Customer Reviews

Cuisinart Compact Portable Blending/Chopping System

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I bought this blender after my original magic bullet started to wear out after 2-3 years of heavy use. I did a lot of research prior to buying the item, and this seemed to have the best reviews. Keep in mind that I only use it for blending smoothies, milkshakes, protein drinks, etc. - so I haven't even used the additional blade. I've had it for about 6 months and haven't regretted it for a moment. Definitely much better quality than the Bullet, easier to clean the cups (I love that there are 4 of them - I would never buy one with just one cup) too. The only minor issue is that it seems like you need more liquid than you would think - sometimes I have to stop, open it up and add more liquid just to make sure it blends properly. However, this is not frequent and not an issue for me. I love how fast it blends and chops ice effortlessly. Plus, it's pretty so I can leave it on my countertop, which is ideal since I use it at least once a day. Even if this blender eventually wears out on me, I would definitely consider buying another one of the same model.

This is absolutely the best blender i have had so far.
We use it to make baby food as well as fruit smoothies, iced coffee's (it crushes ice chunks effortlessly ),
protein shakes and soup for the whole family.
just make sure you use enough liquid. and Especially not to overfill the TRAVEL CUPS as this will put too much stress on the powerful motor.
This problem caused my first Quisinart blender to give up (after very heavy use) but I am buying the exact same one now as I was very happy with it.
Clean up is a breeze and I love the extra travel cups.
Double worth the money.

I purchased this item as a birthday gift and the recipient was thrilled! The cups are sturdy, an easy shape and size to hold and a straw can be used through the drinking hole (in the lid) if desired. We used the recipe book as a guide (for liquid to frozen fruit ratios) and the smoothie was fantastic! Great taste with the perfect consistency. You can make the smoothie right in the serving cup so that once blended you simply screw off and rinse the removable blade attachment, then pop on the lid... no mess and nothing else to clean! This is one powerful little blender - the fruit was frozen solid but it only took seconds to do the job. This actually makes a better smoothie than my big counter-top smoothie maker and without the noise and mess! This will travel around with the Birthday Girl on weekends, etc. and replace the expensive specialty shop smoothies she loves so much!

I purchased this with my Visa points about a year ago. Seemed to work great when we first plugged it in, but we've found a few issues with the product and have since stopped using it.

The blades were sharp and could get through anything (still are), but the motor isn't powerful enough. It's advertised as being able to chop ice, but throw some frozen banana in for a smoothie and the motor burns out before the smoothie is done. We noticed this with most of the things we make unless making small amounts. The motor takes 15 minutes or so to recover after over heating, so when it gives out, that's as good as it's getting blended.

The cups are really tight in the bottom, I have no idea how you're meant to clean them... It's near impossible to get your hand in the bottom, and the dishwasher doesn't always manage. The cups also have plastic spines? Small lines of plastic from top to bottom on the inside of the cups. I imagine they're for support, but they make for a lengthy cleaning process. The blade is also a hassle to clean. Too many nooks and crannies for things to get stuck in (especially when grinding flax seed!!), and it usually involves taking tooth pics or q-tips to the underneath of the blade, o-ring, etc.

Finally, aside from the cleaning and lack of power, the threads on the blade gave out after a few months. If we put anything in to blend that was more liquid than solid, it would leak while blending (has to be blended upside down). After a while the only thing we could make in it without losing half of it in the process was peanut butter. We've been using our food processor for everything, since. Still in the market for a blender.

I am so happy with this purchase, it exceeds my expectations. I actually can't believe how well it blends frozen fruit and flax seeds in no time!!!

I LOVE THIS and highly recommend this for a family or even a single person.

Don't hesitate, buy it - it is well worth the money!

in general:
I've had the product for two weeks now. The machine is small, but pretty loud. It also emits a fair amount of Ozone gas as do many electrical motors. I haven't needed to replace the gaskets but the product does come with a spare which I anticipate will be handy! all in all, perhaps I should have gone with a hand chopper and/or food mill. Although, those won't crush ice...

chopping blade:
I wanted something that would do food processor type applications as well as traditional blending. It does grind spices, but I would not say it replaces a food processor. I am a big fan of homemade salsa, which it does not chop, but purees. I read through the user manual pdf that you can download. It has a recipe for spaghetti sauce -- and even says you can make it chunky. So you can see why I am disappointed. Also, the first time I blended spices I was making a homemade curry mix and the turmeric powder has permanently stained the container. I would suggest individually grinding ingredients. As well, the recipe book indicates a chai latte, and you should do the cloves separate -- or you're in for a surprising last sip!

blender blade:
I am happy with the other blade. It does not emulsify as much as one would hope, but this is probably true with most products. Works well for bisque soups.

containers:
The containers are okay -- and just okay. The blender container could be larger and would be nicer if it had a pour lip. I am also concerned about whether this lid is BPA-free -- it is a soft plastic. The travel cups are a bit difficult to clean as the tops of the containers are just profile plastic (to save material) so that food gets stuck. Also there are ribs inside the containers which also are annoying. I assume these were designed to strengthen the plastic to resist the forces while blending, but maybe they could have been on the outside? I don't know. (really want to try filling the spare travel mugs with pre-blended fruit and freezing them but I don't dare.)

I was looking at the reviews concerning this mixer. Good things were said about it and I confirm it is true.

I love it! I was very impressed with the weight of it, very solid and strong. I would highly recommend this Cuisinart personal blender. My daughter- in- law ordered one as soon as she tried my smoothies. It's an attractive machine to leave on the counter as well.

I previously had the Big Boss for making smoothies......loved it but the little washers went within 3 months.....I make smoothies everyday, so wanted something easy to use and cleanup. This one has surpassed BB. It is a lot quieter for one and having 2 speeds available is bonus. It seems sturdier than the BB as well. I am hoping this one will last a lot longer but would definitely consider purchasing again if not. Can't beat the price.....would love a Vitamix but those prices are just out of reach for most of us and don't know that I would utilize it enough to warrant the cost.

The blender is exactly what I was looking for. I adore it. Blends frozen fruit and kale smoothies to perfection.