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Vitamix Propel 510 Blender Review

Tested using Methodology v1.0
Reviewed May 09, 2023 at 08:27 am
Vitamix Propel 510 Picture
9.4
Multi-Purpose
9.1
Smoothies (Single Serving)
9.0
Smoothies (Multiple Servings)
8.9
Ice Crushing
8.8
Soups
9.0
Professional Use

The Vitamix Propel 510 is a sturdy, high-end full-size blender with a 48oz main jar. It has simple controls, including a speed dial, pulse switch, and automatic blending programs: 'Smoothie', 'Frozen Drinks', and 'Hot Soup'. It has a versatile blending performance and overall, it's very similar to the Vitamix Propel 750, which is a little more expensive and comes with a bigger 64oz jar. 

Our Verdict

9.4 Multi-Purpose

The Vitamix Propel 510 is fantastic for multi-purpose use. It's very well-built and versatile, since it efficiently blends all kinds of ingredients, like fibrous fruits, vegetables, and ice cubes. It doesn't have a huge capacity for a full-size blender, since its jar holds 48oz, but it's very easy to use for recipes like nut butter or hummus. It can also hot blend and heat ingredients with a 'Soup' blending program, which uses friction from the blades. It's also easy to clean and dishwasher-safe.

Pros
  • Smoothly blends fibrous ingredients.
  • Very easy to use for thick recipes.
  • Very well-built.
  • Hot blends.
Cons
  • No additional jars or accessories.
9.1 Smoothies (Single Serving)

The Vitamix Propel 510 is superb for single-serve smoothies. It comes with a 48oz main jar that does a fantastic job with small batches of fibrous ingredients, which helps it make silky-smooth drinks with ingredients like kale or blueberries. It easily crushes ice and has a blending program for smoothies, so you can step away from the blender while your drink blends.

Pros
  • Smoothly blends fibrous ingredients.
  • Makes snow-like ice.
  • Very well-built.
Cons
  • No additional jars or accessories.
9.0 Smoothies (Multiple Servings)

The Vitamix Propel 510 is incredible for multiple servings of smoothies. If you use the 48oz jar to make a big batch of smoothies, it quickly blends stubborn additions like leafy greens, making a completely smooth blend. Ingredients like ice cubes and frozen fruit are no problem either. It's easy to clean and dishwasher-safe. However, blenders like the Vitamix Propel 750 have larger 64oz capacities.

Pros
  • Smoothly blends fibrous ingredients.
  • Makes snow-like ice.
  • Very well-built.
Cons
  • Somewhat small capacity.
8.9 Ice Crushing

The Vitamix Propel 510 is excellent for ice crushing. The pulse switch makes it easy to use for ice crushing, and it quickly breaks down ice cubes into powdery, snow-like ice. It's also very sturdy, which is especially important if you often blend hard ingredients like ice. However, you might prefer a blender with a bigger jar, as 48oz might be a bit limiting for a big batch of smoothies or blended margaritas.

Pros
  • Makes snow-like ice.
  • Very well-built.
Cons
  • Fairly loud.
8.8 Soups

The Vitamix Propel 510 is excellent for soups. It makes a very smooth blend with fibrous vegetables like broccoli and kale, even if you fill the jar to full capacity. It can handle hot ingredients and heat food over about seven minutes with its 'Soup' program, which uses friction from the blades. It's also easy to clean and comes with a two-part lid so you can easily add more ingredients. However, its 48oz capacity is smaller than many full-size blenders, which you may find limiting if you usually make multiple servings.

Pros
  • Smoothly blends fibrous ingredients.
  • Very well-built.
  • Hot blends.
Cons
  • Somewhat small capacity.
9.0 Professional Use

The Vitamix Propel 510 is fantastic for professional use. It's very well-built, which is helpful if you use your blender daily, and it offers a versatile blending performance. The 48oz jar is incredibly easy to use for recipes like nut butter or hummus. It also easily blends fibrous fruits and vegetables as well as ice cubes. It has a wide range of speed settings and all of its components are dishwasher-safe.

Pros
  • Smoothly blends fibrous ingredients.
  • Very easy to use for thick recipes.
  • Very well-built.
  • Hot blends.
Cons
  • Fairly loud.
  • 9.4 Multi-Purpose
  • 9.1 Smoothies (Single Serving)
  • 9.0 Smoothies (Multiple Servings)
  • 8.9 Ice Crushing
  • 8.8 Soups
  • 9.0 Professional Use
  1. Updated May 09, 2023: Review published.
  2. Updated May 03, 2023: Early access published.
  3. Updated May 01, 2023: Our testers have started testing this product.
  4. Updated Apr 19, 2023: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.
  5. Updated Apr 11, 2023: We've purchased the product and are waiting for it to arrive in our lab.

Differences Between Sizes And Variants

The Vitamix Propel 510 only comes in Black. You can see the label for the unit we tested here. If you come across another version of the blender, let us know in the forum discussions below and we'll update our review. 

Compared To Other Blenders

The Vitamix Propel 510 is a full-size blender with a 48oz main jar. It has a similar design to the Vitamix Explorian E310, but its dial includes a few automatic blending programs. It lacks features like a digital display or stopwatch that you see on some higher-end models from the same manufacturer. Still, you might prefer its simpler design and it has a fantastic overall blending performance. Compared to other smaller full-size blenders like the Breville the Fresh & Furious and the Smeg BLF01, it's more versatile, since it can heat ingredients. It's also an outstanding choice for recipes like nut butter or hummus. 

If you want more options, check out our lists of the best blenders, the best blenders for frozen drinks, and the best Vitamix blenders.

Vitamix Explorian E310

The Vitamix Propel 510 is better than the Vitamix Explorian E310 for most purposes. The Propel is smaller, quieter, and has a few automatic blending programs as well as a longer power cord.

Vitamix 5200

The Vitamix Propel 510 and the Vitamix 5200 perform similarly. The Propel is better for difficult blends like ice crushing and nut butter. It has a few automatic blending programs on its dial. However, the 5200's narrower jar makes a silkier single-serve smoothie.

Vitamix Propel 750

The Vitamix Propel 510 and the Vitamix Propel 750 are very similar, and you may prefer either. The 510 has a smaller capacity and has fewer blending programs, but you might prefer it if you don't need a bigger jar and want a slightly smaller, quieter machine.

Vitamix Explorian E520

The Vitamix Propel 510 and the Vitamix Explorian E520 are similar blenders with different strengths. While both blenders offer a fantastic overall blending performance, the Propel 510 is a lot quieter at max volume. However, the Explorian E520's jar is larger, and it comes with two tumblers and straws so that you can take your drinks with you on the go.

Breville the Fresh & Furious

The Vitamix Propel 510 is better than the Breville the Fresh & Furious have different strengths. The Vitamix is sturdier and more versatile since it can hot blend. It's more suitable for tough blends like nut butter and hummus. However, the Breville is a great option for smoothies. It's more compact, quieter, and easier to clean by hand. 

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Test Results

perceptual testing image
Design
Design
Dimensions
Blender Type
Full Size Blender
Height
16.9" (43.0 cm)
Width 7.8" (19.8 cm)
Depth 9.1" (23.0 cm)
Weight
9.5 lbs (4.3 kg)
Shaft Length (Immersion Blenders)
N/A

The Vitamix Propel 510 is quite big and bulky. You probably need to store it on a counter instead of a cupboard or shelf. However, it's a little smaller and lighter than the Vitamix Propel 750. You can see a comparison of the two similar blenders here.

9.0
Design
Build Quality

It has a superb build quality. The motor base is made of plastic that feels solid and sturdy and the transmission gears on the jar and base are metal. The dial and switches also feel well-made. There's a centering pad that sits on top of the motor base and helps keep the jar stable. It's removable for easier cleaning. Depending on where you buy it, it's available with a five-year U.S. warranty, which is long for a blender. However, the more expensive Vitamix Propel 750 is sold with a longer seven-year warranty. This model's build isn't as premium as some blenders, like the Vitamix 7500, which have more durable metal siding around the bottom of the motor base.

6.5
Design
Jar Capacity
Main Jar Capacity
48.0 oz (1,420 ml)
Additional Jar Capacity
N/A

This blender comes with a 48oz main jar. Most full-size blenders we've tested come with a main jar that holds at least 60oz, so it's on the small side, which could be an issue if you usually blend multiple servings at once.

Design
Jar/Beaker Materials
Jar/Beaker Material
BPA-Free Plastic
Dishwasher Safe
Yes

The jar, two-part lid, tamper, and 'centering pad' are all dishwasher-safe. The jar is very similar to the one that comes with the Vitamix Explorian E310 and has measuring marks in ounces, cups, and milliliters.

Design
Blades
Blade Type
Sharp
Blade Count
4
Removable
No
Dishwasher Safe
Yes

The main jar has four sharp blades that aren't removable. They aren't as sharp as some blender blades, like the Ninja Foodi Power Blender Ultimate System, which makes the blender easier to clean by hand. The blades are fixed in the jar with a nut assembly that you could remove, but doing so voids the warranty.

Design
Lid
Two-Part Lid
Yes
Lid Closing Type
Friction

The two-part lid hooks onto the lip of the jar with two plastic tabs. The center piece can be removed so you can add ingredients or use the tamper.

Design
Power Cord
Stow-Away Compartment
Yes
Cord Length
6.6 ft (2.0 m)

It has a really long power cord, which is nice if outlets are few and far between in your kitchen. You can wrap it up under the blender when not in use.

Design
In The Box

  • Motor base
  • 48oz jar
  • Two-part lid
  • Tamper
  • Manual and recipe booklet

Performance
9.6
Performance
Fibrous Ingredients (Small Batches)
Jar Used
Main Jar
Fibrous Ingredients Processing
10
Fibrous Ingredients Texture
9.5

It's fantastic for small batches of fibrous ingredients. If you use it for something like a single-serve kale smoothie, it quickly processes the ingredients into a very smooth puree. There are some very small specs leftover since some bits can get stuck on the jar's walls. When you're working with smaller volumes of ingredients, the extra room in the jar also allows more air to be introduced into the mix, so the final blend is somewhat airy or bubbly.

10
Performance
Fibrous Ingredients (Full Capacity)
Jar Used Main Jar
Fibrous Ingredients Processing
10
Fibrous Ingredients Texture
10

It's outstanding for processing fibrous ingredients at full capacity. Using maximum speed, it only takes a few minutes to blend a big batch of kale or broccoli into an extremely smooth puree. When the jar is full, the result is less airy and there aren't any unprocessed bits leftover, since there's no room for the ingredients to splash around.

10
Performance
Crushed Ice
Crushed Ice Preparation
10
Crushed Ice Texture
10

It's outstanding for ice crushing. The pulse switch makes it easy to use to crush ice cubes, and it makes uniformly-crushed, snow-like ice for cocktails or blended drinks like slushies.

10
Performance
Nut Butter
Nut Butter Preparation
10
Nut Butter Texture
10

It's outstanding for nut butter. If you blend at a higher speed (around seven or eight on the dial) for most of the process, you don't need to use the tamper or stop the machine at any point. The smaller jar helps keep all the ingredients near the blades, so it's able to process the same volume faster than blenders with bigger jars like the Vitamix Propel 750.

6.6
Performance
Noise
Noise @ Max Speed
95.4 dB

It's fairly loud, so the noise when you're using it is more irritating than quieter blenders like the KitchenAid K400 and Wolf Gourmet Pro-Performance.

Performance
Blade Speed
Min Speed
1,400 RPM
Max Speed
22,500 RPM
Power
1,400 W
Speed Adjustment Based On Jar Type
No

The speed dial gives you access to a wide range of speed settings with no set increments, so you can make small adjustments. The lowest speed is quite slow, so you can mix slowly to avoid over blending or splashing.

Ease Of Use
Ease Of Use
Controls And Programs
On/Off Switch
Yes
Speed Presets
0
Speed Dial
Yes
Hot Blending
Yes
Pulse/Turbo Mode
Yes
Programs
3
Blending Time Indicator
No
Programmable Timer
No

It has simple controls, with a speed dial, pulse switch, on/off switch, and a power switch below the main control panel. The dial has no set increments for speed, so you can make small adjustments. There are also automatic blending programs on the dial, including 'Soup', which heats up ingredients using friction from the blades, so you can make steaming soup in the jar. The programs stop the blender automatically at the end.

7.5
Ease Of Use
Cleaning

It's easy to clean by hand. Running the blender with soap and water in the jar helps remove sticky food from the blades and jar. You need to scrub the sides of the jar and use a brush to clean around and under the non-removable blades, but it's not a very long or difficult process.