So about a year ago I decided my Oster is not truly a blender, but more of a mixer. So I started looking into getting a Vitamix. Prices - sky is the limit! Those things are pretty expensive! To save some dinero I purchase a reconditioned 5200 Vitamix directly from the company. Price - 300 plus 25 shipping plus 21 tax = 346. I thought I got a good deal, so before it came I started looking for various recipes, uses etc. that a powerful blender would deliver. In my search I stumbled upon 2 videos that pretty much changed the way I looked at a blender, and rocked my belief that the Vitamix was the best I could get in that price range. And that was even before my blender was delivered! So I jumped on my computer and ordered this Waring (for about 330 bucks at the time). Both got home in the same time pretty much. So which one did I end up with? The Waring, of course.How did they compare? There is not a night-and-day one. They are both very, very good blenders. But in every test I did in the short time I had both, the Waring stood out. The power, blending action, and overall feeling reinforced my decision to keep the Waring and return the Vitamix. Any regret? Absolutely NONE!This thing is a beast. Nothing can stop it! It has so much torque! It is truly one of my best appliances (I try to purchase commercial quality as often as I can - I also have the Waring WFP14SC, the KitchenAid KSM8990OB, the Weston 08-0801-W, among others) and I reach for it every time I have the chance. I make nut butters, coconut butter, fine purees, almond milk, coconut milk, smoothies, blended juices, shaved ice, nutella, and many, many more. There are some recipes (such as carrot puree) in which the speed and friction created will actually cook the food! I have also used it to make corn meal for polenta out of whole corn kernels.Is this perfect? No, not at all. When making ice cream, it doesn't matter how slow or fast I use it, it will not mix well. So I had to make my own tamper similar to the Vitamix one. Also, the container is fairly wide at the base, so it needs a bit larger quantities when making nut butters, etc. More, the container is not very resistant. It didn't break (and I blended some nasty stuff, as you will probably too after seeing the videos I seen) but it has now scars and it is cloudy at the base (to fix it I have just purchased the Waring stainless steel container CAC90 - you can also get it without the lid but with a blade for a bit cheaper, Waring model 503346, or without the blade or the lid Waring model 026648. The lid from the plastic container fits perfectly). And also, it would have been nice to have a smaller, maybe even upside-down container, for a quick marinade or a vinaigrette. BUT, this is nitpicking, as this is indeed a fantastic blender, and I would not trade it for anything else.If not convinced, please search for and see the following videos: "The Waring Xtreme Blender" by KaTom (S3VG24BJ0-Q on youtube), end especially this one: "Science of Blending • Impact • ChefSteps" by ChefSteps (eCJ313gICFg on youtube) - I never knew you could blend golf balls!!! Watch them, it will change the way you look at this blender - I promise.All in all - highly recommended!