Vitamix A2300i Ascent blender review

Cons:

• Very expensive
• Lacks chopping and grating functions

Star rating: 4/5

The Vitamix A2300i is technically best described as a blender, rather than a food processor, due to its relatively limited range of functions.

The A2300i can’t chop ingredients like other food processors we’ve tested, and it certainly can’t peel or dice vegetables like the Sage Kitchen Wizz Peel & Dice does.

With all that said, we’ve decided to review the A2300i anyway, since it does a superb job of performing several processing functions – mixing sauces, soups, batters, dressings, dough, baby food, desserts, and of course, smoothies.

If functions like these will be more useful to you than chopping or grating, this machine is a great choice.

The A2300i comes with just one blade. This happens to be a very strong and effective one, laser-cut from hardened steel, and built into the base of the jug.

Whether you choose the lowest speed setting or the highest, the appliance does an exquisite job of blitzing and blending, producing smooth, evenly blended results. We suggest using a relatively low speed setting for all but the hardest ingredients, as the motor does get particularly noisy when it’s working hard.

This processor couldn’t be much easier to use. Tip in your ingredients, then blend at an appropriate speed for your chosen duration. You should be able to find applicable instructions in the recipe you’re using; or alternatively, you can judge the progress by eye.

The blender comes with a muddler, which you can use to mash up soft-but-thick-skinned ingredients before blending.

It’s extremely tough and well-designed. We appreciated its method for attaching to the blender base – simply slotting into place, without the usual need to twist.

This is a particularly safe blender to use, given the absence of detachable blades. Just watch out for the blade when reaching inside the jug to clean it.

With few components to speak of, the 2300i is really easy to store. The muddler can go in the cutlery drawer, while the processor can be left on a shelf or worktop. Its footprint is similar in size to an A4 piece of paper.

We’d rate this as a good-looking blender. The digital timer looks smart, and the jug is very well designed. However, considering the high price you pay for the Vitamax A2300i, you could be forgiven for expecting a little more dazzle, in terms of aesthetics.

Vitamix A23001 specifications:
Components: base unit, jug (2 litre), muddler, cookbook
Functions: blend, mix, grind
Colours: red
Item weight: 6.93kg

How to use a blender

Soup recipes
Smoothie recipes
8 new ways to use a blender

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This review was last updated in August 2020. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.