Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought this blender primarily for protein and fruit smoothies, crushing ice, and grinding coffee. Out of box experience was good, well packaged, simple. Tested it by using the Easyclean feature, and it worked like a champ. While it is noisy, it is quieter than I expected. Just don't expect to be listening to something on TV in another room if you are blending in the kitchen. The Pros: My first smoothie was done in seconds, no fuss, no muss. A cup of ice, two big scoops of protein powder, fresh strawberries not cut up, and 12 ounces water. I put in the ice and strawberries first, and pulsed about 3 times on ice to get a very nice puree of ice slush and strawberry, only a few seconds each. It's got power to spare. Added the powder and water, hit smoothie, and about 15 seconds later I had very happy happy milk-shaky-like goodness to enjoy. Cleanup and storage could not have been easier. So it's a keeper. The cons: I can see how with so much plastic used, SOMETHING will give out over time and use. HB does not warrant glass breakage, but they say NOTHING about plastics, so if a lid or vent or base go, the 3 year warranty will be worth keeping track of. Summary and impressions: It suits my needs, it meets or exceeds expectations, and it was cheap. So cheap that if it dies after warranty, I won't blink and won't miss it. So after browsing through HUNDREDS of reviews, personal blenders, and Ninja's and such, and nearly going for a Cuisinart personal blender, I figure this one takes up roughly the same amount of space, 700 watts beats 300 any old day, and certainly 185, and why mess around when I don't want to have to worry, I want to blend. Very Worth While. If it had more sturdy and durable looking plastics, or they were some other non-bound-to-fail material, it would get 5 stars. For under $25.00 you can't beat it with a stick. I hope this helps if you're reading this!