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Breville BSB510XL Control Grip vs. Vitamix 5-Speed Side-by-Side Comparison




Our Verdict
- Performance (50%)6.5/10
- Design (20%)8.7/10
- Usability (30%)7.8/10
- Performance (50%)8.6/10
- Design (20%)9.1/10
- Usability (30%)8.2/10
While costing the same as the Vitamix 5-Speed, the Breville BSB510XL Control Grip is entirely incomparable in terms of performance due to its lower-powered motor.
Whether you’re blending for a crowd or with lots of tough ingredients, the Vitamix 5-Speed Makes it easy with its mighty strength (625-watt) and super-sharp blades. Sporting a 280-watt motor, the Breville BSB510XL Control Grip is okay for simpler tasks, but not a good option if you’re after heavy blending performance.
Sharing an array of technology features, these two immersion blenders are closely matched in terms of usability, but overall we give the Breville BSB510XL a slight edge since it’s a bit more comfortable to use in a long blending duration.
Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender Performance
- Hot Soup Purée (35%)6.5/10
- Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)5.8/10
- Mayonnaise (15%)4.8/10
- Almond Milk (15%)8.5/10
- Whipped Egg-Whites (5%)10/10
- Hot Soup Purée (35%)9.5/10
- Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)8.8/10
- Mayonnaise (15%)8.3/10
- Almond Milk (15%)9.3/10
- Whipped Egg-Whites (5%)0/10
Hot Soup Purée
- Pureeing Time: 30 secs
- Result: Smooth
- Suction: Slight
The Breville BSB510XL is not a bad choice if you need to create hot soup purées in a hurry. Breaking down cooked veggies into liquid form is this machine’s forte.
Although our test soup did retain a few unblended chunks, it was acceptably smooth and had a nice creamy consistency even without adding dairy. Our purée test runs for only 30 seconds, though — you will likely get a silkier soup if you blend longer.
- Pureeing Time: 30 seconds
- Result: Exceptionally smooth
- Suction: No
Pureeing hot soup wasn't challenging the Vitamix thanks to its powerful motor and razor-sharp blades. Although it wasn’t any faster than its counterparts in pureeing time, it warranted the higher cost by providing us with a nutrient-dense purée of silky smooth texture. It also stood out from the rest with a non-suction performance that helped keep splashing to minimal.
Indeed, the Vitamix is the most suitable hand blender for preparing restaurant-quality soup at home. It’s a great bargain for any recipes that involve fibrous food, too. If you’re now looking for a tool that can consistently ensure the smoothest blends, we particularly love and recommend this blender.
Frozen Fruit Smoothie
- Blending Time: 2 mins 21 secs
- Result: Smooth
- Suction: Slightly
The Breville BSB510XL produced a silky smoothie with almost zero leftover sediment. The task did seem challenging, though, since it took nearly a full minute longer than average. You may not mind a little extra time, but frozen fruit smoothies are actually best when they’re blended quickly; the extra time and blade contact will thaw the ingredients and give the resulting smoothie a more watery texture.
- Blending Time: 1 min 5 secs
- Result: Smooth
- Suction: No
The Vitamix took only 1 minute and 5 seconds to complete this test. By comparison, its counterparts such as the UTALENT 5-in-1 and the Hamilton Beach 2-speed required nearly double the time.
Regarding the smoothie’s texture, of all the blenders we tested, only the Vitamix could churn out a thick, creamy smoothie with almost no solids left behind. Plus, despite being longer and heavier, it operated well in our 24-oz blending jar while the BPA-free plastic bell guard helped prevent scratches on the jar’s surfaces.
Mayonnaise
- Emulsifying Time: 2 mins 40 secs
- Result: Quite Thin
- Suction: No
The Breville BSB510XL took 2 minutes and forty seconds to create a batch of mayonnaise featuring three egg yolks and 240ml oil. This was nearly a minute and a half slower than the fastest immersion blenders we tested (such as the Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick).
The sauce had a pale yellow color. It was light and creamy like pudding — neither great nor bad. It lacked the thick texture we prefer, suggesting that better emulsion would demand more oil.
- Emulsifying Time: 1 mins 40 secs
- Result: Quite Thick
- Suction: No
In this test, most of the blenders produced acceptable outcomes and only our culinary expert could tell the differences between them. However, the Vitamix didn’t have the fastest performance, requiring about one minute and forty seconds to incorporate all the ingredients. This was around 30 seconds slower than the winners, including the Cuisinart Smart Stick, KOIOS 4-in-1, BELL 10-speed, and Chefman cordless.
This is because when the mayonnaise emulsified and started to thicken, the blending wand generated a suction force, pulling itself against the container’s bottom. That made movement more difficult and slowed the whole process down. We don’t necessarily consider the time to be a deal-breaker. Since the blender itself is quite heavy, though, the longer the process takes, the more it will fatigue your hands.
In conclusion, despite this drawback, the Vitamix is an acceptable alternative to a hand mixer for preparing mayonnaise or other emulsified sauces. Still, it is not the best hand blender for this job and ideal results may require extra effort.
Almond Milk
- Grinding Time: 56 secs
- Result: Smooth
- Suction: Tightly
The Breville BSB510XL performed well in this test. Of all the mid-powered blenders we tested, it was among the select few that pulverized the nuts evenly and drew the most flavor out of the almonds. After we’d removed the pulp with a mesh strainer, it tasted smooth and creamy, too.
- Grinding Time: 40 secs
- Result: Fine
- Suction: Slightly
The Vitamix took just 40 seconds to yield one serving of drinkable almond milk.
That said, from start to finish, its crushing process didn’t go very well. The almond skins, along with peeled chunks, became lodged in the blade guard. We had to stop the blender temporarily and use a spatula to dislodge the food, which we didn’t have to do with other models, such as the Braun MultiQuick-5.
That said, from start to finish, its crushing process didn’t go very well. The almond skins, along with peeled chunks, became lodged in the blade guard. We had to stop the blender temporarily and use a spatula to dislodge the food, which we didn’t have to do with other models.
Not only that, but because the Vitamix couldn’t create a consistent vortex, everything got close to overflowing when we increased the speed.
Suction was a problem again as well. As a result, we got some almond spatter when we tried to lift up the wand. Most of the splatter-related issues could probably be avoided, though, if we blended it in a taller or larger jar.
Whipped Egg-Whites
- Beating Time: 1 min 21 sec
- Result: Stiff
- Suction: No
The Breville BSB510XL was excellent at beating eggs. It requires less than one and a half minutes to churn out a stiff-peaked whip from 100ml of egg whites, which was considerably faster than most of its peers. If you use this blender to make meringue, you won’t need to make any special preparations; the Breville BSB510XL will readily handle it.
- Beating Time: N/A
- Result: N/A
- Suction: N/A
The Vitamix could be a great all-around blender if it included a whisk attachment. This is because, in our test, there was no way the immersion blender could beat egg-white with its ordinary blending shaft. Unlike a whisk attachment, the blending shaft can’t force air into the egg whites, which is the way to create an even, bubbly foam. Consequently, the result was a cloudy liquid with two separate layers of bubble film and eggy water. We awarded it no points for this test.
Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender Design
- Blending Shaft (30%)7.5/10
- Build Quality (60%)9.0/10
- Power cord (5%)10/10
- Beaker (5%)10/10
- Blending Shaft (30%)9.5/10
- Build Quality (60%)9.5/10
- Power Cord (5%)10/10
- Beaker (5%)0/10
In the Box of the Breville BSB510XL Immersion Blender
- Motor body
- Blending shaft
- Whisk attachment
- Chopper bowl with stainless steel chopping blades
- Blending beaker with dual-purpose storage lid & anti-slip mat
- User manual
Contributing to the high price tag is a set of well-designed attachments, to include a whisk, a chopping bowl, and a 42-ounce blending jar with dual-purpose lid. All of the attachments are top-rack dishwasher safe, which is definitely a big plus. They’re also very practical and easy to use.
- Motor body
- Blending shaft
- User manual
In the package, you will find a handheld motor section, blending wand, and owner’s manual. The lack of additional accessories like a blending jar or a whisk attachment did make us hesitant about the high price. Nevertheless, as soon as we had a hands-on go at this blender, its solid construction proved that it was worth the money.
Dimensions
- Height:16.5" (41.9 cm)
- Width:2.9" (7.4 cm)
- Weight:2.2 lbs (1.0 kg)
- Shaft Length:9.3" (23.6 cm)
At 16.5 inches, this blender’s length is about average. It is top-heavy, though, so it can feel unstable, especially if you want to rest it against the side of your blending beaker when you pause the motor. On the bright side, that length may allow you to reach the bottom of deep pots more easily. Our other concern is the blade housing’s large size; it won’t fit well in all potential containers.
- Height:17.5" (44.5 cm)
- Width:3.0" (7.6 cm)
- Weight:3.2 lbs (1.4 kg)
- Shaft Length:9.2" (23.4 cm)
Compared with others, this blender is quite tall, measuring about 17.5 inches tall, 3 inches wide, and 3 inches deep. That length may allow it to reach the bottom of deep pots more easily. At 3.2 pounds, it is also heavier than most — we were pretty shocked by its weight at first.
Build Quality
The steeper price of the Breville BSB510XL is justified by its build quality, which is hard to beat. While we have different opinions about the plastic coating of its motor body, whose finish is likely to be marred with minor scratches after repeated use, most everyone agrees that this blender will offer you great durability overall.
The Vitamix 5-speed is a simple, high-end blender. Mostly made of stainless steel, it is sturdy and appeals to us aesthetically as well. We’re confident when we say it’s among the few hand blenders on the market that provide the right balance of performance, quality, and value. Better built than most, we also believed its exterior is less likely to be damaged or succumb to basic wear and tear over time.
Speed and Controls of the Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender
- Control Type:Press-button & speed dial
- Min Speed:6.014 RPM
- Max Speed:13.224 RPM
- Presets:No
- Noise Level:76 dB
- Digital Display:No
- Pulse Mode:No
The motor has 15 speed settings, giving us precise control over our food’s texture. To switch between different speed settings, simply turn the dial at the top of the blender’s motor body. All the controls, including the power button and the speed dial, demand minimal pressure from your finger.
To blend at high speeds, the manufacturer recommends that you start with the slowest speed and gradually increase to the higher ones to minimize splattering or over-processing. However, we found it difficult to get this job done when both your hands are engaged while blending — one hand to use the controls and the other fighting the blender’s suction force.
- Control Type:Press
- Min Speed:8,600 RPM
- Max Speed:15,700 RPM
- Presets:No
- Noise Level:85 dB
- Digital Display:Yes
- Pulse Mode:No
We particularly like this blender’s intuitive interface. You can get five different speeds out of it but there are only two buttons on the front. You won’t need much practice to operate them smoothly; we figured out how they worked before reading the user manual. As a visual aid, this blender also has an LED display on top indicating the speed.
The Vitamix is also different from others in terms of its acceleration. Its speed steps up gradually rather than the violent torques others create. That went a long way toward preventing messes and should also prolong the motor’s lifespan.
Blending Shaft
- Material:Stainless steel
- Type:Sharp blade
- Guard Material:Plastic
- Blade Count:2
- Removable:No
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The blending shaft is made of high-quality stainless steel to ensure durability. There is a plastic rim around its base, which is meant to reduce head suction and to protect your cookware from scratches.
The blade has two prongs—one is razor sharp and the other is dull. To keep the former sharp, you should avoid using it to crush whole ice cubes or to grind raw nuts without liquid.
- Material:Stainless Steel
- Type:Sharp Blade
- Guard Material:BPA-free plastic
- Blade Count:4
- Removable:No
- Dishwasher Safe:No
The Vitamix’s blade is constructed of hardened stainless steel. Featuring 4 prongs, this is a unique blade assembly found exclusively in Vitamix-brand hand blenders. There is also a permanent bell-shaped guard at the end of the blending wand. As advertised by its manufacturer, this blade guard can efficiently reduce suction. Made of BPA-free plastic, the bell’s rim should help protect the interior surfaces of your cookware or blending containers.
Beaker
- Material:Plastic
- Capacity:40 oz
- Measurements:Ye
- Weight:NaN oz (NaN g)
- Height:NaN" (NaN cm)
- Dishwasher Safe:Ye
- Tamper Included:No
The beaker has clearly marked measurements for convenience. It is almost twice the standard size, making it easier for you to maneuver the hand blender around. And since there is more room in the container for the mixture to rise, it also helps to prevent overflow.
For storage, the cup comes with a lid, which then snaps onto the bottom of the cup to keep the container from moving on the countertop when you’re blending. And for some operations, such as making a smoothie, the handle on the jar gave us a good grip.
- Material:N/A
- Capacity:NaN fl oz (NaN ml)
- Measurements:N/A
- Weight:NaN oz (NaN g)
- Height:NaN" (NaN cm)
- Dishwasher Safe:N/A
- Tamper Included:N/A
As mentioned above, the Vitamix immersion blender doesn’t come with a particular blending container, but we ensure you can easily buy an optional one of any brand on the market.
Power cord
- Cord Length:6.3 ft (1.9 m)
- Type:2-prong plug
- Detachable:No
The power cord is long enough to reach nearby outlets. It’s notably designed with a finger hole in the power plug so you can easily and safely remove it from the wall socket.
- Cord Length:4.9 ft (1.5 m)
- Type:No
- Detachable:2-prong plug
The Vitamix features a polarized power cord whose one pin is slightly wider than the other. As a safety feature, you can only insert its plug into a polarized electrical outlet in one direction. Should the plug doesn’t fit in your receptacle, make sure you will not force it or try to trim down the pins. Instead, you should contact a qualified electrician for a proper solution.
Extra Accessories
- Material:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
- Removable:Yes
The whisk attachment functions as a hand whisk so you can whip up cream, beat egg whites, and emulsify sauces without a stand-alone mixer. In terms of quality, this part is well built, but one of its wires somehow has a very awkward shape. We can’t say for sure if that happened during shipping or on the production line.
- Material:N/A
- Dishwasher Safe:N/A
- Removable:N/A
There is no additional attachment included. If you want to use blending attachments other than the stainless steel shaft provided with this appliance, make sure they’re recommended or offered separately from the Vitamix’s manufacturers.
Extra Accessories
- Material:Plastic and stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
- Removable:Yes
We haven’t tested this attachment, but we think it could serve you well when making something like basil pesto. It could be a good alternative if you don’t want to bother with a full-sized food processor. The Breville can be a moderate food processor in its own right since the included chopping bowl comes at just the right size for chopping vegetables, onions, and more.
Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender Usability Review
- Ease of Use (60%)7.7/10
- Blade Assembly (10%)7.5/10
- Handling (20%)8.5/10
- Cleanability (10%)7.5/10
- Ease of Use (60%)8.4/10
- Blade Assembly (10%)8.0/10
- Handling (20%)8.5/10
- Cleanability (10%)7.0/10
Ease of Use
The Breville BSB510XL allowed for a thorough blending process since food didn’t get lodged around the blending blade or in the blade guard. We could get an even blend without having to pause our blender and dislodge trapped chunks.
Moreover, the motor operated very smoothly so we didn’t need to hold the beaker throughout the whole job to keep it from moving around (as was necessary with certain other blenders such as the Mueller Ultra-Stick).
After each task, the cleanup was messier than we anticipated, though. This was because the suction force entirely threw off our momentum when we went to draw the blending wand up. The Breville created a lot of splatter every time we moved it around.
Despite the relatively heavy-weight, The Vitamix is comfortable to hold. It even allows for one-handed operation since there are only two control buttons. Not only that, but this blender is also different from others in terms of its acceleration. Its speed steps up gradually rather than the violent torques others create. That went a long way toward preventing messes and should also prolong the motor’s lifespan.
That being said, we noticed that this blender can cause spattering when operating at the highest speed setting if the container’s sides are not tall enough. This isn’t the case with all immersion blenders (for example, the Braun MultiQuick 5 — a mid-range blender — allowed us to start low and increase as we went without any risk of spattering).
On the bright side, the Vitamix doesn’t create as much of a mess as the Cuisinart Smart or the cordless KitchenAid. With the bell guard, it doesn’t suction to the pot’s bottom as much as its counterparts, either. As such, you won’t have to simultaneously lift and stir the wand around. Overall, that meant faster blending times and fewer food splatters.
Blade Assembly
The process of assembling your blender is very easy; simply align the top end of the blending attachment with the corresponding end of the motor body and then push until you feel them ‘click’ together. Separating the two pieces is simple as well thanks to the EJECT buttons on either side of the motor body.
Like most immersion blenders, the Vitamix breaks down into two parts that connect with a simple twist. Given how heavy the thing is, though, it may be tougher to get the job done if your hands are greasy.
Handling
Suctioning problem aside, this blender is among the easiest models to maneuver. You hold the Breville with one finger wrapping over the power trigger rather than just pressing it with a fingertip. Contributing to its comfortable grip is the handle’s rubber coating. Apart from staving off hand fatigue, this feature will help prevent your hands from slipping if they’re wet or covered in grease.
We’re really impressed with the Vitamix’s ergonomically designed handle. It’s not just about modern looks; this handle is coated with a rubber layer to ensure a comfortable grip, which makes it practical for processing large batches of soup. It’s nice to have that comfort, especially given how heavy the motor is.
This coating is also very handy when you have sweaty or slippery hands. You can focus on your prep work instead of your grip.
Cleanability
With the exception of the motor body, all the pieces are dishwasher-safe. However, we recommend hand washing so as to get the best long-term use.
While cleaning it manually, we didn’t have to use much elbow grease on food tailings. For the most part, they rinsed off effortlessly under the tap. The only troublesome things were sticky and water-insoluble residues, like mayonnaise, which demanded some scrubbing. Getting that residue off the backsides of the blades was a frustrating process.
The removable blending wand is not dishwasher-safe, so after each test, we had to clean it by blending water with dish soap and letting the blades clean themselves. Along the way, we noticed a few extra differences between the Vitamix and its competitors which mainly stem from the blending wand design.
Although both the soup and smoothie tailings rinsed off easily under the tap, the Vitamix was the most difficult to clean after making mayonnaise. As an oil-based substance that is both sticky and insoluble in water, we couldn’t remove mayonnaise by blending in warm soapy water alone. A lot of gunk remained until we resorted to a bottle-cleaning brush and specialized cleanser.
But the real problem was cleaning the blades. It was a real challenge to scrub the backsides of those blades. And since the 4-pronged blade assembly is razor-sharp, we had to clean it with extreme caution. What a time-consuming and frustrating process that was!