The Vitamix 5200 was the top-of-the-line Vitamix for several years, won many industry awards, and is still considered by many of the “old time” demonstrators and chefs to be the best. For years it only had one name (5200), and was only sold by Vitamix, or by Vitamix demonstrators in Road Shows. Now Vitamix now calls this a “Standard” model or a “C-Series” and sells it in many places and under many different names.
Use this contact form (or click here) to ask for an email where I give you my
Vitamix Model Recommendations, Pricing, and Ordering Information.
VERY IMPORTANT
that you check my pricing and compare before
you consider buying ANY other
5200 aka Standard aka C-Series model!
Here are all (hopefully I did not miss any) of the different names of the 5200-aka-Standard-aka-C-Series models:
5200
CIA Professional Series
Creations II, Creations GC
Professional Series 200,
Aspire
Total Nutrition Center
TurboBlend VS.
IMPORTANT NOTE: ALL of the names listed above are the same machine, but they are given different names, and are sold with different cookbooks or accessories when sold in different stores. In William’s Sonoma, and high end kitchen stores it is called the Professional Series® 200, Bed Bath and Beyond calls it the CIA™ Professional Series®, in Canada it is called the Aspire, Vitamix demonstrators sell it as the 5200. There are more sales venues, and more names, but you get the idea…
When you buy new, you get to pick the name. When you buy reconditioned, you are buying any “Standard” model, and you get whatever model name they send you, but regardless of the name they send, it will be the same machine as what you see pictured below...
Container: The 5200 comes with a tall, narrow bottomed, wet, 64 oz. container. It is nice to add a 32 or 48 oz. low profile, narrow bottomed, wet container to go with a 5200 for the reasons listed here: Vitamix Containers Explained (be SURE to read the comments to that blog article!). Contact me if you have a tall, narrow bottomed, wet container, but you would like to have a low profile (narrow bottomed) wet container (that fits under your cabinets) to go with it.
The On/Off switch can be used to pulse.
The High and Variable Speed Control switch is where the 5200 (aka Standard aka C-Series) differs the most from the newer models (the Standard Programs, Next Generation, and Next Generation Programs). The GREAT thing about the High/Variable switch is that it allows you to get the SLOWEST Variable Speed #1. This is good for when you want to dry chop veggies (you get the biggest chop), and when you want to use your Vitamix to remove foam from soups and smoothies (sometimes you get a better result with a slower speed).
Chefs and many of the demonstrators who were around when the 5200 first came out (like me) greatly appreciate the greater range of processing speeds you get with the Variable/High configuration.
Most of the recipes you find online are for the Standard Model and talk about flipping the switch from Variable to High. When the High/Variable switch on the Standard is set to Variable, and the dial is at 1, the blades are spinning about 4 times slower than a “regular” blender (which allows the machine to function like a food processor). I food process anywhere from Variable 1 to 5. The higher the number on the dial, the smaller the chop. Soft foods (like onions and tomatoes) need a slower speed (#1) than hard foods like beets and carrots (#3-5).
Variable 4-5 allows the machine to work like a mixer for batters. Variable 6-7 would be about the speed of most “regular” blenders. Variable 10 would be about 2x faster than most regular blenders, and when you flip the switch to High, you are processing at about 4x the speed of most “regular” blenders.
With the newer models (Standard Programs, Next Generation, and Next Generation Programs) Variable 1 is equivalent to roughly about Variable 3 on a 5200-aka-Standard-aka-C-Series model. Variable 10 in these newer models is equivalent to High on a Standard.
Click here to find a chart that gives you the names of the Standard Programs, Next Generation, and Next Generation Programs models: Vitamix Buyer’s Guide
A New Vitamix 5200 comes with the Tall/Narrow Bottomed 64 oz. Wet Container, the Whole Foods Cookbook (spiral bound, easel backed for convenient viewing in the kitchen as you are cooking), the Getting Started booklet, and the classic tamper, and a 7-year warranty. BE SURE to get my pricing to comparison shop before you buy a Standard model somewhere else…
A Reconditioned Standard comes with everything you see pictured above, but in place of the cookbook and smaller Getting Started Guide, you get an expanded Getting Started Guide, and a 5-year warranty. Click Here to see why I recommend Reconditioned Vitamix Models. BE SURE to get my pricing to comparison shop before you buy a Reconditioned Vitamix model somewhere else…
Color Options for the Standard Model:
Contact Me for information about the Brushed Stainless color option.
Exceptions to the Standard Model
With all of the new model names, and all of the different places Vitamix machines are sold now, things can get confusing! There are 3 Standard models, that have exceptions to what you see in the 5200-aka-Standard-aka-C-Series diagram pictured above…
1) All of the Standard models have a 2 Peak Horsepower motor (which is more than strong enough to make all food preparation techniques including Hot Soups, Nut Butters, Ice Creams, etc.) EXCEPT the Creations GC and the 5300. The Creations GC is standard model in every way except the motor is stronger. It is not the 40% quieter, suspended motor of a Next Generation, but it is stronger.
2) The Standard motor in a 5300 model is stronger than the motor in the other Standard models described on this page, but Vitamix still considers the 5300 motor to be a “Standard” because it does not have the 40% quieter, suspended motor design of the Next Generation models. Vitamix calls the 5300 (sold in Costco stores) a “Standard” model, but I did not put it in this list because it is more of a hybrid between a Standard and a Next Generation Model. See this blog article for a comparison of the Vitamix 5300 (a Standard) and a 7500 (a Next Generation model).
3) A final exception to my picture above of a 5200-aka-Standard-aka-C-Series model is that sometimes QVC sells a Standard model called “Creations” with with the 48 oz. container instead of the tall/narrow 64oz. wet bottomed container. If you are considering this QVC option BE SURE to contact me first to get my pricing, and my highly recommended alternative.
I have all of the Vitamix models
(Standard, Standard Programs, Next Generation, Next Generation Programs, and an S30),
Contact me to find out what I use in my kitchen and why!
PLEASE email me at LeaAnn@BlenderLady.com and ask for my “Form Letters” that give my
Vitamix Model Recommendations, Pricing, and Ordering Information!
OR
By Lea Ann Savage – Copyright 2015
Want to be notified when there is a new blog post? SUBSCRIBE TO THE BLENDER LADY BLOG…