If you make smoothies every single day and want them silky smooth with zero chunks, this blender is basically the best you can get for home use. Reviewers consistently praise the touchscreen controls, the massive 64 ounce container and how fast it tears through frozen fruit, kale and ice. The auto clean cycle actually works too. Just fill it with soapy water, hit the button and walk away.

The smart features are a genuine perk if you use them. Wireless connectivity links to the Perfect Blend app with over 500 recipes and 17 preset programs. The five built in presets handle smoothies, hot soups, frozen desserts, dips and self cleaning without you babysitting it. The 10 year warranty is also hard to argue with at this price point.

That said there are real trade offs worth knowing. This thing weighs nearly 15 pounds, so moving it around is a chore. Nut butter and oat milk performance disappointed reviewers across multiple outlets. One tester noted an overheating smell during the nut butter test, and the oat milk came out chalky. If those tasks matter to you, a food processor will serve you better.

At $649, you are also paying a significant premium over other Vitamix models that blend just as well for most tasks. The 5200 costs $150 less and outperforms this one on some tests according to CNET. The smart features and sleek touchscreen are nice but not transformative. If you just want the best smoothies of your life and do not care about app connectivity, there are cheaper ways to get close to the same result. But if you want the full package in one machine and can absorb the price, this blender delivers.