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*Pros:
-Sleek and modern design.
-The powerful motor churns out smooth and fine smoothies.
-The vibrations are well-controlled and stable in operation.
-Can create hot soup from cold ingredients.
-10-year warranty.
-It can self-clean.
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*Neutral:
-The base is heavy.
-The motor at level 10 is very loud.
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*Cons:
-The measurement markings are too small and difficult to make out.
*** My Take ***
The Vitamix Ascent X4 is a powerful and versatile blender well-suited for creating all sorts of delicacies with an easy-to-use and intuitive layout. At blender level 10, it can get pretty loud, but the result is always satisfactory. And despite the high output, it’s stable and vibration-free.
My number one usage scenario with the Ascent X4 is making my protein shake for workouts where I add some milk, whey protein powder, creatine monohydrate powder, some ice, a banana, and about two tablespoons of peanut butter. Compared to my 7-yo Blendtec blender, the Ascent X4 does a much better job creating a finer and smoother-textured smoothie without any of the grit and graininess that is sometimes present on the older blender.
I also like that the blender can be used to make warm or hot soup in under 10 minutes. The idea of making soup with a blender is novel to me, but it’s a great option to have.
If there is one thing I really dislike about the X4, it’s the container. More specifically, I’m talking about the volume markers. The numbers and letters are so small and very difficult to make out, especially when there are items already inside the container. Vitamix should’ve made the markers way more prominent, and because of this issue, I think it’s worth subtracting one whole star for it.
For example, after I finish making my smoothie, I’m ready to make the next cup for my wife who’s going to go on a run with me and later do some resistance training together. The sides of the container has protein shake leftover glazed all over, and when I’m trying to add one cup of milk, I can’t pour because I cannot see the 1 cup marker. So I have to disconnect the container from the base, rinse it out with water and dry out the insides before I can finally see the volume markers again to begin adding ingredients. I didn’t have to do this with any of my previous blenders so this aspect of the Ascent X4 has been exasperating and highly annoying.
With that said, I still rate the Ascent X4 with an overall score of 4 Stars because of its high performance, versatility, flexibility, ease-of-use (the touch control panel and dial), and the 10-year warranty. The self-clean function is a cool perk as well. At seven Benjamins, though, I’m not sure I would recommend this readily to friends and family. I think there are better value blenders out there that are quieter and with a better-marked container.