Kuvings Vacuum Blender vs Vitamix: Which Is Better?
With so many different types and models out there, choosing a good high-speed blender can be a daunting task. In this review, we compare the popular Vitamix blenders with the revolutionary Kuvings Vacuum Blender (Kuvings SV-500) to help you on your quest for the perfect blender for making smoothies and soups. The main difference between traditional Vitamix blenders and the Kuvings Vacuum Blender is that the Kuvings SV-500 uses vacuum technology to improve the nutritional value, color and flavor of smoothies, soups, and purees. The Kuvings Vacuum Blender SV-500 also packs more horsepower than an average Vitamix blender, and because of its sound enclosure cover, it is quieter than most Vitamix blenders. Yet another difference is that the Kuvings Vacuum Blender is made in Korea, whereas the Vitamix blenders sold in the States are engineered and assembled in the USA. To learn more about the differences and similarities between the Vitamix blenders and the Kuvings SV-500, read on.
Vacuum Technology
The main difference between a classic Vitamix blender and the Kuvings SV-500 Vacuum Blender is that the latter comes with a vacuum pump which removes air from the blending or storage container, creating a low-oxygen environment. One of the most important benefits of blending or storing foods in a low-oxygen environment is that you don't have to worry about oxygen molecules destroying fragile nutrients and antioxidants. But that's just one of the many benefits of vacuum blending! What's more, not only does vacuum blending help protect nutrients, it also helps keeps ingredients like apples and bananas from turning brown. Finally, smoothies blended under a vacuum are often superior to regular homemade smoothies in terms of texture because they don't contain those tiny bubbles of mixed-in air that turn regular smoothies foamy.
Performance
Both the modern, full-size Vitamix blenders and the Kuvings Vacuum Blender come with powerful motors and carefully engineered stainless steel blades that allow you to crush or liquefy even the toughest ingredients like ice, frozen fruits and fibrous vegetables. Your average Vitamix blender typically comes with a 2 to 2.2 peak-HP motor, and the Kuvings Vacuum Blender is even more powerful, featuring a 3.5-peak HP motor.
Noise Level
Compared with most other high-speed blenders, the Kuvings Vacuum Blender is quiet because it comes with a sound enclosure designed to minimize noise created by high-speed blending. Vitamix blenders tend to be much louder, though there are some exceptions: The Vitamix Quiet One, for example, comes with a sound shield, similar to the Kuvings SV-500. However, as this high-end blender is intended for commercial use only, it is much more expensive than the Kuvings Vacuum Blender.
BPA-Free
The blending containers of both the newer Vitamix blenders and the Kuvings Vacuum Blender are made of Tritan co-polyester, a type of plastic that it is extremely durable and free from bisphenol-A (BPA). As you may know, BPA is a controversial chemical that some experts believe may cause health problems it mimics estrogen in the body. However, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to allow the use of BPA in kitchen appliances, including all blenders, stating that there is simply not enough evidence to suggest that the BPA used in kitchen appliances does not present a risk to consumer health. At the same time, the consumer interest in non-toxic kitchen appliances keeps growing, and despite the FDA's stand, many health-conscious consumers prefer to err on the side of caution and choose BPA-free products whenever possible.
Tamper
Most Vitamix blenders come with a tamper, a tool that allows you to push food down onto the processing blades, making it easier to blend thick, dense ingredients fast. What's more, when using a Vitamix, you can stop anytime to add ingredients. With the Kuvings Vacuum Blender, you cannot use a tamper, or you will lose the vacuum. You will also lose the vacuum if you stop to add ingredients during the blending process. Luckily, however, the six stainless steel blades that rotate in three dimensions, the auto-blend feature, and the vacuum feature of the Kuvings SV-500 help move ingredients down towards the bottom of the container, so even thicker ingredients will turn into smooth mixtures.
Speed Control
Blenders with preset programs can be great if you want to blend while performing chores around the house. On the other hand, these types of blenders can be a bit limited in what they can do as you won't be able to adjust the speed to achieve a variety of textures. By contrast, blenders equipped with a variable speed control, such as as the standard Vitamix blenders, come with a speed dial that can be rotated at any point during the blending process, so you are in complete control. Also the Kuvings Vacuum Blender comes equipped with a variable speed dial (from 2,000 to 20,000 RPM), allowing you to manually adjust the speed to suit the recipe.
Country of Manufacture
Founded by the Barnard family in 1921, Vitamix is an American company that has been manufacturing high-end blenders for both home and commercial use for decades. As of the writing of this review, Vitamix blenders are still engineered and assembled in the USA, but some components may come from abroad. The Kuvings Vacuum Blender, by contrast, is made in Korea, just like many other vacuum blenders including the popular Tribest Dynapro DPS-1050.
Price
It is no news that Vitamix blenders can be pretty expensive, with list prices ranging from around $300 to around $1,500, depending on the model. But also the best vacuum blenders, such as the Kuvings SV-500, come with hefty price tags. Here are the current Amazon prices for the Kuvings SV-500S and the Vitamix 5200, which is the bestselling Vitamix blender on Amazon as of the writing of this review:
