Vitamix is a 100-year-old US company founded when American salesman, William Grover Barnard, began selling household gadgets through demonstrations.

After initial success with a can opener, he focused on health food equipment, and on blenders in particular, with the family going on to invent the first Vitamix 3600 in 1969 – a blender that could make hot soup, blend ice cream, grind grain for flour and knead bread dough.

And, the rest is history, with Vitamix remaining the market leader for decades after its commercial-grade blenders paved the way for high-performance blenders at home.

So, what’s all the fuss about blenders? And do you really need one? After much investigation, we believe it’s a solid yes; you do.

A blender, used intelligently, is like having a handy sous chef around the kitchen. It helps you out with ingredients prep and cuts down time spent manually chopping, grinding, mashing and even cooking really quite significantly.

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Even very basic models are good to have on-hand, but top-quality blending systems – like the Vitamix – can change how you live and eat, encouraging you to consume more fruit and veg with their soups and smoothies functions, or empower you to create restaurant-inspired dishes at the touch of a button.

Some blenders claim to be able to crush ice, like the Vitamix, which you’ll tend to pay more for, while others have preset self-heating soup programmes and inbuilt freezing for iced desserts. Again, the Vitamix does it all, but at a cost.

Vitamix says that its models are an investment built to last; so let’s see what all the fuss is about.

How we tested

We put the Vitamix through its paces to see how it would stand up to the competition, with a particular focus on its direct competitors. This blender should be able to tackle absolutely everything, so we purposely used notoriously hard-to-blend ingredients like frozen fruit, ice, different textured spices and even roasted nuts (into a homemade nut butter) to see how the blender performed. We also checked out the heating and frozen dessert presets.

We also made note of how easy it was to use, how loud it was, and whether it could whip up even and consistent textures. Of course, we did all this while staying within the manufacturers’ specifications, such as the ingredient quantities and blending times.

Vitamix A2500i

Buy now £599, Vitamixuk.com

Rating: 10/10

Power: 1200-1400W
Dimensions: (D) 27.94cm x (W) 20.32cm x (H) 43.18cm
Accessories: Tamper
Capacity: 2l
Colours: Black, silver, red, white
Guarantee: Ten years

Design and features

The Vitamix A2500i looks like most jug-style blenders in that it’s a large, clear plastic jug with inbuilt blades sitting atop a corded power unit. But its simplicity belies its functionality; each aspect has been cleverly thought out to ensure the Vitamix is at the top of the blending game. So, while the jug looks like a basic 2l container, it has been specially designed so that every angle creates a uniquely controlled vortex which systematically folds ingredients back to the blades at the base for fast, smooth blends.

While many brands make much of their blending blades’ sharpness, Vitamix believes this is the wrong strategy for a long-lasting blender as the blades will blunt quickly, making the appliance less effective. So, the Vitamix blades are not sharp; instead they are specially hardened stainless steel which, according to the brand, will ensure that the first blend is the same as the last, and will give consistency over the years.

To blend, select your speed or preset from the simple dial on the front of the base unit. The Vitamix A2500i has three programme settings to choose from – smoothies, hot soup and frozen dessert – and variable speed control from 1-10 and a built-in digital timer. Other machines in the range have additional or fewer preset programmes, according to price.

The ten year guarantee is testament to the machine’s long lifespan, with Vitamix putting this down to the cool-running motor. The machine is designed to allow airflow circulation to be channelled into the motor area, which keeps it from overheating as well as making it quieter and more reliable.

To clean it, simply rinse the container with warm soapy water or, for top results, select the clean setting and start.

Performance

What can we say? Every kitchen task we tried, the Vitamix passed with flying colours. Of course, soups and smoothies are blended perfectly in seconds, but even the most difficult blending jobs were no match for this mighty machine. No blender has a more powerful motor or stronger blades to make quicker than quick work of grinding coffee beans for your morning coffee, for preparing your own pure nut butters and for concocting delicious mango daiquiris with its fearsome ice crushing ability. Yes, it’s expensive, but like they say, it’s an investment and you can’t argue with a ten year guarantee.

The preset programmes may take a little practice: it is important not to over-blend the ice cream, for example, and it is worth bearing in mind that there is no saute function on this model, so strong flavours and ingredients like onion and garlic will want to be cooked through first, or used in minuscule quantities. But we love that there is not a single hint of graininess in any blend at all; this produces the silkiest, smoothest soups, sauces and smoothies you can imagine.

The verdict: Vitamix A2500i

The Vitamix does everything it says it’s going to do, and it does it better than you can imagine. There’s a reason these machines sell so well after demonstrations, and it’s that you’ll immediately want one after trying it. It puts every other machine in the shade, but the issue of budget is a big one. We’ll start saving now.

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We also gave Braun’s multiquick 9 hand blender a whirl – does the blitzing machine do it all?

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Vitamix’s A2500i blender makes light work of the toughest ingredients

You’re paying top dollar – but its features and power are second to none