Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series Review

The Vitamix A2500 comes with a single, 64-ounce pitcher. However, any blender in Vitamix's Ascent Series features built-in wireless connectivity and a motor base with their trademarked Self-Detect technology. This new tech automatically adjusts program settings based on the size of the container attached and will adjust appropriately for a 48-ounce pitcher or a 12-cup food processor attachment, both of which can be purchased separately. This blender also includes a tamper — which we felt was surprisingly low quality, considering the price point — and a cookbook with commonly blended recipes. In addition to the three presets, this blender also features variable speed control, pulse capabilities, and a digital timer to assist with manual processing. Although an 88-square-inch base will take up some counter space, it is fairly average among blenders we tested, and the utility of this versatile blender is surely worth the investment.

Smoothies

In terms of flat-out blending ability, it is very difficult to match the power and speed of the Vitamix A2500. Whether it's blending a fruit, nut, and oat smoothie for breakfast on the go or a green smoothie as a healthful meal substitute, this blender creates what one tester called an “absolutely delicious” smoothie.

Although it doesn't feature the same nitty-gritty presets as other premium models — some of which differentiate between different types of smoothies — it didn't seem to make much of a difference. The stand-alone Smoothie setting on the A2500 performed remarkably well with a pitcher fully loaded with kale, spinach, banana, and a frozen fruit medley. The resulting silky-smooth green smoothie was perfectly blended, with no chunks or even any semblance of grittiness. There was no need to shake or use the included tamper to knock down ingredients, and in 50 seconds flat, we were pouring a very tasty green shake that ran right through our sieve without any leftover residue.

Unsurprisingly, the same consistent flavor profile shined through while making berry-based smoothies. But unlike other top-tier blenders we tested — including other Vitamixes — the A2500 didn't miss a single seed, resulting in a thick, creamy smoothie without any discernable texture. This was one of the few models we tested that could produce a nearly perfect smoothie.

But the truly standout performance came while making a fruit, nut, and oat smoothie. No liquid? No Problem. The 2.2 horsepower base (equivalent to 1618 watts) cruised through this notoriously thick recipe, resulting in a pourable mixture. The fact that the A2500 even managed to maintain the cold temperature of this breakfast blend speaks to this smart blender's power and self-tuning capability.

Convenience

Compared directly to other premium blenders on the market, the main shortcoming of the Vitamix A2500 is that it isn't as intuitively user-friendly as other models we tested. While the three presets — Smoothies, Hot Soups, and Frozen Desserts — work swimmingly for almost all tasks, the options aren't as well refined as other competitors.

The preset buttons are labeled with images representative of their use — a cup, a Sunday cup, and a steamy bowl of soup — but even so, we needed to look at the manual for the first few uses. But the digital timer is brightly lit, and is visible from anywhere in the kitchen as it counts down for any preset cycle.

Due to its powerful motor, this blender is a bit on the loud side — measuring an average of 88 decibels on the Smoothie setting — and, of course, that noise level only increases with more powerful speed settings. The A2500 features 10 speed levels and a pulse switch, allowing you to easily dial in the correct speed appropriate to the task.

The A2500 is easy to clean manually. Although the blades are not removable, the large pitcher offers plenty of space to maneuver a sponge. There aren't any lips or crevices prone to collecting food on the blades or in the pitcher, although some texture on the lid makes it a bit harder to scrub if any residue is allowed to dry. The entire blender, sans base, is dishwasher-safe, so the lid is a non-issue if you have a dishwasher. While it doesn't feature a specific auto-clean function, we used the Smoothie preset for a timed cleaning cycle. You can place the pitcher back on its base to dry, freeing up valuable space in your dish rack.

Ice

Like smoothie production, the A2500 stands out above the rest of our test suite for its ability to process ice. The powerful motor base and unique blade design make quick work of ice, efficiently crushing or evenly blending it for perfectly blended margaritas.

Using the maximum power setting without the assistance of pulsing, the A2500 easily crushed a cup of ice cubes in less than 15 seconds. It broke down the ice into an even mixture without pulverizing it into oblivion. Considering that not all blenders we tested are even capable of crushing ice, this is a standout performance.

The A2500 also makes an excellent margarita. Other blenders we tested tend to under-blend ice, resulting in random ice chunks in what appears to be a well-blended frozen drink. Using the Frozen Dessert preset, the A2500 turned out a velvety smooth margarita, uniformly mixed throughout the entire pitcher.

Pureeing

Now that we're back to our regularly scheduled programming of stellar performances by this blender, the ability to puree is one of the primary reasons home cooks and chefs have flocked to high-end Vitamix models like the A2500 for years.

Once again highlighting the power of the motor and speed of the blades, the A2500 processed a batch of homemade tomato soup in 5 minutes and 45 seconds. Pureeing fresh ingredients down to a nearly perfect consistency, we could pour the pitcher's extent through a sieve without catching even the smallest chunk. This blender will simultaneously heat soup enough to serve right out of the pitcher — in our tests, we measured an average final temperature of 153 °F. The soup processed with the A2500 even outstripped other Vitamix blenders we tested with regards to texture and overall flavor profile.

This model also delivers a near-perfect performance when making nut butter, producing a smooth spread with a rich, creamy texture. The A2500 required no assistance from the tamper, and it was remarkable how little extra oil we needed to add to the mix. After eight minutes of blending, the nut butter poured easily from the pitcher, ready to spread onto bread.

Grinding

As a task normally reserved for a food processor, the A2500 doesn't disappoint with its ability to process powdered sugar, grate parmesan cheese, or mill popcorn into fine-grained cornmeal. Once again, this appliance's versatility stems from high-speed blades driven by an impressively powerful motor.

The A2500 does an excellent job of milling corn flour, with 99% of the finished product passing through a sieve. It does a decent job of grating hard cheeses like parmesan, although we were surprised to find a few larger chunks interspersed throughout the mix. However, it did a fantastic job of processing granulated sugar into powdered sugar, grinding it to a powdery perfection in just 30 seconds.

Should You Buy the Vitamix A2500?

We have no issue giving the Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series blender our full vote of confidence. Even after years of testing, it continues to prove itself as one of the best blenders on the market. Building upon Vitamix's reputation for designing professional-quality appliances, integrating smart technology into the A2500 only adds a new level of efficiency to time-tested performance. While it is not as objectively user-friendly as other directly comparable models, the A2500 includes exactly the right features for any level of cooking. If you're willing to pay for it, the A2500 is a solid investment built on quality and durability; it's a blender built to last for many years.

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