This machine is so much better then I expected. I have made a cheese sauce, many different smoothies. I have also made buttermilk pancakes and soups. Everything turns out wonderful. The smoothies are sooooo smooth with absolutely no grit. I would highly recommend this to everyone.
Bought the Series 500 with three pre-selects a couple of months ago, and I am completely satisfied and pleased with the product. It makes great smoothies, which is what I use it for overwhelmingly. You can throw anything in the pitcher that is cut up into manageable sizes, and the blender absolutely pulverizes everything into a smooth, healthy drink, giving you the benefit of the entire fruit or veggie, as opposed to a juicer which separates the juice from the pulp. I'm really impressed with how the blender makes great nut butters, as well. Pour in whatever nut you want, work it around with the tamper, and in no time you have warm, ultra smooth butter! The unit is powerful, and the blades are seriously aggressive. I made the mistake of forgetting a plastic tablespoon in the blender one morning, turned on the smoothie preset, and let her rip. It was only after the cycle had run that I remembered the tablespoon. I poured the smoothie out through a metal sieve, and there was absolutely no sign, no granules, no bits, nothing noticeable left of the spoon. If I hadn't remembered that the spoon was in there, there would have been no way to tell. It would've taken a microscope to see whatever was left of that spoon! Moral of the story: Don't forget anything non-edible in the blender. Unless it's metal, you wont be fishing it out. And if it is metal, I would imagine it would be in pieces. I wanted to buy a vitamix for a long time, but the price kept me from making the move. I finally bit the bullet, and took the plunge. I'm glad that I did. It has to be one of the best blenders made.
Pros: Speed of Service, Texture Quality, Easy to use, Versatility, Power