Vitamix One

Our reviewer received a free sample of a Vitamix One so she could test it. Keep reading for our full product review.

The Vitamix One, created for the brand’s 100-year anniversary, is a streamlined, compact version of the classic Vitamix blender. Having tested other Vitamix models, I was eager to try out this new addition to the lineup.

I’ve used a multitude of blenders, beginning with my mom’s fancy new blender when I was a tot, all the way up to a review of a high-end Vitamix. To put the Vitamix One through its paces, I planned on starting with my favorite blended choco-banana drink and made a list of other things to test, from chunky salsas to emulsified aioli. I checked the Vitamix websites for more recipes and shopped for ingredients for a tasty margarita to test its ice-smashing prowess. After a lot of blending, I know exactly what this blender is good for.

Design: Compact and streamlined

Compared to the original—and even the more recent—Vitamix designs, this is sort of cute. Instead of a large, boxy base, this is curved. The pitcher is smaller and slimmer, too, and holds a quart (32 ounces). The pitcher has a series of ridged vertical lines that look attractive, but probably also add strength. Overall, this blender has a bit of a retro look with a hint of an hourglass shape, but it’s still modern enough for anyone’s counter.

The speed control is a simple dial on the front. It doesn’t light up, beep, or do anything but control the speed. As I turned the dial, I could feel stops along the way, but the dial can be left at any point from off to the maximum. Like other Vitamix models, this can be a bit loud at the highest speed. Fortunately, it works quickly.

The lid is similar to some other Vitamix lids, made from a soft, rubber-like material that has a center hole with a removable cup. The lid snaps securely onto the pitcher, keeping liquids from splashing out during mixing. The center hole in the lid makes it easy to add ingredients while the blender is running, and it’s the perfect size for the included tamper.

The tamper is designed so it stops short of the blades, so there’s never a worry that it’s going to get scratched or cut. The tamper serves two purposes: First, it allows food to be pushed toward the blades. That’s not always necessary, since the blender does a great job drawing food down, but if there’s a lot of fluffy food—like fresh herbs—sometimes it’s useful to do a bit of pushing. The second purpose is to break the air pocket that sometimes forms around the blade. The tamper “burps” that pocket and blending resumes.

Cup measurements on the side of the blender jar make it easier to measure ingredients as they’re added, but they were even more handy for knowing what size container the leftovers would fit into.

Performance: It’s got the power you crave

My usual use for a blender is a banana-based drink that starts with banana, ice, and a little milk. In an original Vitamix, it comes out smooth, with no ice shards or bits of fruit. When I made the same drink in the Vitamix One, the result was identical.

With that out of the way, I moved on to a garlic aioli, which is basically a flavored mayonnaise that you typically pair with seafood. The bits of garlic disappeared completely, and I ended up with a smooth, thick mixture. I let it run a little longer at a higher speed when I adjusted the flavor with extra lemon juice. The resulting aioli was lighter and fluffier than the typical dense mayonnaise. Days later, it was still light and creamy.

I decided to make a smooth salsa to enjoy with tortilla chips. So I tossed in the usual ingredients and let it blend until all the vegetables were completely obliterated. The salsa was a bit frothy when it came out of the blender, but it worked well for the recipe I was making.

I moved on to making Vitamix recipes from their website. The first was a chunky salsa. I had one small glitch because my onion was a bit wide for the shape of the blender. I removed it and cut it to a better size that could feed easily into the blades, and continued with the recipe. There’s no pulse button on the machine, so that’s accomplished by turning the blender on and off repeatedly. It worked better than I expected.

Unlike a food processor where food is spread wide, the food in the blender jar gets blended in a small, narrow area. That’s great for making mayonnaise, but less efficient for a chunky salsa. That’s why food layering is important in the blender since items at the bottom will get more blending time while the items at the top will be more chunky. In the case of the salsa, the tomatoes at the bottom got more blending time while the onions and cilantro were more chunky.

I tried one more recipe from the website. This time it was a fresh fruit margarita that paired well with the salsa. The instructions said to blend to the desired texture. When I first stopped the blender to check the progress, the mix was still a little rough so I gave it another 30 seconds for a silky-smooth, but still slushy texture. There were no ice chunks or bits of fruit remaining, and it was thick enough that it mounded on a spoon.

I decided to give some cocoa nibs a whirl—literally. Dry grains are not supposed to be ground in this blender, but the cocoa nibs are softer than grains. Still, I didn’t want to blend them on their own, so I added sugar and water with the goal of making a sauce or syrup. The blender shouldn’t be operated for more than 3 minutes, continuously, but I noticed that it was getting warm even before that. To make sure I wouldn’t overheat the blender, I let it rest between blending sessions. After a few rounds of blending and resting, I had a smooth chocolate sauce.

Features: Simplicity

While Vitamix’s newest full-size blenders seem to be moving toward more automation, with presets and digital controls, this blender is practically old school with a simple dial for speed control. There isn’t even an on/off button. If it’s plugged in, it’s ready to go. Because of that, it’s a good idea to make sure the dial is in the off position before the blender is plugged in.

While there is no app specifically for this blender, there is a Vitamix app with recipes, but users would need to make sure the recipes are appropriate for this blender’s size and abilities. There are also recipes on the company website that are specific to this blender.

While not a feature, the 3-year warranty is much appreciated compared to many of the less expensive blenders that have just a year or less.

Cleaning: Pulses in pieces, washes in pieces

Unlike some of the newer Vitamix blenders, this doesn’t have any dishwasher-safe pieces. It’s not much of a burden since it’s easy enough to add a drop of dish soap and some water to the blender jar to help clean the mess. Still, the lid and upper parts of the jar will likely need a quick swipe with a sponge to finish the cleaning, so dishwashing would be a bonus.

Price: Not a budget model

There are plenty of much less expensive “smoothie” blenders on the market that don’t cost around $250. But those don’t have the Vitamix name and reputation—and the powerful Vitamix motor—so that may not be a fair comparison

While this blender is also more expensive than many full-size blenders, it’s less expensive than its Vitamix peers, which is a better comparison. This compact blender doesn’t have the bells and whistles of the larger Vitamix blenders, but it does have the ability to make uber-smooth blends, just like its big brothers.

Competition: Vitamix One vs. Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender

If the Vitamix One is the smallest of the Vitamix line, the Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender, which I also tested, is the behemoth that has all the features that allow it to make hot soup or silky-smooth purees, plus it has smart technology that recognizes containers and adapts for them. It also has optional accessories that make it even more versatile. It’s the blender that does it all. And it comes with a high price tag that may put off many buyers.

As much as I love the extra features the Ascent brings to the kitchen and would recommend it to users who need the extras, not everyone needs those features. For cooks who want to make drinks, salad dressing, mayo, salsa, and sauces, the Vitamix One can handle those tasks with ease. And at a lower price point.