Vita-Mix is an extremely powerful
food processing unit, using a
motor that peaks at 2
horsepower. In contrast, most food processors use 1/2 horsepower. Popular in the
food service industry and bars for its power, reliablity, and ease of cleanup, it is sometimes sold under the
Drink Machine label. On its
slowest setting, the blade tips spin at 11
mph, and at 250 mph on its fastest setting.
Vita-mix consists of a base, and a polycarbonate container that sets into the base. Each container can hold several cups, and I think close to a gallon of liquid. Two types of blades are available, wet blades for making most things. These blades are designed to pull the food through them as they spin, in order to process the food more completely. The dry blades are designed to push food up and away from themselves, and are useful for tasks like grinding flour, and kneading bread dough.
The Vita-Mix is fast and easy to use for making a large number of different dishes, including frozen drinks, and steaming hot soups. The vita-mix can turn 3 cups of frozen strawberries into soft serve strawberry slush in 20-30 seconds. It is able to do this because it crushes the frozen elements so quickly that they refreeze almost instantly.
It may also be used to cook soup. That's right, I said cook it. The blades spin so fast, that they actually heat the soup you're making by friction.
This powerful device can be used for any number of dishes in the kitchen, but one of its major strengths is in how easily it cleans up. Most blenders have a container that disassembles, and each piece must be cleaned. Vita-Mix containers are permanently assembled and sealed, meaning that cleanup is done by pouring hot water and a drop of detergent into it, and running it for 30 seconds or so. Rinse, and it's clean.
Information on this w/u gathered from personal experience and http://www.vitamix.com