The Vitamix 5200 is arguably the world’s best-selling blender! If you walk into any American home with a Vitamix, it’s likely to be the mighty 5200.
The 5200 was first introduced by Vitamix in October 2007 as a replacement for the flagship Vitamix 5000. It’s a super easy-to-use, multi-purpose blender with a large 64-oz container.
Since its release, the 5200 has dominated most household kitchens and restaurants. It can make just about anything from smoothies to velvety frozen margaritas, hot soups, and ground coffee!
If you’re uncertain about the best Vitamix model for your blending needs, you can never go wrong with the 5200. It’s time-tested, versatile, and durable.
NOTE: The 5200 was designed for household use but is powerful enough for restaurants, bars, catering, and moderate commercial use.
[lwptoc]
Is the Vitamix 5200 Worth it in 2024?
In my honest opinion, I don’t think you should get the Vitamix 5200 in 2024! Yes, it’s a time-tested blender with robust build quality and reliable blending performance. But newer, better Vitamix blenders now exist.
For a few extra dollars on its price, I 100% recommend checking the Vitamix Propel Series 750 which features a more powerful 2.2-peak horsepower motor, five preset programs, and a 64-oz low-profile container.
And if you’re shopping for a cheaper Vitamix, the refurbished E520 is worth checking. It costs $349.95 which is quite a bargain, and has a 2-horsepower motor, three preset programs, and a 64-oz low-profile container.
Vitamix 5200 Review: Key Features & Benefits
The Vitamix 5200 belongs to the Legacy Series product line – C-Series platform. It features a 2-HP high-powered motor and has a 64-oz classic tall container.
2-Horsepower Motor Base
High-powered, reliable, and highly durable motor bases are why most people prefer Vitamix over other blender brands!
The Vitamix 5200 has a 2-horsepower motor base that is powerful enough to blend just about any ingredient, including grinding coffee and milling grains.
The base has a radial cooling fan and thermal protection system for enhanced cooling for better blending performance and durability.
Controls & Settings:
The Vitamix 5200 has super easy-to-use controls and an On/Off switch. It has a High/Variable switch for precise control over your blending.
The variable speed control knob in the middle lets you take charge of the blending speeds with one of the 10-Speeds settings.
It has no fancy digital controls and presets, making it a perfect choice if you want the Vitamix blending power and versatility with easy-to-use controls.
64-oz Classic Container
The 64-oz classic container is one reason why the 5200 has won the hearts of most household users.
Its narrow and tall design allows you to blend small, single-serve to large, family-sized batches easily!
The container is made of high-quality BPA-free Eastman Tritan Copolyester plastic material and is easy to clean.
It has a self-cleaning feature whereby you add warm water halfway and dishwashing soap, then blend it for 60 seconds at the highest speed.
Finally, pour the blended warm water over the lid and rinse the container and lid thoroughly under running water.
3-Inch Diameter Blades
The 64-oz classic container comes with 3-inch diameter aircraft-grade laser-cut, stainless-steel hammermill blades for consistent blending all the time.
The blades have sharp edges that can cut through almost any ingredient, from greens to frozen fruits to coffee beans and nuts.
One of the blades’ unique features is at high speeds; they create friction heat that brings cold ingredients into steaming hot in just 6 minutes.
Weight & Size
The Vitamix 5200 motor base measures 8.75 x 7.25 inches and stands 20.5 inches high with the 64-oz classic container on top.
It weighs 10 pounds and 9 ounces and has a 6-feet long power cord. I recommend keeping it on the kitchen counter due to its weight and size.
7-Year Warranty
The Vitamix 5200 is manufactured in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. It comes with a 7-year full warranty.
The warranty covers all parts, including the base, jar, blades, lid, performance, labor, and two-way shipping.
Vitamix 5200 Review Pros:
- A versatile blender for all your blending needs.
- It’s remarkably well-built for performance and durability.
- It does a terrific job at blending fibrous ingredients like leafy greens.
- An easy-to-use design with a 10-Speed control knob.
- It can blend tough ingredients like coffee, grains, and nuts.
- A large 64-oz container for blending large batches.
- It can pulverize even the tiniest of seeds.
- It can make hot soup from cold ingredients.
- The package includes a Vitamix classic tamper.
- A Self-Cleaning feature for easy cleaning in under 60 seconds.
- The package includes a recipe book to get you started!
- A massive 7-Year full warranty!
Vitamix 5200 Review Cons:
- The sharp blades aren’t suitable for chopping and slicing!
- It’s quite loud when blending at medium to high speeds.
- The container, lid, and tamper aren’t dishwasher safe.
- It’s quite pricey compared to other Vitamix alternatives.
Vitamix 5200 Review: FAQs + Brutally Honest Answers!
1. What Does a Vitamix 5200 Do?
The Vitamix 5200 is best for making smoothies, blending hot soups, making frozen drinks, grinding coffee, milling grain, blending hummus, and making nut butter. Plus, just about any ingredients that you can throw in a blender!
2. Is Vitamix 5200 a Professional Blender?
Yes, the Vitamix 5200 is a professional-grade blender despite Vitamix selling as a household blender. You’ll find it in most small to mid-sized restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, and bars.
The 5200 can grind barista-quality coffee, mill grains, blend restaurant-like smoothies, pulverize, puree, make bar-quality iced drinks, mix butter and dough, and so much more!
3. Can the Vitamix 5200 Handle Ice?
Yes, the Vitamix 5200 does an amazing job when crushing ice. You can easily get bar-quality snow-like crushed ice using the high-speed switch in under 2 minutes.
I strongly recommend adding 5 to 7 ice cubes at a time for the best results. It ensures you’ll get consistently crushed ice with no chunks in the mix.
4. Can I use Vitamix 5200 as a Food Processor?
Absolutely yes, the Vitamix 5200 doubles as a capable food processor. It can make nutritious baby food, dips & spreads, and mix batters and dough.
In fact, some Vitamix blender enthusiasts use the 5200 to knead bread and pizza dough easily and mix batter for pancakes, cookies, and cakes.
5. What is the Difference Between Vitamix 5200 High and Variable?
Switching the Vitamix 5200 to High will blend at the highest speed possible, and when switched to Variable, you can control the speed with the 10-speed variable speed control knob.
Technically, the High switch setting works like a pulse function, although it’s not labeled “Pulse” for this particular Vitamix model. You can use it to control the consistency of your blends precisely.
6. Is Vitamix 5200 Loud?
Yes, the Vitamix 5200 is loud. It has a noise level of about 88 decibels. The noise is just about the same level as a standard lawn mower which is loud enough to distract people in their sleep or neighbors in closely-packed apartments.
NOTE: If you prefer a quieter Vitamix, check the Vitamix Pro 750 or Vitamix A3500 with Brushed Stainless Metal Finish. Their noise level is about 84 decibels at the highest speed, the same level as a small vacuum cleaner.
7. How Much Horsepower Does a Vitamix 5200 have?
The Vitamix 5200 has 2-horsepower making it powerful and versatile enough to blend smoothies, grind coffee, mill grains, and much more in households and small to mid-sized commercial settings!
8. Why Does My Vitamix 5200 Smell Like It’s Burning?
If your Vitamix 5200 is relatively new, the burning smell is due to the curing of the motor windings. The smell should quickly dissipate after a few heavy uses.
The burning smell is normal unless you see clear signs of smoke coming from the base, and the unit is old. It doesn’t mean there is any problem with the blender.
9. Does the Vitamix 5200 Heat?
Yes, when spinning at high speeds, the Vitamix 5200 can heat cold ingredients to steaming hot in 6 minutes due to friction heat. It’s the best way to make hot soup quickly.
10. How Do I Clean My Vitamix 5200 Container?
To clean the Vitamix 5200 container, add warm water halfway and some drops of dishwashing soap. Then, blend at full speed for 60 seconds. Pour the blended water over the lid and thoroughly rinse the container and lid over running water.
Vitamix 5200 Review: Final Word + My Recommendations!
All Vitamix blenders are built for high-performance blending. You can use any model to make smoothies, ice creams, frozen margaritas, hot soups, doughs, nut butter, grind coffee, and more!
The 5200 is super versatile, extremely powerful, and durable. Its 64-oz tall container makes it ideal for small-sized to large family-sized meal preps!
If you prefer a Vitamix model with easy-to-use controls and proven reliability, I highly suggest getting the 5200. It’s time-tested to last over 10 years under heavy daily use!
However, if low-noise operation, dishwasher-safe container, and preset programs are important in your ideal Vitamix, you should consider the Vitamix Pro 750 or the Vitamix A3500 with Brushed Stainless Metal Finish.
