Do I need both a VitaMix and A Juicer?

Question

Okay, with a busy lifestyle, I find it no problem eating fruits - put piece of raw fruit in mouth, eat. Vegetables are another story.

So, I've decided to invest in a VitaMix on the theory that I can throw raw vegetables in the VitaMix, blend and drink. May or may not be the most palatable thing in the world, but at least I'll know I am eating the recommended number of vegetables, which has been a problem for me since I eat out so much and many of the restaurants near my workplace think vegetables are iceberg lettuce and potatoes, and I am really not in the mood after a long workday to come home and chop and steam vegetables.

Anyway, I am considering the professional Vita Mix Vita-Prep 3 Blender, which according to the advertising "has more power to handle the thickest, toughest ingredients! " I basically want it to be a vegetable juicer, as well as a blender. I don't know if I am dreaming and if even with an expensive VitaMix I will need to buy a separate juicer. If possible, I don't want to clutter my kitchen counter.

So can a VitaMix do it all or must I also buy a separate juicer?

Answer

These first three "replys" probably tell the whole tale.

Answer

New to juicing here...well, not really. I have a Vita Mix and an Omega juicer that I juice with,and although it works great, the time involved in prepping, and especially cleaning the unit is a huge factor. So one day I fell upon this video; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UdSLp3CCfg&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsitekreator%2Ecom%2Fblindguru%2Fjuicers%2Ehtml
showing how to juice with a high-powered blender. I tried it with some cheescloth I had lying around in the cupboard, and damned if I didnt't get more juice breaking down less veggies with the Vita Mix and straining through the cheesecloth than I ever have with the juicer. And it is so easy Ive even started doing it in the morning as because it takes about 2 mins to clean and go! 
To make it easier I bought some nutmilk bags for the straining, and that made it even easier, so I'm sold. I don't know about all of the breaking down the cellular wall and all that and how it might be different between a blender and a juicer, all I know is that it took 1/5 the time with the blender!

Answer

I have two vitamix 4000s I bought on ebay for less than $200 each. They are from the 1990s and are still going strong. They are the old model that had reverse. Yes, the blades reverse even at high speed, really does the job! Anyway, do some research and look on ebay. I don't think it is possible to kill a vitamix.

Also, lots of juicers end up at the thrift stores, that's where I'd buy one. I bought one new for $20 at a store's going out of business sale. It lacked a manual and a pusher, no big deal. I use a carrot.

Answer

Well, I have dilly-dallied so long about which VitaMix to buy that, in the meantime, VitaMix just introduced a brand new consumer model - the VitaMix 5200 -- allegedly better than the prior models.

https://secure.vitamix.com/acb/stores/4/

With the new model just out, I guess I'll finally take the VitaMix plunge.

Answer

I just returned my 5100 to Costco. I've had it a few years and had sent it to the factory twice as it overheated and shut down about half the time I would try to make anything thicker than your average soup. I mostly used it for fruit/veggie drinks and would put half room temp and half frozen items in it, mixing as I added each item. Having it overheat half of the time became VERY irritating and sending it in for repair did NOTHING! It doesn't look like there are any mechanical improvements to the 5200 so I'm at a loss as to what to replace it with. I like the new handle on the 5200 but not willing to deal with the same cheap motor.. For the price of this thing, it should NOT overheat so often! Imagine if you actually tried to make icecream or something thicker than the drinks I make!! If the pro has more horse power that might be the answer, but if it has less speed settings or no variable, FORGET IT! I've seen the industrial versions on cruise ships and they reverse when the bogg down, why can't they put the reverse feature on all units to prevent the overheating and average the price out across the board.. They may be a good company and all, but when you build something that SHOULDN'T overheat and then expect to get top dollar for the consumer version, that doesn't make for a "good" company, that makes for a greedy company!

Answer

Personally, I really like having both. I use my juicer when I don't want fiber (like during a juice fast). The Vitamix is a completely different animal than a juicer. It blends, purees, chops, etc whereas a juicer is extracting the liquid nutrition out of the food. Also, you can't juice certain things (like bananas, avocados). I was hesitant to buy a Vitamix because of the price (I tried finding a good used Vitamix - nearly impossible!) so I finally bought one and am glad I did. I used a savings code someone shared with me; 06-003851 - at the check out - it takes $25 off (free S&H). Happy blending! :-)

Answer

I bought a used Champion juicer but I use my Vitamix for the most part. Supposedly the pure juice is easier to digest, but you can use the Vitamix and then strain the fibrous part out with a mesh nut bag so you really don't need a juicer. It is also easier to clean the bag and Vitamix container than a juicer.

Answer

You could always buy a nutmilk bag and strain out the "pulp." 
I do this with a regular blender since I'm still saving up for a vitamix. PureJoy makes them

Answer

Buy as many appliances as you have money and space -- and tolerance for a growing inventory of gadgets. 

I rarely run into anyone who actually uses all the gadgets they own. If they have a vitamix and a processor and a... it's for show. 

But if you tell me you are in the kitchen 5+ days a week and produce most of your food from scractch, then load up the cabinet with major small appliances. ;-)

Answer

Hi! I just purchased the Vitamix Professional CIA series (1363 model number, platinum color) from Bed, Bath & Beyond (20% off coupon and hassle free returns a bonus). I also have a juicer (Champion model) which i love but its a hassle to clean so I'm going to experiment with using the Vitamix and cheesecloth/nut milk bag to drain out the pulp. In hindsight, I might go with a centrifugal juicer over the Champion if I was to do over...

ps. I made a cream of roasted eggplant and tomato soup in Vitamix today which was fantastic. Topped it w/ caramelized onions/mushrooms/garlic baked in white wine sauce. Served with spinach, cottage cheese (midwest roots remain in NYC :) and flax crackers. Tomorrow morning I'll test it out for a spinach smoothie.... :)

Answer

You can make thinner consistency with just water and ice cubes. More water-thinner. My daily drink : kale, orange, apple, ginger, walnuts, flax seed, chia seeds delicious-drinkable my first experience it was nauseatingly thick Duh! water with ice cubes....i even take to work throw some more cold water in later and voila! delish and healthy

Answer

Had juicers for years. Tried to be diligent but the cleanup is lengthy and messy. Vitamix is a no brainer. Just make it thin with water and doctor it accordingly. You are eating the entire fruit. Those negative claims that it destroys the vitamins because it rotates too fast or some such garbage is a ridiculous claim. We have achieved maximum health with our power green smoothies. kale, orange, apple, ginger, flax seed, chia seed, walnuts, ice and water super yummy. You'll hate it if it's too thick so just add water-you will love!!

Answer

Friends gave me a vitamix and I'm so so happy with it. I've been using a simple Braun centrifigal juicer for years. The vitamix does a great job of blending, but the taste is not as smooth as with the juicer. So, I actually like having both. I blend my greens eg; chard, kale spinach in the vitamix with apple, pineapple ( including the core ) celantro , parsley... the leafy veggies don't do well through the juicer. So doing them in the vitamix is perfect THEN I run that juice through my juicer. It makes cleanup of the juicer much easier as the pulp is almost a lquid. I imagine I lose more nutrients that way, but at least I'm getting my green veggies in..otherwise it's rice and potatoes. I vote both. Enjoy !

Answer

I used to have a Breville juicer but really wanted a Vitamix. So I sold my juicer on Ebay, and for all you that dont know this you can get the Vitamix through QVC and set up the payment plan. Didnt want to put it on my cc and have interest. I love it, I use it to Juicer wonderful juices and have the ability to add things like bannannas and avacado.

Answer

Shout out over here!
I have a true juicer Omega 8006 the best hardly any clean up.
However, all the pulp does NOT go into the juice it gets excreted out "which is better for us"
With or Without pulp, skin? Like the vitamix which is a blender or Omega 8006 that is a juicer??
Thanks

Answer

I have it all figured out Omega 8006 pulverizes and juices there is no need to strain anything.
Then I put it in our blender and add an avocado or banana the best glad were all getting healthy here

Answer

does the container have BPA. I use it for hot foods and now wondering if that is a good idea?

Answer

Vitamix used to make great blenders. I wore one out. It took me a few years of hard use. I have some doubts about the present models since they dropped the rapid reversing action that made them famous to begin with and changed from a stainless steel container to a transparent (plastic or glass?) one.

But they are not and never were juicers. That advertising is extremely misleading. A puree is not a juice. A puree does not concentrate anything. Ultimately you can't drink much more of the puree than you could have eaten of the vegetable because the total amount of fiber, and hence bulk in the gut, is the same. When you juice something you leave most of the fiber in the pulp. You can consume the juice from a far greater quantity of a vegetable than you could have eaten of that same vegetable. The concentration of many nutrients will be higher. I loved my Vitamix, best blender I ever killed, but they are lying to call it a juicer. AFAIK, the only decent moderately priced juicer is the Champion. From the Champion to the next step up is a huge step to the Norwalk, which is over a thousand, and the next step up from there is an even bigger step because the only things better than the Norwalk are industrial machines intended for commercial production.

It's rather absurd how poorly the middle market is served. There is a plethora of cheap, over-hyped, juicers that aren't worth the trouble even if you get them free. Then there is the Champion at around $200. Then the Norwalk at around $1200. Then machines that wouldn't make sense unless you were going into business.

For what it is worth, I'm on my second Champion. I've used a Norwalk but never owned one. I've had some cheap juicers and I've sold a lot of juicers in a specialty brick and mortar retail setting.

Answer

I don't know what the problem is about cleaning up the Omega Juicer. I have had mine now for a couple of months and make fresh juice twice a day -- fruit in the morning and then vegetable later in the day. It is a breeze to clean up! Take it apart, rinse under hot water, turn on garbage disposal, drain in dish drainer. Takes no time at all! Whenever I run my dishwasher or for some other reason have hot soapy water then I wash, but I figure that since I am using this all the time, just a thorough rinsing in super hot water and air drying works for me! I LOVE my Omega and wouldn't trade it for anything, but to each their own!

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Do I need both a VitaMix and A Juicer?

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Best Deals - Sales Reviews on KitchenAid mixer, Cuisinart, etc

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Amazon.com: Omega Slow Masticating Juicer Extractor and Nutrition Center, 200-Watt, Silver (Discontinued by Manufacturer): Electric Masticating Juicers: Kitchen & Dining

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