Vitamix - Ascent X4 Blender - Brushed Stainless Steel

I was introduced to Vitamix in the late 70’s when a friend gave me a Vita-Mix 3600 with the instant reversing blades. It was a beast, loud and powerful. The only “blender” that was powerful enough to heat the contents simply by friction. Fast forward 50 years and we have the new Ascent X series X4. Starting with the four new models, I think the important thing to know regardless of the model is that your finished product will be consistent across the line and across the brand. The only major difference between the models is the controls and how you interact with the machine to create your concoctions - switches vs buttons and programs or not. The Vitamix Ascent X4 comes with the stainless steel and black motor base, 48 ounce slim profile container, food tamper and holder, printed recipe book, quick start guide and instruction book. The X4 model comes with five programmed presets, a self- cleaning preset, pulse button, variable speed dial, start/stop button, add 15 second button and digital display. Using the X4 couldn't be easier, fill the container and press the start button. What sets a Vitamix apart from any other blender is the raw power. When making smoothies, it's this power that breaks down the fruit and vegetable fibers and ice to the point you would think the drink was run through a strainer. I made cashew butter and was amazed that it was chunk free. I like the smaller 48 oz container that comes with the X4 rather than the larger 64oz from previous models. In a household of only two people, making smaller portions seems a little easier. If you need a larger container, they are available and the nice thing with the Ascent series is that by using the Self-Detect technology, the motor base knows what container or device like food processor or nut grinder you are using and adjusts programs accordingly. My only negative with this machine is the build of the food tamper. It reminds me of those blow-mold teddy bears I used to see at amusement park arcades, put .50 cents in the machine and watch it blow-mold the toy. With the incredible quality of the rest of the machine, the tamper just feels a bit light and weak to me. That said, it does what it's supposed to do and getting over my fear of grinding it into the blades went away after the second or third use. The included tamper holder attaches to either side of the machine but I find it gets in the way more than I care for, especially if your kitchen counter is short on space like mine. Another nice feature on the X4 model is that the display shows you when to use the tamper to make sure your food is getting blended properly. The included recipe book is really well designed and printed on very heavy paper. The nice thing about the recipes is that they are just a starting point and lay the groundwork of all the many things you can make with this machine once you get past making smoothies and frozen cocktails. It also gives you manual directions for foods that don’t have a preset program setting for. The X4 has five preset programs, the X5 has 10 and the X3 has 3, but like I said earlier, these are just conveniences and don’t make a difference in getting to the final product. Another thing I’ve heard is how noisy Vitamix machines are. I found the motor itself to be very quiet but the noise comes from the foods you are processing, like ice, frozen fruits and vegetables and nuts getting thrust around the plastic container - yes, you are going to hear this, and in many cases, it’s going to be louder than you might be used to. I can say it’s not as loud as my 3600 from back in the day. I am really impressed with my Vitamix Ascent X4 and am looking forward to using it to start eating healthier. Yes, getting past the price can be difficult but know that these come with a 10 year warranty - something I’ve never seen with other appliances. With proper use and care, your Vitamix will be passed down generations just like your grandmother's Kitchenaid stand mixer. I give it five stars and highly recommend it.