How To Use A Vitamix

Whether you're new to a Vitamix or have owned your blender for a while, y'all might be wondering how to utilize a Vitamix so it lasts as long equally possible. Indeed, by following a few simple practices, y'all can ensure your Vitamix blender keeps running in tip-height shape for decades.

In this post, yous'll learn 7 tips for extending the life of your Vitamix.

How to Apply a Vitamix

Although a Vitamix blender is a long-lasting apparatus, all machines – even the best of the best – have their breaking betoken. However, if you take care of your Vitamix, it can last a lifetime.

A case in point – my Vitamix blender is close to thirty years old now (I inherited it from my husband'southward grandma who bought it in the early 1990s). Surprise, surprise the model is no longer available, simply fortunately I have never had to supercede a single role in it.

And so, let's talk over how to use a Vitamix and take care of it, so it lasts a really long fourth dimension.

Load the Vitamix Container Correctly

Many blender users are not enlightened that in that location is a correct sequence to adding food and liquids to a blender. (I did it wrong for a really long time, to exist honest).

To properly layer items in a Vitamix container, starting time with liquids followed by soft items, and finally hard items:

Liquids (h2o, almond milk, juice, yogurt)
Dry appurtenances (powders, seeds, grains)
Leafy greens
Fruits and vegetables
Water ice and frozen ingredients

There are several reasons for layering ingredients in this lodge:

The liquid at the lesser prevents air pockets from forming around the blade.
Heavier, frozen items help weigh downwards the lighter items and button them into the blade, which gets the blend moving faster.
Soft, light items are easy on the motor and perfectly fine to blend at low speed while hard, heavy items tin can crusade the alloy to stall if the speed of the blade is also low. So, ideally, soft items get pulled into the blade first – when the speed of the blade is still low – and difficult items go pulled in last – when the speed of the blade is already high.

Other than efficiency of blending, this layering also ensures that the bract doesn't stutter – it can happen at low speed with heavy ingredients – and doesn't wear the drive socket.

Note: the order of ingredients for the 20-oz blending loving cup and the 8-oz bowl is reverse since the containers sit upside downwardly on the Vitamix base of operations.

Quantity Matters

One of the well-nigh important things to remember when using a blender is not to overload it. Calculation too much food or liquid can add together a lot of pressure on the motor and cause information technology to vesture down more quickly.

From a practical point of view, over-filling a blender container tin also atomic number 82 to the ingredients spilling over the top of the container. If yous've e'er composite something before, yous know that as the blade begins to spin and vortex forms, the content of the blender expands and arches upwards. So, always stay below the maximum capacity line on the container.

With a Vitamix, at that place is also such a thing as a minimum volume. While having too few ingredients in the blender doesn't necessarily crusade any impairment, information technology may non produce the best results. If the bract of the blender isn't sufficiently covered, it volition merely splat those ingredients to the outside of the container rather than creating a vortex and pulling the ingredients down into the blade.

For information on minimum volume of Vitamix containers, encounter my » Vitamix Containers guide

Modify Blending Speeds Incrementally

Vitamix blenders come up with multiple speeds. With a push of a button you can easily switch from the slowest to the fastest speed. However, starting the machine on high every time can overwork the motor.

Whether you're making smoothies, soups, dips, or ice creams, you'll nigh always desire to start the blender on low and gradually ramp upwards to high (speed ten/high speed). This way the motor has a hazard to warm upwardly. When you're washed blending, plow the blender off gradually, going all the way to the lowest speed before turning it off completely. The bract should come to a complete stop before y'all lift the container off the base otherwise the drive socket volition speedily wear out.

Blend on High

Blending on high not only reduces alloy fourth dimension, but information technology besides activates a cooling mechanism and helps to go along the motor absurd.

Vitamix motor is cooled by air blown past a fan on the bottom of the drive shaft. The fan spins at the same speed equally the motor. The lower the motor speed, the lower the fan speed. So, naturally, blending for too long at likewise low a speed volition overheat the motor.

Fortunately, Vitamix blenders are equipped with a thermal override, which automatically turns the motor off before the motor burns out. If the thermal override kicks in, y'all cannot run the Vitamix until it cools, which tin can take 20–sixty minutes. Occasionally overheating the motor is fine, just if it happens regularly, it puts more than clothing and tear on the motor. And then, start on depression but quickly increase the speed to high.

Utilise the Tamper Correctly

1 of the features that separates a Vitamix blender from other blenders is a tamper.

The tamper is designed to break upwards air pockets that typically form during blending. This is especially useful for thick/frozen blenders, such every bit nut butters, dips, water ice creams, or crushed water ice. If the blend is stalling, insert the tamper through the chapeau plug and rotate it around the four corners of the container until a vortex begins to grade and the blend is moving freely.

The tamper will never come up into contact with the blade as long equally the lid is secured properly in the locked position. Nevertheless, if he lid is off, there'due south null to stop the tamper from reaching the blade. Even if you try to be conscientious, due to the powerful vortex activeness, there is quite a bit of suction when the blender is running. As presently as the tamper touches the blending mixture, it gets pulled down into the bract. And so, e'er use the tamper with the lid on.

For information on Vitamix tampers, see my » Vitamix Tampers guide

Make clean It

Your Vitamix container may technically exist dishwasher-rubber (all Self-DETECT containers are). But to extend its life, I recommend using the self-cleaning wheel or washing the blender container by hand.

First of all, if you put the container in the dishwasher, it's nigh likely going to sit there for a while, resulting in a stained and/or cloudy container. In order for your container to go on looking new and fresh, make clean information technology right afterward you use it. I can't stress this loftier enough. As soon as you're done blending. empty the blender container and wash it with warm water and soap. Y'all can also make full the container halfway with warm water and a few drops of soap and run the cleaning cycle. Towel-dry out the container right after washing to avert any mineral build upwardly, peculiarly if yous have hard water.

2nd, the dishwasher can put stress on the container, blade, and bearings. The hot temperatures and harsh detergents certainly aren't conducive to prolonging the life of your Vitamix. If you're set on using the dishwasher anyway, at least strictly attach to the education about temperatures, detergents, and racks to be used.

Unplug It

Fifty-fifty if your Vitamix is a permanent fixture on your kitchen counter, you should non have it plugged in when information technology's not in utilize. Non merely is it wasting energy, just it volition (over time) wear down the electrical components of the appliance. The Vitamix owners manual specifically instructs to "unplug from outlet when not in use".

Obviously, there are some kitchen appliances that would be unwise and impractical to unplug – oven, freezer, or dishwasher are a few that come to listen. But others are worth the effort to unplug.

Using a Vitamix Correctly

When you know how to use a Vitamix correctly, you can make the all-time of information technology. Just by following these few simple tips, you lot can make sure your car performs the best and lasts a really long time.

If at any betoken you recollect your blender is acting up, give a call out to the customer service section. Vitamix is a family-owned concern and every bit such the customer representatives are truly caring.