K-Tech Champ HP3 vs. Vita Mix 5000 - and the winner is the HP3!!!
Pros:
Amazing power, fits under the counter, flush/clean design.
Cons:
Expensive but doesn't look it; electronic controls take getting used to.
The Bottom Line:
The HP3 gives you more $$$ in performance for less money than the Vita-mix. Thus, I have to recommend the HP3 - it's the best!
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I saw the Vita-Mix demonstration at a local Costco and purchased it. I saw the HP3 demonstration at a Home and Garden Expo and realized I bought the wrong machine at Costco.
SIZE MATTERS - The first thing that hit me in the demonstration was the size of the HP3. The base of the unit is MUCH smaller than the Vita-Mix and coupled with the design of the container, the height of the HP3 is easily four inches shorter (not including the tamping device). So the Vita-Mix will not fit under a traditional height counter when cabinets are above. The HP3 slides in nicely. You might be thinking this isn't a big deal but I can tell you from experience it is! I knew if I put the blender away, I wouldn't use it. So I ended up leaving the parts in the dish drain all the time and my kitchen never quite looked clean. With the HP3, it slides under the counter like a regular blender. But that's pretty much where the similarities end. As the demonstration explains, cell phones used to be a lot bigger. But electronics allowed them to get smaller and pack more punch. The same is true of the HP3. It is compact but delivers big-time blending.
BLADE DESIGN - This is probably the most important aspect of the HP3. The blade does not look like an ordinary four blade blender. It is a thick piece of metal that is shaped like the wing of an airplane. Instead of tossing the ingredients up and into the side of the container, it creates a whirlpool effect that draws the ingredients down and into the blade. This means you don't need a stick to shove in the top to get the ingredients going. The Vita-mix looks like the same blade of a regular blender. It works because it has much more power.
I made two drinks side by side in the HP3 and the Vita-mix (2 Clemintine oranges, slice of pineapple, slice of cantaloupe, 2 strawberries and ice). Both yielded great drinks. But the Vita-mix required the use of a tamper and my constant attention. I never touched the HP3 once it started.
POWER - The power of the machine is staggering. I don't really care about the numbers but I'll share anyway. The Vita-Mix has a 2+ horsepower motor which did a nice job on everything I put in it. The HP3 has (duh) a three horsepower motor. Coupled with the unique blade design, it pulverizes everything!
CONTAINER - Both the HP3 and the Vita-Mix hold the same amount of stuff. Hard to believe because the Vita-mix looks so much bigger. But they both have a sturdy container. I did watch the guy at the HP3 demo hit the container with a hammer. Nothing happened. The other thing about the HP3 is you don't need a separate container to do dry goods. I don't know why the Vita-mix uses a different container but it does and that's another $80.
CONTROL DESIGN - The HP3 has electronic components so everything works with flush buttons. There are no external knobs or switches. So if you spill something anywhere on the base unit, you can just wipe it up with a sponge. It’s like the flat range tops where the heating element is under the cooking surface. Nothing can get under the surface. I didn't have the Vita-mix long enough to experience build-up on the base but I can see how it happens. The other neat thing about the controls on the HP3 is how the motor adjusts to ensure proper blending. It will speed up and slow down during the cycle and then shut off when the blending is complete. The best Vita-mix can do is shut off when the timer runs out (if you purchase the unit with the timer) and it’s up to you to turn the speed control dial back and forth.
LOOKS - For some reason, the Vita-mix looks like a better blender. Maybe it's the size, maybe it's the shape of the container (it has curves on the inside), or maybe it's just me. The HP3 just looks like another blender. So if you are into looks, the Vita-mix wins. ---Actually, the HP3 looked much better in my kitchen than it did at the show.
OVERALL - Overall, while both blenders are leaps and bounds better than the $75 unit you'll get at Macy's, given that you will pay $400+ for both the HP3 and the Vita-Mix 5000 both run around $400, the HP3 wins. I think I would have been quite happy with the Vita-Mix 5000. But I'm MUCH happier with the HP3 and I think you will be too!
