Just received my refurbished S30 and while I have not tried it yet (I'm sure it functions well enough), I have to say that Vitamix makes no effort to sell you a clean machine. The motor was filthy. There was residue beneath the motor where the feet are, the front was dusty and the top of the motor is very scratched. Had I known how filthy, dingy and banged up these refurbs are I would have shopped for something else. Makes me want to return this one and sell off my 750 too. Very disappointing.

I bought this mostly for making dressing since my 5200 is hard to clean because the blades aren't detachable and it's hard to dig down around the blades to remove thick dressing. I thought a detachable base would really help, so I splurged on the S30. I shouldn't have. The blade base is so heavy, it's hard to remove from the canister. In order to keep liquid from seeping down onto the sides of the base, it must be screwed on very tightly which results in a very hard-to-remove base. If my hands are at all wet, or greasy, forget it. That base isn't coming off. Sometimes a grunt and a dry towel are helpful. I find I reach for this appliance very rarely. I'm back to using my Ninja which isn't as powerful as the S30, but is much more user friendly.

Originally I bought a full size Vitamix and when it arrived I knew it was just too big for my personal use so I returned it and purchased the S30. It took a bit of getting used to but I stuck with it and learned how to make it work for my needs. I make a lot of protein smoothies, I find using the pulse for the first minute works best to keep the ingredients blending. At first I was frustrated until I figured that out now it hardly ever gets stuck. I've pureed soups, made nut milk, chopped ingredients but most often I make smoothies. I was concerned I wouldn't be able to tighten the base enough to get a good seal but so far this has not been an issue. It's a well constructed solid machine and well worth the extra cost. It takes very little counter space and is simple to use.