Vitamix Question

[adam-aussie-vac]

Hey guys, I’m wanting to purchase a vitamix 3600 in the US And bring it with me back to Australia Would there be anything I need to do? I know that it would run off 120 V so I would need a transformer/inverter Preferably the latter as it would mean I would have 60 Hz

 

[tolivac]

The motor in those VitaMix machines is a universal motor made by Black&Decker-should run OK on 50 or 60Hz power.That BD motor was used in BD 1hp routers.Used one in old shop class!

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

Oh cool thank you,

I was just a little bit worried as it also does include a speed control as well, so I was just hoping that wouldn’t mess things up

 

[combo52]

Vitamix Blenders

Other than the cool vintage looks of the VM 3600 there is little  to recommend  these blenders.

 

I had 3 of these for over a decade [ you needed 3 to keep one running ] I finally gave up on them and donated the best one and put the other 2 out in the scrap metal bin.

 

They were too noisy, did not work all that well, and I kept having to buy blade assemblies from VM and they were expensive [ $50+++ ] and finally discontinued.

 

These blenders use a LOT of power you will need a strong converter to use on a different voltage.

 

John 

 

[rp2813]

I'm not sold on Vitamix either.  My vintage Osterizer with "Fusion" blade is super capable and effective, and in certain respects, more versatile. 

 

I have read that Vitamix blenders can cook and make ice cream but speaking for myself, I'm skeptical about their claims and the quality of the results, particularly when you consider how much they cost.  I'm also not surprised by John's experience. 

 

Adam, unless you have a specific need, you may want to reconsider whether a Vitamix is worth the trouble.

 

 

 

[chachp]

My Vitamix is 14 years old

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">Never an issue and we beat it up.  My husband has been making smoothies every morning in that thing for a long as I can remember.  Its ice cubes, frozen fruit, spinach, kale and who knows what else but it powers through and makes a nice frozen drink.  We don't like ours runny, we like ours frozen.  Yes, it's loud but in all these years I'm sure I would have replaced a normal blender at least a couple of times.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">Yes you can cook in it.  Every winter I make soups in it for my lunch as I work from home and can do it.  It takes 6 minutes to take cold ingredients to steaming.  I have never made ice cream in it but we've made sorbets and frozen things like that.</span>

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">I know everyone has their own experience with these things and mine has been good.  Never an issue with it.  I put the jar in the dishwasher (they say not to) and never had an issue with that either.  I can't speak to the voltage and power stuff but I can tell you mine is a work horse.</span>

 

[vacerator]

Our kid's

got one a few years ago and swear by it! It makes soup, grinds meat, you name it!
They had a Kitcxhen Aid before that, and gave us their wedding gift Ninja.

 

[tolivac]

I have 3600 and the later 4000 and had NO problems with them.With these "forward-Reverse" VitaMixers you did have to Forward reverse during the blend cycle or things could get trapped in the corners of the jar.During max speed you had to puse at "off" for a few seconds before changing to reverse.Otherwise the machine could jump!For the "cooking" I just heated the ingredients after mixing them in the VitaMix-stove burner or microwave.

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

I’m a little bit confused

Do you mean from the friction of the blades if he’s up to liquid? Because I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anything close to A vitamix stove

 

[chachp]

Yes, that's correct.

 

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">It's pretty amazing.  I have a number of soup recipes I use when I want something quick.  I even have a recipe for a fat free Alfredo sauce that I guarantee you won't know is low fat. I have made humus in there and who knows what else over the years.</span>

 

 

[tolivac]

The friction of the spinning blade at max speed will take several min to heat the drink to "hot" but not boiling temps.Does work well for cocoa.Thats for modern Vita Mix 5000 and after that have a motor powerful and faster motor.Not as fast as a microwave.

 

[tolivac]

Heating on the stove or microwave is also quieter.I love my VitaMixers-but for heating with them--its the chain saw in the kitchen.

 

[chachp]

Oh Yes, they ain't quiet!!!

<span style="font-family: helvetica;"> </span>

<span style="font-family: helvetica;">I love the convenience for a quick lunch.  I can chop a few things and throw them in and 6 minutes later there is steam coming out the top.  It's like anything else really.  It's a matter of what is convenient.  The two things I use mostly in the kitchen is the Vitamix and the Thermomix.  And actually if I had the Thermomix before the Vitamix I probably wouldn't have bought it because the TM will do what the Vitamix does only the TM does it with a heater and will take longer.  It's just that for us, my husband wants fast and easy (no comments please) and he sees that in the VM for our shakes in the morning.</span>

 

[stricklybojack]

.
Most inverters operate with 50 or 60…i know cause…check the pics!
I move from the the US to the UK and wasn’t going to pay fo another Vitamix.
I found this inverter on EBay very cheap…arrived non-operational however…lol.
No worries took it over to my mr fix-it next door neighbour and we quickly determined the cheapo fuse in the plug needed to be replaced. Hallelujah!
I will note you need a big inverter for a Vitamix as the peak power draw is rather high. My inverter is 1500 watts. That said I initially ran it at lower speeds with a 750 watt unit that I now use on my television.

 

[jamiel]

My impression is that soup out of the Vitamix comes out like aseptic soup---smooth and pureed and with not one iota of texture...am I right?

 

[adam-aussie-vac]

@stricklybojack

I don’t think that’s an inverter as the inverter would also change the frequency, I think what you have is just a transformer which changes the voltage but not the frequency itself

 

[chachp]

#14

 

<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: helvetica;">My impression is that soup out of the Vitamix comes out like aseptic soup---smooth and pureed and with not one iota of texture...am I right? </span>

 

<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: helvetica;">In my opinion, no.  It is more like a cream soup you would cook on the stove.  Some you have right out of the jar and some you reserve some of the ingredients for the end.  You add them and just kind of pulse a few times so you end of with pieces in the soup.</span>

 

<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; font-family: helvetica;">The attached recipe is an example of one of those recipes that I make fairly often.  It’s one of my favorites.  I don’t think soup out of the Vitamix is ever going to be like a soup you cook on the stove and then puree but it’s pretty darn close and given I can have something like this in literally 6 minutes its not a bad second.</span>