Vita-Mix 1300 TurboBlend 4500
by Vita-Mix
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Our Price: $398.95 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Kitchen See more product details |
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Vita-Mix 1300 TurboBlend 4500
Customer Review: Love the blender
Summary: 5 Stars
I researched these blenders quite a bit and have found this to be all that was advertised. I purchased the blender to make vegetable juices. I have had juicers in the past but after a while cleaning up the mess made, I stop using it.
Vitamix mixes all of my vegetables with no by product. It is so easy to clean up after use and the motor is quite strong. I have read reviews that complain about the noise of the blender but it does not bother me.
Customer Review: Money Well Spent!
Summary: 5 Stars
This purchase was the best ~$400 I ever spent. I've had it less than a week and I'm not quite sure how I got along without it before.
I went from a Waring professional blender to the Vitamix 4500 when the glass container on my Waring blender shattered. The Vitamix containers are polycarbonate (hopefully shatterproof in my case) and BPA free!
I purchased the 4500 model over the 5000 series because I was not interested in a variable speed dial. The two machines are identical other than the dial, and as far as I can tell, variable speed blending is not necessary and is rarely (if ever) used. I start the machine on low and flip the switch to high, that's it... instant savings of ~$100.
I have used this 2-3 times a day since I've gotten it. I've made smoothies, fruit slushies, water ice, fruit topping, a cashew nut cheesecake, and marinara sauce. In all cases, the Vitamix has performed beautifully, not to mention it has out-performed my Waring blender by leaps and bounds. I haven't gotten a chance to make soup yet, but as soon as this heatwave ends, I'l give it a try!
The addition of the "tamper tool" is a nice touch. It's really just a big piece of plastic that fits through the hole in the top of the cover, but it's set up so no matter how you move it around to get the food towards the blades, it will never come in contact with the blades itself. Ingenious! I have a few nicked wooden spoons to prove that such a device is actually necessary once in a while.
The ease of cleanup is what really sells me on this blender, though it seems a shame to call it just a blender. Fill with 5 cups hot water, add a dash of soap, start it on low and run it on high for 30 seconds. Instant dishwasher! I've cleaned the outside of the carafe too when needed. It's so nice not to have to disassemble everything (it doesn't disassemble at all, in fact) and hand wash.
I don't regret this purchase one bit, and I was very afraid that I might since it wasn't cheap... but it was worth every penny, and then some. I would buy it again in a heartbeat.
Customer Review: Most amazing blender I have ever witnessed!
Summary: 5 Stars
Over powered for smoothies??? NO! What do you think Jamba Juice uses? I worked for a grocery store for 6 years and we used the Vitamix in the coffee area, Let Me Tell You...the machine was used ALL day EVERY day and only had to be serviced ONCE in the six years I was there. It ground ice all day and the drinks were extremely consistant. Customer Service is AWESOME! We beat those things up. The plastic never became cloudy or discolored. They are very easy to clean especially if you fill them with hot water when you're done. If there is goo on them that is hard to get off, put hot water and a little dish soap in the blender and turn it on. NO PROBLEM! LOVE it and can't praise it enough. I'm looking for one of my own right now!Customer Review: One of the most used appliances in my kitchen
Summary: 5 Stars
The Vitamix isn't perfect, but if mine broke tomorrow it would be replaced the next day. This blender will blend just about anything. I swear, I could probably throw in a 2 X 4 and it would pulverize it into sawdust! The thing sounds like an airplane taking off but it sure does the job. I've used it to make smoothies, soups, drinks, slushies, and baby food consistency meats for sick pets. I used to use a juicer but when I saw how much pulp and fiber was discarded, it just didn't seem right. With the Vita-Mix I retain all that fiber but it's so pulverized and well blended that you can't even tell it's there.
Can't get your kids or husband to eat enough salads? Throw all the greens into the Vita-Mix with some pineapple or part of a lemon, whatever other fruits you have on hand, half a banana to make the whole thing hang together and the secret ingredient: a hand full of blueberries. The color of the blueberries will cover up any hint of the greens and, voila, you have them drinking a smoothie with "hidden salad".
Creamed soups are a snap in this blender. Mixed drinks are a breeze since ice cubes aren't a problem. I find myself using it all the time.
The only drawbacks for me are the noise (I don't use it when anyone is sleeping) and it can be hard to get pureed foods that are thick out of the bottom of the jar. I have to use a small spatula for that. But the blender is a workhorse and I can't imagine using any other kind.
Customer Review: Overrated
Summary: 3 Stars
This blender simply doesn't live up to the hype. I purchased one after agonizing over the decision between the vitamix or the blendtec for nearly a year. I decided to go with the vitamix, largely because of their reputation as being "good enough" and having an outstanding warranty. Well, in retrospect, I wish I had gone with the blendtec. On the plus side, the vitamix isn't very loud - it's about as obnoxious as a vacuum cleaner, but it's not ear-damaging-horrible. On the minus side, it simply doesn't work as well as people make out. You still have strawberry seeds in smoothies, you still have issues with cavitation, you still have to cut apples into small chunks or they get stuck to the blade and don't blend, etc. The container is well made and sturdy, but is a pain to clean, and as many have noted, doesn't fit under the cabinet. Yes, yes, I thought this was a stupid complaint before I bought the thing too, but believe me, it does make a difference, even in a large kitchen. Simply put, other than having a plunger (which is messy to use, in case anyone cares) and a larger container, this performs on just about the same level as my old osterizer (ok, the osterizer left many more things to be desired, but was an eighth the price of the vitamix). Simply put, at this point, even though the blendtec is ear-splitting, and the container sucks, and their warranty isn't anywhere near as good as the vitamix one, I wish I had gone with it instead. FWIW, I have no affiliation with or interest in either company, and I'm not a fanboy of the blendtec videos (though my 5y/o loves them :)) - this is as unbiased a review as you're likely to find.