The Vitamix A3500 is a professional-grade blender with a sleek design, exceptional blending performance, and durable build quality.
I highly recommend getting this blender if you’re shopping for a new Vitamix and money isn’t an object. It makes the best smoothies and hot soups!
Its only rival in the household, professional-grade blenders category is the Blendtec Professional 800, which has a near-silent operation.
Yet, the reason I prefer the A3500 is its versatility. It works with various Vitamix containers, accessories, and the 12-cup food processor attachment.
You can make smoothies, process baby food, grind barista-quality coffee, make hot soups, process food, and prepare many recipes with this machine!
It has Smoothies, Hot Soups, Dips & Spreads, Frozen Desserts, and Self-Cleaning preset programs that offer walkaway blending convenience.
Vitamix A3500 Review: Key Features & Benefits
The Vitamix A3500 is one of the five Ascent Series blender models. The others are the Vitamix A2300, A2500, A3300, and V1200, a Costco-exclusive model.
2.2 Horsepower Smart System Motor Base
Unlike the Vitamix blender models from other Legacy Series and Explorian platforms, the Ascent Series models are smart system Vitamix blenders.
They feature built-in wireless connectivity that reads the container size you’re using and auto-adjusts the program settings and maximum blending time.
Simply put, the motor base’s wireless connectivity helps recognize the Vitamix SELF-DETECT® containers, attachments, and accessories.
The motor base is quite heavy and sturdy. The container doesn’t wiggle nor shake even when blending half the jar at maximum speeds.
The drive system that connects the container to the motor base is all metallic for top-notch durability and performance.
NOTE: Vitamix has included a removable rubberized top that sturdily holds the container in place for stability.
It has a large air vent on the rear for flawless air cooling and also features a radial cooling fan and thermal protection system, a standard for all Vitamix blenders.
Programmable Digital Timer
The Vitamix A3500 has a programmable digital timer that provides consistent results when preparing custom recipes.
All you need is to set the timer with the +/- buttons to the length of your blend, and the blender will turn off automatically.
The digital timer also displays the remaining countdown time when using the included preset programs.
5 Preset Programs
I prefer the A3500 model over the other Vitamix Ascent Series models for its five preset program settings, which offer multitasking convenience.
The presets include Smoothies, Hot Soups, Dips & Spreads, Frozen Desserts, and Self-Cleaning. They also auto-adjust to your chosen container size!
10-Speed Variable Speed Control Knob + Pulse
In the middle of the motor base is a premium digital variable speed control knob that is useful for fine-tuning the recipes manually.
As with all full-sized Vitamix blender models, the A3500 also features a pulse function to control the blending process precisely.
64-oz Low-Profile Container with SELF-DETECT®
The Vitamix A3500 has a 64-oz BPA-free low-profile container with a matching clear, transparent lid and plug.
The container features SELF-DETECT® technology that allows the blender to auto-recognize it to adjust its settings.
Like all Vitamix containers, it features laser-cut, aircraft-grade pulverizing blades measuring 4 inches in diameter.
The blades can pulverize the toughest of ingredients into your desired consistency, and they can easily:
- Grind barista-quality coffee.
- Crush bar-quality ice.
- Mill grains into flour.
- Mix dough and butter.
- Make silky-smooth smoothies.
The container, lid, and plug are made of BPA-Free, dishwasher-safe Eastman Tritan plastic approved for cold and hot food preparation.
Add warm water halfway and a drop of dish soap to self-clean the container, then tap the “Self-Clean” preset program.
Pour the blended soapy water over the lid and plug and rinse them thoroughly over cold running water. Don’t forget to clean the tamper!
Weight & Size
The A3500 motor base measures 11 by 8 inches, so it doesn’t take up much space on your kitchen counter. It stands 17 inches tall with a 64-oz container on top!
It weighs 14.92 pounds which is quite heavy! Since it will sit on the counter, it has a 4-foot-long power cord to reach the mains power socket conveniently.
10-Year Full Warranty
The Vitamix A3500 has a 10-year full warranty covering parts replacement, labor, performance, and two-way shipping!
Vitamix A3500 Review: Pros
- A sleek design that looks awesome in your kitchen.
- The touchscreen panel easily wipes clean with a damp cloth.
- It can make just about anything to perfect consistency.
- The timer is super handy, so you can multitask while blending.
- The container is super easy to clean and dishwasher safe.
- It comes with a BPA-Free plastic-made low-profile tamper.
- You get a Vitamix Simply Blending cookbook with tons of recipes.
- The Vitamix blades pulverize even the tiniest of seeds.
Vitamix A3500 Review: Cons
- The noise-dampening should have been much better!
Vitamix A3500 Review: FAQs & Answers!
1. Is A3500 Vitamix Worth It?
Yes, the Vitamix A3500 is worth every penny! Its powerful 2.2-horsepower motor allows it to make the best smoothies and soups, and the Self-Detect technology lets it work with a wide range of containers, accessories, and attachments.
2. How Much is the Vitamix Ascent Series A3500?
The Vitamix A3500 costs about $650, but you can always get it on discounted deals from Amazon.
3. How Much Horsepower Does a Vitamix A3500 Have?
The Vitamix A3500 has 2.2 horsepower. The powerful motor allows it to blend virtually any blendable ingredient into consistency. It can even make hot soup from cold ingredients in under 10 minutes.
4. Is Vitamix A3500 Worth the Money?
Absolutely yes! Vitamix A3500 is worth every penny. It makes the best smoothies, hot soups, and meal preps a blender can ever make and comes with a whopping 10-year warranty.
5. Is Vitamix A3500 Quiet?
The Vitamix A3500 with metallic finish is quieter compared to other Vitamix blenders. But the noise level is still quite high at 84 decibels when blending at maximum speeds.
TIP: If you want a quiet professional-grade blender, I recommend the Blendtec Professional 800. And for a cheaper Vitamix, get the Explorian E320 renewed!
6. Vitamix A3500 vs A3500i: What’s the Difference?
The difference between the Vitamix A3500 and A3500i is that the A3500 has a 120V electrical power rating for US and Canadian use, while the A3500i has a 220 – 240V power rating for UK, Australia, and European use!
7. Is the Ninja Blender as Good as the Vitamix?
No, the Vitamix is a professional-grade blender with pulverizing blades that make smoother blends, while the Ninja and other cheaper Vitamix alternative blender blades are designed to cut ingredients, so your blends will have tiny seed particles.
8. Does Vitamix Last a Lifetime?
The Vitamix blender’s sturdy build quality allows it to last at least a decade. With daily use, you can expect the A3500 to last for at least 10 years!
9. What Blender Competes with Vitamix?
Blendtec is the only other blender brand directly competing with Vitamix regarding professional-grade build quality, exceptional blending performance, and versatility. I recommend the Blendtec Professional 800 for quiet blending!
10. Can I Use the Vitamix as a Juicer?
Yes, you can use the Vitamix as a juicer. It has pulverizing blades that easily turn fruits and vegetables into amazing juice and smoothies.
Vitamix A3500 Review: Final Word + My Alternative Recommendations!
The Vitamix A3500 is the best household blender money can buy in 2023! It’s built for professional-grade performance and durability!
It does a fantastic job blending, grinding, milling, making hot soup, and pureeing. But the Vitamix blades cannot slice!
The only downside of this blender is its noise level, and the most silent Vitamix blender, the Quiet One, is an expensive commercial blender!
If a low-noise operation is an important factor in your ideal blender, I suggest getting the Blendtec Professional 800.
It has a noise level of 65 decibels which sounds like a normal conversation. It won’t wake someone who is sleeping even nor distract the neighbors!
