Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

If you're shopping for a Vitamix blender, you are probably confused about all the various options. I'll make things easier for you: Except for the "Pro" 750" series they all use the SAME motor and gear drive. The only differences will be the controls, the blender cup, and the "look" of the motor housing. So basically unless you are going to pony up for the Pro 750, your choice is pretty much purely an aesthetic/price choice. (and whether to buy a reconditioned unit or not). The Pro 750 uses a 2.2 hp motor whereas every other VItamix uses the same 2.0 peak hp motor (the motor used in this blender being reviewed). We also have a 5200 that we've had about 10 years (it has been sent back once for a recall, but has been rock solid and dependable). It gets daily use in our house, so comparing against the Explorian was easy. The main differences between the 5200 and this Explorian are the following: Blender cups are both 8 cups and both have the same base (they are interchangeable between motors). The Explorian comes with a shorter, fatter blender cup which seems to be slightly better for making smoothies but not as good for making "thick" stuff like frozen custard. With the wider inside bottom area and slightly wider blade, the blending is more uniform more quickly, as long as there is enough liquid. If the mix is thicker, stuff tends to stick more to the sides and not get caught in the blade (less of a problem in the taller, narrower 5200 cup). For making frozen smoothies, the speed with which you can blend the ingredients can make matter, since the blender tends to heat things up due to friction if blended too long. Pulse mode - the controls on the Explorian are the same on/off and variable (1-10) as on the classic 5200, but instead of a "high/variable" switch on the left, the Explorian has a momentary "pulse" toggle. I actually really like this feature for doing quick pulses for chopping nuts or trying to incorporate chunky bits into a smoothie (like dates) at the end. On the 5200 you have to flip the power lever on and off, which does the same thing but doesn't feel as nice. Again, purely aesthetic since there is no functional difference. No "High" switch (I think of it as "turbo mode"). As mentioned in the last point, the 5200 has a "high/variable" switch instead of the pulse switch. Well, in side-by side testing I determined that the "High" mode on the 5200 is exactly the same RPM as the #10 setting on the dial of the Explorian. Clever people at Vitamix actually "de-tuned" the max power output on the 5200 and made it only available on the "High Power" switch to make it feel "special" but on the Explorian its just part of the regular dial, which to me makes a lot more sense and is more practical (and easier to use). The lack of a "High" switch on the Explorian is probably its best feature, but not because the pulse button in its place is so great, more more because it avoids the single biggest problem in the 5200 (in my opinion) which is accidentally flipping the high power when you first start blending or when the blender cup isn't firmly seated. The sudden and immediate acceleration is REALLY hard on the gear drive and tends to strip the gear. But only having a 1-10 variable speed dial, the Explorian forces you to gradually spin up the blades to full power, which I bet will be a LOT easier on the system in general, leading to longer life of the parts. Bottom line, if you've found a good price on a reconditioned Explorian unit, don't hesitate to buy it, unless you just have to have that extra 10% power of the Pro series.