Vitamix
Vitamix A3500i Ascent Series High Performance Blender - Brushed Stainless
Vitamix A3500i Ascent Series High Performance Blender - Brushed Stainless
Our Verdict
The gold standard in high-performance blending with touchscreen controls, five preset programs and Self-Detect technology - in elegant brushed stainless.
Why it's number one: Top marks on every dimension: hot-soup and frozen-dessert programs on a touchscreen, a ten-year warranty, and four rated reviews averaging 9.5 of 10 (Homes & Gardens and Ideal Home 5/5). Its owner record is the thinnest here at 4.7 stars from 15 Amazon AU ratings.
If you're serious about blending and want a machine that'll last a decade or more, the Vitamix A3500i is the one to get. The touchscreen interface and preset programs for smoothies, hot soups and frozen desserts make it dead simple to use, and the build quality is absolutely top-notch. The brushed stainless finish looks superb on any benchtop. It's a big investment, no doubt, but the 10-year warranty and bulletproof reliability make it worth every cent for keen home cooks.
Owners is the 4.7★ Amazon AU rating from 15 reviews, weighted toward the category average when there are few. Critics averages 4 published reviews. Tick marks show the category average.
How we scored it
Each measure is marked against the category's rubric, where 10 is the best you can buy, 8 is strong, 6 is basic but sound and 4 falls short. The bars show that mark on the Top7 scale (a 6 reads as 7.0, an 8 as 8.5); the notes quote the rubric mark.
- Performance 10.0 (rubric 10): Rule: 1,500 W per Homes & Gardens' spec box (Ideal Home lists the A3500i at 1200 W) clears the 9 band; friction-heats soup; four critics average 4.75 of 5, lifting it to 10.
- Versatility 9.3 (rubric 9): 2L container with five programs including smoothies, hot soup and frozen dessert, plus Self-Detect for other containers; no single-serve cups in the box.
- Ease of Use 9.6 (rubric 9.5): Touchscreen with five programs, Self-Detect containers, programmable timer and a self-clean cycle; loud at full speed per the card.
- Build 10.0 (rubric 10): Rule: ten-year full warranty; metal drive base; 4.7 stars from 15 ratings.
Critic scores: Tom's Guide 4.5/5 · Homes & Gardens 5/5 · Ideal Home 5/5 · TechRadar 4.5/5
Pros
- + Touchscreen with 5 preset programs
- + Self-Detect technology for compatible containers
- + 10-year full warranty
- + 2L container handles big batches
- + Virtually indestructible build quality
Cons
- − Premium price tag - not for casual users
- − Can be quite loud at full speed
- − Large footprint on the benchtop
