Vitamix
Vitamix 5200
$499.95
Released 2007
Best Blenders · head-to-head
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ (BN701) is cheaper at $99.99. Every spec and price links to its source.
Vitamix
$499.95
Released 2007
Ninja
$99.99Cheaper
Released 2020
The Vitamix 5200 wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ (BN701) is the cheaper at $99.99. Get the Vitamix 5200 for the stronger spec sheet, the Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ (BN701) to spend less.
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✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | | |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $499.95 | $99.99 |
| Brand | Vitamix | Ninja |
| Released | 2007 | 2020 |
| Motor watts | 1380 | 1400 |
| Jar capacity (oz) | 64 | 72 |
| Speed settings | 10 | 3 |
| Preset programs | 0 | 3 |
| Dishwasher safe | No | Yes |
| Noise dampening | No | No |
| Warranty years | 7 | 1 |
| Release year | 2007 | 2020 |
Sources — Vitamix 5200: vitamix.com (verified 2026-06-15). Ninja Professional Plus Blender with Auto-iQ (BN701): sharkninja.com (verified 2026-06-15).
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (6 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
Two whitelisted outlets cover the exact Vitamix 5200. Wirecutter (NYT) gives full hands-on testing across smoothies, soups, nut butter, mayo and a multi-year test-kitchen stint; Reviewed (USA Today) covers it inside a Vitamix roundup with lighter, spec-leaning notes. Both rate it a top-tier, durable performer—best for smoothies, soups and nut butters—held back mainly by its steep price and its ~20-21 inch height. (2 sourced reviews, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Excellent, consistent blending performance; Sturdy, durable build backed by a 7-year warranty; Precise variable-speed control.
Flagged: Too tall (~20-21 in) to fit under many cabinets; No presets; stripped-down controls; Steep price relative to non-Vitamix blenders.
Only one whitelisted tester—Tom's Guide—hands-on reviewed this exact BN701 (its deal blocks explicitly list it as the 'Ninja BN701 Professional Plus Blender'). It rates smoothies, oat-milk milling and ice-crushing near premium Vitamix/Breville levels at under-$100 value, but flags punishing loudness (measured 94.9 dB), cheap-feeling materials and a fiddly stacked-blade assembly that is tricky to clean. (1 sourced review, 1 lab-tested.)
Praised: Smoothies surpassed nearly all blenders tested, bettered only by Vitamix A3500 and Breville 3x Bluicer; Strong milling and ice-crushing power for the price (smooth oat milk, no chunks); Huge value under $100, with secure locking lid, pour spout and grippy handle.
Flagged: Painfully loud, especially in ice-crush mode (measured 94.9 dB); Feels built from lower-quality materials; Stacked blade assembly is fiddly and tricky to clean.