Vitamix, like Dyson, Le Creuset and other super-premium, industry-steering brands, is not for everyone. The brand’s performance blenders do not come cheap — its entry-level model is $350 new, and its flagship tacks on another $100 (both can be had refurbished or on sale rather regularly, though). But its products are the best at what they do, last the longest and provide a level of customer support that few other companies can claim (Dyson, maybe).
Over the summer, the brand released its new Aer Disc Container to not much fanfare. It’s not a blender, it’s just the blend chamber (meaning you need a Vitamix base to use it), so this makes some sense. The Aer container sports a flat blade with some specifically placed holes punched through it, and isn’t really a blender at all. Instead, the spinning of the disc forces air (very quickly) into the container’s contents.
This is where cocktails come into play. Instead of pulverizing the ice, herbs or any other solids, the Aer container muddles and mixes simultaneously — meaning you can effectively make any shaken cocktail in large-batch format without significant differences (including a proper whiskey sour). When Vitamix’s executive chef, Adam Wilson, told me this I did not believe him for a second. Then, I brought one home and tried it for myself. Lo and behold, it works — the ice, whiskey, lemon juice, sugar and egg whites (what I was most worried about) whipped into and fluffed up almost instantly.
Wilson and the Vitamix team also informed me it could make whipped cream in under a minute (which it did) and various other annoying sauces and condiments (aiolis and hollandaise chief among them).
Today, the Aer Disc Container is on sale for the first time since its release this summer — $30 off its regular $145 asking price. If you don’t have a Vitamix and are interested, check out the manufacturer-refurbished E310 blenders. They’re significantly more affordable than new models, though with a weaker warranty (three years).
