Vita-Mix 1320 Professional Series, Platinum Review

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(More customer reviews)My wife and I have two Vita-Mix blenders. We bought one at a fair 6 years ago, and picked up a new-in-the-box commercial model at an auction about 3 years ago. We have used both heavily. Vita-Mix blenders are tall (too tall to fit under typical kitchen cabinets), heavy, loud, and very, very effective. Like most, we've burned through any number of typical home blenders. The Vita-Mix blenders last.
Customer service is superb. We've had exactly one problem - the variable speed dial got really difficult to turn. With about two weeks go to on the original 5-year warranty (warranties have changed since - they're longer now), Vita-Mix fixed the base, including paying shipping both ways, and also told us to send along the container so they could make sure it was in good shape - and then replaced the blade for us.
Vita-Mix blenders come with a tamper, and a lid designed to take the tamper. Most of the time you don't need it. It comes in handy for very thick, very cold blends, like thick smoothies, ice cream, etc. You will absolutely, positively need to have a tamper - or stop and use a scraper - with ANY blender, no matter how powerful, the shape of the container, or configuration of the blades. "Tamper" is actually something of a misnomer. While it is used to tamp at times, it actually changes the mixing dynamics by effectively taking up part of the volume at the center of the container, eliminating cavitation in mixes where that's helpful.
The Vita-Mix base units are heavy because they use heavy-duty motors. Don't be taken in by competing companies' horsepower claims with lighter-duty motors with half the weight. The competitors hit higher horsepower ratings by running their motors at higher speeds. All blender motors run fast, of course, and bumping up the horsepower by pulling more amps this way can be appropriate for some motor applications, but you can't consider one factor in a vacuum. The Vita-Mix motors are heavy, and heavy motors last longer by using heavier cores and windings, both of which make the motor stand up longer to heavy use and heat without breaking down. Vita-Mix containers also employ a heavy flywheel below the blades. That, in conjunction with the heavier-duty motor, is what gives you longevity, and the ability to chop heavy stuff for years. If you look at the motor-to-container connector, you will also see that the Vita-Mix uses a larger diameter connector - less stress, more life, and lower possibility of stripping.
I do wish they were quieter, but the competitors are in the same ballpark, claims to the contrary notwithstanding. The height can be dealt with by simply storing the container away from the base (which we leave on the countertop). My only real complaint is the cost of extra containers. I'd love one of the 32oz containers, but think $100-$120 (typical price at a fair)is too much.

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Vita-Mix CIA Restaurant Commercial Blender Review

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(More customer reviews)Necessity or Luxury: Depends on if you have experienced it (& if you plan on using it regularly)
As a guy who takes his smoothies and soups very seriously, it is a necessity for me. While some might argue about the price (Covers the purchase of an average blender every year into perpetuity if purchase price is invested in an annuity), I find comparisons to other blenders moot as the results from the Vitamix is not reproducible by an average blender (no strawberry/blackberry seeds in your smoothie, no bell pepper seeds in your soup). And, cleaning takes seconds!
The Motor of the Vitamix 5200 is the same as the CIA Commercial blender and costs a little less. The CIA edition comes with an exhaustive recipe book and a CD. Did I mention the blend sound reminds me of a revving Ferrari? (All the more reason to go RED!)

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HealthMaster LWHM Living Well/Montel 1100-Watt 2-Quart Fruit-and-Vegetable Emulsifier Review

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(More customer reviews)UPDATE 9/9/2010: This unit has been out for awhile now, and the complaints are rising steadily, not only here at Amazon, but other sites as well. The complaints, that surface either immediately or within 6 months are: Leaking containers,motors that burn out emitting an electrical odor that sometimes will trip your circuit breakers, container lid is hard to remove and put back on, terrible customer service (from the healthmaster site and not amazon), and now, a poster said that the container is not safe to use because of the plastic, and will emit chemicals into your food! Now, QVC is selling a new and improved Healthmaster, called the Healthmaster VS. It is now BPA free, (the container on this one isn't)they nixed the digital display and the design went back to the old Jack La Lanne style using flip switches and dials. There are already negative reviews of the new machine. PLEASE do your research before buying this product! If you have a leaking container, put clear water into the container and run on speed 8 for about 30 seconds, if it becomes discolored then oil is getting into your mixtures!
MY ORIGINAL REVIEW :This unit is a Jack La Lanne Healthmaster, redesigned with a new digital display, and costs more. I owned the Jack La Lanne, and within 6 months, the bearings stripped, and a rust color was dripping from the container, with the food being tainted by rust on the blades. I threw it out and bought a Vitamix. The same problems are beginning to surface with this machine problems develop either immediately or within 3 to 6 months of use. A neighbor, who loves Montel, and ignored my warnings, bought this machine through the healthmaster website. Within 3 days, the motor burnt out. It took several weeks to get a replacement. Upon receiving the replacement, the motor burnt out again. She returned the unit for a refund, and has yet to receive it. She paid for the extra warranty, and HM did not pay for the shipping to return it (the warranty is bogus, if you read the fine print, the warranty can be voided), YOU have to pay for it. This machine does what it is supposed to do, it makes good smoothies, but simply isn't powerful enough and cannot handle the strain. Other reviews on other sites state the same thing. The infomercial, has the same woman that was on the infomercial for jack la lanne.If you must, buy it here, the return policy is much better, however I recommend that you spend a few extra bucks and get a Vitamix, which I have had for several years now with absolutely no problems, and has a automatic 7 year guarantee,excellent customer service, and they pay for shipping. You get what you pay for. Give yourself, or your loved ones, a better machine than this, especially for xmas.

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Equipped with an 1100-watt almost-2-horsepower motor, this fruit-and-vegetable emulsifier goes way beyond a standard countertop blender. What can't be done with the machine might be easier to mention, but without intending to overwhelm, here's a short list of what it can do: juice whole fruits and vegetables, make ice cream and frozen yogurt, simmer soup, create dips and salsas, blend fruit smoothies and milkshakes, grind nut butters, whisk salad dressings, melt chocolate and cheese, and puree party dips, or use it to grate cheese from coarse to fine, whip cream, mince garlic and herbs, mash potatoes, chop veggies, dice onions, cream butter, aerate egg whites for fluffy meringues, mix up drinks and cocktails, or crush up to 2 quarts of ice in seconds. The versatile appliance replaces 20 different kitchen appliances, including a blender, a mini chopper, a 10-inch cook's knife, a coffee and spice mill/grinder, a cheese/veggie grater, a juicer, a meat grinder, a snow-cone maker, an ice-cream maker, a smoothie maker, a soy milk maker, and a latte whip or other milk-frothing device--just to name a few. The kitchen appliance features a digital emulsification system that pulverizes and liquefies whole fruits and vegetables in seconds, and its centrifugal friction "cooks" foods naturally, retaining the vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phyto-nutrients. Choose from a variety of one-touch controls, including eight variable speed settings. The machine also provides commercial-grade wet/dry culinary blades that never need replacing and an extra-large 70-ounce (2 quart) polycarbonate-plastic pitcher with measuring marks up the side, a generous easy-grip handle, a drip-free pouring spout, and a secure-fitting lid with a built-in safety valve that releases steam and pressure when making soup. For added safety, the unit must be properly assembled or it will not turn on; it will also turn off automatically to prevent overheating. Dishwasher-safe parts make cleanup a snap, and four bonus recipe books and a healthy eating plan come included. Endorsed by Montel Williams, the fruit-and-vegetable emulsifier measures 21 by 12-3/4 by 16-1/2 inches and carries a 60-day warranty with a 100-year warranty on the motor.

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