The Vitamix Explorian E520 is a full-size blender that's part of the same product line as the Vitamix Explorian E310 and is only available at Costco (U.S.). Like most Vitamix blenders we've tested, it delivers versatile performance and is safe for hot blending. There's a pair of 22-ounce tumblers included with matching lids and stainless-steel straws, but you can't use them for blending.
Our Verdict
The Vitamix E520 is incredible for multi-purpose use. It has a big 64-ounce capacity and a versatile performance, since it can hot blend, make a smooth puree with fibrous ingredients, and easily handle tough ingredients like nuts and ice cubes. It's very sturdy, and all of its components are dishwasher-safe. However, it's very loud. Tumblers are included for bringing your smoothie or protein shake on the go, but you can't use them for blending.
-
Makes snow-like crushed ice.
-
Can hot blend.
-
Fantastic build quality.
-
Smoothly blends fibrous ingredients like kale.
-
No additional jars you can use for blending.
-
Very loud.
The Vitamix E520 is amazing for making single-serve smoothies. Using the 64-ounce jar, it makes a nearly perfectly smooth blend with single-serve batches of fibrous ingredients like kale or fruit skin. When working with smaller batches, you have to scrape down the sides of the jar for the best results, but it's still fairly easy to use for something like a single-serve smoothie. It's also easy to clean by hand after whipping up a personal smoothie, and the jar and lid are dishwasher-safe. There are tumblers with straws included that you can pour your smoothie into, but you can't use them for blending.
-
Makes snow-like crushed ice.
-
Fantastic build quality.
-
Smoothly blends fibrous ingredients like kale.
-
No additional jars you can use for blending.
-
Very loud.
The Vitamix E520 is fantastic for making multiple servings of smoothies. If you fill the 64-ounce main jar to its full capacity, it makes an extremely smooth puree with fibrous ingredients, so you can make silky smoothies even if your recipe includes tough additions like leafy greens. However, while it's quite fast, some blenders produce similar results faster.
-
Fantastic build quality.
-
Smoothly blends fibrous ingredients like kale.
-
Very loud.
The Vitamix E520 Blender is fantastic for ice-crushing. It's easy to make snow-like crushed ice for cocktails and frozen drinks. It's also very sturdy. That said, some blenders can crush ice a little faster or have automatic blending programs for a hands-free process.
-
Makes snow-like crushed ice.
-
Fantastic build quality.
-
Very loud.
The Vitamix E520 is superb for making soups. It's very well-built and comes with a 64-ounce main jar that you can use to blend hot ingredients. It can incorporate fibrous ingredients like kale into your mixes and is easy to clean by hand. The jar, lid, and tamper are all dishwasher-safe as well.
-
Can hot blend.
-
Fantastic build quality.
-
Smoothly blends fibrous ingredients like kale.
-
Very loud.
The Vitamix E520 is incredible for professional use. It's very well-built and has a 64-ounce main jar with a two-part lid, so you can add ingredients or use the tamper without stopping the machine. It has a very versatile performance and is safe for hot blending. It's also easy to clean by hand, and the jar, lid, and tamper are dishwasher-safe.
-
Makes snow-like crushed ice.
-
Can hot blend.
-
Fantastic build quality.
-
Smoothly blends fibrous ingredients like kale.
-
Very loud.
- 9.1 Multi-Purpose
- 8.7 Smoothies (Single Serving)
- 9.4 Smoothies (Multiple Servings)
- 9.4 Ice Crushing
- 9.5 Soups
- 9.3 Professional Use
- Updated Sep 20, 2024: We've updated the results to more accurately reflect the blender's performance. The score for Fibrous Ingredients (Small Batches) processing changed from 8.5 to 6.5 because of the blending time and the need to use a spatula. The score for Fibrous Ingredients (Full Capacity) processing changed from 10 to 8.5 because of the blending time.
- Updated Dec 07, 2023: We've updated this review's text to improve its accuracy and clarity.
- Updated Dec 15, 2022: Made minor updates to the text.
- Updated Sep 26, 2022: Revised text to reflect Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Sep 07, 2022: Added a comparison between this blender's tumblers and the Vitamix Venturist V1200's additional jar.
- Updated Aug 24, 2022: Converted to Test Bench 1.0.
- Updated Oct 26, 2021: Review published.
- Updated Oct 19, 2021: Early access published.
- Updated Oct 15, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
- Updated Oct 13, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
- Updated Oct 06, 2021: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.
Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The Vitamix E520 comes in either 'Βlack' or 'Gray'. We tested it in 'Gray', and you can see the label for the unit we've tested here. Since the differences are purely cosmetic, we expect both color variants to perform similarly.
If you come across another variant, let us know in the forums, and we'll update our review.
Compared To Other Blenders
The Vitamix E520 is on the lower end of the price range for Vitamix blenders. It has a similar design to the Vitamix Explorian E310, except it has a few automatic blending programs on its dial. Its 64-ounce capacity is bigger, and it comes with a pair of 22-ounce tumblers with straws. You can't use these tumblers for blending, unlike the personal jars that come with blenders like the Vitamix Venturist V1200 and the Blendtec Designer 725, but you can buy a personal jar and adapter separately from Vitamix. Unfortunately, this blender is very loud, so it can be annoying if you do a lot of blending.
If you're looking for more options, look at our lists of the best blenders, the best blenders for smoothies, and the best blenders for frozen drinks.
You may prefer either the Vitamix Explorian E310 or the Vitamix Explorian E520. The biggest difference is their capacity: the E520 has a 64-ounce jar, and the E310 has a 48-ounce jar. The E520 is a bit better suited for processing large batches of fibrous ingredients and ice-crushing. It also has a few automatic blending programs and a pair of tumblers with straws. They're meant for serving drinks like smoothies, but you can't use them for blending, unlike the personal jars that usually come with blenders. On the other hand, the E310 a much better choice for processing small batches of fibrous ingredients, like for a single-serve smoothie.
The Vitamix 5200 and the Vitamix Explorian E520 are very similar blenders with slight differences. While both blenders have a fairly similar overall performance, the 5200 model is quieter than the Explorian E520. However, the Explorian E520 has two tumblers for on-the-go use and a couple of programs for blending specific recipes like smoothies.
The Vitamix 7500 is a bit better than the Vitamix Explorian E520. The 7500 is sturdier and much quieter when it's running. The Explorian's 48-ounce main jar offers better performance for some uses, like processing small amounts of fibrous ingredients. It's also better for making nut butter, but the 7500 is great for that purpose, too.
The Vitamix Propel 750 is a little better than the Vitamix Explorian E520, mostly because it's much quieter. The Propel also has a few extra blending programs. However, the Explorian comes with a pair of tumblers with straws that you can transfer your drink into, but they aren't blending jars.
The Vitamix Propel 510 and the Vitamix Explorian E520 are similar blenders with different strengths. While both blenders offer a fantastic overall blending performance, the Propel 510 is a lot quieter at max volume. However, the Explorian E520's jar is larger, and it comes with two tumblers and straws so that you can take your drinks with you on the go.
You may prefer either the Blendtec Designer 725 or the Vitamix Explorian E520. The Blendtec comes with a bigger 90-ounce main pitcher and its 24oz personal jar makes blending small batches much faster. It's quieter and easier to clean by hand. However, despite being slower, the Vitamix ultimately makes a smoother blend with fibrous ingredients like kale.
The Vitamix Explorian E520 is better for most purposes than the Blendtec Classic 575. The Vitamix is much sturdier and does a much better job of processing hard ingredients like nuts. On the other hand, the Blendtec is easier to clean by hand and has a bigger 90-ounce capacity.
The Vitamix Explorian E520 is slightly better than the Breville The Q. The Vitamix is better built and has a speed dial that gives you more control over the blending speed. It's somewhat better for making nut butter. However, the Breville has the edge when it comes to crushing ice. It's also much quieter when running and easier to clean by hand.
The Vitamix Explorian E520 is a better blender than the Ninja Blender Duo with Auto-iQ BL642. The Vitamix is studier, offers more speed settings, and is easier to clean by hand. It makes a smoother blend with fibrous ingredients like kale and it's easier to use for thick recipes like nut butter. It can also hot blend. On the other hand, the Ninja comes with personal jars that can blend small batches for something like a single-serve smoothie faster.
The Vitamix Explorian E520 is better than the nutribullet Smart Touch Blender Combo. The Vitamix has a better build quality and does a fantastic job of crushing ice and making nut butter. It offers a wider range of speed settings, and it's easier to clean by hand. On the other hand, the nutribullet comes with a personal blending jar, meaning you may prefer it for single-serve smoothies.
The Vitamix Explorian E520 and the Vitamix 5300 perform very similarly. The Explorian is a bit louder, and it has a few automatic blending programs in addition to a speed dial. You may also prefer it because it comes with a pair of tumblers and straws that you can use to bring a smoothie to go, but they can't be used for blending.
Test Results
The Vitamix E520 is quite a big, full-size blender. If you don't have a spacious cupboard, you likely need to store it on your counter. You can remove the jar for easier storage, though.
This blender is very well-built, placing it on par with other models from this brand, like the Vitamix Explorian E310 and Vitamix 5200. It's mostly made of high-quality plastic with a metal and plastic transmission gear on both the motor base and jar. There are four feet to elevate the blender off of your counter and to keep it from moving around when in use. There's also a place to wrap up the sturdy power cord for easy and tangle-free storage and a dedicated on/off switch on the bottom left side, which glows blue when on.
It comes with two tumblers, which feel durable. They come with lids that screw onto the tumblers for a secure fit. There's a mechanism that closes the straw hole when not in use, so you don't have to worry about your drink spilling on you by accident.
It comes with a 64-ounce main jar, similar to other Vitamix blenders like the Vitamix 7500. There's also a pair of 22-ounce tumblers with straws, but you can't use them for blending. You can purchase additional jars from Vitamix, including a personal jar for blending (with an adapter). However, unlike 'Ascent' series blenders like the Vitamix A3500, it's not compatible with Vitamix's line of 'Self-Detect' containers. If you want a similar blender with a personal blending jar included, check out the Vitamix Venturist V1200.
The pitcher and lid are made of plastic and are dishwasher-safe. While this blender comes with tumblers, you can't use them for drinking. Unfortunately, Vitamix doesn't specify if the tumblers and straws can go in the dishwasher.
If you're looking to add an additional pitcher, the Vitamix Legacy (C Series and G Series) containers are compatible with this motor base.
The blade assembly has four blades you aren't meant to remove from the main jar. The jar and blades are dishwasher-safe, though.
The Vitamix E520 comes with a rubberized two-part lid. You can remove the lid's clear plastic centerpiece to add ingredients mid-blend and use it as a small measuring cup. The manual says it has measuring marks, but ours doesn't have any.
The tumblers have a two-part lid, which allows you to secure your drink on the go.
The power cable is long and thick, and there's a space to wrap it under the blender with tabs to hold it in place.
- Blender motor base
- 64-ounce jar
- Two-part lid with plastic cap
- 2x 22 oz tumblers
- 2x tumbler lids
- 2x stainless steel straws with rubber sheaths
- Manuals and recipe book
This blender does a fantastic job of processing fibrous ingredients in small batches. It produces a silky smooth puree with ingredients like kale. However, ingredients can splash up the sides of the jar, so you may need to pause blending and use a spatula to scrape down the sides.
It's fantastic at processing fibrous ingredients at full capacity. It makes a nearly perfectly smooth, grain-free blend if you're making a big batch of broccoli soup or kale smoothies. It's an easy process, with the only downside being that some blenders can produce equally good results faster.
It's fantastic for crushing ice. The dedicated switch to manually pulse turns ice cubes into snow-like crushed ice in seconds. There's also a 'Frozen Dessert' setting, but if you use it to try and crush ice cubes, the blender can't fully process them, so it's better to save this mode for making margaritas or slush.
This blender is superb at making nut butter. After ramping up from low to high speed, you must use the tamper to push the ingredients towards the blades for the best results. You need to stop and use a spatula to scrape any ingredients stuck on the sides down towards the blades. Still, it doesn't take very long to make outstanding nut butter.
Unfortunately, this is one of Vitamix's noisiest blenders. It's extremely loud, so it can be very irritating to stand near it when in use. If you're looking for a quieter full-size blender, you'll want to check out the KitchenAid K400 and the Vitamix 7500 instead.
The speed dial gives you access to a wide range of blending speeds, so you can easily start at low speed and slowly ramp up or fine-tune the speed to suit your recipe.
This blender has a speed dial that allows you to make small adjustments to the speed. Unlike the Vitamix Explorian E310, you can choose between three automatic blending programs: 'Smoothie', 'Ηot Soup', and 'Frozen Dessert'. There's a switch for pulse mode to the left of the dial and a start/stop switch to the right. To start the blender, you also need to flip the ON/OFF switch located on the bottom left side of the motor base. The switch lights up in blue when in the 'ON' position and acts as a safety feature to prevent the blender from being switched on accidentally.
It's easy to clean by hand. You can easily run it for a minute or so at top speed and remove most of the residue. You'll still need to wipe down the jar, blades, and lid with a sponge to clean the blender fully. To clean the blades effectively, you'll also want to use a brush with a handle to clean it thoroughly.
Recommended Articles
Comments
Vitamix Explorian E520: Main Discussion
Let us know why you want us to review the product here, or encourage others to vote for this product.
- 21010
thank you!
However, I’m confused because I thought the 2022 in the RTINGS review said it had flicker even though the flicker graph was flat while the 2021 review indicated no flicker but then it’s flicker graph had bumps in it. Wondering if both reviews were off to start, and were both years reviews updated or just the one? Also do you know if there are any iPhones and also any iPads that would work for me at certain brightness settings, that is without flicker? I want one of each. And do you do any consulting away from RTINGS. If I were to buy a MacBook Air (or iPhone/iPad) could we have it shipped to you and have you test it for flicker (within the return window) and maybe configure it, of course for a fee?Hi,
I think there’s a bit of confusion regarding the actual model. There’s no 2021 MacBook Air. The M1 came out in 2020, while the M2 came out in 2022, and the M3 came out in 2024. Are you referring to the MacBook PRO from 2021?
As for iPhones and iPads, most recent models flicker as far as I’m aware. Unfortunately, we don’t do any consulting work to test specific products.
- 21010
thank you!
However, I’m confused because I thought the 2022 in the RTINGS review said it had flicker even though the flicker graph was flat while the 2021 review indicated no flicker but then it’s flicker graph had bumps in it. Wondering if both reviews were off to start, and were both years reviews updated or just the one?
Also do you know if there are any iPhones and also any iPads that would work for me at certain brightness settings, that is without flicker? I want one of each.
And do you do any consulting away from RTINGS. If I were to buy a MacBook Air (or iPhone/iPad) could we have it shipped to you and have you test it for flicker (within the return window) and maybe configure it, of course for a fee?
- 21010
Thank you for all this information. Can you tell me what other sizes the M2 2022 Macbook comes in besides 13"? And what memory options, and where to buy?
Hi,
The M2 MacBook Air is available in a 13- and 15-inch. However, the 15-inch has been discontinued, so you can only get it from a thrid-party seller or marketplace like Amazon or Bestbuy. The 13-inch is still available from Apple and other retailers. RAM options vary from 8GB up to 24GB. Apple has recently discontinued the 8GB model and made the 16GB the baseline spec, though you can still get the 8GB from third-party sellers.
- 21010
Thank you for all this information. Can you tell me what other sizes the M2 2022 Macbook comes in besides 13"? And what memory options, and where to buy?
- 21010
Did the iPad Pro M4 measure any flicker? Is there any super simple “no set up” tool to measure flicker at home? Rereading your comments, still some confusion whether the 13" MacBook from 2021 or 2022 measured flicker-free, or if both measured flicker-free? When you say “IF” the 2021 13" MacBook is flicker-free then according to the Apple Tech the larger variants from that year should also be flicker-free, it is the Rtings review of the 2021 13" MacBook that says it is flicker-free, so are you thinking it is possible there is flicker on that model but the Rtings review measurement tool just was not able to pick it up, or how should I understand the “IF”?
Yo! The iPad Pro M4 does measure with flicker at 480Hz.
Opple Lightmaster meters are a consumer-grade luminance tool that will give you a bunch of information on the display (brightness, color temperature, flicker, etc). I’ve not personally used one as I have access to much more sophisticated tools, but the reviews seem to be positive about the tool itself, but the app being more of an annoyance than anything. I’m hesitant just because it doesn’t tell me all the thresholds for it’s reading capability, so I’m concerned it wouldn’t be able to identify flicker above a certain cap, which they don’t tell us.
Another method is to use a camera and set the shutter speed to 1/4000 and you might be able to identify it. The thing you’ll see more of with this method is the stroboscopic visibility, which would be the seen as wide gaps in the line. The Macbooks don’t have a wide stroboscopic visibility so this method isn’t really useful for you in this particular circumstance.
Sorry, I’ll try to make it a bit clearer. It does get a bit confusing.
So, the M1 Macbook Air we tested from 2021 does have flicker (this should be updated in the review soon). The M2 Macbook Air from 2022 does not have flicker.
What I meant by “if” was more a reference to the information I received from the Apple Store genius. I can confirm what I have here but any variants of our products (so in this case a larger M2 Macbook from 2022), I cannot verify. I can only say what Apple employees have told me. So the “if” is a lack of my ability to 100% guarantee that information. What I can guarantee is that the M2 Macbook Air 13" 2022 does not have flicker.
- 21010
Thank you so much again! You are going above and beyond to help me figure this out, and I really appreciate it. I hope they give you a raise because it sounds like you deserve it haha. There’s not much more I can ask of you, other than if there’s any way to find out if the larger 2022 MacBooks also have a flicker-free screen like the 13-inch one. I tried going to the Apple Store, but they had no idea. I also tried calling customer support, and I don’t think they even knew what flicker was. If there is some Apple customer support number to actually talk to their engineers, then maybe I could get an answer myself, but I don’t know if there is or who to contact. Do you know anyone who owns that model and could measure it, or, if not, do you have any way to do it? Please let me know, or if you have any ideas on who I could contact. If you can do it, great, but if not, I understand.
Did the iPad Pro M4 measure any flicker?
Is there any super simple “no set up” tool to measure flicker at home?
Rereading your comments, still some confusion whether the 13" MacBook from 2021 or 2022 measured flicker-free, or if both measured flicker-free?
When you say “IF” the 2021 13" MacBook is flicker-free then according to the Apple Tech the larger variants from that year should also be flicker-free, it is the Rtings review of the 2021 13" MacBook that says it is flicker-free, so are you thinking it is possible there is flicker on that model but the Rtings review measurement tool just was not able to pick it up, or how should I understand the “IF”?
- 21010
It’s all good! It wasn’t a waste or anything, so no worries about that. :) If the information I received from Apple is correct, than if one of the models is flicker-free than all models regardless of size within that same category should be flicker free as well. So the 2021 13" Macbook Air being flicker free should mean that the larger sizes of the Macbook Air from that year should be the same. I hope that answers your question!
Thanks so much! If you ever get a chance to confirm this by measurements or some other means let me know, otherwise thanks again for your time and help.
- 21010
I’m sorry but I think I goofed. I just looked on rtings.com at the 2021 13" macbook air review and that is the model that is flicker free, so I was hoping you could find out if the larger models were also flicker free for that year. I realize you’ve already spent quite a bit of time on this.
It’s all good! It wasn’t a waste or anything, so no worries about that. :)
If the information I received from Apple is correct, than if one of the models is flicker-free than all models regardless of size within that same category should be flicker free as well. So the 2021 13" Macbook Air being flicker free should mean that the larger sizes of the Macbook Air from that year should be the same.
I hope that answers your question!