There are a number of products under the Vitamix brand. Among them are the Vitamix CIA Professional Series and the Vitamix 5200. With that said, it may be confusing to some people when it comes to telling the difference between these two Vitamix models. This is because they share many similarities but a few differences. Another issue that might bring confusion is the fact that Vitamix uses new model names for specific retailers. These models may come with extras such as different color options, or a different recipe book. Though these differences exist, some features such as the actual blender are the same as those of other previous models. For instance, the Vitamix 5200 is the same as the CIA Professional with only the names being different.
So if you want to tell the difference between these two Vitamix models, what are the things that you need to know? We will look at the speed settings and type of motor to make a Vitamix CIA Professional Series vs 5200 comparison.
Speed Settings
There are three types of control panels on different models of Vitamix blenders. These panels are the simple two-speed setting, the variable speed control panel, and the manual dial for variable speed control panel. The two-speed control panel is available in some models such as the CIA Creations and the Turboblend Two Speed. It is a very simple panel and has only two switches. One switch is the high/low toggle, and the other is the on/off toggle.
The variable speed control panel is found in most models such as the Creation Elite, Pro Series 300, Vitamix 7500, Creations GC, Creations II, Turboblend VS, Pro Series 200, and the Vitamix 5200. This control panel has a switch that you can use to swap between using high-speed and variable speed and an on/off switch. Also, it has a manual dial that allows you to adjust the variable speed from 1 to 10.
The other control panel available in Vitamix models as mentioned earlier is the one that features pre-programmed presets and a manual dial for variable speeds. The pre-programmed presets are used to execute routines, therefore, allowing you to do other things as the blender does everything by itself. This panel is found on the Vitamix Pro Series 750, Pro Series 500, and 6300.
Type of Motor
There are two types of motors that Vitamix blenders use. These motors are the 1,380 watts, 2.0 peak horsepower motor, and the 2.2 peak horsepower motor. The 1,380 watt, 2.0 hp motor was designed and manufactured in Sweden and was mostly used in previous models of Vitamix blenders. The cooling system of this motor was superior that is why its performance was impressive. Though a next generation motor was introduced by Vitamix, this 2.0 hp motor is still currently being used in most Vitamix blenders and is often referred to as the standard motor. The Vitamix CIA Professional Series and the Vitamix 5200 both use this motor.
The other type of motor used in Vitamix blenders, as mentioned earlier, is the 2.2 peak horsepower motor. The horsepower of this motor was improved from 2.0 hp to 2.2 hp to accommodate the wider container and longer blades that new models have. Though this motor has been designed to make blending easier in blenders with wider containers, most people complain that the size of the container makes it harder to blend small amounts of ingredients. For it to blend perfectly, it is recommended that 3+ cups of ingredients should be blended. Among the advantages of this new motor is it is quieter than the previous motor. In fact, the manufacturer claims that it produces 40% less noise than its predecessor. The cooling system of this motor is also improved and cools even more efficiently than the previous motor’s.
Another difference between the Vitamix 5200 and the CIA Professional Series is the former comes in more variations than the later. For instance, the 5200S comes with a cookbook, and the Super 5200 comes with a whole grains recipe book and a 32oz dry grains container. The Deluxe 5200 comes with three spatulas, four cutting boards, a 32oz wet-blade container, a whole grains recipe book, and a 32oz dry grains container, while the 5200 with Compact Container is supplied with a 48oz container.
When shopping for a Vitamix blender, you will realize that it has a number as part of its name, for example, Vitamix 1710 Professional Series 500. This number is not a model, but it only refers to the color of the blender. So, the number 1710 is used to identify that the color of the blender is stainless-steel. Therefore, this should not confuse you when shopping for a Vitamix blender.
Conclusion
There are many similarities between the Vitamix CIA Professional Series and the 5200. Both of them use the same type of motor and the size of their containers are also the same. The only notable difference in Vitamix CIA Professional Series vs 5200 is on the control panel.