Vitamix A3500 Review: Is This Luxe Blender Worth the Splurge?

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the vitamix a3500 blender review
The Vitamix A3500 is part of the Ascent Series. Photo credit: Breeze Leonard

With so many different options, you might be wondering which Vitamix model is the best fit for you. Get everything you need to know about the top-line Vitamix A3500 blender, from the features it offers to the results it delivers. Here, we tell you why we’re raving about the A3500 and believe you will, too.

This post was sponsored by Vitamix.

The Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Blender Review

After using the Vitamix A3500, I permanently moved my Ninja to a shelf in my pantry.

Read on to see why we think the Vitamix A3500 is the best blender for both at home and on-the-go.

The Vitamix A3500 Blender Includes:

  • A 64-ounce low-profile container that is BPA-free
  • The motor base
  • S2 low-profile tamper
  • Recipe book
  • Stainless steel blades
the vitamix blender is a powerful blender
The Vitamix A3500 comes with its own recipe book. Photo credit: Breeze Leonard

The A3500 Blending Power is Impressive

With three kids and a busy lifestyle, I‘ve made it a priority to find the fastest way to blend my daily smoothie. I was impressed with how quickly and efficiently the incredibly powerful motor of the Vitamix A3500 blended my smoothie ingredients. In 30-45 seconds my smoothie was already the ideal consistency, saving me time in my busy mornings.

You can ditch your current food processor and feel confident that the Vitamix A3500 will take care of any blending needs you have.

It’s All About the Touchscreen Presets & Programmable Timer

Why invest in the A3500? It’s simple: The touchscreen presets take the guesswork out of the correct blend time for your ingredients.

There are 5 program settings: smoothies, hot soups, dips & spreads, frozen desserts and self-cleaning. Just make your selection and wait for the delicious ingredients to blend together. I‘m a huge fan of touchscreen controls because it means that anyone in my family can operate this blender.

The programmable timer is another feature that I love about the Vitamix A3500. This allows you to set a blending time and walk away, the blender will shut off after the timer runs out. This is a game changer for me because I can start blending a soup and walk off without worrying that I’m going to over-blend it.

You can still manually blend your ingredients with the 10 variable speed settings and pulse feature.

It’s a Smart Blender with an App

I’m a tech nerd so I was eager to learn all about what the A3500 can do as a smart blender. I wasn’t able to find any information on this app that pairs with this blender on any of the material that was sent with my A3500, but a friend recommended that I download the Vitamix Perfect Blend app. The Ascent Series has built-in wireless connectivity so you can control your blender with the app via bluetooth.

In addition to being able to control your blender with the app, you can also find recipes that can be saved and modified based on your preferences. This was easily my favorite feature in the app. I love tweaking recipes and the app allows me to do that so that the next time I’ll know what changes I made to the original recipe.

Self-Cleaning for the Win

Kitchen appliances that are self-cleaning are my saving grace. As someone who cooks a lot, I know the value of cleaning functions on any tools that I use in my kitchen.

One of the 5 touchscreen program settings is the self-cleaning function. In addition, the container is dishwasher safe. I tested the self-cleaning function a few times and I was blown away by how fast and how well it cleaned the blender.

The Vitamix Warranty

Before I invest in an expensive appliance, I take the time to understand what warranty options the company offers.

Vitamix has a 10-year warranty on its products. The website states: “We stand behind the quality of our machines with full warranties, covering all parts, performance, labor, and two-way shipping at no cost to you.”

Recipes We Tested in Our Vitamix

You can make a variety of different dishes in your blender including smoothies, frozen desserts, cold and hot soups, nut butters, hummus, ice cream and smoothie bowls. It can also be used for pureeing baby food — which is why I wish I‘d had this blender when my kids were babies.

For the purpose of this review, we tested three completely different recipes to see how they would turn out using the Vitamix A3500. All of these recipes (and more) can be found on the Vitamix website.

creamsicle breakfast smoothie made with the vitamix A3500
Creamsicle Breakfast Smoothie made with the Vitamix A3500. Photo credit: Breeze Leonard

Creamsicle Breakfast Smoothie Recipe

This is the perfect quick on-the-go breakfast smoothie to jump start your day! It was tested by our family of five and everyone loved it. It took just 30 seconds of blend time and this delicious treat was ready for everyone!

avocado yogurt dip recipe made with the vitamix A3500
Avocado Yogurt Dip made with the Vitamix A3500. Photo credit: Breeze Leonard

Avocado Yogurt Dip Recipe

This was a light and healthy dip that we devoured once it was complete. I would adjust the recipe to include less lime the next time but otherwise we enjoyed it. This dip was done within 45 seconds of blend time, you can’t beat that!

Dips are one of my favorite things to make and it will be what I use the A3500 for the most. I love hosting family and friends at my home and my great struggle is having enough time to make all the dips I want to serve before my guests arrive.

The Vitamix A3500 power blender has solved that issue for me. I can quickly and easily make a variety of different dips using this blender.

potato soup made with the vitamix a3500
Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup made with the Vitamix A3500. Photo credit: Breeze Leonard

Bacon Cheddar Potato Soup Recipe

Our family loves potato soup. When traveling, I like to make soups because it’s a one-pot meal or, in this case, a one-blender meal!

I must admit that I did not believe I would be able to make a hot soup with this blender in under 6 minutes of blend time. I was pleasantly shocked when not only did the soup blend to the perfect consistency but it was also hot and ready to eat.

My family also gave this recipe a thumbs up.

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Traveling With Your Vitamix

We travel often and we‘ve been living in a RV for the last year, so I know the challenge of making meals for a family while on-the-go. Vitamix markets its products for use both at home and on the road.

I must agree. I would highly recommend traveling with this blender or any of the other Vitamix blender models. Having the ability to quickly make a meal while not taking up a lot of space in a hotel, vacation rental or RV is wonderful!

We’ve enjoyed smoothie bowls, hot soups, dips and even adult beverages from our Vitamix while in our RV.

You can also purchase additional items to make it easier when traveling with your Vitamix like these blending bowls and blending cups.

Why We’re a Fan of Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Blender

This blender is not for the person who makes one smoothie every few months. This is a powerful kitchen tool that you can use for years to come.

To sum it up, these are our favorite Vitamix A3500 features:

  • Variable speed control
  • Touchscreen controls
  • Programmable timer
  • Self-cleaning
  • 10-year warranty
  • Dishwasher safe
  • Wireless connectivity
Breeze Leonard is a travel enthusiast and the Director of Affiliate Partnerships for SheBuysTravel. A marketing and advertising specialist, she is also a social media strategist and travel writer, with several years’ experience writing for digital media. A Texan born and raised, Breeze left a corporate career to fulfill her passion for seeing the world with her three little girls. Their adventures have taken them across the globe, spanning visits to favorite Caribbean isles and motoring cross-country in an RV through some of America’s most beloved national parks. She believes that no adventure is too small and that every memory made, good or bad, is part of the family’s story.
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One response


  1. How about ice? How does this do with ice?