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The Most Important Manual Settings I Mastered After Eight Months With My Vitamix Ascent X5
Using the preset functions is just scratching the surface.
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It actually only takes one time blending a smoothie to forever learn that you should check that the lid is on your blender. The feeling of banana chunks in my hair after I had already showered is seared into my memory, and finding dried up fruit splatter weeks later provides long-term reminders of how to properly secure my Vitamix Ascent X5 before pressing start. But beyond this big lesson, there are many smaller ones. Here are the most important manual-ish settings and tools I’ve mastered after eight months using the Vitamix Ascent X5.
Presets are only the beginning
I admit, I completely fell in love with the presets on this machine before venturing off into manual territory. Frankly, if you are the set-it-and-forget-it type, that’s reason enough to buy this top-of-the-line blender, and you could be perfectly happy with navigating the hot soup, nut butter, smoothie, frozen dessert, and dip settings forever. (Read my full-review to see the tests I ran on the preset functions.) However, I’m naturally the experimental type, and occasionally I’ve run into times where a preset doesn’t seem to fit my needs. So I’ve branched out and taken matters into my own hands.
The manual speed dial
One thing I’ve learned from watching the presets run is what happens with the timing and blade speed. Essentially, these two things make up any given preset, whether it’s the smoothie function or the hot soup function. They start off slowly and after a few or several seconds, the speed ramps up to level 10 (the highest speed) and stays there for some amount of time. Occasionally, the speed reduces again and ramps up again before stopping.
After a few attempts at blending my own salsas, marinades, and sauces, I began to realize that there’s a reason for the slow start and quick increase in speed later. Starting off at a high speed might mean flinging ingredients up to the lid and maybe never maneuvering them down again unless you stop the machine to scrape the sides. That’s annoying, and it can make the process take longer overall.
Instead, I got comfortable with the manual speed dial by keeping it down at the level 1 setting (the slowest speed), which chops up the ingredients slowly, either loosening up the mixture, or breaking down bigger ingredients into more manageable chunks. After about five to 10 seconds, I would ramp up the speed to level 10, all while keeping an eye on my mixture and the texture. Maybe I’d end up staying at level 8 for a time and decrease the speed back down to level 2 to check on the consistency. I use the same technique as the presets, but customized to the recipe’s particular needs.
The + :15 seconds button
This function is related to the presets, but it’s important in my weekly operations, so I think it’s applicable here. The + :15 seconds is one of only a few buttons on the display and yet I ignored it for some time. It is a simple idea and makes a huge difference, though: You press this button when you think your blend needs another 15 seconds of processing—or press twice for another 30 seconds, or press "stop" somewhere in between. I make a fruit smoothie a few times a week, and this is especially useful when my fruit mixture doesn’t get off to a strong start. For example, if I added spinach or large hunks of apple and they get stuck at the top of the canister for half of the blend. I’ll just tap the all-powerful + :15 button until I’m satisfied that those items are fully incorporated.
The tamper
On the topic of ingredients getting stuck at the top, I’ll come clean: I’ve been tamper resistant. The tamper is a plastic baseball bat-looking thing that comes with the Vitamix blenders, and it’s meant to help drive ingredients safely into the blades. It's not hard to use, you just cram it into the container through the opening in the lid. However, as a lazy person who shies away from dirtying additional kitchen tools, I started my Vitamix journey by waiting and hoping for the blender to do its blending duty. Then I’d get irritated when the preset would end and pieces of fruit were stuck at the top. Meanwhile the display has a little tamper symbol telling me, “Hey, hello, use this now.”
I’ve finally come around: I now start most blends with my tamper in hand at the ready. Only I am to blame if my food takes longer than intended if I don't use it. It’s not even hard to clean; it’s smooth plastic (but I am a work in progress).
The pulse button
As for the only other button left on this control panel, I’ve finally started to embrace the pulse button too. It’s funny because when I use a food processor, a cousin of the blender, I love the pulse button. I rely on pulsing far more than the on button. I started using the pulse button on the Vitamix when I wanted to keep a closer eye on the texture.
The pulse button only blends while you hold it. It allows you to do short bursts at whichever speed you want and stops as soon as you remove your finger. It takes the commitment out of starting a preset or even starting a blend manually and the texture getting away from you before you know it. I’ve been using the pulse button for making blender cakes, which works out great but you do want to be careful not to overwork the batter. The pulse button is ideal for a one- or two-second blend, just to incorporate your ingredients.
Things I learned the hard way
Don’t tilt the container while the machine is running. Why would anyone do this? Definitely not to avoid using the tamper and instead try to shake the stuck material down into the blades. It makes a horrifying grinding sound, and you’ll scare your cats out of their slumbers. Also, it’s not effective. The container gently sits atop the gear powered by the incredibly strong engine; it’s not locked in with a clip or anything. If you tilt the container, you’re just grinding the very expensive metal cogs, not so much affecting what’s inside the vessel. Remember, the tamper is our friend.
Do check that the lid is on. The Vitamix does not detect if the lid is on like many food processors do. If the lid isn’t on the container when you press start, she will run like it is. Of course, you want to keep your hands and any other items and body parts safe while the machine is running, but you will almost certainly end up wearing your food if you run the machine without the lid on. Just a quick glance up is all you need to blend safely and mess-free.
