Vitamix ONE

The Vitamix ONE: The Best Little Blender

The Vitamix ONE, listed at $249 ($349 CAN), is the company’s third try at making a blender suitable for just one person. And for the first time, it’s one we love.

Because when making an entry-level Vitamix, you want an entry-level price. But in order to do that, you can’t have it all.

Their first attempt at a Vitamix for one, the S30, was small and could do everything a full-size Vitamix can do. The problem was that it didn’t do any of those things all that well.

The second attempt at a Vitamix for one, the E310, had a small container but full-powered motor. It could do all the tasks, but the motor was almost dangerously loud.

The third attempt, the Vitamix ONE, is the right size and not too loud. The sacrifice is that it can’t do everything.

But for a lot of people, that’s okay.

And what it can do, it does a pretty darn good job.

In this review of the Vitamix ONE, we’ll talk about what it can do, what it cannot do, and everything else you ought to know before buying one.

Note: Please consider using our link to the ONE to make your purchase Direct from Vitamix. Because if you see our name at checkout, 06-NOYOKE, we should receive credit for your purchase and it will help support our small family business. Thanks!

Why you should trust us

We’ve been full-time Vitamix affiliate partners for the last decade. We’ve been able to do this for so long by recommending the right Vitamix for the right people.

You can read more about us here.

What’s good about it the ONE

There’s a lot to like about the Vitamix ONE.

It’s small.

The Vitamix ONE, like nearly all new Vitamix blenders, is designed to fit under standard cabinets. So it can live on your counter fully assembled — no need to transfer it from a cabinet.

From a footprint standpoint, it’s also quite small. Without measuring, the footprint feels nearly half the size of a full-size machine’s.

(Above is the ONE next to an A3500. The biggest difference in footprint comes from each model’s depth; the ONE’s depth is 25% smaller than the full-size Ascent next to it.)

And the container is 32-ounces, the smallest non-personal cup container available from Vitamix. This nice because it’s big enough to make a large smoothie for one person, but small enough to make a batch of dressing or baby food for today.

It’s not too loud.

We measured around low to mid 90 decibels. That’s not the quietest Vitamix, but definitely on the less loud end of the Vitamix blender noise spectrum.

But measurements aside, it didn’t feel loud at all.

Like you know how some machines have a piercing or thundering noise? This had neither.

It’s easy to clean.

Like all Vitamix models, the ONE is super easy to clean. Why?

The blade on the ONE’s, like all full-size Vitamix models, is fixed to the container. So no need to take anything apart and scrub in and around tiny grooves.

To clean the ONE, just blend warm water with a drop of soap for 30 seconds. Rinse it out, and you’re done.

And even though it’s not dishwasher safe, it’s easier to clean than Vitamix alternatives in its price range.

What it can do

The Vitamix ONE can do blender tasks pretty well.

Here’s what we made:

We made our green juice and the results were as good as when we make it in our full-size Vitamix.

We made a protein shake and the results were also great. We used frozen banana, oats, and protein powder and there were no chunks or chalky-ness.

And while most little blenders have a hard time making thick smoothie bowls or frozen desserts, the ONE does a great job and handles it without issue.

We made thick acai bowls with mostly frozen ingredients. We used the tamper to gently push the ingredients down into the blade (as you do when making any frozen dessert) and it worked as well as it does in a full-size model.

We’ve yet to test sauces or dressings. But based on the three tests above, we have no doubt it would be able to do these well, too.

What it cannot do

The Vitamix ONE is more of a pro-grade blender than it is a proper Vitamix, per se. Here’s why.

By design, the Vitamix ONE can’t do several of the classic (and special) Vitamix tasks. In fact, there are symbols laser printed onto the container reminding you of what it cannot do. (And in the owner’s manual, you’re reminded that if you attempt these things, it could damage your ONE and void your warranty.)

It can’t make nut butters

The motor on the ONE isn’t strong enough to power through nut butters. That also goes for nut-based snack bites, especially ones that use dates. (Our blueberry cookie balls and iron bites come to mind.)

It can’t grind dry grains

The ONE cannot handle the high-impact collisions with hard ingredients that occur when blending dry grains. It will damage the container and motor’s drive socket.

It can’t heat hot soups (or do any hot blends)

The ONE comes with thermal protection system. So if the motor gets too hot, it will shut itself down to cool.

But that shut-off occurs at around three minutes of blending. And most start-to-finish hot soups require at least five minutes of continuous blending.

Moreover, the ONE’s container is not equipped to handle hot ingredients. The retainer nut is different from the ones on full-size models and cannot pull heat away from the container.

It is not compatible with any other container

The ONE comes with a unique 32-ounce container that only fits it and no other model. And all other accessory attachments and containers are not compatible with it. (They physically won’t fit.)

So the Food Processor Attachment, Aer Disc, 8-ounce, etc. cannot be used with the ONE.

Do the Vitamix ONE’s limitations matter?

If you’re following our lifestyle, it’s going to be tricky to make several of our staples.

With the ONE, you’ll need to use the stovetop to make our queso. Because you can’t blend until hot.

Same with our broccoli cheese soup.

With the ONE, our detox salad might take you three times as long because the container and blade’s size compared to that of the low-profile 64-ounce container.

With the ONE, you won’t be able to make fresh cornmeal from popcorn kernels for homemade cornbread.

And with the ONE, you won’t be able to make any of our energy bites.

But for a lot of people, that might be okay, especially if you’re just getting started.

Who it might be for

The Vitamix ONE might be for you if…

You’re just getting into a healthy lifestyle.

Little known fact: 80% of the people that come to us asking which Vitamix to buy say their Nutribullet or Ninja died and are finally ready to get a Vitamix. Well, the ONE changes things a bit.

If you have $100 to get a blender, you should still get a Nutribullet. But if you have $200 to spend on your first blender, you should spend the extra $50 on the ONE.

Why?

Because no matter what blender you get, you’re going to be excited. You’re beginning a healthy lifestyle. But after the first few blends when its performance begins to decline, you’re going to be excited about the day it finally dies and you can get a Vitamix.

With the ONE, you can save yourself the time and money put into an alternative.

You need a graduation or wedding gift.

A full-size Vitamix has always been a bit too much gift, even if it’s a reconditioned model. But now, the ONE, while still super generous, is a well-fitting gift for high school and college grads.

For high school grads, the ONE fits nicely in dorm rooms. And for college grads, it’s the perfect size for a first “grown-up” apartment.

Weddings, too. The ONE is awesome for newlyweds. (They may soon grow out of it and need a full-size, but not for a while.)

You already have a Vitamix and want another one.

If you’re lucky enough to have a lake home or cottage or RV, you may miss your Vitamix while you’re away from home. With the ONE, you can have the smoothies and whole-food juices and protein shakes you’re used to without going overboard on a second Vitamix.

Who it might not be for

The Vitamix ONE might not be for you if you’re going all-in and want to do all the Vitamix things. And if you’re living with more than one other person, you’re going to want something bigger and probably more powerful.

FAQ

How loud is the ONE?

We used an app to measure for noise comparison‘s sake and got between 92 and 94 decibels. But subjectively, the ONE didn’t sound that loud at all. Nothing piercing like some blenders and certainly not thunderous like some others.

Container material

The ONE’s container is made of BPA-free Tritan.

How much horsepower is the ONE?

The power specs for the Vitamix ONE are not listed anywhere on the box or website.

Seems like Vitamix doesn’t want to participate in the horsepower/watts comparison game. Perhaps they’d rather let the ONE’s engineering and results be the differentiator?

Why just a two-year warranty?

To keep the price down, they’ve limited the years of warranty to two. It’s not necessarily a reflection of the quality. It’s just that providing full warranty support (pick up, repair, and return your machine at no cost) is expensive.

Conclusion and recommendation

For the right home, the Vitamix ONE is a great fit. For what it can do, it does it very well.

Within our Vitamix model comparison guide, we’re excited to make it our pick for those on a budget and anyone living alone.

Thanks for reading and please note: We know you have a lot of options for where to get your next blender (whether or not it’s the ONE). We’d love for you to get it through us; but if you don’t that’s okay and we still invite you to come into our world join us in “the promised land” of eating a little bit better with the help of a Vitamix. Keep me updated!