I have only owned this blender for a short time but have already used it far more than I typically used my cheap low end blender in a year. I am pleasantly surprised with how functional and easy to use this machine is. I was a little intimidated by other reviews making it seem very complex to operate. It is not at all. We have successfully made several sauces and soups and of course plenty of smoothies. The small instructional booklet that came with it was very helpful in knowing how to best arrange liquid to solid ingredients for optimum blending & everything has come out just perfectly. We have a household favorite recipe for pasta sauce made with cauliflower, almond milk, oil and nutritional yeast and it always came out chunky and watery with our old blender, but it's silky smooth & awesome using the Vitamix! I haven't yet tried heavier things like nut butters, however.Despite being made of plastic, the jar seems extremely durable. The 64 oz size is large but I think it's all the better for having extra space especially when you stick a bunch of kale or other greens in for smoothies for two or more people. It does get crazy loud at high speeds but you get used to it quickly and it doesn't seem so crazy within a week or so of use. On a more shallow note, I love the way it looks on my counter and the red color is a perfect shade that could pair well with brighter classic red items as well as darker candy apple red items. I am glad I went with that instead of playing it safe with black. I fully admit to wanting a Vitamix partly because it's an iconic kitchen item I see vloggers using, but this refurbished less expensive model was the perfect way for me to own a Vitamix without investing a huge sum. It came in branded, impeccable packaging and there's nothing about it that seems damaged or used in any way.