This Vitamix will be a game changer in your kitchen this summer — here’s everything I made and why I’m obsessed
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For the entirety of my time living in a small but cozy (and much loved) studio apartment, I convinced myself I could never unleash my inner amateur chef or party host — until I got my hands on a Vitamix 5200. For starters, my tiny kitchen has no storage or counter space, limiting all the chopping, slicing and dicing I could possibly experiment with. But more importantly, in true New York City fashion, I lack two crucial kitchen essentials: a dishwasher and an accessible outlet to plug in any food processor, air fryer or other trendy kitchen appliance.
With summer around the corner, I decided to end this madness and find a solution to my small kitchen woes. The answer, I discovered, was simple: get a high-powered blender. With a powerful, pricier appliance like this, I could easily chop, blend, grind, slice and dice practically anything and everything, all in one sleek, do-it-all appliance. Better yet, I could also whip up soups, sauces, smoothies, cocktails, butter, sorbets and anything else I could imagine or crave.
After traveling down the blender rabbit hole, I decided on the beloved Vitamix 5200. I quickly fell in love with the powerful speed and control, the large batch size, and the easy-to-access two-part lid. After rigorously testing this blender by making everything from smoothies and frozen margaritas to peanut butter and salsa, I’m convinced everyone needs the Vitamix 5200 in their kitchen this summer.
Vitamix 5200 Blender
The Vitamix 5200 is a large-batch, high-voltage blender that holds up to 64 ounces of food. It features variable speed control via a knob on its base, meaning the speed can be adjusted for different textures. This allows you to turn the speed control down for something like a chunky salsa but crank it up for a smooth, creamy peanut butter. The hardened stainless-steel blades are aircraft-grade, meaning they’re designed to blend tough ingredients. This self-cleaning blender also comes with a classic tamper and splash disk that glides easily into its two-part lid plug, which helps for making homemade ice cream.
How I tested
I ran the blender through an exhaustive series of tests to produce sauces, dips and cocktails in various textures. This process started with a thick green smoothie, a batch of creamy peanut butter, a hearty tomato soup and some crushed sorbet. Later, I blended a chunky salsa, some textured guacamole and a rich frosé, then ended with an ice-cold margarita to further test the blender’s capability.
I used the recommended variable speed setting using guidelines from the Vitamix cookbook for each recipe. I also used the self-cleaning setting (essentially blending water and dish soap for 30 to 60 seconds) after each test to see how effective this feature was.
I also considered:
Functionality: I examined the 5200’s blending power and versatility with each food test, considering if each one truly achieved the desired texture I wanted. For example, did the peanut butter really stay creamy? Did the soup remain warm? Did the blender clean easily after each test? I also took into account the noise levels of each test.
Build: I considered everything from the batch size of the blender and the set-up process down to the ease of use of each control, including whether controls were clearly labeled, the number of settings included, how easily the blender fits into the base and how secure the lid was. I also tested the overall quality of materials and counter appeal, including size and general aesthetics.
Durability: I tested the blender’s ability to withstand everyday use, including susceptibility for the jar to stain or crack, whether the blade accrued any nicks, and its ability to hold up to frequent washing cycles.
Warranty: This blender comes with a 7-year full warranty, which is important to consider when picking a higher-end appliance like the Vitamix 5200.
Price: This blender starts at $400, meaning it’s over four times the price of a personal blender like a Nutribullet or Ninja Single Serve. It’s definitely on the pricier side in the realm of blenders, but worth the splurge.
What I liked about this blender
It was easy to set up
While there usually isn’t much to set up for a blender, all I had to do with the 5200 was unwind the cord, pop on the container and ensure the lid was secure. All told it took under a minute to fully assemble.
It has high-powered, versatile speed settings
This blender genuinely exceeded my expectations and I don’t know how I ever survived without a Vitamix. It really did make everything I wanted, just the way I wanted, with all 10 settings.
Most recipes in the Vitamix cookbook suggested starting at low variables and slowly increasing the speed, which worked efficiently and quickly every time. It made everything from chunky salsa to frosty margaritas and even rich peanut butter, which I could have made thicker with a lower speed setting. The versatility of this blender is ideal for anyone looking to experiment in the kitchen or even for go-to, everyday recipes.
It has a straightforward control panel
There are only three blend options: On/Off, High/Variable and the 10-count speed dial, which were all extremely easy to use and figure out. I appreciated being able to crank up the speed at any given time, unlike other blenders that may lock you into one setting at a time. Although most recipes started at variable one, having the ability to slowly increase the speed made it easier to take control of each recipe.
If you’re looking for a blender with pre-made settings (for example, a smoothie or soup mode), this is not the blender for you. However, after using the Vitamix, I learned you really don’t need a special button to figure out the right settings for your recipe.
It’s tall but sturdy
The Vitamix weighs a whopping 10.56 pounds, which is great when factoring in all the high-level materials and machinery involved (did I mention the aircraft-level blades?). It is a bit tall but still lightweight enough that it’s easy to stow, although I’ll definitely keep it on my kitchen counter for now — which speaks volumes considering the lack of real estate in my kitchen.
It comes with a two-part lid and tamper
Truthfully, I didn’t see the point of a two-part lid. But once I used the tamper, or was too lazy to remove the lid, I could see how useful it was to have this easy access ready to use.
This means that instead of removing the lid entirely, you can just pop open the middle section of the lid (which is designed to be splatter-proof) and easily pour in liquids or add smaller foods.
It’s not that loud
Let’s face it: blenders are noisy. However, I did find the 5200 to be soft compared to others like a Nutribullet or one of Ninja’s blenders. It did get a bit loud when I blended ice, but that’s to be expected.
It has a pretty large capacity
As someone cooking for one, I didn’t think this would be an issue to consider. But when I (accidentally) made a huge portion of tomato soup, I could see how practical it was to have a tall container size. This could be especially helpful for someone cooking in large batches, like a big family or someone who’s meal prepping.
It comes with an extra-long cord and cord retainer
Vitamix knew what it was doing when it added a longer cord that easily winds up and stores neatly under the base. As someone with a hard-to-reach outlet hidden behind my fridge, this made a big impact on the blender’s ease of use and functionality.
It’s made from BPA-free materials
These pesky “everywhere chemicals” are in — you guessed it — everything; except for this blender. I appreciate that I don’t have to worry about BPAs when using this Vitamix.
Measurements are etched into the container
I especially loved that ounces, cups and milliliters are clearly etched into the side of the container, meaning they won’t ever fade or scratch off after washing.
What I didn’t like about this blender
It has small, thick lid flaps
Although I loved the two-part lid, the lid flaps were sometimes hard to lock into place. It didn’t help that this is such a tall blender, too. It felt like the lids didn’t always “snap” together correctly, and this seemed to be partly due to its rubbery material. I guess I craved that satisfying “click” from an appliance definitively locking into place but that’s just not the case with this Vitamix. It’s still sturdy but I wish it felt more secure.
It was mostly easy to clean, until making peanut butter
Caring for and cleaning the Vitamix is a breeze — all you have to do is fill the container with warm water and a few drops of dish soap, turn the settings to speed 1 and then variable speed 10, then to high for 30 to 60 seconds.
This self-cleaning method worked beautifully except for thicker food tests like when I made peanut butter. For this, I had to manually clean the bottom part of the container (carefully), which was a pain considering the deep base of the blender. You can purchase a slim silicone blender spatula for such scraping needs. I recommend it.
Vitamix Under Blade Scraper
This handy blade scraper will get under the harder to reach areas of your blender, for scooping and cleaning purposes. It's ideal for thicker blends like butters and dips.
Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid Dish Soap
You can use any kind of dish soap with water to self-clean the Vitamix. I liked using Dawn since it's made with grease-fighting technology and a concentrated formula that would work well in a high-powered blender.
Bottom line
The Vitamix 5200 has been a game changer in my kitchen and I can’t imagine how I used to live life without the ability to quickly make homemade peanut butter, salsas, or soups. I already know this blender is going to become a staple this summer for making frozen cocktails, dips, sauces and sorbets — and I’d quickly and wholeheartedly recommend this blender to anyone with a small kitchen or limited storage.
Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.
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