The s30 is my second vitamix I also have the 5200. I purchased the s30 to take away with me and to make to go smoothies. There were some scratches on my original s30 I contacted Vitamix and they immediately arranged a new one to be sent out to me and arranged pick up of the damaged one. My new one arrived in 2 days in great condition. I personally would not buy anything but Vitamix and would highly recommend their product. The s30 is less powerful than the 5200 but it's also a smaller footprint. I let the smoothies blend a little longer in the s30 and they come out smooth. I have also made nut butter in the s30 and that also came out smooth.

This is my 2nd Vitamix. I decided to replace the one we had for about 6 years or longer. This is smaller, which is a perfect size and I love the fact that it has a 'spare' cup and the blades come away which makes it easy for cleaning and also purchasing other jugs if required. My 'but' in the title relates to the lid for the jug. The lid is top heavy and gets very slippery. It twists around as I am removing it, making it sit upside down on the jug. It can also get messy and splash the smoothie everywhere. This doesn't happen with the older model. I am not sure if it is as fast as the older, larger one either. However, I do prefer the new one for the reasons stated. I still have the original model hidden in the cupboard as my husband is resistant to change!

Not worth the money. Invest in a regular machine with the short carafe.