I was really sleepy one morning when I was making a green smoothie. I forgot to put on the lid. I used my tamper. The Vitamix chewed up the tamper. Some of the plastic came off and went into my smoothie. I put on touted the lid on and finished using the tamper. I removed the tamper and noticed that there was a hole at the bottom if the tamper and that the smoothie liquid had gone inside the tamper. I just ruined my tamper. I quickly went to the Vitamix website and ordered a new tamper. The new tamper arrived in a timely manner. I threw out the damaged tamper and began to use the new on right away. The new tamper performs just as efficiently as the tamper that came with the blender originally. I am very pleased with the new tamper. I now make sure that I put the lid on the blender each and every time so that I am not only safe but so is the tamper I am using. Thank you!