Head-to-head · Best Blenders for Smoothies

Vitamix 5200 vs Vitamix Explorian E310

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

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The short answer

Vitamix 5200 comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.6 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about households committed to long-term daily smoothie and soup making who want decade-of-use durability — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Blenders for Smoothies

Vitamix 5200

4.6

3 sources2 derived$489.99as of Aug 1

The Vitamix 5200 is the best-overall smoothie blender and a longtime America's Test Kitchen favorite. Its 2-peak-HP motor and tall 64 oz container produce the smoothest results in this lineup, and TechGearLab calls it "a smoothie maker's dream." Price, footprint, and noise are the trade-offs. It makes sense for households committed to daily blending, who will amortize the high price over a decade-plus of use.

Strengths

— Top of the pack for smoothie texture in TechGearLab testing — no flakes, chunks, or unblended greenery
— 2-peak-HP motor and 64 oz tall container pull a deep vortex that pulverizes berry seeds and kale stems
— Variable 1-10 dial gives the widest control range in this lineup, from salsa to liquefied frozen fruit

Watch-outs

— $449 is by far the most expensive pick
— Tall container won't fit under most upper cabinets while docked
— No preset programs or auto-iQ shutoff — you run it manually

$489.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #2 in Best Blenders for Smoothies

Vitamix Explorian E310

4.5

3 sources1 derived$444as of Aug 1

The Explorian E310 is the value Vitamix. It gives you the brand's signature smooth texture and the same manual variable-speed control as the 5200 for around $100 less. TechGearLab scored it 85/100, above the 5200's overall score in the same rubric, and RTINGS calls it "remarkable for multi-purpose use." The 48 oz container is smaller, so it fits one-to-three-person households better than large families.

Strengths

— Nearly Vitamix-5200-level smoothie texture for roughly $100 less — TechGearLab scored it 85/100
— Same simple variable-speed control philosophy as the flagship, with a 2-HP motor
— Compact 48 oz container fits more cabinets than the 5200's tall jar

Watch-outs

— No smoothie presets — you run the dial manually
— 48 oz jar is smaller than the 5200's 64 oz for big-batch households
— Green smoothies take a little extra run time to reach silky texture

$444 · Buy at vitamix-europe.com Full review →

Derived means the reviewer published no score, so one was inferred from their written verdict. Everything else is a number the publisher printed. How we rank.

How they stack up

Vitamix 5200

The smoothest and most durable pick, and the priciest. The Vitamix Explorian E310 delivers nearly identical texture for less money in a smaller 48 oz jar; the Breville Fresh & Furious and Ninja BN701 are roughly a third the price but leave more grit with berries and greens.

Vitamix Explorian E310

The value-Vitamix: nearly the Vitamix 5200's texture for about $100 less, but in a smaller 48 oz jar. Smoother and far more durable than the Breville Fresh & Furious and Ninja BN701; bigger and far more capable than the single-serve NutriBullet Pro 900.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Vitamix 5200	Vitamix Explorian E310
Power	1491W (2 peak HP)	1491W (2 HP)
Capacity	64 oz	48 oz
Speed Control	Variable 1-10 + Pulse	Variable 1-10 + Pulse
Programs	None (manual)	None (manual)
Container Material	BPA-free Tritan	BPA-free Tritan
Dishwasher Safe	Self-cleaning	Self-cleaning
Warranty	7-year full	5-year full
Footprint	20.5 in tall docked	17.5 in tall docked
Dimensions	8.75"D x 7.25"W x 20.5"H	11"D x 8"W x 18"H
Wattage	—	1380W

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