Vitamix A3500i Ascent Series Blender - Brushed Stainless

When I did the research for the best blenders on the market, Vitamix popped out and it is a trusted name. So we were eager to try out one of the brand’s newest smart-series offerings: the . Before using Vitamixn we use Ninza which is more affordable in price. Vitamix has a large base that houses the powerful motor (its base is heavier compared to the Ninza) but this one has an interface that looks modern compared to those with rocker switches. It still has a central dial for adjusting the speed, but mode selection, on/off, and pulse are on a touch screen, along with programs for smoothies, frozen desserts, hot soups, dips and spreads, and self-cleaning. This one is super noisy than we’d expect, maybe because of its power. One downside of this Vitamix blender is ... MoreWhen I did the research for the best blenders on the market, Vitamix popped out and it is a trusted name. So we were eager to try out one of the brand’s newest smart-series offerings: the . Before using Vitamixn we use Ninza which is more affordable in price. Vitamix has a large base that houses the powerful motor (its base is heavier compared to the Ninza) but this one has an interface that looks modern compared to those with rocker switches. It still has a central dial for adjusting the speed, but mode selection, on/off, and pulse are on a touch screen, along with programs for smoothies, frozen desserts, hot soups, dips and spreads, and self-cleaning. This one is super noisy than we’d expect, maybe because of its power. One downside of this Vitamix blender is the blade's design. The blade is permanently attached to the bottom, is that it can be difficult to get the last bits of food out of the container. There is a lot of waste when I tried to get all of the contents at the bottom. Also, you should wash it right away after using, otherwise, it will be hard to clean since the food gets dried out and stick at the bottom (remind: you can't remove the blad at the bottom to clean, that is why you should clean right after use)

3 Life-Improving Reasons Why I Love My Vitamix

Here are my top 3 life-improving reasons why I love my Vitamix:1.) I have arthritis and other types of chronic pain that limits my ability to lift/carry heavy items. My former blender (NOT a Vitamix) had a thick, heavy, glass container that was so uncomfortable to lift, carry, and pour from that the blender ended up being retired after less than 10 uses. My Vitamix (Ascent Series A3500), however, has lightweight containers that make creative food prep, at the very least, a pleasant experience, and more often than not, an exciting and fun experience that I actually look forward to!2.) Another former blender (also NOT a Vitamix) never fully blended the ingredients that I put into it. When blending leafy greens for smoothies, it would always leave strings, often ... MoreHere are my top 3 life-improving reasons why I love my Vitamix:1.) I have arthritis and other types of chronic pain that limits my ability to lift/carry heavy items. My former blender (NOT a Vitamix) had a thick, heavy, glass container that was so uncomfortable to lift, carry, and pour from that the blender ended up being retired after less than 10 uses. My Vitamix (Ascent Series A3500), however, has lightweight containers that make creative food prep, at the very least, a pleasant experience, and more often than not, an exciting and fun experience that I actually look forward to!2.) Another former blender (also NOT a Vitamix) never fully blended the ingredients that I put into it. When blending leafy greens for smoothies, it would always leave strings, often wrapped around the bottom of the blade, making clean-up more difficult and frustrating than I believed was necessary. When blending carrots and other hard vegetables, the mixture never came out smooth. But with my Vitamix, I’ve not had any leafy strings or crunchy bits of carrots to contend with after blending up my fruit and vegetable smoothies!3.) The power of my former blenders (still NOT referring to my Vitamix) could never compete with the power of my Vitamix! I would often need to pause blending and allow my blender to cool off if the blending took longer than about a minute. I could actually smell smoke and the plastic base, which was not meant to get hot, WOULD get hot. Pausing to let it rest a couple times during food prep cost time and caused me frustration, two consequences that I needed to eliminate from my use of a blender. Enter my Vitamix. Both problems solved!Conclusion: As happy as I am with my Vitamix, maybe I should repurpose my former blenders and arrange them into a creative herb garden in my kitchen window! 😁

Absolutely Love!

A friend turned me on to Vitamix 7 years ago, but I put off getting one until a couple weeks ago when my blender from another manufacturer broke down. Shipping from the Vitamix site was super fast, and I am completely in love after receiving it. I got the Candy Apple Red, which is stunning in person, and compliments my kitchen perfectly. I love the presets, which makes things super easy, and REALLY love the self cleaning preset. This is hands down, the easiest blender to clean, that I've ever owned. I've only had it for a week, so I have yet to explore all the recipes I intend to, but every smoothie and juice I've made have come out perfectly in such a short amount of time. I was also amazed that I have only had to use the tamper once. I'm anxious to start using the ... MoreA friend turned me on to Vitamix 7 years ago, but I put off getting one until a couple weeks ago when my blender from another manufacturer broke down. Shipping from the Vitamix site was super fast, and I am completely in love after receiving it. I got the Candy Apple Red, which is stunning in person, and compliments my kitchen perfectly. I love the presets, which makes things super easy, and REALLY love the self cleaning preset. This is hands down, the easiest blender to clean, that I've ever owned. I've only had it for a week, so I have yet to explore all the recipes I intend to, but every smoothie and juice I've made have come out perfectly in such a short amount of time. I was also amazed that I have only had to use the tamper once. I'm anxious to start using the unit in conjunction with the app, too. It's so cool that the app offers so many more presets for the blender. The Vitamix A3500, with its great functionality, power, ease of use, (and did I mention 10 year warranty!) is an investment that I am more than happy I made. It's actually made me excited to make healthy meals and treats on the daily!

Dream fulfilled

Always wanted a Vitamix Blender to add to my cooking arsenal and recently pulled the trigger and ordered the newest one, and I’m so excited that I did. I’ve always been very reluctant despite knowing it was a fantastic machine (having used others) simply because of the plastic container. I’m very health conscious and the idea of plastic is off-putting to me. But then… I realized they made a stainless steel container and it swayed my decision, and I was thrilled!! Now I wish they did sell it with your preferred choice of container so I had to pay an additional hefty cost direct from Vitamix to get the stainless container I wanted, but it didn’t disappoint. Combined with my beautiful top of the line Vitamix, I now have a stainless container that will definitely last ... MoreAlways wanted a Vitamix Blender to add to my cooking arsenal and recently pulled the trigger and ordered the newest one, and I’m so excited that I did. I’ve always been very reluctant despite knowing it was a fantastic machine (having used others) simply because of the plastic container. I’m very health conscious and the idea of plastic is off-putting to me. But then… I realized they made a stainless steel container and it swayed my decision, and I was thrilled!! Now I wish they did sell it with your preferred choice of container so I had to pay an additional hefty cost direct from Vitamix to get the stainless container I wanted, but it didn’t disappoint. Combined with my beautiful top of the line Vitamix, I now have a stainless container that will definitely last many years to come. I’m looking forward to making fantastic meals with my new Vitamix and trying all the features it has to offer. I do hope they make additional accessories for this model in the future in lieu of rebuying an entire machine. I’m old school and appreciate things that are built to last and Vitamix stands behind that with the added bonus of made in the USA! That’s a win in my book. So cheers 🥂 to all my future glorious meals using my new new Vitamix. 😊 And a big Thank you to Macy’s for making this a quick and easy ordering process!

Getting healthier with our new Vitamix A3500.

We purchased our Vitamix A3500 four months ago and it has been put to very good use. Our daily diet has consisted of many varieties of smoothies loaded with fruit, vegetables and nuts. My husband is not a fruit-lover, but he loves smoothies and is getting more daily fruit portions than ever before and without coaxing!We've made a few soups, which was one of the primary reasons for the purchase. My only disappointment is that I thought soups would be as easy as throwing vegetables and stock into the container and voila! In many of the recipes, you actually need to cook the ingredients prior to blending - a little more work than I had hoped for. Given this minor inconvenience, the product is creamy and tasty and is heated up during the blending. I have found that ... MoreWe purchased our Vitamix A3500 four months ago and it has been put to very good use. Our daily diet has consisted of many varieties of smoothies loaded with fruit, vegetables and nuts. My husband is not a fruit-lover, but he loves smoothies and is getting more daily fruit portions than ever before and without coaxing!We've made a few soups, which was one of the primary reasons for the purchase. My only disappointment is that I thought soups would be as easy as throwing vegetables and stock into the container and voila! In many of the recipes, you actually need to cook the ingredients prior to blending - a little more work than I had hoped for. Given this minor inconvenience, the product is creamy and tasty and is heated up during the blending. I have found that the temperature is not always as hot as I would like but I may need to experiment more. The consistency of some of my soups have been very "creamy" as they get very infused with air in the process. I'm not always crazy about the texture as I prefer a little more texture but again, this might be me over-processing- I usually use the automatic settings.I waited for a long time to purchase this machine because I found the original styling to be too heavy-looking for my kitchen. The A3500 has a really great look. It is streamline, clean-looking with the glass control panel and the low container with the plastic lid is much lighter looking in a modern kitchen. I really love the look and the design of this model. The engineers have thought of everything including adding nice comfortable pockets for easily picking it up and moving it on the counter. This really helps as the appliance is heavy but easy to maneuver with this added touch.The A3500 is very noisy on the highest setting but perhaps this is necessary to do the job. I has a padded rubber base under the container and this helps with noise and vibration. I might suggest creating a custom rubber pad which the blender sits on so that on a granite or quartz counter, the noise would potentially be reduced. Another accessory to be considered by the designers.I purchased three of the scrapers to help remove residue from the container. I found these to be pretty cheaply made and very hard and do not easily mould into the spaces. Considering the price of the appliance, I would expect that these scrapers would be included in the package although I would be happy to purchase them if they were a better quality and design.We are very happy with the torque of the Vitamix and it gets the job done well. I would recommend that purchasers read the instruction booklet to ensure that they are filling the container as prescribed- if you don't do so, you sometimes get things stuck under the blades.With nut butters, I had a really hard time getting the nut butter residue out from under the blades- even with the Vitamix scraper. I also found that the processing of nuts was not as easy as I had hoped. This is a little disappointing but again, I am still in learning mode.Chopping carrots, celery and cabbage for cole slaw was nice and easy and I was happy not to have to pull out my food processor to do the job.My son is a gourmet cook and uses the Vitamix for many purees and other concoctions he likes to make- he finds it very convenient and easy to use.

Golden Standard of Blenders

I'm going on 3 years of owning this blender and I couldn't be happier. I cook a TON, and have spent time in the culinary industry which is where I first began using and selling Vitamix blenders. Initially, the price tag was what kept me from buying a vitamix for my own kitchen--but after using them at work, I knew I would not keep buying cheaper blenders that would burn out and were cheaply made. The power of the Ascent blender speaks for itself. Yes it has all the bells and whistles you could ever imagine a blender could have, but what you are REALLY paying for is the power. This blender is phenomenal and I never have to worry that my blender isn't up to a task in the kitchen. I love the timed self-cleaning feature, and the compatibility with the app that this ... MoreI'm going on 3 years of owning this blender and I couldn't be happier. I cook a TON, and have spent time in the culinary industry which is where I first began using and selling Vitamix blenders. Initially, the price tag was what kept me from buying a vitamix for my own kitchen--but after using them at work, I knew I would not keep buying cheaper blenders that would burn out and were cheaply made. The power of the Ascent blender speaks for itself. Yes it has all the bells and whistles you could ever imagine a blender could have, but what you are REALLY paying for is the power. This blender is phenomenal and I never have to worry that my blender isn't up to a task in the kitchen. I love the timed self-cleaning feature, and the compatibility with the app that this blender has. Measuring by weight using the vitamix scale has never been easier. I also love the various sizes of blender cups that work with this blender and have used them a ton as well. Getting the blender to recognize the smart base of the smaller blender accessories requires some finesse at first, but once you get the hang of it, its extremely easy. This blender is a workhorse in my kitchen and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to up their game in the kitchen--this blender is costly but it has been worth every penny from its aesthetic, to its power, and versatility.

Main blender works great, cups and mixing cup..not

I bought my Vitamix A3500 late last year. I have owned the 3600 model for over 40 years. Pretty remarkable huh…i decided to buy the A3500 package with the food processor and a cup and small mixing cup. The blender and food processor work great, for now. The cups and the small mixing cups have been a problem and don’t work no matter how many times I have spoke to customer service. We tried everything that we could and they told me to send the defective unit back and they would fix it. I decided to do it but then I made a mistake and told my wife about my plans. Well to keep her happy…happy wife, happy life, I decided not to send it back. She didn’t want to go two days without it let alone a couple of weeks. We use it all the time and have come to depend on it. So ... MoreI bought my Vitamix A3500 late last year. I have owned the 3600 model for over 40 years. Pretty remarkable huh…i decided to buy the A3500 package with the food processor and a cup and small mixing cup. The blender and food processor work great, for now. The cups and the small mixing cups have been a problem and don’t work no matter how many times I have spoke to customer service. We tried everything that we could and they told me to send the defective unit back and they would fix it. I decided to do it but then I made a mistake and told my wife about my plans. Well to keep her happy…happy wife, happy life, I decided not to send it back. She didn’t want to go two days without it let alone a couple of weeks. We use it all the time and have come to depend on it. So that being said, we are just giving up on making smoothies and will probably buy a cheap ninja for that type of drink. So if you spend $995 plus another $100 for extra cups understand that there is a chance that you may be stuck with a $200 loss.

Pleasantly surprised by it's versatility!

I bought the Vitamix A3500 blender end of November 2022 and have been obsessed with it since. I used to have a blender from a competitor that I used for it's digital panel and pre-programmed blending options as well as no tamper as I thought that needing a tamper was a sign that the blender is not that superior. Since I had to give that blender away, I was in search for a new one and opened my options to look into the Vitamix brand. Wow was I pleasantly surprised to find out that it has come a long way. I first noticed that Vitamix had a digital blender on a blogger's site with recipes I follow. I got intrigued by the A3500 model she was using to make all sorts of healthy recipes that I wanted to make as well. Hers and others product review videos made me convinced ... MoreI bought the Vitamix A3500 blender end of November 2022 and have been obsessed with it since. I used to have a blender from a competitor that I used for it's digital panel and pre-programmed blending options as well as no tamper as I thought that needing a tamper was a sign that the blender is not that superior. Since I had to give that blender away, I was in search for a new one and opened my options to look into the Vitamix brand. Wow was I pleasantly surprised to find out that it has come a long way. I first noticed that Vitamix had a digital blender on a blogger's site with recipes I follow. I got intrigued by the A3500 model she was using to make all sorts of healthy recipes that I wanted to make as well. Hers and others product review videos made me convinced that this model was definitely worth looking into. I ended up buying the Vitamix A3500 blender. It has everything that my previous blender had and more. I am loving its digital pre-programmed blending options (have used them all), the timer option, how easy it is to use the variable speed dial, the screen display (which shows you the program and the speed used and how much time is left). Although it is not essential at all, the only thing that it would be neat to have is for the screen to also display the count of how many blends in total you've done thus far (which my previous blender had and kept me motivated to keep using it and increase that count :) ). I also like that fact that the blender doesn't automatically start after a blending option is selected but you need to actually press the start. Basically the blender gives you a lot of control over what you want to do. As for the tamper (that I have never used one before and had a negative opinion about those), I am now using it as well - for nut butters, dips and other thick blends and I now know it's value :) This blender is very powerful, it definitely gets the job done superbly - smoothies are velvety smooth, soups are hot, nut butters / hummus & dips are creamy and delicious, frozen desserts moved from the recipe videos to my kitchen and the messes get cleaned with the self-cleaning program. One of the biggest reason I purchased this blender is not only because of its program versatility and excellent reputation but because it finally offered various attachments. I also have a small blender that I used for its individual cups and small cup to make small amounts of salad dressings/sauces, etc. and individual smoothies, so I don't dirty the big blender. Now I don't need it because Vitamix A3500 has it all - and individual 20oz blending cup for smoothies on the go, a small 6oz blending cup for those sauces/dips or baby food. Eventually, I will probably get the food processor attachment. Basically, it offers a complete system and replaces multiple appliances (like a separate food processor, separate small blender for small blends, separate flour grinder, etc.). Keep in mind that in order for the blender base to recognize which cup/attachment you use, I have to tighten the cup over the blade base once it is positioned on the blender until the blender recognizes it. If it is not tight enough, the blender won't recognize it. I am saying this because there were some reviews saying their blender didn't recognize their attachments. The only thing I am still getting used to is that it was easier to scrape down with a spatula the inside of my previous blender jar (which also had only 2 prong dull blade and you can even use your finger to get under the blade to get the last bits and pieces of goodness there), where Vitamix has a 4 prong sharp blade base and irregularly shaped insides of their jars, which makes it trickier to scrape and get every drop out, it's easier to pierce your spatula too. Hence why I am looking into getting the Vitamix spatulas and see if it makes my cleaning easier (especially when making sticky nut butters). Overall, excellent blender. A great investment for your health! I am officially converted to Vitamix now :)

Presets or Not Presets?

Vitamix can obliterate nearly anything. But BlackBerry seeds? Yep. Barely detectable in smoothies. That’s a big plus for me because while I like the flavor of blackberries, I’m not a big fan of biting onto the seeds. I’ve also made nut-butters and hot soups - amazed by the quality, texture and taste. Also now making my own almond milk (a yogurt strainer is helpful for success). The freshness of taste is quite noticeable.I debated whether or not to buy the model with preset buttons. I went with the presets and I’ll mention why I’m glad that I did. As presets do, the buttons kick off individual programs based on what you’re preparing which automatically changes the speed during the blend for optimum results (and minimizes potential damage to the machine). Without ... MoreVitamix can obliterate nearly anything. But BlackBerry seeds? Yep. Barely detectable in smoothies. That’s a big plus for me because while I like the flavor of blackberries, I’m not a big fan of biting onto the seeds. I’ve also made nut-butters and hot soups - amazed by the quality, texture and taste. Also now making my own almond milk (a yogurt strainer is helpful for success). The freshness of taste is quite noticeable.I debated whether or not to buy the model with preset buttons. I went with the presets and I’ll mention why I’m glad that I did. As presets do, the buttons kick off individual programs based on what you’re preparing which automatically changes the speed during the blend for optimum results (and minimizes potential damage to the machine). Without it, you’re changing the speeds and tracking the time which demands more of your attention. Using mine almost daily I’ve come to appreciate that it frees me up to make coffee while it makes a smoothie, or to make a salad while it’s making soups. I’d originally wondered if I might over time ignore the presets and always blend manually, but the opposite has been the case. I’m a presets fan.

Simply superior to other blenders

I have been looking at Vitamix for a few years but let's face it - it is significantly more expensive than other alternatives and I just kept delaying it. I had read how great Vitamix is, saw professional versions in smoothie stores, but what really convinced me was when I saw the chefs from my previous company had Vitamix blenders in their test kitchens. I recently moved and my previous had a lot of storage space - some not super evident - and when I was unpacking, I realized the movers did not pack my old blender from a different brand. That was the perfect excuse for pulling the trigger on a Vitamix. One key component of my willingness to pay this much for a blender, is that Vitamix is made in America. I would probably have continued to resist paying this much if ... MoreI have been looking at Vitamix for a few years but let's face it - it is significantly more expensive than other alternatives and I just kept delaying it. I had read how great Vitamix is, saw professional versions in smoothie stores, but what really convinced me was when I saw the chefs from my previous company had Vitamix blenders in their test kitchens. I recently moved and my previous had a lot of storage space - some not super evident - and when I was unpacking, I realized the movers did not pack my old blender from a different brand. That was the perfect excuse for pulling the trigger on a Vitamix. One key component of my willingness to pay this much for a blender, is that Vitamix is made in America. I would probably have continued to resist paying this much if it was made elsewhere. I got my A3500 a couple of weeks ago and I just love the way it looks, the pre-settings for smoothies and cleaning, and making a smoothie in the Vitamix was eye opening. My previous blender was from a well-known competitive brand and it struggled with frozen fruits and veggies. Not the Vitamix! It just blended my smoothie like it was no big deal and it tasted amazing! It was also done done, so there was no overly frozen smoothie portions that wouldn't flow. The Vitamix somehow sounded less noisy, and there was minimal vibration compared to the other brand. So there you go - worth every extra penny versus alternatives. I am glad I bought the A3500 and now I know I will make healthy smoothies more consistently, and maybe even try one of those soup recipes.