-processing your custom recipes. Set the timer to the length of your blend, and it will turn the machine off automatically
- What's in the Box: motor base, low-profile 48 oz. container, low-profile classic tamper, tamper holder, and Simply Blending Cookbook
- Electrical Ratings - 120 V, 50-60 Hz, 12 Amps. Cord: 4 feet. HP: 2.2-peak
- What's in the Box: Motor Base, 64-ounce Low-Profile Container, Tamper, Simply Blending Cookbook
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This Item Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender, Professional-Grade, 48 oz. Container, Brushed Stainless Finish | Recommendations | dummy | dummy | dummy | dummy | |
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Price | $676.95$676.95 | $638.01$638.01 | $379.95$379.95 | $588.00$588.00 | $599.95$599.95 | -14% $475.00$475.00 List: $549.95 |
Delivery | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | Get it Apr 1 - 2 | Get it as soon as Monday, Apr 1 | — |
Customer Ratings | ||||||
Blending power | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.4 |
Easy to use | 4.6 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.5 |
Easy to clean | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.5 |
Sheerness | 4.5 | 4.6 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.8 |
Noise level | 3.9 | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.6 | — | 3.1 |
Sold By | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Amazon.com | Best Electronics (SN Recorded) | Amazon.com | Brandywine Tech |
material | Tritan | Plastic, Metal | — | Plastic, Metal | Polycarbonate | BPA-Free Tritan |
number of speeds | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
wattage | 1500 watts | 1500 watts | 1380 watts | 1400 watts | 1500 watts | 1500 watts |
blade material | — | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel | Stainless Steel |
dishwasher safe | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
voltage | — | 120 volts | 120 volts | 120 volts | 120 volts | 110 volts |
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From the manufacturer
An Amazon Exclusive Item
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Brushed Stainless Steel FinishThis easy-to-clean finish looks great in any kitchen. |
48-Ounce ContainerThis Amazon-exclusive package comes with a smaller container that’s ideal for small to mid-size blends. |
Tamper HolderThis convenient holder ensures your tamper is always close at hand. |
The Vitamix Difference
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High Performance MotorBlend frozen fruit, heavy powder, and all the greens—our powerful motors transform tough ingredients into smooth blends, year after year. |
Self-Detect TechnologyThis blender is smart! The motor base automatically recognizes your container size and adjusts program settings and maximum blend times. |
Stainless Steel BladesOur laser-cut blades are designed to deliver the same quality results, from first blend to last, and are resistant to dulling or bending. |
Self CleaningJust blend warm water and a drop of dish soap at your machine's highest speed, and watch it self-clean in 60 seconds—no disassembly required. |
Make It In Minutes
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Smoothies & JuicesTurn fruits and veggies into refreshing smoothies and juices. Vitamix blenders use the whole ingredient, including the fiber, to make healthy snacks. |
Hot Soup without stoveMake steaming-hot soup without a stove—in under 10 minutes. The friction from our blades brings soup to serving temperature, right in the container. |
Dips & SpreadsWhether you’re looking for easy after-school snacks or planning a big party, our simple dips and spreads like nut butter, hummus, and more, are healthy and delicious. |
Frozen treats in secondsCreate chilled desserts—just add frozen ingredients to your machine and you’ll be enjoying ice cream, fruit sorbet and more in seconds. |
Videos
Videos for this product
2:35
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Customer Review: Makes Amazing Shakes and More…
Sean McGill
Videos for this product
3:55
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Vita Mix A3500 and a blueberry banana smoothie bonus
Ken Periman
Videos for this product
2:39
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Vitamix Ascent Series Comparison Video #thisorthat
🍑 Mariah Knight 🍑
Product information
Brand | Vitamix |
---|---|
Color | Brushed Stainless |
Special Feature | Blends |
Capacity | 64 Fluid Ounces |
Product Dimensions | 11"D x 8"W x 17"H |
Included Components | Motor Base, 64-ounce Low-Profile Container, Tamper, Simply Blending Cookbook |
Style | Countertop Blenders |
Recommended Uses For Product | Blending, Pureeing, Juices |
Power Source | ac |
Number of Speeds | 10 |
Voltage | 120 Volts |
Material Type Free | BPA Free |
Warranty Type | 10-year full warranty covers parts, labor and return shipping both ways. |
Item Weight | 14.92 pounds |
Manufacturer | Vitamix |
ASIN | B09TS1KKHV |
Country of Origin | USA |
Item model number | 070851 |
Customer Reviews |
4.7 out of 5 stars |
Best Sellers Rank | #17,952 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining) #60 in Countertop Blenders |
Date First Available | March 2, 2022 |
Warranty & Support
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Product guides and documents
Product Description
Our most advanced blender is now available with a versatile, 48-ounce container that makes smaller to mid-sized blends a breeze. The A3500 features 5 program settings (for Smoothies, Hot Soups, Dips & Spreads, Frozen Desserts, and Self-Cleaning) that automatically adjust to your container size, process your recipes, and stop the blender when complete. Touchscreen controls are easily wiped clean, and a programmable built-in timer helps you achieve your perfect blend, every time. Create a personalized blending system by pairing the Ascent Series A3500 with a range of compatible containers and attachments. This blender can replace these 11 kitchen tools: Stand Mixer, Hand Blender, Meat Grinder, Spice Grinder, Ice Cream Maker, Baby Food Maker, Food Processor, Juicer, Chopper, Knife, Mortar and Pestle. Industry leading warranty - up to 10 years based on a survey of competitive warranties as of August 2022. Vitamix blenders last up to 10x longer than the average blender. Data gathered through a Vitamix study which compared Vitamix Ascent and Explorian Series blenders against a select blender model determined to be average. Analysis completed in August of 2022.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers like the quality, ease of cleaning, and ease of use of the food blender. For example, they mention it's a great kitchen workhorse, makes the best queso, soups, nut butters and smoothies, and practically washes itself. Customers are also satisfied with the speed. That said, opinions are mixed on value, performance, appearance, and noise.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers like the quality of the food blender. They say it's a great, restaurant quality machine that makes excellent queso, soups, nut butters, and smoothies. They also say it makes perfect smoothies and is a perfect size for making up a big batch. Customers also mention that the way it processes solids turns the coarsest fruits, nuts, and vegetables into puree. Overall, customers are satisfied with the quality and ease of operation of the product.
"...soup (think Campbell's Creamy Tomato), and this blender gets the ingredients blended so well that you can do just that. No chunks...." Read more
"...'re paying for when getting a Vitamix machine is quality blades, a powerful motor, solid construction, and with the Ascent series a 10 year warranty...." Read more
"...understand how to get the exact results you want, but this Vitamix is absolutely amazing...." Read more
"...about eating my vegetables but the way this blender processes solids turns the coarsest fruits, nuts, and vegetables into pure buttery, velvety..." Read more
Customers like the ease of cleaning the food blender. They say the stainless steel shell is easy to clean, and the self-cleaning button is great. The base is a little heavy, but it's stable. The cleanup was under a minute, and it'll clean up nice in the dishwasher.
"...The other thing I really like is the the self cleaning feature...." Read more
"...My very favorite option is that this blender is truly is SELF-cleaning! I love not having to disassemble and expose my fingers to sharp blades...." Read more
"...As advertised, the bowls and cups are easy to clean with just a drop or two of dish liquid and water...." Read more
"...Everything was easy to assemble and use. Every attachment is dishwasher safe (except the motor base), however the recommended cleaning method using..." Read more
Customers find the food blender easy to use. They mention it's easy to assemble and use, it gets the job done effortlessly, and it'll make eating much simpler and convenient. The controls are easy to read and intuitive, and the blender is well thought out and gives a great user experience. It's also easy to make smoothies and salsas, and has convenient pre-programmed settings.
"...This blender is so easy that I've rediscovered the kitchen - ha!!! Right now, I'm in withdrawal from making "malts" every night. It's so much fun...." Read more
"...The controls are easy to read and intuitive and, as suggested earlier, it’s a very intuitive machine overall...." Read more
"...Also purchased the food processor attachment. Everything was easy to assemble and use...." Read more
"...I love how easy it is to use. I make a frappucino every morning and this does better than my other blenders...." Read more
Customers like the speed of the food blender. For example, they say it starts out slow but amps up. Some say it's faster than the dishwasher, makes great soup quickly, and is efficient.
"...on the unit (followed by a rinse) works very well and is faster than the dishwasher...." Read more
"...Quiet until you get to the highest variable levels 6–10. Makes quick work and no mess." Read more
"This seems much quieter and faster than my previous Vitamix. I love the smaller pitcher. It works better than the 64 oz one for smaller batches...." Read more
"The Vitamix A3500 is the best blender I have owned. Does the job quickly and very easy to clean." Read more
Customers are mixed about the value of the food blender. Some mention that it's worth the money, and saves them money and time, while others say that it is expensive and the cheap plastic blender jar is the fault.
"...So, bottom line, is the blender worth the bucks? Yes. However, there appears to be an issue with the sensor on some Ascent models (a bad batch?),..." Read more
"...I do think it's absolutely worth the price if you can afford it, because you have to consider that Vitamix is guaranteeing that it'll last at least..." Read more
"...Cons: pricy and loud." Read more
"...Worth every penny." Read more
Customers are mixed about the performance of the food blender. Some mention that it works well, gets the job done, and is very useful, while others say that it stopped working the second day of use and would not work out of the box.
"...I'm very glad I have this blender; for me it's very useful and provides all the power to do what it's designed for, with ease...." Read more
"...The shorter tamper works decently, but it doesn’t go in deep enough when I need to push ingredients into the blade...." Read more
"...of use, I started getting an error code E 1, that would keep the blender from working...." Read more
"Expensive but it works great and looks good out on the kitchen counter" Read more
Customers are mixed about the noise of the food blender. Some mention that it's noticeably quieter than their friends' older models, while others say that it has lots of power but is loud.
"...Having said that, the loudness is not intolerable, at least for me. You'll also notice a kind of "burning" smell when you use it the first few times...." Read more
"...And, yes it is loud (don't expect to have a quote conversation standing next to it). They say the Accent A3500 is quieter than other models...." Read more
"...Easy to use button or variable knob. Quiet until you get to the highest variable levels 6–10. Makes quick work and no mess." Read more
"...Yes, it is loud but not nearly as loud as our last blender. This particular model is quieter than some of the other Vitamix choices...." Read more
Customers are mixed about the appearance of the food blender. Some mention it's sleek, beautiful, and well thought out. They also appreciate the attractive brushed stainless steel and cool view. However, other customers say that it'll be a complete waste of money.
"...There were three features in particular that really sold me: the blade design, its ability to make hot soup right in the container, and the 10-year..." Read more
"...However, it is not perfect...." Read more
"...I chose the white label model and it's beautiful with preset buttons + the pulse...." Read more
"...Nothing like the old ones. It was a glorified nutrabullet. Just junk AND they now have a reduced warrantee(2 years instead of 8???),..." Read more
Reviews with images
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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I decided on the Ascent A3500, because I like all the bells and whistles. I like the fact that I just push a button and it does all the timing and speed transitions for me. I can set it and walk away, where as with some models, you have to manually control the speeds and settings while you are blending. It also got a lot of good reviews and recommendations. So for me, this was the model I decided to purchase.
I also decided to order the blender through Amazon Prime, so I could send it back if I didn't like it. I like the safety net of being able to change my mind if I decide I don't want to keep something. Especially now that I can just drop it off a the UPS store to make a return.
Anyway, out of the box, I really liked the blender. Yes, it smelled like it was burning at first, as the motor was broken in. And, yes it is loud (don't expect to have a quote conversation standing next to it). They say the Accent A3500 is quieter than other models. I can't imagine how loud they are if that is true. It is also really big. But I found a place on my counter for it, and left it there. Right away I made a smoothie. And, I was impressed with how smooth it came out. I had put in spinach, flax and chia seed, as well as frozen fruit and ice. It can out so smooth. Unlike some smaller blenders that left small bits of ice.
I next made some Leek and Artichoke soup that was delicious and it had me convinced I had made a good choice. Although there are some soups you can just blend straight in the blender (tomato soup for one), most soups you have to do some prep work and cook the ingredients on the stove first to meld flavors. But after that, you just throw everything into the blender and voila! Pureed, hot, steaming soup. The friction of the blades is what heats the soup. And, again, so smooth. I like drinking my soup (think Campbell's Creamy Tomato), and this blender gets the ingredients blended so well that you can do just that. No chunks.
I continued using the blender almost everyday in some fashion. However, after a few days of use, I started getting an error code E 1, that would keep the blender from working. After doing some research, I learned that it was a sensor error; the blender was having problems reading the container connection. The literature said just to turn it off and turn it back on. That worked at first, but I started getting the error code a lot and turning it off and on didn't work.
I looked on line and found this was a problem for some of the Ascent blenders and people had been instructed to send the blender back for repair if it persisted. Since I bought mine on Amazon, I returned it and ordered another. The first order was a package deal with a book. Wanting to see if I could get a blender from a different batch, I ordered it without the book.
The new blender has been great! I have had it for a little over a month, with no error codes so far, and I use it almost everyday. My main uses are smoothies, soups, and a new one for me, nut butters. I've made three batches of cashew butter and it was delicious!! So much so, I had to quit making it, as I was eating too much. Note: I had the blender plugged into a power strip and it would trip the strip when making nut butters. However, when I put it in a regular plug (no strip) it did fine. I think the power strip was too sensitive.
The other thing I really like is the the self cleaning feature. While you may have to take a wash cloth to the inside once in a while, for the most part, the self cleaning does the trick.
So, bottom line, is the blender worth the bucks? Yes. However, there appears to be an issue with the sensor on some Ascent models (a bad batch?), so you may have to send it back or send it to Vitamix for repair. If that sort of thing makes you crazy, I would use caution. Other than that, I really love the Vitamix A3500.
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2021
I decided on the Ascent A3500, because I like all the bells and whistles. I like the fact that I just push a button and it does all the timing and speed transitions for me. I can set it and walk away, where as with some models, you have to manually control the speeds and settings while you are blending. It also got a lot of good reviews and recommendations. So for me, this was the model I decided to purchase.
I also decided to order the blender through Amazon Prime, so I could send it back if I didn't like it. I like the safety net of being able to change my mind if I decide I don't want to keep something. Especially now that I can just drop it off a the UPS store to make a return.
Anyway, out of the box, I really liked the blender. Yes, it smelled like it was burning at first, as the motor was broken in. And, yes it is loud (don't expect to have a quote conversation standing next to it). They say the Accent A3500 is quieter than other models. I can't imagine how loud they are if that is true. It is also really big. But I found a place on my counter for it, and left it there. Right away I made a smoothie. And, I was impressed with how smooth it came out. I had put in spinach, flax and chia seed, as well as frozen fruit and ice. It can out so smooth. Unlike some smaller blenders that left small bits of ice.
I next made some Leek and Artichoke soup that was delicious and it had me convinced I had made a good choice. Although there are some soups you can just blend straight in the blender (tomato soup for one), most soups you have to do some prep work and cook the ingredients on the stove first to meld flavors. But after that, you just throw everything into the blender and voila! Pureed, hot, steaming soup. The friction of the blades is what heats the soup. And, again, so smooth. I like drinking my soup (think Campbell's Creamy Tomato), and this blender gets the ingredients blended so well that you can do just that. No chunks.
I continued using the blender almost everyday in some fashion. However, after a few days of use, I started getting an error code E 1, that would keep the blender from working. After doing some research, I learned that it was a sensor error; the blender was having problems reading the container connection. The literature said just to turn it off and turn it back on. That worked at first, but I started getting the error code a lot and turning it off and on didn't work.
I looked on line and found this was a problem for some of the Ascent blenders and people had been instructed to send the blender back for repair if it persisted. Since I bought mine on Amazon, I returned it and ordered another. The first order was a package deal with a book. Wanting to see if I could get a blender from a different batch, I ordered it without the book.
The new blender has been great! I have had it for a little over a month, with no error codes so far, and I use it almost everyday. My main uses are smoothies, soups, and a new one for me, nut butters. I've made three batches of cashew butter and it was delicious!! So much so, I had to quit making it, as I was eating too much. Note: I had the blender plugged into a power strip and it would trip the strip when making nut butters. However, when I put it in a regular plug (no strip) it did fine. I think the power strip was too sensitive.
The other thing I really like is the the self cleaning feature. While you may have to take a wash cloth to the inside once in a while, for the most part, the self cleaning does the trick.
So, bottom line, is the blender worth the bucks? Yes. However, there appears to be an issue with the sensor on some Ascent models (a bad batch?), so you may have to send it back or send it to Vitamix for repair. If that sort of thing makes you crazy, I would use caution. Other than that, I really love the Vitamix A3500.
Initially I only cared about whether the new blender crushed ice into a smooth texture so I could replicate Starbucks Frappuccinos and slushies. As many folks do, I gravitated towards buying a brand I was already familiar with. In my case it was Ninja. So that's what I initially bought. A more powerful version of what I already had. I will say that it DID manage to impress me with its ice crushing ability, but I was less impressed at how little Ninja's design had changed since my last purchase 10 years ago. Water gets trapped in the container handle, and I just hate the blade that takes up so much space in it. So I started looking into alternatives. That's when I decided to learn more about Vitamix and whether it really was worth hundreds of dollars more than my Ninja.
Long story short: the answer is yes. Yes, it is worth it. There were three features in particular that really sold me: the blade design, its ability to make hot soup right in the container, and the 10-year warranty. I cannot stress enough how much better the Vitamix blade design is compared to the Ninja. There are two main blade types that you'll find in a blender: those that chop, and those that pulverize.
Blades that chop are cheaper but will wear down over time requiring you to sharpen or replace them. Blending hard items like ice cubes can be particularly rough for chopping blades and will cause them to dull faster. Ninja blenders use chopping blades. Vitamix, on the other hand, uses pulverizing blades that are dull by design and never need sharpening. Instead of taking up the entire container, the blade sits compactly at the bottom. It blends by pulling ingredients down towards the blade and pulverizing the heck out of them. Trust me, this makes a HUGE difference in the texture and consistency of your blends.
For example, I added mandarin slices one time to a smoothie I made using my Ninja which uses chopping blades. It tasted fine but it couldn't fully break down the little white fibers that hold citrus fruit segments together. I didn't really like that texture so I just considered it a faux pas on my end for using an ingredient that maybe isn't ideal to put in a blender. Turns out that while not ideal for my Ninja, the Vitamix A3500 had NO issues whatsoever pulverizing mandarins into a completely smooth texture. That's the moment I thought, "Ok, I totally get the hype now."
The type of blade also determines how much liquid you need to add for it to perform its best. Chopping blades typically need more liquid to keep them moving. That can result in watered down results. With the Vitamix blades, you don't need to add as much liquid. My personal experience is that everything just tastes better coming from the Vitamix, hands down.
Ultimately what you're paying for when getting a Vitamix machine is quality blades, a powerful motor, solid construction, and with the Ascent series a 10 year warranty. Ninja offers a one year warranty. Vitamix can pulverize just about everything you put in it into a completely smooth texture. It's actually impressive. But the blades alone are not enough, the motor needs to be powerful enough too...
The motor in this thing IS very powerful. People complain about how loud this machine is, and that powerful motor is the reason why. If you want quiet, look for a cheaper blender with less power. But for me the noise is a more than fair trade-off due to the consistently amazing blends it gives me. And to its credit, it's only really loud when used on its highest settings. Having said that, the loudness is not intolerable, at least for me. You'll also notice a kind of "burning" smell when you use it the first few times. Don't be alarmed by this. It's a brand new motor and needs time to cure (or "break in"). The smell will go away after you've done a few blends on its highest speed.
The power cord is very short, I think it's 3 feet long. So it'll need to be placed close to an outlet. The length of cord makes sense though given how much power it puts out. It's not ideal to use long cords with high powered appliances, so I don't recommended using an extension cord. If there's no other way, then I'd say use the shortest extension cord possible and make sure it's rated for appliance use. Also, despite its low profile design, it would not fit under my cabinets. To be fair, I think my cabinets sit lower than average. Luckily I have one section of counter space that sits lower which makes it the only place I could put it. Otherwise I would have to store the container instead of keeping it on the base.
What started out as a quest for better ice consistency evolved into a more complex obsession with blending. I use the Vitamix every single day. Sometimes more than once. I've made smoothies in it. Frappes. Soups. You name it. It actually got me excited to blend, try new recipes, and encourages me to eat healthier. I'm not someone that enjoys spending a lot of time cooking or preparing elaborate meals, and my laziness led to eating unhealthy (but zero effort) food. But I can make an entire soup in five minutes now using fresh ingredients by just throwing some vegetables and broth into this thing, blend, and eat. It's almost TOO easy and I no longer have an excuse to avoid eating better.
What can I say. I am absolutely obsessed with Vitamix now and a total convert. I do think it's absolutely worth the price if you can afford it, because you have to consider that Vitamix is guaranteeing that it'll last at least 10 years. Plus, I'm not sure if any other brand is going to give the exact same results. I had no idea what I was missing until I tried it myself, now I can't ever go back.
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2023
Initially I only cared about whether the new blender crushed ice into a smooth texture so I could replicate Starbucks Frappuccinos and slushies. As many folks do, I gravitated towards buying a brand I was already familiar with. In my case it was Ninja. So that's what I initially bought. A more powerful version of what I already had. I will say that it DID manage to impress me with its ice crushing ability, but I was less impressed at how little Ninja's design had changed since my last purchase 10 years ago. Water gets trapped in the container handle, and I just hate the blade that takes up so much space in it. So I started looking into alternatives. That's when I decided to learn more about Vitamix and whether it really was worth hundreds of dollars more than my Ninja.
Long story short: the answer is yes. Yes, it is worth it. There were three features in particular that really sold me: the blade design, its ability to make hot soup right in the container, and the 10-year warranty. I cannot stress enough how much better the Vitamix blade design is compared to the Ninja. There are two main blade types that you'll find in a blender: those that chop, and those that pulverize.
Blades that chop are cheaper but will wear down over time requiring you to sharpen or replace them. Blending hard items like ice cubes can be particularly rough for chopping blades and will cause them to dull faster. Ninja blenders use chopping blades. Vitamix, on the other hand, uses pulverizing blades that are dull by design and never need sharpening. Instead of taking up the entire container, the blade sits compactly at the bottom. It blends by pulling ingredients down towards the blade and pulverizing the heck out of them. Trust me, this makes a HUGE difference in the texture and consistency of your blends.
For example, I added mandarin slices one time to a smoothie I made using my Ninja which uses chopping blades. It tasted fine but it couldn't fully break down the little white fibers that hold citrus fruit segments together. I didn't really like that texture so I just considered it a faux pas on my end for using an ingredient that maybe isn't ideal to put in a blender. Turns out that while not ideal for my Ninja, the Vitamix A3500 had NO issues whatsoever pulverizing mandarins into a completely smooth texture. That's the moment I thought, "Ok, I totally get the hype now."
The type of blade also determines how much liquid you need to add for it to perform its best. Chopping blades typically need more liquid to keep them moving. That can result in watered down results. With the Vitamix blades, you don't need to add as much liquid. My personal experience is that everything just tastes better coming from the Vitamix, hands down.
Ultimately what you're paying for when getting a Vitamix machine is quality blades, a powerful motor, solid construction, and with the Ascent series a 10 year warranty. Ninja offers a one year warranty. Vitamix can pulverize just about everything you put in it into a completely smooth texture. It's actually impressive. But the blades alone are not enough, the motor needs to be powerful enough too...
The motor in this thing IS very powerful. People complain about how loud this machine is, and that powerful motor is the reason why. If you want quiet, look for a cheaper blender with less power. But for me the noise is a more than fair trade-off due to the consistently amazing blends it gives me. And to its credit, it's only really loud when used on its highest settings. Having said that, the loudness is not intolerable, at least for me. You'll also notice a kind of "burning" smell when you use it the first few times. Don't be alarmed by this. It's a brand new motor and needs time to cure (or "break in"). The smell will go away after you've done a few blends on its highest speed.
The power cord is very short, I think it's 3 feet long. So it'll need to be placed close to an outlet. The length of cord makes sense though given how much power it puts out. It's not ideal to use long cords with high powered appliances, so I don't recommended using an extension cord. If there's no other way, then I'd say use the shortest extension cord possible and make sure it's rated for appliance use. Also, despite its low profile design, it would not fit under my cabinets. To be fair, I think my cabinets sit lower than average. Luckily I have one section of counter space that sits lower which makes it the only place I could put it. Otherwise I would have to store the container instead of keeping it on the base.
What started out as a quest for better ice consistency evolved into a more complex obsession with blending. I use the Vitamix every single day. Sometimes more than once. I've made smoothies in it. Frappes. Soups. You name it. It actually got me excited to blend, try new recipes, and encourages me to eat healthier. I'm not someone that enjoys spending a lot of time cooking or preparing elaborate meals, and my laziness led to eating unhealthy (but zero effort) food. But I can make an entire soup in five minutes now using fresh ingredients by just throwing some vegetables and broth into this thing, blend, and eat. It's almost TOO easy and I no longer have an excuse to avoid eating better.
What can I say. I am absolutely obsessed with Vitamix now and a total convert. I do think it's absolutely worth the price if you can afford it, because you have to consider that Vitamix is guaranteeing that it'll last at least 10 years. Plus, I'm not sure if any other brand is going to give the exact same results. I had no idea what I was missing until I tried it myself, now I can't ever go back.