Once you start looking on the healthier side of life, you will constantly seek something to improve your eating habits. And the search will probably end the moment you find the most sophisticated solution that will satisfy all of your blending needs.
At least that’s what happened to me…
My “obsession” with blenders lead me on a quest for something new with better performances. And after I went through thousands of articles and reviews, I hit the jackpot – the Vitamix A3500 blender.
Before making my order, I didn’t even think twice since I already had experience with the Vitamix Ascent Series, and I knew they would never disappoint me. And just like I thought, the Vitamix A3500 Ascent Smart Blender came out to be a real game-changer.
So, whether you’re looking for ways to lose some weight or striving to improve your wellbeing by eating healthy, your quest can end here.
In this article, I will share my sincere thoughts about the Vitamix Ascent A3500 and why it can be the best solution for you. In addition, I will cover its features, pros, cons, and what I liked/disliked the most about this model.
- Things To Consider Before Buying a Blender (Especially From Vitamix Ascent Series)
- Why The Vitamix A3500 Ascent Blender?
- Vitamix A3500 Features and Benefits
- How Is The Vitamix A3500 Reviewed? Here’s What People Think About This Blender…
- Vitamix A3500 Alternatives
- My Two Cents About The Vitamix A3500 Blender
Things To Consider Before Buying a Blender (Especially From Vitamix Ascent Series)
I personally didn’t believe that there’s a difference between my basic $70 blender and the advanced ones from the Vitamix Ascent line. After all, my cheap blender was still good enough to make the job done for a quick smoothie from time to time.
However, once I discovered that a nutritious morning smoothie could do miracles to the whole family’s wellbeing, I realized that there’s actually a huge difference. And those off-the-shelf blenders don’t do half of the job done!
What you need is a versatile, high-end, and well-performing blender in your kitchen that can do more than a simple blending.
But before going after such blender, there’re a couple of things you need to take into consideration:
- Container Size
- Motor Power
- Speeds
- presets
Let’s take a look at each one of them.
Container Size – What Is The Standard Size Of a Blender?
There’s no such thing as standard blender size. Containers for blenders come in different sizes ranging from the 8 ounces for a single serving to the large 64 ounces containers for larger families.
![Vitamix A3500](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41kqIZfPooL.jpg)
First, you need to determine your preferred size depending on your household size.
For instance, a smaller container will be more than enough if you’re a single living person.
But if you’re a family of 4 and all of you tend to have smoothies or soups for breakfast often, then you’ll undoubtedly need a larger container of 64 ounces for blending a couple of servings at once.
However, you don’t need to look at different blenders featuring different container sizes with the Vitamix Ascent series. The new smart Ascent models, such as Vitamix A3500, come with a “Self-Detect” technology that can work with smaller 8-ounce and 20-ounce compatible containers.
You just place your preferred container onto the motor base, and the blender will automatically recognize its size, so it will adjust the blending time accordingly.
Motor Power – How Many Watts Is Enough For a Blender?
Typically, blenders start at about 200 watts and can go up to 1,800. The power of the motor will also depend on your needs and preferences.
If you’re using your blender only occasionally, it’s not necessary to invest in a powerful and advanced blender. But if your blender has a crucial part in your diet or lifestyle, then a blender featuring at least 1200 watts of power is a must-have for handlining larger meals.
The Vitamix Ascent models come with incredible 1400 watts, making them extremely powerful in transforming thick ingredients into smooth blends.
Speeds – Do You Need a High-Speed Blender?
Blenders typically feature from 3 to 10 speed variables. The blenders with higher speed settings can be helpful for people who want to prepare different blends with different consistencies on daily basis.
The Vitamix Ascent series feature 10 speeds for fine-tuning your blends to perfection.
Presets – Do You Need Pre-Programmed One-Click Functions?
Making smoothies, soups, or ice creams with just one click can come in handy, especially when you are in a hurry. However, not every blender comes with presets (not even all Ascent series), so you will have to make some adjustments manually.
Luckily, the advanced Vitamix Ascent A3500 model is a king of presets, coming with five nifty pre-programmed functions.
Why The Vitamix A3500 Ascent Blender?
Vitamix Ascent A3500 is one of the most versatile models on the market, packed with the most advanced features you will ever meet in a blender.
- Program Settings: Five program settings (for Smoothies, Hot Soups, Dips & Spreads, Frozen Desserts, and Self-Cleaning) ensure...
- Touchscreen Controls give the machine a sleek silhouette and are easily wiped clean.Electrical Ratings - 120 V, 50-60 Hz, 12...
- You're in Control: Variable Speed Control and Pulse feature let you manually fine-tune the texture of any recipe
Last update on 2024-08-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
What separates this model from the rest are its five pre-programmed settings for different blends – hot soups (without a stove), smoothies, frozen desserts, dips, and self-cleaning function.
Note that this is not the case with the previous versions from the Ascent Series. The Vitamix A2300 doesn’t feature any pre-programmed settings, while the Vitamix A2500 features only 3.
They are slightly cheaper and have the same quality blending, but why not spend few more bucks and get the “best-of-the-best” blender that’s unmatched on the market so far.
I am aware that A3500 Vitamix can be a little pricey for you, but I stand behind my claim that it’s an investment that pays off in the long run.
Vitamix A3500 Pros – What I liked about the Vitamix A3500:
- 5 program settings
- Large 64-oz container
- 1400 watts of Power
- Touch screen controls
- Self-cleaning feature
- “Self-detect” technology
- Digital timer
Vitamix A3500 Cons – What I didn’t like about the Vitamix A3500:
- Overpriced
- In the beginning, the lid can be hard to open
Vitamix A3500 Features and Benefits
Let’s go into each of the unique features of the Vitamix A3500 Ascent blender.
5 Pre-Programed Settings
What I liked most about the Vitamix A3500 are its five presets for different blends. Even though I primarily purchased this model to upgrade my morning smoothie routine, it turned out I am saving a lot of time by using the presets… especially now that I am preparing my healthy and nutritious blends more frequently for my family.
But the versatile program settings didn’t only help me and my family to eat healthier and more balanced meals day by day.
It’s a walk-away convenience that I found most useful! I just put my ingredients, select the desired program, and I’m free to take care of my kids’ morning routines. The blender will finish its job perfectly fine without me constantly monitoring it.
1,400 Watts of Power
The Vitamix A3500 is considered a professional-grade blender because it’s built by adhering to commercial standards. And by “commercial” standard, we mean it comes with high-power that can handle any kind of blends.
The blender’s power of 1,400 watts is capable of blending the toughest ingredients (including all the types of nuts and dates) in a consistent blend.
![Vitamix A3500](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41koPn5iKML.jpg)
Along with its rugged stainless steel blades, this beast will ensure that all the ingredients you put inside are transformed into a delicious blend with a silky and smooth texture.
Built-in Wireless Connectivity
The smart “Self-Detect” technology implemented in the blender allows the motor base to automatically recognize the size of your container and adjust the blending functions accordingly.
Once the blender is recognized, this technology sets a custom maximum blending time needed for your specific batch of food or drink.
So even if you place a compatible 8-ounce or 20-ounce container, you will end up with consistent, smooth results every single time.
Touchscreen Controls
The sleek, modern design of the Vitamix A3500 Ascent blender is a sight to behold, thanks to the modern touchscreen control panel.
![Vitamix A3500](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41P81AwsvNL.jpg)
The touchscreen controls make it easy for anyone in your family from across any generation gap to work with the blender easily (even those who aren’t tech-savvy).
“Vitamix Perfect Blend” Mobile App
Like the other blenders from the Ascent series, the A3500 also works with a mobile app that will unleash your creativity and extend the blender’s potential.
Once you connect to Vitamix’s official app for Android or iOS, you will get instant access to over 500 recipes and additional 17 pre-programmed settings.
This is the most remarkable feature that I found extra handy, especially for the days when I wasn’t feeling creative for mixing different ingredients from the green market store.
Digital Timer
Even if you don’t want to settle down for your Vitamix’s presets, you can still toss your ingredients inside and leave them to get blended “on their own.”
Thanks to Vitamix A3500’s built-in timer, you can set custom blending time and leave. Once the timer ends counting the time you selected, the blender will turn off automatically.
This can help you a lot if you want to make custom blends. So you can still dedicate your time to other tasks and leave your blend mixture without worrying that it will get under or over-processed.
How Is The Vitamix A3500 Reviewed? Here’s What People Think About This Blender…
As I already mentioned before, I went through countless reviews on Amazon, and I was amazed by what people think about this bad boy.
One customer said: “The blender makes THE best smoothies, that are actually smooth! No lumps whatsoever! I love the pre-programmed features (though I thought I would never use, but I was wrong!), as I use them all the time” with which I definitely agree.
The pre-programmed settings are a life-saving feature that got me excited immediately.
Another one added: “It can blend anything. I made a carrot, watermelon, and banana milkshake. After it was ready, I thought why not add some mint, so I added a few leaves and ran it again. It completely incorporated the leaves. I couldn’t even see the tiniest bits of the leaves. No other blender I have used would have done that as the rest was already liquid.”
And that’s no wonder, considering how powerful the blender can be with its 1,400 watts!
To make the social proof complete, these are the types of reviews that can be commonly spotted from the official Vitamix A3500 Ascent sellers:
- “I’d rate this 6 stars if it was an option.”
- “If you need a powerful and beautiful blender, go for it!”
- “Great upgrade from my older Vitamix models. This blender is definitely the best out there.“
- “Any Vitamix blender is worth the investment, but this one is the most beautiful and most handy from all of them.”
Vitamix A3500 Alternatives
When I decided to replace my Vitamix A2500 with something more advanced, I grabbed my laptop and hit Amazon to search for reviews. Truth be told, Vitamix is a powerful brand that rarely has competition, but there are still a couple of blenders that can serve as a “good enough” alternative to the A3500.
Blendtec Classic 575
To be sincere, before I made my purchase, I was torn between the Blendtec Classic 575 and the Vitamix Ascent A3500. I still haven’t made any Vitamix vs Blendtec comparison, but once I did it, I immediately knew what to do. I decided to go with this Vitamix blender since it got everything I needed. And after all, I’ve already had one older Vitamix model that never disappointed me.
- Duplicate your favorite restaurant’s smoothies and mixed drinks at home! The Blendtec Classic 575 features a preprogrammed...
- The Blendtec Classic 575 offers two timed cycles that free your hands for other kitchen tasks while creating a wide range of...
- The Blendtec Classic 575’s five manual incremental speed cycles allow you to completely customize the consistency of your...
Last update on 2024-08-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
So why bother experimenting by switching brands, right? 🙂
However, this doesn’t make Blendtec’s Classic 575 worse than Vitamix’s A3500. In fact, it’s very similar. It also features five pre-programmed settings, a pulse feature, and a touchpad interface.
Except for that, it features an even more powerful 1,560-watt motor, and you can buy the Blendtec’s Classic 575 blender for a lower price than the Vitamix A3500.
Philips HR3868/90
When talking about blenders with five program settings, the Philips HR3868/90 also has so many powerful features to offer.
- 2. 4 Horsepower motor & uniquely designed blades spins at 35, 000 rpm
- Noise reducing dome minimizes blending noise making it 2 times quieter than traditional counter top blenders.
- From gentle blending for soft fruits - to a burst of power for harder fruit and vegetables. It's up to you with our variable...
Last update on 2024-08-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This blender comes with digital control that features five nifty presets for smoothies, soups, frozen desserts, nuts, and ice crushing.
The blender has an incredible power of 1,800 watts, making it even more powerful than the Vitamix A3500.
Ninja BL770
The Ninja BL770 Mega Kitchen Blender is definitely the most affordable alternative for the Vitamix A3500.
- POWERFUL CRUSHING: The 72-oz. Total Crushing Pitcher pulverizes ice to snow in seconds for creamy frozen drinks and smoothies...
- FOOD PROCESSING: 8-cup food processor bowl provides perfect, even chopping and makes up to 2 pounds of dough in just 30...
- 4 VERSATILE FUNCTIONS: All 4 functions – Blend, Mix, Crush and Single-Serve – utilize 1500 watts of performance power to...
Last update on 2024-08-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
It features four programmed settings similar to Vitamix A3500 and a larger 72-oz container.
Although it’s a cheaper alternative for people on a budget, I found that the end results don’t seem as smooth as the ones from the Vitamix A3500.
My Two Cents About The Vitamix A3500 Blender
During my research, I came across a couple of super-advanced blenders, and none of them managed to exceed the Vitamix A3500.
Not only it’s extra versatile for blending a ton of different meals, but this blender is also capable of blending the toughest ingredients in the most convenient way possible.
So, if you’re looking for a versatile, high-tech, and powerful blender to improve your wellbeing and eating habits, I highly recommend the Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender. You won’t ever regret your decision.