KitchenAid 5 KSB 5 EWH /ECR/SCR MY/ER/BU

Advantages: solid, reliable, great capacity, tackles ice cubes, looks fantastic!
Disadvantages: you have to hold the top down a bit to avoid splashes

...I am a compulsive soup maker, with many a mystery vegetable which has arrived in my organic deliver box transformed into a tasty dinner, with one pan and no effort, really. Best friend was always a bit cross that she couldn't persuade her other half to like soup enough to cook it. She lived on a North American diet of fast food, with a waistline to match, and was growing sad about that. For years I'd soldiered on with cheap blenders. Suffering cracked goblets, bent blades, leaking tops...then I got an unexpected tax rebate and decided to invest in a really good blender. This coicided with 2 events: the death throes of my last cheapo one, and my best friend's new diet. We both went out and bought Kitchen Aid blenders at once - John Lewis must have been delighted with us. My friend became obsessed with making smoothies, soups... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Stlyish, multifunctional, easy to use and clean, built to last
Disadvantages: top end price

...I have owned my kitchen aid for 6 months now and I can't imagine how I lived in this world without one. This is the only blender I have ever used that is built to withstand the tests of time. It is robust, sturdy but ever so stylish. There are 10 functions in all, including one which crushes ice - a feature many of us dream off but will in all probability never use. It is incredibly easy to clean - which most blenders, really, are not. It is also very easy to use and has a great jug capacity! Hang the expense and buy the Kitchen Aid, in 10 years you will still rejoice at the sight of it every time you walk into your kitchen.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Powerful, with adjustable speed and handy pulse function
Disadvantages: Cannot do small quantities

...I have had my Kitchen Aid blender for over two years now and use it several times a week. It is great for soups and smoothies and powerful enough to cope with most things - green smoothies, raw carrot, ice cubes... The variety of settings mean that I can do things such as pasta sauces which I do not necessarily want to be completely lump-free (the pulse function is useful here) or go for a totally smooth texture for milkshakes and smoothies. Also useful for hiding veg from my children (no suspicious lumps!) and rescuing pancake batter ;) Like most liquidisers this one cannot cope with dry foods, so for coffee beans, nuts, seeds etc you will need a separate grinder, unless you soak them first and/or add liquid. It also struggles with small quantities (less than about half a pint will simply get smeared around the edges of the goblet) so... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful