Customer Ratings & Reviews

I previously owned a Ninja Blender, it died after only a few years of use. I researched blenders and really liked the Ascent 3500 series for all it's features and 10 year warranty. It is a financial sacrifice to spend this much on a blender however with the sale and Best Buy's no interest financing, I got it for a Christmas gift for myself. :) I love, love, love this blender! Easy to use right out of the box. I was a success with the first use. The smoothie was, I hate to say this "very smooth". I will never pay for another smoothie again so I'll save money making my own. I used simple ingredients to make this smoothie. Frozen fruit, cold pressed flax seed, collagen and coconut water. Delicious! This is just the beginning of my blender journey. I highly recommend.

Expensive, but worth every penny. It's always on the kitchen counter and never gets put away. We make nut butters, smoothies, soups, salads, dressings, you name it. The A3500 makes it so easy to add more fruits and veggies to your diet and really transform your lifestyle. I love this machine. If you are thinking about it, don't hesitate, just buy it!

I’m never ever going to buy another brand of blender. The day I brought this Vitamix blender home is the day my life changed forever. Everything blends perfectly in this blender. I now look for recipes that involve blending so that I can use it. The silkiest smoothies, cauliflower purées, and steaming hot soups are no problem for this beast of a machine. Yes, it does make soup, from raw vegetables to hot soup. The motor (engine) is powerful enough to cause friction so fierce that it heats the liquid inside to steaming in approximately 6 minutes. It’s meant to do this. It has a soup setting as well as a smoothie, spread (nut butter), ice cream, and a self cleaning setting. Fill it half full with water, a drop of soap and put the lid on. Push the clean button and it literally washes itself. Don’t buy anything else. Stay away from other blender brands and save yourself from stressful margaritas. Because anything involving frozen concoctions should be stress-free. Cheers!

We love our Vitamix blender!! We use it multiple times a day, to make plant-based milk, chop veggies, make smoothies... you name it! I don't know if I will ever go back to a regular blender after this!

I recently purchased the Vitamix - Ascent 3500 Series 64-Oz Blender and I am absolutely thrilled with it! Having previously owned a Ninja, the Vitamix has revolutionized my smoothies and juices with its powerful and fast blending capabilities. I now get perfectly smooth green juices without any chunks. Highly recommended!

This blender is awesome. Makes a smoothie quickly and delicious. The motor is a lot stronger compared to others. Making soup, ice cream and other recipes is fun and easy. The option to add attachments is a plus! Fits under the cabinet!

If it’s top of the line that you’re seeking, this is the blender for you!! It even comes with a 10 year warranty, who does that!? My wife is quite pleased with its performance already! You know the saying, “Happy wife, happy life!” I imagine that she’ll toss her shinobi blender (Hint: the brand name starts with an N and ends with an A)

I really love this blender and use it every morning to make a smoothie with a combination of milk, maple syrup, seeds, collagen hydrolysate, greens, pineapple, medjool dates, frozen fruit and ice.. I like to blend a lot of items in small quantities and this blender mixes it all up easily using the automatic smoothie button. I love watching the swirling vortex when the unit is blending as everything gets drawn into the middle and blended together. I fill up the container according to the recommendations of liquids first followed by the seeds and dry ingredients, greens, frozen fruit and then ice. Makes a perfectly blended smoothie every time with a simple press of a button and 50 seconds for the magic to happen. I love using this machine and highly recommend it. As good as it gets!

OMG, the best blender I've ever had, super powerful and wonderful!!!

My wife, enjoy use this blinder, the best one yet!

Love my Vitamix A3500 it work as expected, my smoothies taste great and so anything else I blend. Totally In love will recommend this Item to anyone

You cannot read the fill lines on the 64 ounce container. I had to write on the outside with a permanent marker. 8, 16, 32, 64 ounce.... Not worth the money. This machine cost six times what I paid for a NutriBullet brand blender. This machine is the most overpriced product of any kind that I have ever seen. If you are just juicing or making smoothies pick another product and save your money. After paying over $600 for this blender, they expect me to pay another $200 for two smaller drink size containers that are included with the other brand. That comes to a total of over $800 versus $150 for the NutriBullet. All that being said, why did I purchaser such an expensive blender? It was out of fear, I heard rumors of malfunctioning machines injuring users hands.

Worth every penny. Helps make my smoothies delicious every morning.

I'll confess, I'm not the hugest fan of blenders. They usually require a lot of work to use, and cleanup is generally a disassembly nightmare, but I love the idea of making smoothies and milkshakes. I currently have three different blenders sitting in my garage (two full size and one bullet-type), which is where they they inevitably end up once I decide I don't use them enough to justify the counter space. The Vitamix Ascent is staying on the counter. I've never had a blender before that as as easy to use and easy to clean. It effortlessly powers through everything I've thrown at it. The first night I had it, I made absolutely fantastic banana milkshakes using the recipe listed in the book. This book, by the way, is not the normal pamphlet or guide you'd expect to see with a kitchen appliance, but a serious, premium quality recipe book that provides tips for using the blender along with suggestions for modifying the recipes found within. The machine's exterior is easy to clean with just a washcloth, and there's a removable rubber pad that the container sits on that shields the motor mechanisms from any spills. It also requires none of the common twist/turn locking mechanisms you'd normally see, so you can set the container down at whatever angle is convenient for you. It automatically detects the type of container you're using (a food processor and bullet-style cups are available) and adjusts the available blending modes accordingly. The digital display is clear and easy to read. You can, of course, take the blender apart and clean its parts individually, and it's probably a good idea to do the occasional deep cleaning, but I've found that the built in cleaning function does a fantastic job through day-to-day use. So far I've made shakes, smoothies, dips and soups, and it's handled everything I've thrown at it. I even made peanut butter in it without bogging it down in the slightest. I love that there are attachments like the food processor and bullet-style cups available for it. It allows you to use essentially one appliance for multiple different purposes, which frees up a bunch of counter space. And while it does get a bit loud at higher speeds, it's still not as loud as other blenders I've used. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who wants their next blender purchase to be the last one they make for a very long time.

I've owned several other brands and they can't compete with vitamix. Yes they are pricey but you do get 7 years warranty on this machine. Unlike other companies vitamix, thinks of what else you could you use their blenders for. So recently we made tamales from scratch. Couldn't find sesame seed powder. Before this blender it was a pain to take whole sesame seeds and turn it into powder. You can do that here. I would recommend getting the other container for dry grains. The blade is better suited for it. It took maybe 1 minute to make those seeds into powder and it was done to perfection. The standard container could do it , but it took a bit longer with that one. Another thing I tried, like in some of the infomercials was to make sugar into powder. Wow it did it, it felt like magic in front of my eyes . I couldn't do this so quick and easy with the other brands. This blender can make hot soups and you know what that means? You don't need to wash a pot, just the container! The controls are very easy to understand, 5 modes, and timer, so its simple to use. Most of it is touch. Very easy to clean . The blender itself is heavy and powerful so its loud that's about the only con I can think of. Definitely a quality machine . Best purchase for any home. Think of it as an investment to good eating. Vitamix gives you a small recipe book. There's tons more online if you search for it. One friend of mine has made hummus on this and it came out better because it was freshly made. So this blender is a smart blender depending on what container you use it will detect it and make the adjustments needed to use that container. Looking forward to using the food processor attachment. Been waiting for this to be a reality for a few years now. This is my second machine from the ascent series. My family loved my first one so I gave that one away and got this one to better match my kitchen. One more thing you can put the container on any side you like , so if you're left handed put the handle to the left. If you're right handed then to the right. Works either way. Will not start if the container is off. The cord tucks in the bottom of the unit and I would say it's close to 4 feet long.

Let me preface my review by saying that Vitamix is the company that makes 50-year-old men squeal like a teenage girl at a Beatles concert in 1964 when they receive one of their products as a prize on a cooking show! The Ascent base is multi-functional and works with a variety of pitcher sizes and containers that are compatible with Vitamix’s “self-detect” technology. There is a wireless connection between the Ascent blender and the pitcher or container that adjusts the speed and power for the best performance. Older Vitamix containers without the connected base will not work with this unit. The base also accepts a 12-cup food processor attachment. Included with the Ascent base unit is a 64-once Low-Profile Container, Low-Profile Tamper, and a hardcover Simply Blending Cookbook. The controls are simple and easy to use. Aside from the On/Off switch on the side of the unit, separate Start, Stop, and Pulse buttons and a Variable Speed Dial (1 – 10) in addition to +/- buttons to control the blending time when using the variable speed option. There are 5 pre-programmed function buttons including Smoothies, Frozen Desserts, Soups, Dips and Spreads, and Self-Cleaning. If you download the Vitamix Perfect Blend app on Google or IOS and pair it to your blender you get 17 programs (pictures attached) and over 500 recipes. The lid has snaps securely in place but has a removable plug to allow the user of the Tamper or to add ingredients while blending. I first used the blender to make a large pitcher of my “signature” smoothie that had a history of making my other blenders just give up due to the quantify of ice and frozen high-density fruits. I followed the included directions for layering the product and used the pre-programmed “Smoothie” button and it was perfect. It was louder than any other blender I have used, and if I lived in a thin-walled apartment I probably would not be making a smoothie at 3 AM! The programmed self-clean feature worked as described, but you have to be sure to only fill the pitcher ½ way with water and add a few drops of dish soap, otherwise, you’ll have bubbles all over the counter. I also made gazpacho, chip dip, and milkshakes using the programmed functions, and you really can add the ingredients and select the program, and walk away! They worked flawlessly. I also used the following app only programs with no issues. Dressings – Worked great for homemade mayonnaise / Frozen Cocktails – I used this for a frozen coffee mixture / Dry Chopping – While I’d normally use a food processor for this, I thought I’d try it for a Gremolata and it worked well. Batter – Again I would normally use a food processor to make biscuits, but this program intrigued me and sure enough it worked! I could not be more satisfied with this unit and the support provided by the manufacturer from the 10-year full warranty with no shipping cost to the connected app and all the recipes available.

Well, of course for the review, I will. Vitamix has earned it's place as a premier brand indispensable in a gourmet kitchen. It sets the bar of superiority for which no job is too big or too small. At first glance, the new Ascent 3500 improves upon the already robust S750 with a touch panel interface and digital display. The container is also taller and imperceptibly thinner at it's base, helping with those smaller portion sizes. Though taller, the cover is also not as thick (more on that later) as the rubberized one on the S750, causing it to be the exact same height. The touch panel is smooth and user friendly making both use and clean-up a breeze. A big plus for me was the elapsed time counter, one of those things I didn't know I needed. It's great when you make nut milks, for example, and you want exactly one minute of blending. A pity you can't set it to stop at a given time. You get the same powerful motor as the S750 so smoothies, chopping, and blending power through without any hiccups. My only con would be for sound. When compared to my S750, the Ascent is noticeably noisier. The container's lid, being both thinner to accommodate the taller pitcher coupled with it's plastic construction, is likely a contributing factor as it lacks sound dampening material. Every gourmet kitchen should have a Vitamix, and you would be truly remiss if you don't specifically get the Ascent 3500.

============================= >>>>> Bottom Line Up front: <<<<< ============================= The Vitamix Ascent 3500 blender improves on a classic, industry tested design - by adding new/modern features such as touch sensitive inputs, self-detecting containers, along with a strikingly updated exterior styling. In my many previous years of hospitality experience, there was never a task our “Vitamix” could handle. The Ascent 3500’s touch interface and newer container design introduced a mild learning curve for me as I transitioned from using my classic “knobs & dials” interfaces on my older Vitamix “Legacy” series blender that I have relied on in my kitchen for the past 10 years. From smoothies, to salsas and spreads and pureed soup bases and everything in between – there was nothing I that the Ascent 3500 couldn’t handle while delivery smooth and consistent results. As great as the blender is, there are some minor qualms that don’t detract from an exceptional blending appliance. =============================================== >>>>> Detailed Observations after a regular usage: <<<<< =============================================== In my past, I spent a fair amount of time working in the hospitality industry in both “Front of the House” and “Back of the House” operations. I worked everything from coffee barista to frozen drink slinging bartender … all the way from line cook to food prep … and I have always worked with a Vitamix product in some way shape or form. I have seen their blender motors and containers take a beating and keep on going … for years… along with delivering restaurant quality results throughout that entire time. Naturally, when it came time to create my own kitchen at home ... oh, so many years later, I stuck with what I knew was proven and worked based off my experiences. Up until now, I have been relying on my older 5200 C-Series to handle all my blending needs – and it has never failed me. With that in mind, I never really sought out a newer blender over the years because my old model just handled my needs so well. However, with the introduction of the Ascent 3500 into my kitchen, I am just now realizing how much Vitamix has advanced their design and feature set with this model. I have been using the Vitamix Ascent 3500 for a solid week now – and I am toughly impressed with it in every way. It may seem hard to get overly excited about something as seemingly mundane as a “blender” – but when you use one every day as part of your cooking routine, and rely on it to help you deliver your signature food recipes for friends and family that “love” your recipes … it can make all the difference. I usually make at least 1 smoothie to start my day, and sometimes even 4-6 more depending on if the kids are in the mood or friends are over. I like to mix things up for fun and the Ascent 3500 totally handled the sweet potatoes, butternut squash, zucchini, pumpkin, pineapples I could throw at it. Even if I loaded the container with leafy greens like spinach or kale, simply using the preprogrammed auto “smoothie” setting always resulted in perfectly smooth well mixed results – every time. I decided to see how well the Ascent 3500 would handle frozen drink duty – and I was very presently surprised. One of my favorite mixed drinks to make is a Peruvian “Pisco Sour”. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a Peruvian specialty frozen drink that is worth a google search if you have a few minutes – but relies on a the extremely fine icy blend and egg white froth or “merengue-like” topping. This blender aced that test and is absolutely worthy of serious bar duty for that reason alone. My next go around is to actually try to make “Meringue” cookies since it whipped up the egg whites so perfectly for the drinks. I did get around to using the "hot soups" pre programmed setting to whip up a batch of broccoli and cheddar soup and this is on area the Ascent 3500 really came out ahead. I think the combination of the stainless steel blade design and container shape really enabled to the unit to pull off the smoothest batch of soup I have made to date. Needless to say, this was the perfect to try out the "self cleaning" mode with some water in the base afterwards - which made my life significantly easier. This setting is going to be REAL handy on my next batch of hummus since that always ends up being a chore to get of the blending container. One of the most interesting features I have not had the chance to fully utilize/test out is the “smart” container system that detects what type and size of container is placed on the unit. I see this saving A LOT of time once I can more thoroughly research which type/size of container is going to work best for my personal preparation needs. I really like the fact the unit has a built-in safety feature that will not allow the base unit motor to operate if it does not detect an appropriate container on top of itself. The Vitamix product line offers quite a large number of additional containers and accessories to further expand the functionality of the unit and that is something to seriously consider if you’re looking to seriously invest in food preparation moving forward. Speaking of the base unit, the rubber topper that sits under the containers have been improved to be much easier to remove and clean compared to my older model. On the downside, I am not a fan of the “newer” styled all clear plastic lids/tops for the containers. Comparatively speaking, the lids are harder to remove due to the tight-fitting plastic clips/lips that are responsible for keeping the seal tight – and although the clear plastic is easier to “see through” and keep clean – I miss the “tactile” feel of the rubber when my h ands are wet or covered in fruit/veggie juices or oils, etc. In a similar fashion, the pitcher/container has lost its rubberized/textured handle – in favor of a clear “all plastic” pass through design (making it that much more slippery if your hands are wet). Lastly, I hate to say this – but I actually miss the knobs. Maybe I just need some more time with Ascent – but I found myself initially “over” doing it since I had grown so accustomed to the rotary/dial type of variable speed adjustment – that button presses simply made it a little harder for me to adjust for the time being, especially when trying to just "pulse" the motor to get more "chunky" results. Maybe its just my age showing there – but I wouldn’t hold that against the unit in any major way since the digital display is much easier to wipe clean and read. ========================= >>>>> Closing thoughts: <<<<< ========================= As I stated in my review title – I believe the Vitamix Ascent 3500 blender is the “Gold Standard” in counter top blenders. No device is perfect, and as I shared with my experiences above – there are some areas I though were a tiny step back – but overall, the Ascent 3500 “crushes it” – so to speak. If your looking to make restaurant quality soup bases, smoothies, and even world class cocktails … you will not be disappointed. The Vitamix Ascent product line has blending bowls, single serve cups, and even a food processing attachment to enhance your cooking and blending techniques up to another level. In my opinion, a Vitamix product may initially seem like a costly investment – but that is just the thing – your “investing” into a system that will serve you for many, many, many…. years to come and backed by a US company that makes their products right here in the USA. 5 Stars all the way!

This isn’t your typical blender. This device is a tour de force. It’s impressive 64 oz container is generous enough to allow for at least two huge smoothie servings at a time. We love the self cleaning feature. Just add one or two drops of liquid dish soap, half of water and in one minute your rinsing the container and placing it on the dry rack. I had been meaning to get back to a healthier diet by avoiding process foods as much as possible prior to quarantine. So when this opportunity came around to reboot, I was happy to get my hands on this newer model and bring to life some new smoothie creations. Enter the Vitamix Ascent which introduces us to a digital LCD screen, Bluetooth connectivity with many additional blending settings thru Vitamix’s app, and also a fancy hard cover cookbook for those wanting creative ideas to begin their blending journey. I began my Vitamix experience by taking a trip to the grocery store for some items. BerryNutty antioxidant smoothie -made with seeds no nuts 2 cups fresh power leafy green mix, 3 cups antioxidant frozen fruit berries mix, 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds, 4 tbls chia seeds, 1 cup mango juice, 1/2 cup heavy cream. This smoothie is loaded with generous amounts of plant base protein, fiber, and antioxidants. The mango juice serves as a sugar base liquid that will compliment the berries. The pumpkin seed gives the smoothie a satisfying balanced semi nutty taste. What impressed me about the Vitamix Ascent, is how finely blended the raw chia seeds turned out. Smooth and silky, NO GRIT! This is why this blender is worth it! Sorry got exited! I began tinkering with the food processor attachment unit. This is sold separately. The food processor comes with a package of two additional discs. Each of those additional blades have a two fold function, you simply turn them over for (thin slice/ small shred) or (thick slice/large shred). I did not discover any additional settings on the app when I placed the food processor on the base, I believe it’s only for the blending unit container. For those taking their blending experience to the next level and want to get things done faster. We used the multi use blade to grind crackers down to a soft crumb for pie crusts. Happy that it has a manual setting button cause sometimes you want to have that control for more chunky homemade salsas. Easy to store away. The possibilities are endless. Pluses: 1. Large 64 oz Container 2. It’s 4 settings on display pad (and 17 additional settings with Bluetooth) 3. It’s powerful and NOT absurdly loud like the Nina Duo 4. One base - two functions blender and food processor Minuses: 1. The apps “Pantry” feature is a great idea, however it is limited by what Vitamix inputs in its platform. (please add cocoa protein powder) I would suggest a photo capture feature where you can take a picture of the nutritional facts of any for faster customizable upload. The Vitamix Ascent is my new muse. Makes me want to breakout in song, “Nothing compares to you”.

Right out of the box the Vitamix Ascent 3500 is impressive for its modern design and high quality materials used. But it’s not until you start using it that you fully appreciate the thought that went into each detail of the design, the intuitive nature of the interface, the ease of operation and the incredibly consistent results. I have owned the classic Vitamix 5200 for the past 9 years and it has been one of the most used appliances in our home. That model operates with manual switches and has a tall 64oz container. The Vitamix Ascent 3500 is a much more modern design which operates digitally and has a lower profile container but still manages to keep the capacity at 64oz, which is important to us. The wide container makes it easier to access the food, especially at the bottom. It also comes with a see through top which snaps on securely. The Ascent is also more powerful and quieter than the 5200. The Ascent 3500 has self detect technology. It will not let you operate the machine until it detects that you have properly placed the container on it. And will detect exactly which container or device you have placed on the base and then adjust the times of the program settings. There are 5 program settings, Smoothies, Frozen Deserts, Hot Soups, Dips and Spreads, and Self Cleaning. Cleaning the container is as easy as filling the container half full with water, adding a couple of drops of dishwashing detergent, and pressing the Self-Clean button. The base is also very easy to clean as the face is completely flat with the exception of the speed dial. The touch interface has a pulse button, a power button, a variable speed dial, the 5 program buttons and an up and down button to adjust the timer. And that leads me to one of my favorite aspects of this device. The timer can be used 3 different ways. When you use a pre-set program it will count down the time and then turn off. You can set a time for your own recipes and it will count down for you and turn off, or it will start from zero and count the time, keeping you aware of how long you have been blending. These timing functions are invaluable to me. I can now leave the Vitamix while its on and perform other functions in my kitchen, knowing that it will shut off at the appropriate time. And, I can keep glancing at the screen to see how much time is left. One thing that separates Vitamix blenders is the smooth texture of the food. The speed dial has settings 1-10, however it has a + setting in between each speed resulting in a total of 20 speeds and allowing a more precise control over the texture of the specific food being prepared. We have prepared smoothies and soups on a daily basis. We have also made ice cream, nut butters, hummus, and batter for our chocolate chip muffins. And when you taste it you know it was made in a Vitamix as we have not been able to duplicate the texture of the food on any other device. We have also ground oatmeal and flax seeds into flour. There is a cookbook that comes in the box and the Vitamix app provides an almost unlimited number of recipes. We tend to use these recipes as a source of ideas and as a guide, but we like to experiment and expand on those ideas. The pre set programs are great and we do use them, but the 20 speed levels and the timer functions allows us to be creative. The Vitamix Ascent 3500 will be used daily in our house and it is comforting to know that it is backed with a 10 year warranty. When we have had to contact Vitamix customer service in the past for the 5200 model, we found them to be friendly, professional and responsive. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys making foods at home and wants to control the quality of food that they and their family are consuming.