topic Re: Vitamix - Be Aware in Today's Special Value

Vitamix - Be Aware

Deb213 — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 18:00:12 GMT

First, I bought my Vitamix the last time it was a TSV and I love it!

HOWEVER, be aware of this. I have watched the presentations for years and waited until the time was right for me to make the purchase. In all of the years that I have watched the presentations, I have NEVER heard them tell the viewer that, regarding the hot soup recipes specifically, there is additional cooking required!

My TSV came with a Soup recipe cookbook and I had been looking forward to making some hot soups this Winter. As I reveiwed the recipes, I see that there is much prepping of the ingredients BEFORE it goes into the Vitamix.

An example is the Spiced Carrot Soup recipe. You have to bake several of the ingredients in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes!

This one really got me...for the Beef Stock recipe, you have to heat a pot of the ingredients and simmer for 8-10 HOURS!!! The Chicken Stock recipe calls for cooking the ingredients in a slow cooker for 8-10 HOURS!!

The presentations, (including today's), make it look like you just throw all these raw things in, flip the switch and you have hot soup 6 minutes later. Not so much.

Really wish they would be more transparent about that aspect of the Vitamix. I have yet to make a soup because of the inordinate amount of time required to prep.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

Kachina624 — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 18:08:23 GMT

@Deb213 Thanks for bringing this to our attention. You could, of course, reduce those cooking times drastically by using a pressure cooker.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

4kitties — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 18:10:02 GMT

What does the vitamix do to the soup? Is it just used to purée the ingredients?

If you cook it ahead, then it is already soup.

I have to say, I am not familiar with the sales presentation as I have never watched one about the vitamix.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

RollTide2008 — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 18:18:27 GMT

I wouldn’t expect to be able to make stock in blended. I get making soup in a blender with ingredients that already completely cooked. That just a matter of mashing it all together and the friction making it hot. I can’t believe anyone would think the friction from a blender would cook a carrot soup from raw carrots.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

Sooner — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 18:18:37 GMT

There are many soups you can make without cooking the ingredients first.

If I make soup with squash or something like that, to make it quicken I might put them in a glass measuring cup with a little water to steam/microwave cook them before I throw them in the Vitamix. Otherwise, some no cooking needed or desired.

And also we often throw in leftover carrots, asparagus, peas or other things to make soup in it. It's great for using up dabs of leftovers. Gazpacho, served cold with no cooking, is another popular dish with us that is so easy in the Vitamix.

You don't HAVE to make a big deal of it to make soup.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

Carmie — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 18:34:45 GMT

You can always buy canned or boxed stock to make soup and micowave your carrots.

i make my soup from scratch the old fashioned way....on the stove top with no premade stocks.

I have a Vitamix....or as I call it...a glorified blender. Buying it was the dumbest and most expensive mistake I ever made in the kitchen.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

HonestLife — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 18:30:31 GMT

I've found that the recipes in the included books can be achieved using shortcuts. But you are correct in that the presentations eliminated what's required before you can achieve the results shown. I have a Vitamix and found I can make soups in my Pressure Cooker quickly and tasty. Besides, Vitamix at it's highest speed for soups blows out my ears!

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

On It — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 18:39:47 GMT

I finally ordered one this morning. I am hoping it will bring some variety to the limited number of foods I can eat with my acid reflux problem.

I want to use the frozen ideas with my watermelon "edges." We like the heart of the melon (the part between the seed areas.) I hope to try kale some way. I have not been able to eat it in salad form. I think maybe I can disguise it in a drink.

I appreciate the warnings. Sounds like the Instapot will be a nice companion to from scratch soups. I want to use my leftovers in soups since my husband doesn't like leftover vegetables.

Any more hints or good ideas will be appreciated.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

On It — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 18:46:09 GMT

Another thought about the Vitamix use is that my mother had difficulty swallowing solid foods. Her esophagus would close and make swallowing very difficult. This would have been ideal for her to get some liquid nourishment and a lot of variety.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

JeanLouiseFinch — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 19:01:01 GMT

@Deb213 wrote:
First, I bought my Vitamix the last time it was a TSV and I love it!

HOWEVER, be aware of this. I have watched the presentations for years and waited until the time was right for me to make the purchase. In all of the years that I have watched the presentations, I have NEVER heard them tell the viewer that, regarding the hot soup recipes specifically, there is additional cooking required!

My TSV came with a Soup recipe cookbook and I had been looking forward to making some hot soups this Winter. As I reveiwed the recipes, I see that there is much prepping of the ingredients BEFORE it goes into the Vitamix.

An example is the Spiced Carrot Soup recipe. You have to bake several of the ingredients in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes!

This one really got me...for the Beef Stock recipe, you have to heat a pot of the ingredients and simmer for 8-10 HOURS!!! The Chicken Stock recipe calls for cooking the ingredients in a slow cooker for 8-10 HOURS!!

The presentations, (including today's), make it look like you just throw all these raw things in, flip the switch and you have hot soup 6 minutes later. Not so much.

Really wish they would be more transparent about that aspect of the Vitamix. I have yet to make a soup because of the inordinate amount of time required to prep.

I have seen a number of Vitamix soup recipes that are completed in a matter of minutes. For your stock recipes, are you sure they were for stock and not bone broth? Bone broth has to simmer for several hours for the collagen to release.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

Deb213 — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 19:08:14 GMT

Thanks for all of your responses!

Like I said, overall I am very pleased with the Vitamix that I have. I have been able to make great smoothies which is helpful as I am not a big vegetable eater, unfortunately. I have been able to drink my spinach and kale which I could never eat raw. So I am finally getting my veggies in!

I was just so disappointed when I saw those recipes for the soup. I am not the world's greatest cook and seeing all of the extra steps and time required was really frustrating. There are other steps that I didn't even detail in my post that are also really time consuming. I was hoping to get some more vegetables into my system using the soup recipes.

For anyone getting theirs today, I would recommend getting the recipes online vs these books. There are so many Vitamix recipes out there from other users. I found those to be much simpler and easier to follow.

I definitely recommend the product, but I just wish they'd be a little more honest in their presentations when it comes to the soup presentations.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

Mimi NY — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 19:21:38 GMT

@Deb213 wrote:
First, I bought my Vitamix the last time it was a TSV and I love it!

HOWEVER, be aware of this. I have watched the presentations for years and waited until the time was right for me to make the purchase. In all of the years that I have watched the presentations, I have NEVER heard them tell the viewer that, regarding the hot soup recipes specifically, there is additional cooking required!

My TSV came with a Soup recipe cookbook and I had been looking forward to making some hot soups this Winter. As I reveiwed the recipes, I see that there is much prepping of the ingredients BEFORE it goes into the Vitamix.

An example is the Spiced Carrot Soup recipe. You have to bake several of the ingredients in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes!

This one really got me...for the Beef Stock recipe, you have to heat a pot of the ingredients and simmer for 8-10 HOURS!!! The Chicken Stock recipe calls for cooking the ingredients in a slow cooker for 8-10 HOURS!!

The presentations, (including today's), make it look like you just throw all these raw things in, flip the switch and you have hot soup 6 minutes later. Not so much.

Really wish they would be more transparent about that aspect of the Vitamix. I have yet to make a soup because of the inordinate amount of time required to prep.

NEVER HEARD that some of the soups needed extra prep,and been a customer that have watched many Vitamix shows. Was always under the impression throw all your ingredients in the Vitamix and you have hot soup in a few minutes. Getting older thought what a great way of making soup.Now guess I would probably be just making smoothies if I decided to get one,and I do have and like my Nutri Bullet for smoothies.
Think now that it is in the forum thanks to you, host and vendors should be honest in saying there is a bit of extra prep for some soups,let customers know.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

Catch71 — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 19:50:20 GMT

I often make the broccoli cheddar soup and there is no precooking anything. Depends on what soup you are making.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

Sooner — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 19:50:45 GMT

@Carmie Thats too bad that it isn't something you like and it was expensive. My husband said if it ever quite, order another pronto.

We use it a lot for smoothies, soups from leftovers, and other things that need a quick mix. For us it's the only blender we've ever had that gets used a lot. We've had it about 10 years.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

Deb213 — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 20:30:28 GMT

@Mimi NY wrote:
@Deb213 wrote:
First, I bought my Vitamix the last time it was a TSV and I love it!

HOWEVER, be aware of this. I have watched the presentations for years and waited until the time was right for me to make the purchase. In all of the years that I have watched the presentations, I have NEVER heard them tell the viewer that, regarding the hot soup recipes specifically, there is additional cooking required!

My TSV came with a Soup recipe cookbook and I had been looking forward to making some hot soups this Winter. As I reveiwed the recipes, I see that there is much prepping of the ingredients BEFORE it goes into the Vitamix.

An example is the Spiced Carrot Soup recipe. You have to bake several of the ingredients in a 400 degree oven for 45 minutes!

This one really got me...for the Beef Stock recipe, you have to heat a pot of the ingredients and simmer for 8-10 HOURS!!! The Chicken Stock recipe calls for cooking the ingredients in a slow cooker for 8-10 HOURS!!

The presentations, (including today's), make it look like you just throw all these raw things in, flip the switch and you have hot soup 6 minutes later. Not so much.

Really wish they would be more transparent about that aspect of the Vitamix. I have yet to make a soup because of the inordinate amount of time required to prep.

NEVER HEARD that some of the soups needed extra prep,and been a customer that have watched many Vitamix shows. Was always under the impression throw all your ingredients in the Vitamix and you have hot soup in a few minutes. Getting older thought what a great way of making soup.Now guess I would probably be just making smoothies if I decided to get one,and I do have and like my Nutri Bullet for smoothies.
Think now that it is in the forum thanks to you, host and vendors should be honest in saying there is a bit of extra prep for some soups,let customers know.

That's it exactly! Just let us know that there may be some amount of prior prep. Their demonstrations on air do not present the soup prep that way at all. Maybe there are some soups that do not require hours of prep, but the book they included with my TSV certainly calls for much prep. Being a non cook, the recipes, to me, are somewhat complicated. That's why I recommend going online as other users' recipes seem much less complicated and time consuming. The soup cookbook was a selling feature for me, but after reviewing it, I doubt I will ever be using it. To those of you who are excellent cooks, I have the utmost respect!

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

denisemb — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 20:41:45 GMT

It could be worse - you could own these cats!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2022/01/08/cats-took-vitamix-hostage/

or Google "vitamix and cats"

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

Deb213 — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 20:53:08 GMT

@denisemb wrote:
It could be worse - you could own these cats!

https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2022/01/08/cats-took-vitamix-hostage/

or Google "vitamix and cats"

LOL!!

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

Carmie — Sun, 23 Jan 2022 22:01:41 GMT

@Sooner We do not drink smoothies...ever.

I make a lot of soup, but prefer doing it the old fashioned way. We really don't like to drink our food. My soups are hardy.

I use mine once a year when I liquify whole tomatoes to freeze. I could do that in my 40 year old blender.

My KA food processor does most of the food prep I need. Thankfully my DH does not know what I paid for the Vitamix

I actually bought it to turn grains into flour. I have to be gluten free. The grain container looks awful and is all scratched and pitted up. I used it with rice a few times. It did the job, but the container is garbage and I don't want plastic particles in my flour.

It just hasn't worked out for me.

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

bonnielu — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 03:05:57 GMT

I do feel they should have been clearer about the soups. They made it look like you could put the ingredients in, push a few buttons and you could get instant soup. Is this version of the Vitamix that powerful?

Re: Vitamix - Be Aware

Othereeeen — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 13:04:37 GMT

I have one from a few years back....a 5200 series....while it IS a fun "toy" to use, when the novelty wears off, it's just another gadget..albeit an expensive one....

When you find out you have to buy 200 dollars worth of fruits and veggies to make a smoothie, or that it's a LOT easier to buy ice cream with no artificial ingredients, you learn pretty fast why it has a seven year warranty...

MOST People stop using it after a few weeks. So not even a one year warranty needed!!!

Of course, this is my opinion. I MAY take mine out again and use it after watching the presentations, but for MOST stuff you make in it, it's a lot of rigamorole for what you get.

I agree with the poster who said they don't "Drink" thier meals. I don't either. I LIKE the physical act of plannning, selecting, preparing and cooking my food....but I know a lot of people do not, and want fast quick ways to allegedly "prepare" thier food.

Same for air fryers is all thier iterations. Just a fancy electric device to warm up mostly "tan food"....the worst nutrition foods you can eat. Fatty, breaded, salty mystery prepared foods.....a Glop warmer in other words.....!

Note....I HAVE ( fell for) the Vitamix hoopla so I'm talking from MY experience ONLY!!!