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The Vitamix A3500 is the top of the line model in the Ascent Series blenders that includes the A3300, A2500, and A2300. While all four models offer the same power and versatility, the Vitamix A3500 has all the bells and whistles you could ever need in a household blender.
But what exactly makes it head and shoulders above the rest? Let’s dive in and find out!
Quick Overview
Vitamix Ascent Series
Launched in December 2016, Vitamix introduced the Ascent Series blenders to the market with a lineup of four sleek-looking, high-performance household blenders with self-detect container technology and built-in digital timers.
The self-detect technology enables the blender base to precisely determine which container size was put into place and automatically adjusts the program settings accordingly.
The built-in digital timer, on the other hand, allows you to create your desired texture with consistency by displaying how long the blend has been processing.
For both the Vitamix A3500 and A3300 models, the programmable timer lets you set your desired blend duration and automatically stops when it’s done. This is especially helpful when you’re moving around during kitchen preparation.
FACT: Did you know that the Vitamix A3500 is one of the most expensive blenders that are currently available on the market?
Design and Available Colors
Right out of the box you’ll notice the clean lines that went into the design of the Vitamix A3500. Incorporating a touchscreen interface instead of the usual toggle switches gives it a sleek, sophisticated look that will perfectly fit in any contemporary kitchen along with other modern appliances.
The available colors for this model are the typical ones you would expect from countertop blenders such as black, white, red, and slate. Additionally, a brushed stainless and a metallic paint finish are also made available for the A3300 and A3500 models being the top-end blenders of the series.
Product Dimensions
Standing at an overall height of 17 inches with a footprint of 8 x 11 inches, the Vitamix A3500 blender will easily fit in a standard kitchen cabinet and countertop. This was achieved through the low-profile, wide-base design of the 64 oz container.
Speed Selections and Programs
The Vitamix A3500 comes with a combined variable-speed dial knob and a capacitive touchscreen.
The variable speed dial does not have an absolute positioning so turning it is as smooth as butter. The LED screen displays the adjustments you make as you turn it clockwise or counter-clockwise to adjust the blender speed faster or slower.
The touchscreen control icon buttons are flat. But there’s a haptic feel when you press on it and tactile enough to hear tiny clicks. The icons include the five preset programs (Smoothies, Hot Soups, Dips & Spreads, Frozen Desserts, and Self-Cleaning), start/stop, pulse, and the plus & minus keys to adjust the blending duration time. The only difference between the Vitamix A3500 and the A3300 variant is that the Vitamix A3300 lacks the five preset programs.
The overall touchscreen interface is made of scratch-resistant material which makes cleaning effortlessly easy as any mess will just wipe clean off the surface.
The only difference between the Vitamix A3500 and the A3300 variant is that the Vitamix A3300 lacks the five preset programs.
Blender Base and Technology
The Vitamix A3500 houses a powerful 2 HP ball-bearing motor that has an all-metal drive and thermal safety system in place to avoid overheating. This safety feature is similar to those which can be found on commercial-type blenders. The motor maintains a good balance of torque to deliver a consistent power to process any ingredient.
In addition to this, the self-detect technology ensures that the blender will not operate until a container is properly installed on the motor base. It also disables certain programs relative to the container being used. The Hot Soups program, for instance, would only work with the 64 oz and 48 oz containers since the 20 oz cup and 8 oz bowl don’t have ventilation.
While the self-detect technology uses Near Field Communication (NFC) to detect which particular container is being used, the blender base is also equipped with Bluetooth.
Bluetooth enables the blender base to pair with your smartphone to utilize the Perfect Blend app. The Vitamix’s Perfect Blend app has more than 500 recipes and over 17 programs that you can sync with your blender.
Container
The Vitamix A3500 comes with a low-profile 64 ounce (2 liters) plastic container that is ideal for blending large batches in one go as you can easily create 6 to 12 servings in a single batch.
It also has an improved spout design that helps in pouring thick blends, avoiding unnecessary drips and spills. The blender sides also have measurement markings in ounces, liters, and cups. This is especially helpful when you are adding ingredients in exact amounts.
The container, container lid, and lid plug are made of Eastman Tritan copolyester material. This material is lightweight, BPA-free, impact-proof, and heat resistant.
The lid and removable lid plug are now also transparent, as compared to the previous generations of Vitamix containers. This helps in monitoring the progress of your blend and also allows you to add ingredients while blending. The removable lid plug also serves as a 2 ounce (15 & 30 ml) measuring cup which is useful when adding ingredients in small quantities.
The Vitamix A3500 also comes with a specially designed low-profile tamper that will help you press thick mixtures toward the blades. You can use this tamper even while blending by inserting it through the removable lid plug.
Blades
The Vitamix A3500 has irremovable blender blades that are built into the 64 oz container. Instead of using plastic components, it uses an all-metal drive system to connect the container to the blender base which greatly improves durability, blending quality, and lifespan.
The blades are made up of aircraft-grade material designed to handle the toughest of ingredients. It is 4-pronged, 4 inches in diameter, laser-cut, hardened hammermill stainless-steel blades. These blades create a unique vortex that systematically pulls the ingredients back to the blades to create smoother, faster blends.
Blending Capabilities
Smoothies & Juices
- To achieve the smoothest blends, add your ingredients to the container as they appear on the recipe. A good rule of thumb would be to put in liquids first, followed by fruits and vegetables, frozen ingredients, and top it off with nuts and seeds.
Hot Soups
- Create piping hot soups in less than 7 minutes by the friction created by the Vitamix A3500 blades.
- Add your aromatic ingredients a teaspoon at a time to ensure you get your desired flavor intensity.
Baby Foods
- Create perfect homemade baby foods by preparing whole-food blends made of nutritious fruits and vegetables.
- You may also bake, roast, or steam the ingredients before blending to aid in your baby’s digestion.
- To create a nice smooth purée, set the machine at the highest speed and blend for 1 minute.
Flours & Dough
- Grind whole grains and knead dough to get that homemade flavor in your pasta, sourdough bread, soft pretzels, among others.
Nut Butters
- Create your preservative-free nut butters for sandwiches, dips, or peanut butter smoothies.
Frozen Desserts
- Easily create chilled desserts such as ice creams and sherbets, to fruit sorbets and milkshakes.
Batters
- Create mix batters for cakes, cookies, muffins, and pancakes for those special occasions.
Dressings & Sauces
- Quickly create salad dressings, marinades, tomato sauces, or applesauce.
Non-Dairy Milks
- Create your homemade non-dairy milk for your cereals, oats, or smoothie recipes. Add a variety of natural sweeteners such as honey, vanilla, and dates.
Dips & Spreads
- Create delicious dips and spreads for your parties such as hummus that will surely impress your guests.
Food Preparation
- Use your Vitamix A3500 to prepare any ingredient you may have. Shred potatoes, chop carrots, and mince your garlic with ease.
Care and Cleaning
The 64 oz container, lid, lid plug, centering pad, and tamper are all dishwasher safe. You may clean these parts on the top shelf of your dishwasher.
The suggested cleaning instruction for the 64 oz container is through its Self-Cleaning program. This involves adding a half-full of warm water, a couple of drops of dishwashing liquid, and press on the Self-Cleaning button. That’s it! all without removing the entire blade assembly, which is a pretty neat feature that works like a charm.
As for the blender base, you may clean it by using a soft cloth or sponge with a rinsed, mild solution of dishwashing liquid and warm water. Dry all the surfaces and polish them with a soft cloth.
Warranty Information
The Vitamix A3500 has a 10-year standard full warranty. This warranty includes parts, performance, labor, and two-way shipping. Upon purchase, it is recommended that you register your blender online to ensure that you will receive efficient service in case you ever need a repair.
Note that packaged components such as tamper, cookbook, etc. are excluded from this warranty.
Some important information about the warranty:
- Warranty is valid regardless of which retailer you buy from.
- Register you product at any time during the 10-year validity period online or through Vitamix’s Customer Service.
- The warranty is transferable. However, note that the warranty period starts on the date of purchase of the original owner. You may update the new ownership information online or through Vitamix’s Customer Service.
- In case of loss of the receipt and warranty card, you may refer to the serial number at the bottom of the blender base, under the bar code, and coordinate with Vitamix’s Customer Service.
Set Inclusions
The Vitamix A3500 set includes the following:
- 2 HP Motor Base
- 64 oz Low-Profile Container
- S2 Low-Profile Tamper
- Simply Blending Cookbook
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
RELATED: Check out our roundup of the 5 best Vitamix blenders in 2022.
Optional Ascent Series Accessories
Vitamix offers a plethora of optional containers, accessories, and attachments for their Ascent Series blenders.
Being part of their Smart System Blenders, the Vitamix A3500 can benefit from the additional functionality using the following accessories:
- Blending Bowl Starter Kit: The kit comes with a blade base, 2 pieces of 8 oz blending bowls, and 2 pieces of stackable lids. These blending bowls can be used to create small batches of dips, spreads, baby food, salad dressings, among others—which you can immediately serve or store. The bowls, lids, and blender blades are all dishwasher safe.
- Blending Cup Starter Kit: The kit comes with a blade base, 2 pieces of 20 oz blending cups, and 2 pieces of spill-proof lids. These blending cups can be used to create personal smoothies that also serve as travel cups. The two cups, lids, and blade base are all dishwasher safe.
- Perfect Blend Smart Scale and Recipe App: The product automatically scales your recipe ingredients based on your desired quantity of servings, ounces, or calories. Pair it up with the interactive app so you can take advantage of the step-by-step recipes based on your dietary preference. The set includes the Perfect Blend smart scale, 2 pieces of 20 oz smoothie cups, and a tablet/phone stand.
- Aer Disc Container: This container helps you create cocktails effortlessly. Unlike a typical blending container, the Aer disc can whip, emulsify, muddle, and foam consistent textures. The set includes the Aer disc container, a low-profile tamper, and a recipe booklet specific to the Aer disc container. The container and the lid are both dishwasher safe.
Certified Reconditioned A3500
Vitamix also offers a Certified Reconditioned A3500 typically for under $500. This involves going through a rigorous 17-point inspection process that a blender component must passed or it will be replaced with a brand new part. If any part is deemed irreplaceable, the entire unit will be recycled.
All Certified Reconditioned A3500 is sanitized and packaged with a brand new cookbook, container, lid, and tamper. It also comes with five (5) years of full warranty.
Vitamix A3500: Pros and Cons
Pros
- Atypical 10-year full warranty.
- Sleek modern design.
- 5 preset programs.
- Programmable timer.
- Powerful motor comparable to commercial blenders.
- Easy container cleanup using the Self-Cleaning program.
- Variable Speed Dial gives you total control of your blend.
- Explore more than 500 recipes with the app.
- A plethora of optional accessories available.
- Made in the USA.
Cons
- Expensive.
- Smaller containers are sold separately.
Vitamix A3500 - FAQs
Vitamix A3500: Final Thoughts
Being a top-of-the-line model, the Vitamix A3500 delivers everything you could expect in a countertop blender—and more. The overall blender design is second to none with a powerful motor that can grind, crush, and blend every ingredient you process into its container.
In addition to the 5 preset programs, programmable timer, and the variable speed knob, the blender’s Bluetooth and Perfect Blend app pairing will surely bring you tons of hours of experimentation with different recipes you might probably never knew existed. Moreover, Bluetooth also makes it eligible to receive future wireless updates in blender functionality as technology improves over time.
The blender base and container are guaranteed tough, as backed by their 10-year top to bottom warranty. Since fewer than 2% utilize Vitamix’s warranty service, only means that the high price tag of the A3500 is definitely worth it in exchange for a decade worth of fun blending activities for you and your entire family.
