About a year ago, I was lucky enough to stumble upon two Vita-Mix professional grade blenders at an estate sale. Both were 100% brand new, in plastic, in boxes.

I paid $25 for a Home Nutrition Center, which was one model old. I gave that blender to my mom, who now uses it to make the smoothest frozen margaritas ever.

I paid $35 for a brand new, current generation, Vita-Mix Super 5000. The Super just means that it came with two containers, a wet container for soups, smoothies, and the like, and a dry container for making flour, granola, etc.

Let me tell you this now: You will never be able to find a blender like this for $35, ever again. They retail for $500 to $600, and in my opinion, worth ever penny.

I've hit a dead end with recipes though. I have made all types of vegetable and fruit smoothies, using fat-free vanilla yogurt as the base. Carrots are good in anything. I even made a carrot, pea, brocolli smoothy was was surpisingly refreshing. I made my own natural almond butter for my whole grain bread!

I guess there is no point to this thread other than to let you guys know that Vita-Mix makes top-quality products. You can't get results like this anywhere else, other than retail locations that use these blenders! I recommend shopping around on eBay and Craigslist to see if you get lucky, and find a cheaper Vita-Mix. A word of caution though, the older blenders (stainless steel) aren't nearly as powerful as the current generation. Anything made in the 1990s to today, however, makes excellent drinks!

Score! Good fortune getting those for a song. Wow. :eek: :tu:

My blender's on its last legs and the plastic pitcher is cracked up the side. I'm debating shelling out the cash on a Vita-Mix. I use my blender more than any other kitchen appliance. :nod:

Excellent score at $35. You won't find that bargain again.

The Super 5000 goes for around $300 or so on EvilBay. We have had one for years (wedding present) and it is by far the most used kitchen appliance I think we own. Well worth the money. But when you consider most people are only blending protein powders with perhaps a banana in it, a $29 blender works just as well as a $299 one.

-R

Another very cool blender looks to be the BlendTec blender. It will blend almost anything (literally). I don't own one, but their video series of blenders grinding up hockey pucks, marbles, and lawn rakes seems convincing.

Another very cool blender looks to be the BlendTec blender. It will blend almost anything (literally). I don't own one, but their video series of blenders grinding up hockey pucks, marbles, and lawn rakes seems convincing.

Vita-Mix and BlendTec are pretty much on par with each other. Vita-Mix has been around for much, much longer though. Proven technology and interface.

I have a Vitamix also. It is an awesome blender!

So what do you make in it?? We bought one with grand intentions. We have made soup once, we make peanut butter, and smoothies. But I know it can be awesome (and someday we will make babyfood). But what all do you use it for?

Protein shakes, soups, smoothies and baby food are what I have used it for. It is used almost every day.