Note: This review has been written after 6 months of steady use. Overall, I am pleased with this blender. I own this blender in a black finish.
PROS:
(1) Hardy and powerful: Besides using it to make soups and such 'softer' items, I've also used it to pulverise ice, hard baking chocolate, hard cheeses and so on. It goes through everything like butter.
(2) Stable base: Because of how powerful this blender is, it needs a heavy base to keep it from vibrating all over your countertop. The base provided is heavy enough to fulfil this requirement.
(3) The glass jar: The blending jar is marked for measurements in ml, l, cups and oz. It is dishwasher safe.
(4) The seal between the cap and the glass jar: I have found it to be absolutely watertight so far, provided it is fixed right.
(5) Cord storage at the bottom: The base contains a little niche where extra bits of the wire can be tucked in to prevent them snaking over your countertop.
CONS:
(1) Heavy: The entire unit is heavy. If you don't have dedicated counterspace for it, you're going to be lifting it in and out of your cupboards. Be warned it's not light. I estimate it weighs between 3 and 5 kg.
(2) Pointless functions: Some speeds are fairly pointless in my experience. The chopping vegetable function, for instance. I've never been able to coax an even chop from it. What I've gotten the few times I've tried it is a partial chop and a partial puree. I guess I'll stick to my knife here.
(3) The glass jar: You will need a small-headed spatula to get the last few remnants of food matter out after blneding something. I invariably have to go digging in with my hand to sweep stuff out as well. No major problems, just not as easy as in my previous blender.
All in all, I'm satisfied. It meets my requirements and does everything I need it to do at little inconvenience to me.
