Customer Ratings & Reviews

In my review of this Vitamix Ascent 3500 Series 64-OZ. blender, I give this product a 4 out of 5 star rating. First impression was great… easy to unpack and the Start Here card had me up and running in a few minutes. First order of business was the Whole Fruit Margaritas recipe (of course!). The machine is super powerful, which also translates to very loud when on the higher speeds. It actually tripped the breaker in the first use. Yikes! But the output was fantastic… super smooth and creamy and not a single ice chunk. You have to remove the snap-off lid to pour (other blenders allow you to simply twist to an opening but that’s not an option here). I was curious to try a hot recipe, being surprised by the claim that the friction of the blades would heat the contents. I made the Spiced Mocha Coffee and, indeed, within 5-minutes was sipping a rich, hot beverage. Not as hot as regular coffee, mind you, but hot enough. (I think if I tried a pureed soup, I’d need to heat it further after making it.) The pre-programmed buttons make things easy, but you also have the flexibility to pulse or to blend manually. The base unit is substantial and quite heavy. I wouldn’t want to store it on a high or low shelf. All in all, a great appliance and one that I’m happy to have in my kitchen.

I love this item. I have made strawberry lemonade and scrabbled eggs. Yummy! Great Blender!

I was so embarrassed after calling my husband into the kitchen to show him this new $700 machine and it wouldn’t even blend regular ice… the motor kicked up to full power and still nothing. I had to keep shaking and adding more liquid then I’d normally use to get it to even barely blend which it still barely did. I did a test the next day using the same proportions as what I put in my normal ninja and it was night and day; ninja preforming 20x better. I was excited to love this but I can’t even slightly like it. Wouldn’t even re-purchase at goodwill for $5 after returning because it’s non functional for someone who likes frozen things blended.

I have owned a previous model of a Vitamix blender (now donated to another family) as well as a mid-to-high-end blender from a different company. Until now, I was never sure whether the higher price of a Vitamix blender was actually justified. But, after using the Vitamix A3500 blender for a while, I am thinking it is worth the price. It is a beautiful machine that does a fantastic job of blending, Furthermore, the support from the Vitamix company is fantastic. The short "Start Here" guide is actually useful, explaining how to clean the blender before first food use (there is a button dedicated to cleaning), and suggesting how to layer different ingredients for a smoothie (there is also a dedicated smoothie button). My first smoothie came out perfectly. It is nice to have several preset buttons for different purposes along with the option to manually turn the variable-speed dial to different speed settings for durations of my choice. You can program the timer for the length of a blend or (more wisely, I think) simply watch the timer count up. With a blender this powerful, you might not need to blend as long as you think. The blender also has a pulse function when you need only very brief chopping/blending. The blender comes with a beautiful blending recipe book for beverages, sauces/dips/spreads, soups & salads, batters & doughs, baby foods, and desserts. I will definitely be trying many of them. And the Vitamix website also provides great support, ideas, and special bargains.

Stopped working after on 1 month of use. This Vitamix was not used everyday or was it used several times a day. This is the 2 one that I purchased and the 1st one I purchased didn't even work as it showed an error message. This 2nd one I purchased hasn't even lasted a month and now I have to box this machine up to send it back to Vitamix to get it repaired or replaced. I'm not pleased with this purchase because this is not an inexpensive blender. I purchased a Ninja blender several years ago and that thing hasn't broke down not once. I'll see what happens when I get my repaired one back from Vitamix.

Worth every penny! A must have for quick and easy smoothies!

I use it once day mostly for making juice, and I have had a few of vitamix blenders but this is one has the highest price and the lowest quality. Less and a year and it broke, unacceptable

Full Disclosure: I received this product through Best Buy’s Tech Insider Network in exchange for an honest evaluation and an unbiased review. I always like to mention the product's packaging first because not everyone has a Best Buy store around the corner. Many BestBuy.com customers simply have to hope for the best that their expensive order will be handled with care by the various shipping entities that will lay hands on it. The box and packaging were very sturdy and all of the parts were well protected for shipping. Actually, the box was a bit challenging to open and the snug packaging made it hard to get the parts out safely. I finally ended up cutting part of the outer box to open it. All-in-all this blender would have been very well protected during shipping. In the box: A3500 Blender base 64 oz container Food tamper Lid Lid plug Welcome to the family booklet Technical manual Vitamix Simply Blending book The base of the A3500 blender is a tank. It is quite heavy and allows the blender to be well-rooted on the counter. The base has a self-centering mat on the top to aid in proper container placement. The On/Off switch is on the back. On the face of the blender base there is a start/stop button, pulse button, 5 preset program buttons (smoothie, frozen dessert, soup, dip, self-clean), timer +/- button, and a variable speed dial. The A3500 also features Smart Detect, a feature that allows it automatically pair with any Vitamix Self–Detect containers. This means the motor base is able to read the container size you’ve chosen and automatically adjust program settings and maximum blending times accordingly. The 64 fl. oz. container is strong, clear, and dishwasher safe. It has large, sharp blades and a wide spout for pouring. There are unit measure marks from 0-64 fl. oz. The lid fits very snugly on the container. It was hard to remove the lid the first few times I used it, but it has gradually become more manageable. The food tamper fits in the lid securely without leaking and moves freely to push food down. The lid plug fits securely to fill the tamper hole when the tamper is not needed. I prepared several recipes from the “Simply Blending” book that was included with this blender. The quality and texture of the food created by this powerful appliance is amazing. We are a family of smoothie snobs. I, personally, hate a smoothie that does not have a smooth, lump-less texture. I especially hate seeds. With one touch this blender creates a smooothie with a consistent smooth texture. Even the seeds are blended well so I still get all the fiber of the fruit and vegetables without the texture that comes with an inconsistent and incomplete blend. Also, fresh fruit or frozen fruit makes no difference to this blender. It blends them all without even straining itself. I also made hummus and soup with this blender. The food is heated by the incredible friction of the blades passing through the food at extremely high speeds. This method of cooking retains far more nutrients from the food and I can tell you the flavors that result are so fresh and natural. The tomato soup tasted just like a fresh tomato from the vine! A totally different taste experience from what you get with a can of tomato soup from the grocery store. This blender is very powerful, extremely well made, and quite user friendly. Over the years, I have burned up several other blenders trying to achieve the results that this machine renders with ease. Cleaning the blender is also a breeze. Just put soap and warm water in the container, press the self-clean button, rinse, and done. The base also wipes down easily. It's nearly effortless to clean. This is by far the best blender I have ever owned. I can enthusiastically recommend it to anyone looking for a premium blender. Go ahead and spend the money because you won't be disappointed.

This Vitamix Ascent 3500 is quite the beast! Before unpacking, I had no idea that these new Ascent models were so incredibly robust. But after I got it set up, I immediately noticed several things about this blender. It's super solid and the construction looks like it's serious pro-level. The base is bigger than expected and quite heavy. If you have plenty of room on your kitchen counter, this extra large size is a plus as it seems to keep it from moving around during blending. It's motor provides 2.2 Horsepower which is considerably less that a couple of other manufacturers but it's plenty. Believe me. My previous high-end blender had more power but it would shimmy a bit while blending and it was a touch unnerving. The jar is quite large but not too large like the older models that seemed very tall. This one is less tall but wider which allows it to fit under my cabinets. I was a little worried at first about that, but it's all good. The blender recognizes when the jar is attached and will not run until it is in place. The front panel interface is made of both scratch-resistant, touch-sensitive buttons and a twist knob. The buttons control on/off, pulse, add & reduce time and several pre-programmed blending patterns while the knob allows for manual speed control. One small gripe is that these button are not illuminated which would make them much easier to see. There's also a small screen that displays text and countdown info. The black stainless finish is very appealing and it matches my kitchen cabinets perfectly...kind of a warmer shade of dark gray. All in all, a very stylish addition to my kitchen that I'm more than ok to leave out. You can even connect it via Bluetooth to the Vitamix Perfect Blend app where you can refine the blend cycles even more and create custom recipes. Pretty cool feature if you are looking for new recipes to try out. As I mentioned, the 3500 has 5 pre-programmed blending patterns built in. They are Smoothies, Frozen Desserts, Soups, Dip and Spreads and Self-Cleaning. My favorite being the self-cleaning..lol. So far, I've used the blender to create smoothies and shakes. The smoothies cycle is just right to make my fruit smoothies super smooth. No lumps every time I've made them. For milkshakes, I found that the smoothies cycle is too long. I use the manual speed control instead..it lets me decide how chunky or smooth I want my shakes. I plan on making some soup since Fall is in the air. I want to see how hot the blending gets it but I've been told it's pretty hot. As far as how loud it is, the 3500's noise level is pretty typical for a blender...at lower speeds it's not an issue but on full blast, it's LOUD. That being said, i doubt you'll need to run it at full blast very often. The self-clean cycle does a good job at cleaning the jar when I've made the smoothies and shakes. I'm not sure how it performs after making nut butters or spreads. I imagine a little elbow grease may be needed and fortunately the jar is dishwasher safe too. Overall, I've very impressed so far. What originally looked like an ominous blender to use, is actually very simple and straightforward. It's extremely well built and they offer an incredible 10 year warranty for down the line. I'm loving it so far and plan on getting the Food Processor attachment. That's a first and what a great idea to save space in my kitchen. Well done Vitamix!

This product is useless. I opened brand new one and it got heated. I tried next day again the result is same. I returned the product. Waste of money and time.

Ours gave an error message the first time we attempted to use it. Did not expect that for $600. Returned and got the Ninja

After years of hearing accolades regarding Vitamix blenders I can now understand why so many have announced their devotion to this appliance. From the start, the packaging is enticing and as it is opened and unboxed excitement begins to build. The quality of the components is high. Everything feels solid and the base of the unit is heavy and sleek. A beginner's pamphlet is included as well as a small, hardbound cookbook to get you started. You have the ability to manually control the blenders speed as well as the ability to have it run continuously or pulse. A few preset programs are on the base including one for smoothies, soups and self-clean. I first tried a smoothie and the Vitamix made light work of it. I have since made smoothies almost daily. I have also made soups always resulting perfectly smooth. I must note that the soup program runs under six minutes and cranks at the highest setting. The first time I tried this, the power and intensity of the Vitamix intimidated me. It does get very loud. The self-clean function also runs loud but at a fraction of the time. Overall, I am really impressed with this blender. It has awesome power and I look forward to using it for years to come.

This blender is amazing. As I begin to get more and more into cooking (Thank you covid) I have learned to appreciate having the right tools for the job. I have used a hand me down blender for years and never really thought about it. This blender is a night and day difference. Blending ingredients into homogeneity is actually a thing that I had not experienced with my old blender. This leads to having more refined sauces and some velvety smooth soups. The power this blender has is incredible. My morning smoothies are immensely better, no more chunks of frozen fruit getting stuck in the straw. There is a smoothie mode that senses what you put into the blender and then blends accordingly, it’s so easy! There are a multitude of attachments that smartly attach and identify themselves to the base upon connecting and different modes become available. This is an amazing blender for foodies and inspired gone chefs.

Terrible blender. For the price I thought I was getting something next level. You’re just paying for the brand. Would struggle with basic smoothies. Ninja blows it out of the water at 1/4 of the cost. Returned this and purchased a ninja!

This machine will make you rethink the word “blender”. It's so much more than a traditional blender it seems a little degrading to put that label on it. But since it comes closest to bringing the functionality of a blender to your counter it's, at the same time, aptly named. If you look at the price tag on a machine like this, your first reaction is probably going to be similar to mine. It's a lot of money for a blender. But keep in mind, this is no ordinary blender. This is a machine that is engineered for long life and capable of supplying all the power you will ever need for whatever you choose to put in it. For starters, and the most obvious place to start is it's looks. This is a beautiful appliance that you won't mind leaving out on your counter top. The black chrome is very sharp and the brushed accents make it look as high end as it is. The 64oz. Blending cup is big. It's fully graduated with both metric and standard scales. The lid has a full gasket around it for a tight seal that keeps food in. It comes with a quick remove center plug to add items on the fly and even has a nice plastic stirring wand that fits in the center hole and allows you to stir or help push things around inside the cup, but for safety sake, won't come in contact with the blades. The base itself is the real star of the show. Unique and intuitive controls. There are five blend modes, plus a pulse button and a speed control for more manual operation. The blend modes are pretty amazing and selecting one will put the blender into a programmed run mode that takes all the guesswork out of making a variety of commonly selected items. It works very well and takes the machine through various speed setting and starts a displayed countdown timer that shows how much time is left in the cycle. You can also use it in a more manual mode if you prefer, by rotating the speed control to the desired number in half step increments from “0” to “10”. There is also a pulse button for those times that you want just a small controlled burst of blending power. All of the controls are touch sensitive so there is no mechanical switches to were out (with the exception of the master power switch on the side of the unit). It also makes for a much easier clean up by keeping the control panel flat. The display is very informative and fun to watch. It's not cluttered with information you don't need or want to see and only displays relevant information. We've made smoothies and soup in it so far, and it performed flawlessly. For both foods we used the blend mode buttons. The soup mode blended up a delicious tomato soup and heated it at the same time so that when the blending was done, the soup was ready to eat. After your done, you can use the “self-clean” mode to easily clean the cup. The cup parts are all dishwasher safe so clean up is a snap. It comes with a beautiful hard backed recipe book full of high quality color photos and all kinds of great recipes. I can't say enough about this blender. If you're looking for quality, ease of use, intuitive controls, and a product that is obviously built to last, look no further, this is it.

I didn’t really understand what the hubbub was all about with Vitamix blenders…until I got one. WOW. To get this out of the way, it can basically blend anything I threw at it. Frozen fruits, large ice cubes, nuts…pretty much everything and that has to do with it’s 2.2 horsepower power as well as it's sturdy blades. Power should not be an issue, but what about noise? At the lowest setting, it’s very quiet. At the highest setting, it does make some considerable noise but I never found that I had to use it past 7-8. It has 10 speeds and each speed has a “+” setting so all in all, about 20 variable speed settings. It also has 5 pre-programmed settings for specific uses like frozen desserts, spreads, soups, and smoothies. And then it also has a dedicated setting for cleaning. All of these are controlled with a touch interface on the front for the settings and then a nice, well-built dial for the speed. Sounds strange but the dial is satisfying to use. There’s also a dedicated on/off switch on the side if you wanted to always keep it plugged in. The 64 ounce included container is equally as well built and the quality really shines. The lid fits very securely with a rubber gasket preventing any leaks and then on the lid itself is a plug that you can remove to use the low profile tamper to mix around ingredients safely. It also has a 10, yes I said 10 year warranty on it so there is no need to worry if anything were to go wrong with it. I can’t express enough the quality of this blender. It is by far one of the highest quality kitchen appliances I have ever used. A tremendous amount of thought has gone into every aspect of this blender and if you want something VERY powerful and is sure to never disappoint, this is the way to go.

This Vitamix Ascent 3500 blender has absolutely blown me away. I already had high expectations for the Vitamix brand. I’ve heard nothing but good things and I briefly used one in the past. This Ascent 3500 is truly a remarkable machine because not only is it a quality blender, but the app and Bluetooth connectivity put it over the top as an All in one blending powerhouse. I am blown away with the App. The blender detects what attachment you have on the blender via Bluetooth so it knows if you have a normal blender or a food processor on top. It also has nutritional facts, ingredients, serving size, and even the order in which you should add the ingredients to the blender in an easy to follow process. Giving you access to 100’s of recipes for free with all the tools you need to fully utilize the Vitamix in every way. The blender is a solid, well-built piece of machinery. The machine itself is heavy and robust and has a clean stainless and black look that belongs in any kitchen. The blender container is the nicest I’ve ever had in a blender and I’ve had them all, Kitchen Aid, Blendtec, Ninja etc. It’s a very nice hard plastic with a detachable lid. It just feels solid in your hands, and I think would be hard for anyone to break, but also wont shatter if it hits the tile. It feels like a very high-quality smoothie blender, and that’s exactly what I was looking for. The blender has 5 easy buttons, a start/stop button and a pulse button. When you crank the dial up it blends perfectly every time, doesn’t shake everywhere, and has a TON of power. Some blenders I’ve used in the past when you really crank up the dial it will give off that burnt smell, not with the Vitamix. I use my blender daily for smoothies so it’s been fun really getting to know this blender over the last week or so. I really can’t say enough good things about this blender. The recipes on the app will allow me to try out a bunch of different recipes in the future and really push this blender to its limits. I really look forward to having this in my kitchen for years to come. Pros -Bluetooth Connectivity allows the blender firmware to be updated and pairs with the app on your phone -Quality Built Blending Container with removable lids and sharp blades. -APP has tons of recipes and ingredients list that are intuitive and easy to use! -Blender can detect what type of attachment you connect to it and suggest recipes through the app, giving endless possibilities. -POWERFUL blender motor. Cons -None

The Vitamix Ascent Blender is the first Vitamix I’ve ever owned. I’ve had several other blenders before this, but none were able to do hot soups and hot purees. When I first opened the box, I noticed how sturdy the Vitamix Ascent Blender is and how well it was made. It comes with a manual, a quick start guide, a tamper, and a hardcover recipe book. The Vitamix Ascent 3500 Series blender has 5 separate pre-set programs depending upon what it’s being used for. The pre-set programs are Smoothies, Frozen Dessert, Soups, Dips and Spreads and Self Cleaning. It also has a variable speed dial which gives you manual control from 1 (slowest) to 10 (highest). The pre-set programs are in the base of the Vitamix Ascent 3500 series and they recognize the various size containers from the 64 oz container to an 8oz cup. This is done through a wireless connection (no app needed) in the base that communicates to the Blender which container is being used for what purpose and automatically shuts off the blender when finished. The Tamper is perfect for blending thicker ingredients and/or chopping ice. I find it especially useful when making Pesto and Smoothies (crushing ice). The Vitamix Ascent Blender recipe book not only contains several recipes for the different pre-set programs but explains, in detail, what each program does and how to use them. The recipes are easy to follow and fun to make. I’ve made a couple of the soups, sauces, beverages, and desserts. I’ll be trying the batters and doughs next. My own recipes and the ones that I’ve tried from the book, using the Vitamix Ascent Blender, have come out perfectly. I’m incredibly pleased with the results. Cleaning is as easy as pressing a button. The Vitamix Ascent Blender has a self-cleaning preset program. Just add warm water and a couple of drops of liquid detergent, according to the user manual, push the Self-Cleaning button and the blender will stop on its own when done. That’s a big plus! I no longer have to take the blender apart and risk cutting myself on the blades when cleaning. With the Vitamix Ascent Blender, is designed so that you don’t remove the blade assembly for cleaning. I recommend the Vitamix Ascent 3500 Series Blender if you want one blender that does it all. It is a little pricey but is well worth it. The base is very sturdy and wider than other straight blenders won’t tip over while on high speed.

I have owned several high-end blenders within the past few years, but my new favorite is this Ascent 3500. I had been using the 2500, but the 3500 is a step up. I love the modern look and feel with the touch sensitive buttons. Yes, the Vitamix models are a lot more expensive than other brands on the market, but there is a reason for that. You just cannot get the same quality and finely blended meals with the others as you can with a Vitamix. In the end, it is definitely worth it. On top of the that, you get a 10-year warranty for peace of mind. In our household, our main use of the blender is to make baby food. We like to make smooth, yet plump, apple mixes and squash mixes for our baby. Instead of buying processed baby foods from the store, we felt it was healthier to buy our own ingredients and mix it at home. With regards to smoothies, they come out so fine and clean with no signs of any chunks. My favorite feature of the 3500 is the ability to use Bluetooth to connect to the Vitamix app. There is a large collection of recipes on the app and extra features to finely tune blending sessions beyond what is on the face of the blender. There are quite a few different presets on the app that will send the commands to the blender via Bluetooth. For example, there is a ‘baby food’ option on the app that we use. Once selected, the blender will mix accordingly without having to manually adjust any time or speed. Overall, you just can’t get any better than a Vitamix and the 3500 is a great chef-quality unit.

One might look at the price of this blender and immediately say “no thank you” right away and move on to another option – that would be an unfortunate mistake! I am not quite sure the word blender should apply to this – it’s almost as if this product needs its own name due to the various functions. The aesthetics of this product match every other kitchen gadget in the house as I prefer stainless and black colors so everything matches well. This product is very robust and quite heavy (a good thing) for when high setting blender is required – allows for no rocking. The controls are intuitive and the product is very easy to use. It comes with a wonderful recipe book to try out different functions. I thought I owned a good higher ended blender until I used this product. After thoroughly cleaning the unit to rid it of the new machine taste, I delved right in and made one of my favorite items – a tomato-basil soup as I was curious to see how the heating of the soup would work. I was amazed to see that the soup increased temperature about 8.5 degrees for every minute blended and was ready to eat right from the blender. The taste, texture and smell were perfecto! I have tried now all the blender settings and my kids have routinely said the milkshakes and smoothies are the best ever! The recipes tried are a big hit and the ease of use for said recipes is amazing. Features I like the best are the timer as well as the self-cleaning options. The timer has different ways to set from ascending time, descending time or none which I found helpful. I was skeptical that the self-cleaning would work but was proved wrong. All in all, I cannot recommend this product highly enough. Yes, it is quite expensive but may just be the last blender ever purchased – I am a big fan of the saying “You get what you pay for” – and this product is worth it!