Today we will be comparing the 5200 and the 5300, if you’re somewhat familiar with the Vitamix, you will know that the 5200 is probably the most popular blender in their product line and one of the most copied blenders in the market.If you look around juice bars, you’ll probably see something similar – something that has a sturdy base with toggle switches on both sides plus a rotary dial at the center plus a tall pitcher for blending smoothies.You’d think that the 5200 and 5300 are similar because they belong to the same series but actually each belongs to a different Vitamix family. The 5200 uses the old 2hp motor while the 5300 is more powerful and has the same motor as the “Professional” series 750 which is a 2.2 hp motor.Both of these can be had at the same price! (at least in Amazon) so read the next sections well to help you better decide which one would be better suited for your needs.Let’s dig deeper in how both of these differ…The Vitamix 5200 uses the old generation 2hp motor while the 5300 is fitted with the next generation 2.2hp motor that will produce more torque and when you combine it with the larger blade and better cooling – it should perform better than the 5200 and when you consider both are priced the same the choice is easy.

Both the 5200 and 5300 have the same layout – toggle controls on both sides plus a rotary dial at the center to control the speed. At first glance these controls look alike but if you look very close at the left control you’ll see one very important difference.The 5300 has a pulse function that the 5200 lacks which is one of the biggest downsides of the 5200 that a lot of consumers complain about.kitchenaid stand mixer infomercialIf you want to pulse with the 5200, you will have to make use of the start/stop bottom located on the right side. hamilton beach blender 56205 not workingInstead of a pulse button, the 5200 offers a high and variable speed. vitamix tnc 5200 teig

On the high setting, the 5200 will operate at maximum speed.When you switch to the variable speed option, this enables you to use the rotary dial at the center to control the speed of the blades from 1 to 10. This is great to use when making green smoothies or soups and gives you better control just in case you don’t really need all the power.cuisinart blend and cook soup maker model# sbc 1000But the lack of a pulse option is a big negative for the 5200 and a big reason it loses in this criteria.vitamix dry blade container qvcSince the 5200 uses a narrow but tall pitcher, it did not need as wide a blade diameter. kitchenaid mixer christchurchAt three inches wide, it is wider than most blenders in the market and provides better performance against almost every brand out there in the market but if you compare this to the 5300 it is actually 25% smaller.bella rocket blender rebate form

When people complained about the tall pitcher taking up too much space, Vitamix decide it was time to cut off some vertical real estate off the 5200 pitcher. The result is a shorter container but much wider and this necessitated a wider blade so in essence the wider blade was a necessity but when you combine it with the more powerful motor – this means better blending performance but not by much.One of my biggest pet peeves with the 5200 is the pitcher size. When you put it on the huge motor base it measures over 20” tall – almost two feet tall! If your home has a low set of tabletop cabinets you’ll have to find other places to store it.The 5300 is a better alternative if you have this limitation and want something with a lower vertical foot print. Thanks to the wider pitcher, Vitamix was able to shave around 2.5 inches off the tall pitcher but was still able to retain the same (perhaps better) blending performance thanks to the wider blade.Ever since it debuted a few years ago the Vitamix 5200’s price has gone down to around $400 in Amazon (but only through a 3rd party seller) but the 5300 also sells for around the same price but you’ll have to pay around $13 for shipping but when you factor in the features, the additional pulse function, more powerful motor and shorter pitcher it’s almost a no-brainer.

A refurbished 5300 is also available for around $40 less but it only comes with a 5 year warrantyHonestly both of these machines will perform roughly the same with a slight edge to the 5300 because of the stronger motor, better cooling and larger blade but the difference is negligible at best.Before I continue with my commentary let’s see some of the stuff that each of this machines can make.Here’s a demo on a green smoothie with what looks like a few handfuls of spinach…After a few pulses the 5300 was able to blend the almost full pitcher into a smooth finish. The last think you want from a smoothie is bits and pieces of leaves and the Vitamix will give you a consistent blend each time.Here’s another green smoothie demo with spinach, kale, cucumber and celery as the main ingredients to go along with some fruits.You will notice that it did not blend the first time and that’s because they didn’t add enough liquid to it. When making any smoothie recipe, make sure to add water (at least half the pitcher) to help get things going.

Of course you could use the tamper but if you don’t add enough liquid, you’ll end up with a really thick smoothie.How about some homemade almond milk with almonds soaked overnight and a few cups of water…Don’t forget to have a nut milk bag in handy to separate the pulpy part of the almonds from the liquid. This is a cheaper option than buying processed almond milk from the supermarket. If you live outside the United States, almond milk imported from the US can be expensive.Let’s now move over to the Vitamix 5200 and this first video shows you the different recipes that you can make with the 5200.Here’s some homemade ice cream with spinach. If you want your kids to eat healthy this is a recipe that you should try!I’m a bit surprised but the 5300 has beaten the 5200 in every aspect of our blending comparison. When you look at the features the 5300 has the bigger motor, the wider blade, better cooling, a pulse function and a shorter pitcher that allows you to store it in a lower counter top cabinet.