i have my Vitamix for 4-5 years and have been happy with it. today, i was making vegetable and fruit smoothie when the carafe exploded. a 1 1/2 inch section of the wall of the carafe spontaneously exploded, and the blades expelled the semi blended smoothie onto everywhere in the kitchen. i had to use one hand to clean the spill and the other hand to keep my two dogs away, as they were licking the floor, and shards of the broken carafe was all over the place. i think such an expensive piece of equipment should not have such a defect.

Realized that the new larger capacity wasn't working for me. Decided to purchase the classic 64 oz. Now I need the longer plunger thing. That would be an reasonable item to include with the product, esp. if not mentioned.

Arrived in time, in perfect shape, ready to blend my fruits and veges!