I purchased Blendtec Professional 800 about two months ago. I know couple of people who own Vitamix, but I remembered using Blendtec when I worked in a café years ago. I really did my research, compared all Vitamix and Blendtec blenders, and the choice was easy: Blendtec! After all, Vitamix copied Blendtec (google: Vitamix vs Blendtec lawsuit). Plus, when compared, even the most expensive Vitamix is not as powerful as Blendtec, plus Vitamix charges couple of hundreds of dollars more - for a product which is not even comparable to Blendtec. With tax this model cost me more than a month's rent, but both my husband and I are glad we bought it. Love it!