Are you thinking of buying a Vitamix S30 personal blender? Is it worth the price, or are you paying for the brand? We’ve tested it out, and we’re ready to give you the details in this Vitamix S30 review. Good, bad, and ugly – we’re not holding any punches!
Is the Vitamix S30 Right for You?
Before purchasing any appliance, especially a higher-quality one, it’s important to consider what you’re buying it for and how you intend on using it. After all, different appliances are designed to suit different needs. A bit of forethought can save you a wealth of time and frustration!
For example, ask yourself:
How many people am I using it for? The Vitamix S30 is a great personal blender and can blend small batches of food for up to 3 people. A larger family will be better off with a countertop blender.
How much room do I have in my kitchen? If you plan on storing it on the countertop, you’ll need at least 16” of clearance, and there are two attachments to store. The Vitamix is a great workhorse, but if you’re tight on space, you may need to look for smaller personal blenders.
What times will I be using it most often? While the S30 is quieter than other personal blenders, it’s still loud if you’re crunching through ice. Are you blending in the early mornings or during afternoon naps? A blender with a sound shield is a much better option.
How frequently will I use it? All three mini Vitamix blenders can handle tough jobs on the regular. If you’re frequently blending or looking to make more viscous foods, the S30 Vitamix is a great pick. Don’t think you’ll be blending a lot? There are plenty of good quality blenders at a lower price point.
Do I need to travel with it? The Vitamix S30 comes with a personal travel cup, which is excellent for making your smoothies at home and drinking them on the go. If you need to bring a blender on a business trip, however, you may need to look for something smaller than a Vitamix.
Of course, looking through a Vitamix S30 review is an important step, too – that’s why you’re here!
The Vitamix S30 Cheat Sheet
The Vitamix S30 is a small-sized version of the more popular countertop Vitamix blenders. All of the Vitamix S series blenders (the S stands for “space saving”) have a 20 oz personal cup and a 40 oz container for doubling smoothies recipes, creating nut butter, and whipping up hummus.
The two options offer a degree of versatility more than other personal blenders while remaining smaller than a traditional Vitamix blender. While it doesn’t have the presets its S50 and S55 cousins do, it still offers a great deal of control over blending speeds and all of the quality a Vitamix is expected to have.
Pros:
- Consistent, high-quality results. Frozen banana chunks, ice cubes, kale leaves, even chia seeds are all crushed down to a single, smooth drink.
- A broad array of functions. The Vitamix S30 personal blender can make hummus, nut butter, even brown rice flour.
- Practical design. From the double-vented lid to the easy-to-disassemble blades, the S30 is made to be easy to use.
- Fantastic warranty. So long as you register the product, you have 5-year coverage both for manufacturing defects and for normal wear and tear.
Cons:
- Bulky for a “space saver.” The Vitamix S30 personal blender is a small Vitamix; it’s not a small personal blender.
- Difficult to clean up. Pulling it apart involves removing gaskets every time you want to scrub it. Everything except the motor base is top-rack dishwasher safe, however, which is a plus.
An In-depth Look: Features and Benefits
Two Blending Containers
All of the Vitamix S series blenders come with a 20 oz personal blending jar and a larger, 40 oz blending jar. The 20 oz jar is great for making small smoothies and taking them on the go.
The 40 oz blender is suited to anything from larger smoothie batches to soup and nut butter. The versatility of the S30 comes from a combination of the 40 oz jar and the solid motor.
Precision Control
Being able to adjust speeds with the control knob is a key point of the S30. Being able to control the speed means you get the same results with iced drinks, batters, and even soups. I’m a bit hesitant to recommend salsa prep in either the personal or the 40 oz jar, though; something like that is better left to either a food processor or a knife. A blender just can’t circulate larger chunks well enough without breaking them down too much (even with the pulse feature).
Powerful Motor
At 790 watts, this isn’t the most powerful personal blender on the market. However, I’ve always been a bit hesitant to judge a blender by its wattage alone. For example, the S30 manages nut butter, large chunks of ice, and other “tough jobs” much better than a motor that can achieve a higher power output when it’s working its hardest.
The Vitamix is also designed to work for longer periods. The S30 doesn’t have to work at its maximum speed the entire blending cycle like simpler one-touch blenders, and the quality of the motor means it doesn’t risk burning out as easily. This is easily the most significant part in all of the Vitamix personal blender reviews I’ve seen; even though it’s not as strong, it performs much better than other personal blenders.
Ventilated Lid
The lid for the 40 oz pitcher has two different vents. One of them is specifically designed to vent off steam during the blending process, which is much appreciated.
The other plug in the lid is big enough for the included tamper. Personally, I’ve found the design to be very useful; I have trouble nailing down the exact consistency of my smoothies, and having a plug on top makes it easier to add a bit more liquid (or get solid chunks of food moving when they’re stubborn, without having to pull apart the blender).
Quality Design
This Vitamix is a quality blender from top to bottom and designed to work well for the consumer.
Jar Quality
The S30 has plastic, BPA-free jars. At first glance, this may seem like a “cheap” decision when compared to glass; however, I honestly think Vitamix made the right call here. Glass is heavy and fragile, and neither of those is a good thing when I’m making a smoothie first thing in the morning. A high-quality plastic like this won’t scrape, won’t warp, and most importantly, won’t wear out your wrists when using them regularly.
Blade Strength
The quickest way to tell a quality blender blade from a cheap one is to check the user manual. A cheap stainless steel blade can cut through ice, but it’s going to start chipping after a bit of wear and tear. A quality blender like the Vitamix states that it needs to work through large ice chunks to keep the blades sharp!
Optimal Shape
The S30 Vitamix has a solid combination of blade design and jar shape. It may take a bit of time to ease up into it, but I’ve gotten a good vortex in thick mixtures, which means everything hits the blades evenly.
Alternatives to the Vitamix S30
Vitamix S50 S-Series Blender
The Vitamix S50 is a later version of the S30. It has all of the great features of the S30 and also has two preset programs for smoothies and power blends. Wondering about the Vitamix S30 vs. S50? Here are the main differences:
Pros:
- Two preset programs so you can add your ingredients and walk away without worrying about results
- Two blending jars for ultimate flexibility in a personal or small family setting
- Manual speed settings let you blend anything you need with control and precision
- Top-quality blades, plastic blending pitchers, motor, and warranty
Cons:
- Not a Vitamix mini blender
- Doesn’t offer much that’s different from the S30
- 20 oz jar can have difficulty circulating ingredients
Vitamix S55 S-Series Blender
The last of the Vitamix small blender series, the S55 is a step above the S50. It has four preset blending settings. We think the S55 might be the winner in the Vitamix S30 vs S55, but here are the main differences:
Pros:
- Four preset programs that offer far more flexibility than the S50 and take the guessing out of most recipes, covering both frozen desserts and dips
- Two blending jars for ultimate versatility in a personal or small family setting
- Manual speed settings let you blend anything you need with control and precision
- Top-quality blades, plastic blending pitchers, motor, and warranty
Cons:
- Not a small Vitamix blender
- Jars made of plastic and 20 oz jar has difficulty circulating ingredients
Nutri Ninja Pro BL456
With a 900 watt motor, the Nutri Ninja Pro is much more of a mini blender. It comes with an 18 oz and 24 oz cup and operates with a simple one-press function that’s suited to pulsing rather than long blends.
Pros:
- Small, lightweight, and portable, fitting the average “personal blender” much better
- Powerful motor means it doesn’t have an issue with some ice and tougher foods
- Simple cleanup in the top rack of the dishwasher
Cons:
- Cheaper plastic cracks easily
- Motor much more prone to clocking out
- Hot liquids and more viscous foods can’t be blended
- Can only blend on a single speed, and functions best when pulsed
Nutribullet Rx
The Nutribullet RX is a personal blender. It comes with a wealth of accessories, including a small and large blending cup and a cup specially designed for hot liquids. It works on an automatic 1-minute blending cycle.
Pros:
- Automatic blending cycles mean that you can have a hands free smoothie prep
- Top-shelf dishwasher safe
- Simple to use and strong enough to make smooth smoothies
- Solid design with enough extra attachments to give it some versatility
Cons:
- Cannot do custom blend cycles, and each cycle requires a 15-second cooldown before the next one is repeated
- Soup cycle is risky and tends to burn out units
- The motor is much stronger than it needs to be
- Need to use the included blade removal tool to use safely
Nutri Ninja Auto-iQ
Similar to the Nutri Ninja Pro in design, the Auto IQ has a start/stop blend, a pulse function, and two preset programs for blending and pulsing through soft and hard foods.
Pros:
- Four different functions and two presets mean more control and the ability to step away and do other things while blending
- Compact with a powerful motor
- Three different cup sizes – 18, 24, and 32 oz – for more versatility
- Easy to clean and easy to store
Cons:
- No speed or power control for crafting different kinds of drinks
- Can’t handle larger cubes of ice or blend without much liquid
- Low blade quality and strength
Conclusion
The purpose of this Vitamix S30 review wasn’t to decide for you. Instead, we hoped to present this Vitamix small blender in as neutral a light as possible. If you’re looking for an excellent multi-purpose kitchen tool or a personal Vitamix, the Vitamix S30 is a solid contender. Its quality and functionality couldn’t be matched by any of the non-Vitamix alternatives we looked at, and the warranty means that even if things go sour, there’s always room to make amends.
