I have never really I have been a blender person. Why should it be when I have a food processor and immersion blender that can meet my basic pureeing and emulsifying needs? But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that maybe I had never been a blender person because I never had a good blender.
As a long-time recipe developer and tester working from my home kitchen, I have to say there’s nothing like professional tools. They really are harder, better, faster and stronger. However, the downside to using professional kitchen tools is that they are usually much larger as well. They’re typically meant to handle higher volumes than most home cooks will ever see, and settling for a more compact appliance usually means a sacrifice in power. That’s definitely not the case here: this pup has a whopping 2.2 horsepower.
When testing the new Vitamix Ascent If I’m going to invest $550 in a new appliance, I also want to make sure it’s worth the space on my counter. My Breville Air Fryer Pro (8/10, WIRED recommended) is large, but I use it every day, so it’s worth the loss of counter space. The Vitamix doesn’t take up much space, but it’s substantial: It weighs more than 13 pounds and its 17-inch height creates a pretty imposing presence in the kitchen. Fortunately, it’s an attractive machine, especially in midnight blue.
Hello gorgeous
As mentioned, it’s an attractive appliance, with a matte finish on the body and a glossy front panel with a programmable timer. There is a small platform for the handling stand, but it is somewhat flimsy. (The cup that holds the tamper is easy to remove for cleaning, but that makes it wobble a little.) A retractable cord would be a nice touch, but there is a small space under the unit where you can coil the cord when not in use.
Photography: Heather Arndt Anderson
Turning it on (there’s an on/off switch on the bottom in addition to the on and pulse switches on the front), I noticed for the first time how smoothly the knob turned and at the same time was haptic enough to feel like was “real.” (I don’t need everything to be analog, but it bothers me when screens and controls are completely digital, and visually impaired people may agree.) The knob and switches are tactile and simple; The single knob has timed settings for cleansing, smoothies, soups, and parfaits on the left, and a smooth variable speed control on the right. The digital time display is in the center. Elegant and simple.