Vitamix Personal Blender S50 & S55 S-Series Review

Article by  Chef Austin 

 

Quick Specs: 800W Motor | 40oz & 20oz Blender Jars Included | 5 Year Warranty

Best For: The morning-smoothie enthusiast. The S50 & S55 20oz blender jar transforms into your to-go smoothie cup with no cleanup. Also included is a 40oz. jar, great for making smaller meals. Perfect for health-conscious singles and couples who do not want to compromise power for space. 

Pros:

• Easy-to-use and understand controls
• 10-speed manual blending for more than just smoothies
• 20oz smoothie jar transforms into to-go cup with flip-top lid, no cleanup required after blending
• Two blender jars included; 20oz to-go single-smoothie jar and 40oz blending jar with tamper
• Preset on dial for smoothies - press one button and come back to a perfectly blended smoothie

Cons:

• Cannot use other Vitamix blender jars, you can only use specially sized jars for the S-series 
• Smaller blender; doesn't have as much power as a full-sized Vitamix
• Cannot make hot soup like the full-sized Vitamix blenders

 

The Vitamix S-Series is the perfect option for small-batch meals or for your daily wake-up ritual of a morning smoothie. The S50 and S55 are great smaller-size blenders and still pack the power Vitamix is famous for. These blenders are the answer to high power blending for single and couples. 

The S Series includes two jars with a single, detachable blade base which attaches to both the classic 40oz. blending jar with the open top and tamper, and the 20oz. closed-top jar/travel cup. 

The travel-cup jar is my favorite thing about Vitamix’s personal blender. The jar is designed to be loaded with just the right amount of fruits and greens for a smoothie, and the easy-access preset function quickly blends everything into an on-the-go drinkable meal. And the 'on-the-go' part is what I like best - simply remove the blender blade from the bottom of the jar, screw on the flip-top lid and voila! You have an instant to-go travel mug! No longer do you have to pour your smoothie into a cup then clean the blender jar before you can head to work (or worse, leave it in the sink for your spouse find later). With this simple, obvious feature, Vitamix just made it even easier to fit a healthy breakfast into your busy morning.

The 40oz blending jar is great for hummus, pesto, almond milk, nut butters and pretty much anything else you might want to blend. I like the 40oz size because it's easier to make portions that my wife and I can enjoy that night and not have a ton of unwanted leftovers. It's nice to make a few servings of Hollandaise sauce for eggs Benedict without wasting tons of butter and egg yolks like we have to do with the larger, 64-oz jar included with Vitamix’s other full-sized blenders.

The S50 showing off the Smoothie and Power Blend timed presets.  

Both the S50 and the S55 feature the 10-speed variable control dial. I found the design easy to use, just turn the dial to whatever setting you want, then press the dial to start the function. The S-Series all include the Pulse Function, a timed Smoothie preset, and a Power Blend preset. The Power Blend is a timed cycle like the smoothie function but has a higher blending speed to cut through tough kale leaves, raw carrots, and other hearty vegetables. 

The S55 sports the Smoothie and Power Blend timed presets along with blended dips and frozen desserts preset.  

The S55 has two additional presets for making dips and frozen desserts like ice cream. It's always nice to just press a button, walk away from your blender and come back to perfectly puréed hummus. We tested a simple berry sorbet in this personal blender - it crushed the ice finely and blended the berries evenly, making the right amount of frozen dessert for two people. There was a small ice chunk caught under the blades, but the Vitamix got everything else. The S55 also has a very attractive brushed stainless steel finish, so it looks sharp sitting on your counter.

The only downside to the personal-size series is that it can't make hot soup like in the full-size Vitamix blenders. But, you can still puree soup ingredients then heat them on your stove. During testing, we noticed sometimes ingredients would get stuck in the bottom of the 40oz blender jar. Because of the smaller area, larger chunks of food can get stuck underneath the blades, an issue that doesn't happen nearly as often with the 64oz jar on full-size Vitamix blenders. But other than this hiccup, the personal-size blenders from Vitamix blended everything without a hitch.

Chef Austin's Verdict

Chef Austin making a green smoothie in the to-go personal blender jar/cup.

Whether you're making your morning smoothies or a couple of bowls of ice cream for after dinner, the S50 and the S55 are perfect for individuals or couples wanting to mix up smaller portions and avoid leftovers. The cup/jar with flip-top lid is extremely convenient, and with the preset functions, it's easy to make nutrient-dense smoothies you can drink on the go. The smaller-sized S50 and S55 take up minimal space on your countertop or in cabinets. You're sacrificing some power compared to Vitamix’s full-size blenders, but these personal-size blenders are still way more powerful than any inexpensive personal (or full-size!) blender you can grab off the shelf at a big-box store.

 

About the Author:  Chef Austin Merath is Everything Kitchen's Culinary Wizard, Kitchen-Gadget Reviewer, and New-Product Tester. He studied under chefs in College of the Ozarks' Culinary Program. It's his job to make sure you choose the kitchen tools that are right for you by testing the best we have to offer. When not cooking, Austin is tinkering with computers or exploring the Ozarks with his wife Amy. Click here for his full bio.