Performance and Specifications

Q. What's special about the additional dry container offered with the Vitamix TNC?

A. The first container's blades are ideal for processing “wet” foods, like juices, soups and frozen treats. The second container has blades specially designed for grinding whole grains and kneading bread dough. What's the difference? The wet blades pull food through the blades during processing. The dry blades push foods up and away, making it the better choice for dry grinding or kneading sticky dough.

Q. How can the same machine cook soups AND freeze ice cream?

A. High-speed blade action is the secret to friction cooking and making frozen treats in the Vitamix machine! For frozen treats, the high-performance hammermill and cutting blades crush frozen ingredients and release coldness. Vitamix processing is so fast, there is no time for melting and the mixture refreezes itself. For cooking soups, the blade speed builds a friction heat that can bring fresh ingredients to boiling in 4-6 minutes.

Q. What is the difference between home and commercial units?

A. Commercial machines are designed for high volume restaurant/bar operations and they perform specific drink and or food preparation tasks repeatedly. Commercial units have a one-year limited warranty and an instructional manual. Commercial units are available only through restaurant supply houses. Household units are designed for a wide variety of operations. Household units come with a full seven-year warranty, cookbooks, and instructional DVD's. Most Vitamix machines share the same high-performance motor and patented blade design.

Engineering

Q. What are the measurements of the machine?

A. Dimensions are 52cm tall, 18.5cm wide, 22.25cm deep. The TNC weighs 4.95kgs.

Q. What are the specifications of the motor?

A. The motor is an open frame brush universal with a 2 peak motor horsepower rating, 220-240 volts, 50 hz, 1200 watts.

Q. What prevents the Vitamix machine from burning out like other “blenders”?

A. The Vitamix machine is built with a high efficiency radial cooling fan and has a built-in thermal protection system to prevent overload and burnout.

Q. What is the blade tip speed?

A. The blade tip speed is 18 km.p.h. to 386 km.p.h.

Q. What is the variable speed control dial for?

A. Our unique variable speed control dial enables the Vitamix TNC to perform 52 kitchen tasks without attachments. It chops, grinds, whips, blends, freezes, cooks, stirs, purees and so much more.

Q. How much will the container hold?

A. The container will hold up to 2L. The Vitamix machine can process as little as 150ml and as much as 2L.

Q. How long is the cord?

A. The Vitamix machines feature an extra long 6 foot, 3-prong safety cord with a special hideaway feature that keeps the unused cord safely stored under the motor base.

Q. How can I tell if my machine is under warranty?

A. If you do not have your receipt, contact Customer Service at 07 3376 7630. Please have your serial number available.

5200 & 5000 Differences

Q. What exactly is the difference between the Vitamix TNC (5200) and the Vitamix TNC (5000) machine?

A. A lot! First, the Vitamix TNC (5200) has an all-new container that is made of an all-new material just developed this year by Eastman called Tritan™. Tritan is a copolyester, which is as strong and durable as polycarbonate, yet was formulated without BPA. The container also features improved sound damping during certain operations and improved chemical resistance with regards to cleaning compounds. There is also a new no-drip spout on the new container.

Complementing the new container are functional upgrades and exciting designer touches. The new easy-to-remove lid with “flaps” makes for smoother operation and a new twist-off lid plug means that it's easier—and safer—to add ingredients for recipes like chunky soups. What's great is that the plug (also made of Tritan) is conveniently marked with measurements. New design elements include an ergonomic comfort-grip handle that not only feels good, but looks good, too. The switches and dial have also been upgraded to a soft-touch look and feel and the label adds a touch of elegance to the classic Vitamix look.

At the heart of the Vitamix TNC (5200) is a new and more efficient 2 peak horsepower motor. This motor has been custom-designed—just for Vitamix—to run substantially cooler when processing the heavier-than-normal mixtures such as peanut butter and ice cream, two favorite Vitamix recipes..

The Vitamix TNC (5200) comes with some all-new bonus gifts, too. The all-new “Let's Get Started!” cooking class on DVD is TV cooking show quality with a great hostess. The DVD is really enjoyable to watch, start to finish. The DVD does feature convenient view buttons, however, so you can easily access a particularly recipe you would like to see. The food photos are superb, the recipes are easy and delicious, and the hints really come in handy!.

The “Getting Started” guide, the companion cookbook to the DVD, is all-new, too - and it’s already getting rave reviews. Again, you get gorgeous photos and super-easy instructions for all the recipes found on the DVD - and more!.

The “Whole Food Recipes” cookbook has a new look, too, and the many of the recipes have been updated and improved, fresh from the Vitamix test kitchen!

Copolyester vs Poly Carbonate

Q. Why did Vitamix decide to replace the polycarbonate container?

A. The Vitamix product development team has always kept up-to-date on alternative container materials and discovered that Eastman Chemical Company was developing a new material that happened to be BPA-free. Being aware of a growing controversy regarding the BPA in polycarbonate, Vitamix felt that the new Tritan™ was a wise choice for it's toughness, increased sound damping and resistance to cracking in addition to the fact that it contained no BPA.

Q. Is there any real danger in using the Vitamix polycarbonate container?

A. There is not. Polycarbonate is 100% food safe and certified and tested by NSF and other agencies around the world. Polycarbonate is absolutely safe up to 212 degrees Fahrenheit and food prepared according to Vitamix instructions would never reach anywhere near that level of heat.

Much of the “internet buzz” on BPA concerns heating food in polycarbonate container in a microwave or storing food in polycarbonate containers, which again, does not relate to Vitamix processing in any way. Vitamix does not recommend storing processed food in the container for any amount of time.

The BPA controversy arose several years ago when two independent scientists microwaved baby formula in a polycarbonate baby bottle for 30 minutes on high. As you might imagine, the bottle actually melted and a small amount of BPA was found in the formula when tested. These extreme conditions are definitely not normal household conditions and this test was not authorized or recognized by the American Plastics Association.

Q. Why is it that glass was not chosen for the Vitamix container? Glass is BPA-free.

A. Due to the high speed of the blades and the powerful motor, glass is an unsafe option for the Vitamix 5200. If a spoon, or other utensil, were to be accidentally dropped in or left in the container during processing, the glass container could shatter or explode and cause serious injury.

Q. The new container is made of Eastman Tritan copolyster. What exactly is a copolyester?

A. There is a lot of chemistry involved in the explanation, but basically, here's how it works: Polyesters are made by stringing together a chain of esters using multifunctional molecules (acids or esters). The polyester most people are familiar with is called PET, and some copolyesters are based on PET but tailored to yield a range of properties for specific applications. Eastman's new Tritan™ copolyester is produced in a similar way, but it is not based on PET chemistry, but rather a new monomer that gives it higher heat resistance, excellent impact resistance and increased resistance to cleaning agents.

3HP vs 2HP Blending

Q. Is a 3 horsepower blender needed for household applications?

A. Absolutely not. Vitamix household products are built to maximise the performance for the expected application, not the horsepower of the motor. Some machines use misleading INPUT horsepower rather than the more accurate peak motor OUTPUT that Vitamix uses.

Q. What processes require 3 HP?

A. No particular process requires 3 HP. Vitamix has determined that there is a benefit to a 3 HP motor in commercial applications that produce hundreds of blends of thick purees and thick drinks in a single day. Vitamix 3HP commercial machines are designed to be used under a significantly higher daily cycle count and heavier loads than our household machines which do not require 3 HP.

Q. Does a 3 HP motor guarantee better performance?

A. 3 HP offers better performance in commercial applications requiring continuous heavy load capability. This type of performance is not needed or beneficial for household machine performance.

Q. Is there anything that will guarantee better performance?

A. When all is said and done, it is the entire machine design—including blades, container, tamper, motor, bearings and more that guarantees consistently exceptional performance in Vitamix machines.

Q. What is the difference between “input” and “output” horsepower?

A. Input horsepower, which is a term used with many 3 HP appliances, can be misleading because power is wasted in terms of heat to reach a true output horsepower reading. The Vitamix machine operates at 2 peak output horsepower.

Q. Is it true that a substance as hard as an avocado pit requires a 3 HP motor?

A. Absolutely not. The 2 peak HP Vitamix machine does a fine job of grinding avocado pits.

Q. Why is Vitamix is more expensive in Australia compared to the USA?

A. The Vitamix TNC (5000) recommended retail price has been around the $1000 mark for the past 17 years. Vitamix Products have never fluctuated in price according to the exchange rate.

Also, please understand that the 220v-240v products are more expensive for Vitamix Corp. to manufacture than the standard 120v U.S. model (which they produce in higher volumes).

The transformer needed for the 120v machine conversion are very expensive, take up a lot of bench space and are difficult to find. If a transformer is used this instantly voids warranty. If a machine is purchased in the USA we are also not qualified to repair it here in Australia. Also keep in mind customs duties and taxes will also be applied when leaving and entering another country. This is up to the individual to look into further.

The mark up on the Vitamix machine is extremely low compared to other appliances on the market.

I hope this information helps you in making your valuable decision.