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Vitamix Venturist V1200 Blender Review

Tested using Methodology v1.0
Reviewed Sep 06, 2022 at 12:18 pm
Latest change: Retest Oct 21, 2024 at 11:36 am
Vitamix Venturist V1200 Picture
9.1
Multi-Purpose
8.5
Smoothies (Single Serving)
9.3
Smoothies (Multiple Servings)
9.5
Ice Crushing
9.5
Soups
9.3
Professional Use

The Vitamix Venturist V1200 is a full-size blender with a 64-ounce main pitcher. Like most Vitamix blenders, it has a very solid build quality and a wide range of speed settings. The controls don't include any blending programs; however, like the Vitamix A2500 or the Vitamix A3300, it's compatible with the 'Vitamix Perfect Blend' app, which you can use to access automatic blending programs. It's available at Costco (U.S.) and other online retailers, but please note that some stores only sell renewed models.

Our unit also included a 20-ounce personal jar for single-serve drinks and an 8-ounce cup for sauces or dips. The manufacturer recalled the jars and the matching blade assembly in June 2024; they aren't available anymore. We've updated our review so the results and scores reflect the blender's performance with the 64oz jar only. You can still see how the 20oz jar performs under <a href= "#test_5150">fibrous ingredients (small batches)</a>, but if your unit came with additional jars, don't use them unless you received a repair kit from Vitamix.

Our Verdict

9.1 Multi-Purpose

The Vitamix Venturist 1200 is fantastic for multi-purpose use. It's very well-built, has a big 64-ounce capacity in its main jar, and delivers very versatile performance. You can use it to make very smooth purees with small and large batches of fibrous ingredients, process tough ingredients like nuts, and make snow-like crushed ice. The main jar is safe for hot blending.

Pros
  • Makes a smooth blend with fibrous ingredients.
  • Very well-built.
Cons
  • Loud.
8.5 Smoothies (Single Serving)

The Vitamix V1200 is excellent for single-serving smoothies. Using its 64oz jar, it makes a mostly smooth blend with fibrous ingredients like kale. It's not the fastest or easiest process since you have to stop the blender and scrape the jar with a spatula for the best results. The blender originally included a 20oz jar that makes it easier to use for small batches, but the jar was recalled and isn't available anymore.

Pros
  • Makes a smooth blend with fibrous ingredients.
  • Very well-built.
Cons
  • Loud.
9.3 Smoothies (Multiple Servings)

The Vitamix Venturist 1200 is outstanding for multiple batches of smoothies. It makes a very smooth puree with fibrous ingredients like kale and snow-like crushed ice in its 64-ounce jar, so it's very well-suited for making smoothies to serve a crowd. That said, some blenders can process big batches of smoothies faster.

Pros
  • Makes a smooth blend with fibrous ingredients.
  • 64-ounce capacity.
  • Very well-built.
Cons
  • Loud.
9.5 Ice Crushing

The Vitamix Venturist 1200 is a fantastic ice crusher. It takes a bit longer than the best ice-crushing blenders but makes very uniform, snow-like crushed ice. It's also exceptionally well-built, which is nice if you often use your blender for demanding tasks like crushing ice cubes.

Pros
  • Makes snow-like crushed ice.
  • Very well-built.
Cons
  • Loud.
9.5 Soups

The Vitamix V1200 is an incredible soup blender. It can hot blend, meaning you can add ingredients like roasted vegetables right from the pan. It makes a very smooth puree of fibrous ingredients like leafy greens, and the main jar has a large 64-ounce capacity.

Pros
  • Very well-built.
  • Hot blends.
Cons
  • Loud.
9.3 Professional Use

The Vitamix Venturist 1200 is superb for professional use. It's extremely well-built and offers versatile performance. It's ideal for making silky-smooth purees for soups and smoothies and easily processes tough ingredients like nuts and ice cubes. It can hot blend and offers a wide range of speed settings to suit different recipes.

Pros
  • Very well-built.
  • Hot blends.
Cons
  • Loud.
  • 9.1 Multi-Purpose
  • 8.5 Smoothies (Single Serving)
  • 9.3 Smoothies (Multiple Servings)
  • 9.5 Ice Crushing
  • 9.5 Soups
  • 9.3 Professional Use
  1. Updated Oct 21, 2024:

    We've updated the results to more accurately reflect the blender's performance. The score for Fibrous Ingredients (Full Capacity) processing changed from 10 to 7.5 because of the blending time. The score for Crushed Ice preparation changed from 8.5 to 9.0.

  2. Updated Aug 09, 2024: The 20oz and 8oz jars that came with our unit have been recalled, so we updated the review to reflect the blender's performance with only the 64oz jar. The score for fibrous ingredients (small batches) has changed.
  3. Updated May 09, 2023: Compared its performance for nut butter with that of the Vitamix Propel 510.
  4. Updated Sep 16, 2022: Compared the Vitamix Venturist V1200's controls with the newly-reviewed Vitamix Professional Series 750.
  5. Updated Sep 06, 2022: Review published.
  6. Updated Aug 31, 2022: Early access published.
  7. Updated Aug 05, 2022: Our testers have started testing this product.
  8. Updated Jul 29, 2022: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  9. Updated Jun 27, 2022: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Vitamix V1200 comes in black, white, slate, or red. Our unit came with a 20oz jar and an 8oz jar. However, both jars and the blade assembly were recalled and aren't available anymore. Our results are valid for the blender with the 64oz jar only.

We tested it in 'White,' and you can see the label for the unit we tested here. If you come across another variant, let us know in the comments, and we'll update our review.

Compared To Other Blenders

The Vitamix Venturist V1200 is a full-size blender that comes with a 64oz jar. Its build quality is a step up from other Vitamix blenders we've tested and is closer in feel to the Vitamix 7500. Like 'Ascent Series' blenders like the Vitamix A2500, it's also compatible with an app that offers blending programs. It works with 'Ascent Series' accessories, so you can buy another personal jar and various pitchers for different purposes, like frothing milk.

For other options, check out our lists of the best blenders, the best Vitamix blenders, and the best blenders for smoothies.

Vitamix A2300

The Vitamix Venturist V1200 is a little better than the Vitamix A2300. The main thing that sets the Venturist apart is its two additional jars, a 20-ounce personal jar and an 8-ounce cup for very small batches. Both models do a fantastic job with small batches of fibrous ingredients, but the Venturist's personal jar and matching lid make it easy to take a smoothie to go. It's also better built, is a little easier to use for thick recipes like nut butter, and has a programmable timer. That said, the A2300 is quieter.

Vitamix A2500

The Vitamix Venturist V1200 is a bit better than the Vitamix A2500. The Venturist offers a slightly better performance for crushing ice, making nut butter, and processing fibrous ingredients for smoothies or soups. It's a bit sturdier. Unfortunately, though, it's louder than the A2500.

Vitamix A3500

The Vitamix A3500 is better than the Vitamix Venturist V1200. The A3500 crushes ice faster and makes better nut butter. It's better for processing fibrous ingredients for smoothies and soups, especially in small batches. It's also significantly quieter. On the other hand, the V1200 is a bit sturdier.

Vitamix A3300

The Vitamix Venturist V1200 and the Vitamix A3300 have different strengths. The Venturist has a slightly better build quality. It's a little easier to use to process tough ingredients like nuts. However, the A3300 is significantly quieter and does a better job of processing fibrous ingredients for recipes like smoothies and soups, especially in smaller batches.

Vitamix 5300

The Vitamix Venturist V1200 is a bit better than the Vitamix 5300. The V1200 is better built, is slightly quieter, and has a clear plastic lid so you can see into the blender.

Vitamix 7500

The Vitamix Venturist V1200 and the Vitamix 7500 are very similar. However, a few design features set the Venturist apart, including a programmable timer and a clear lid for the main jar. The 7500 is significantly quieter.

Vitamix Propel 750

The Vitamix Venturist V1200 is a little better than the Vitamix Propel 750. The Propel is sturdier, thanks to metal siding around the motor base. Its controls include a programmable timer. However, the Propel has automatic blending programs for different recipes.

Vitamix Venturist Pro

The Vitamix Venturist V1200 and the Vitamix Venturist Pro are variants with small differences in controls and features. They share a fantastic build quality and a versatile performance. The V1200 has a programmable timer onboard, while the Pro only offers that feature via its companion app. However, the Pro is quieter when it's running.

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Dimensions
Blender Type
Full Size Blender
Height
17.3" (44.0 cm)
Width 9.8" (25.0 cm)
Depth 7.9" (20.0 cm)
Weight
11.7 lbs (5.3 kg)
Shaft Length (Immersion Blenders)
N/A

The Vitamix 1200's motor base is smaller and a few pounds lighter than models like the Vitamix A3500. However, due to its somewhat large design, it likely needs to be stored on your counter or in a spacious cupboard.

9.5
Design
Build Quality

The Vitamix V1200's build quality is outstanding. The white casing is plastic, but otherwise, the base is metal and very sturdy. It has four feet on the bottom to help it stay in place on your counter. The gears on the base and jars are metal, and the plastic jars feel premium and well-made. The power cord is long and thick, and the speed dial is easy to read. There are some minor concerns, like the rubber on top of the motor base, which is easily scratched by the jar. More importantly, the blade scraper tool is very easy to break accidentally.

9.0
Design
Jar Capacity
Main Jar Capacity
64.0 oz (1,893 ml)
Additional Jar Capacity
20.0 oz (591 ml)

The jar has a big 64-ounce capacity. Our unit also included a 20-ounce personal jar for single-serve recipes like smoothies and an 8-ounce blending cup that Vitamix recommends for small batch tasks like chopping onions and garlic. These jars have been recalled and aren't available anymore.

Design
Jar/Beaker Materials
Jar/Beaker Material
BPA-Free Plastic
Dishwasher Safe
Yes

The main jar and lid are made of plastic and are dishwasher-safe. The tamper and blade scraper are top-rack dishwasher-safe.

Design
Blades
Blade Type
Sharp
Blade Count
4
Removable
No
Dishwasher Safe
Yes

The Vitamix Venturist's main jar has four sharp blades that you aren't meant to remove from the jar. The nut assembly makes it possible to remove them, but doing so voids the warranty.

Our model also came with another set of blades for the smaller jars that screws on like a lid, but the jars and blade assembly have since been recalled and aren't available anymore.

Design
Lid
Two-Part Lid
Yes
Lid Closing Type
Friction

The main jar has a 2-part lid with clips on each side to guide it into place. The removable center piece doubles as a 30 mL measuring cup. The clear plastic is a nice touch and allows you to see into the blender while it's running. The blender also originally included an assortment of lids for the 20oz and 8oz jars: a blade assembly lid, a sealable to-go lid, and a storage lid. These jars and matching blade assembly were recalled and aren't available anymore.

Design
Power Cord
Stow-Away Compartment
Yes
Cord Length
4.1 ft (1.2 m)

The cord is long enough to reach outlets near your counter. There's a space to store it under the motor base when it's not in use.

Design
In The Box

  • Vitamix Venturist 1200 motor base
  • 64 oz main jar
  • Two-part lid
  • Tamper
  • Tamper holder
  • Βlade scraper tool
  • 20 oz personal jar (No longer included due to recall)
  • 8 oz cup (No longer included due to recall)
  • Βlade lid (for additional jars) (No longer included due to recall)
  • To-go lid (No longer included due to recall)
  • Storage lid (No longer included due to recall)
  • Manual, cookbook, 'start here' guide

Performance
8.8
Performance
Fibrous Ingredients (Small Batches)
Jar Used
Main Jar
Fibrous Ingredients Processing
6.0
Fibrous Ingredients Texture
9.5

The Vitamix V1200 is excellent for processing small batches of fibrous ingredients. When working with small volumes of ingredients in the main jar, they tend to splash up the sides of the jar, and you have to use a spatula to scrape the sides of the jar a couple of times to get the best results. However, in the end, it makes a mostly smooth blend with just a few small unprocessed pieces.

The 20oz personal jar offers a better performance since you don't have to scrape or shake the jar, and it makes an even smoother blend. You can see how it performs in a /videos/pages/rPtXUgTc/fibrous-small-video-original.mpd here and see the results in a photo. The score for fibrous ingredients (small batches) with the 20oz jar was 10. However, it was recalled in June 2024, and the blender isn't sold with a personal jar anymore. If yours included a 20oz jar, you shouldn't use it unless you got a repair kit from Vitamix.

9.5
Performance
Fibrous Ingredients (Full Capacity)
Jar Used Main Jar
Fibrous Ingredients Processing
7.5
Fibrous Ingredients Texture
10

The Vitamix V1200 is fantastic for big batches of fibrous ingredients. If you fill the 64-ounce jar to its maximum capacity, it makes a smooth puree of ingredients like kale with no grains left over. The only downside is that some blenders can do it faster.

9.7
Performance
Crushed Ice
Crushed Ice Preparation
9.0
Crushed Ice Texture
10

The Vitamix Venturist 1200 is a superb ice crusher. You have to manually pulse instead of using an automatic pulse or ice crush program, but it's still very easy and produces snow-like crushed ice in under a minute.

9.1
Performance
Nut Butter
Nut Butter Preparation
8.5
Nut Butter Texture
9.5

The Vitamix Venturist 1200 makes fantastic, smooth nut butter with no unprocessed pieces. It's quite a quick, easy process if you use the tamper to keep the ingredients moving. Like with many other Vitamix models, ingredients can splatter up at the beginning of the process and leave dust on the sides of the jar. For the best results, you may need to use a spatula to push everything down towards the blades. If you're looking for a blender that's really easy to use for thick recipes like nut butter, the Vitamix Propel 510's smaller jar makes it a good option. That said, using more ingredients at once can help the blender create a better vortex and reduce the need to use the tamper and spatula.

5.8
Performance
Noise
Noise @ Max Speed
97.7 dB

It's on the loud side for a full-size blender, so standing near it when it's running quickly becomes irritating. Most blenders are loud, but models like the Vitamix A3500 and Vitamix 5300 are significantly quieter.

Performance
Blade Speed
Min Speed
1,400 RPM
Max Speed
22,500 RPM
Power
1,440 W
Speed Adjustment Based On Jar Type
No

It has a wide range of blending speeds, which is nice if you need to start at a low blending speed or your recipe calls for slowly ramping up the blending speed.

Ease Of Use
Ease Of Use
Controls And Programs
On/Off Switch
Yes
Speed Presets
0
Speed Dial
Yes
Hot Blending
Yes
Pulse/Turbo Mode
Yes
Programs
0
Blending Time Indicator
Yes
Programmable Timer
Yes

The speed dial has marks for speeds 1-10, but it turns smoothly without any increments, which allows you to make small adjustments. There's an on/off toggle and a switch that you hold down for pulse mode. Finally, there's also a programmable timer that you can set to run the blender for a certain amount of time. It doesn't have any automatic blending programs, though. If you want a blender with onboard blending programs for different recipes like smoothies or soup, the Vitamix Professional Series 750 is a solid alternative.

7.5
Ease Of Use
Cleaning

The Vitamix Venturist 1200 is easy to clean. Like other Vitamix models, blending with soap and water cleans much of the residue from the sides of the jar, but you need to use a brush or sponge to clean the 2-part lid and especially the non-removable blades.