I've had this blender since 2020 but when Covid hit we didn't use it. I bought two because I was starting a business. I never ended up doing the business because it was so difficult doing all the paper work for a business during the Covid time. So I literally pushed the blender to the side and never used them.
I just recently started using it like the ending of 2022 very sparingly and one of the blenders totally bugged out and stopped working completely. Such a bummer and I spent a good amount on this product. I had the warranty for it but I don't think it's a lifetime. Gosh what a waste!

I have wanted this model for quite some time and decided to purchase it while on sale (a rarity for Vitamix). This blender was ranked highest on America's Test Kitchen and is one that I'd used before at a friend's house. This blender makes green smoothies that are smooth and taste better than the sum of its parts (some blenders make green smoothies that taste like drinking salad, very unpleasant). Life is no Yoke is a great reference for recipies and help on which vitamix to pick. To get a sense of why the 5200 is so great, watch America's Test Kitchen (ATK) review on youtube. I admit now that I own it, I would consider the stainless steel assent series for its purported quieter operation and perhaps the presets would be nice, yet I like that the this blender jar is supposed to make more velvety smoothies/ sauces per ATK. I wear a watch and know that 60 seconds is perfect for all the smoothies I've made, so living without the presets isn't so bad especially if you can buy this model for a few hundred dollars less (you can make all of the same recipes as the more expensive models). Another consideration is height, as it will not fit under typical cabinets. For me this is not an issue as I have a microwave oven above my countertop which provides the additional headspace for me to store my assembled blender on the countertop, alternatively, you could store the base next to the jar or buy a short jar (but be warned the jars are expensive). This is one of the few appliances I like to keep on my countertop for frequent use, it makes creating healthy sauces and smoothies a breeze, and if you're buying a blender at this price point, you'll want to use it frequently. Lastly, appearance: I don't mind this blender's aesthetics, but you may not like it, it's certainly more utilitarian than the metal trims, if looks are very important to you, you may decide to spend more for a blender that better suites your kitchen and style.

I am an enthusiastic but novice cook who loves a good piece of gear, so I jumped on the deal offered recently on this blender. Upon opening the box, I was at first surprised by how much plastic there is. My last blender--a cheap oster that quit on me crushing ice one day--had a glass pitcher and I expected the same here. On further reading, however, I learned that this blender is such a little spaceship that the maker believes plastic is safer than glass at warp speeds. Having made my first smoothie, I concur! This thing has a powerful engine. If I have any issues with the unit, I will update my review but for now, I am very happy with my new gadget.

There's a reason this Vitamix gets such high ratings across the board at major sites. I was on the hunt and hit the RTINGS site to run product comparisons looking for something that would make smoothies daily, without doing further hearing damage to every human and animal in the house. Blendtec's products are effective but LOUD!

This Vitamix 5200 replaced the Blendtec ES3 unit we had prior. 70% of its use was making smoothies and crushing ice, the rest was meal related, soups, hummus, butters, purees. What I'll say is this:

The 5200 will knock out a smoothie at least 2x faster, if not 3x, and smoother consistency than Blendtec's product. It does this at what sounds like, to me, half the volume; I truly believe I probably have hearing damage from being in proximity to my Blendtec ES3 in the mornings after years of my better half making smoothies. With the 5200, it doesn't matter if it's hot or cold, and it'll get whatever you're putting in there as creamy as you can imagine with minimal effort. So far, several months in, this thing has been holding up great, and I look forward to many years of operation. It's already become a major source of food in the house, and it's easy enough the kids feel confident. The tall slender shape of the bowl seems to work well at promoting a good vortex and keeping fresh content from passing thru the blades.

My only singular gripe is cleanup. It's not as easy as our Blendtec, but honestly, I'll forfeit the extra 15-20 seconds each cleaning for all the plusses this came with.

One product we've picked up for the kitchen exceeded my highest expectations and I honestly - in hindsight - would've paid more money for. This is restaurant-quality equipment here. Highly recommend over any product Blendtec makes.

Fantastic!!!
Make iced coffee's couple times a day..
Make Ice cream and daquri's
Use to chop food, oinions, peppers and cabbage.

Use it every day, Love it