Customer Reviews

Breville ikon Hemisphere LCD Blender

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

 

 

See the reviews for the BBL600XL. The /A just indicates a slight revision to how the blade assembly is attached to the base. If you try to purchase a 600XL today, you are likely to get the /A version as I did when I purchased mine in Jan 2009. This is a powerful blender that makes short work of ice and other items that give cheaper blenders a rough time. It would probably be rated five stars by anyone with enough wrist strength to tighten the blade assembly to the base properly. You need to remove the blade assembly after every use for thorough cleaning and the torque required may be beyond that of anyone with less than average adult male strength.

Originally we had the top of the line Cuisinart blender - a gift from our wedding. After very light use, it destroyed its drive gears (we had used it maybe 15 times total, never with anything hard). So seeing as how we had a bit of money left unspent from our wedding gifts, my wife decided to move us up to this unit. And it is AWESOME!

First, it is simply beautiful. Not too often (never) have I thought about the lines and aesthetics of a blender, but this one is nearly too good looking to put away.

Second, it is powerful. We're talking wood chipper powerful. Solid metal drive gears and a powerful motor combined with the gnarliest blade combo I've seen on a blender. It laughs when you put ice in it.

Third, it blends evenly. The blade system works to make sure everything gets blended properly - no large chunks left over to surprise you or to plug your straw when you make a smoothie/margarita. In fact, it may even be too efficient in that it is tough to use to make shakes because it completely liquefies the ice cream. Throw the shake in the fridge to set up & problem solved, but this is the first blender I've had that is that thorough.

Fourth, the lid is awesome. The lid seals perfectly, far better than other blender lids. And in the middle of the lid is an easily removable portion so you can safely continue to add things while blending (more fruit to your smoothie or whatever). This lid is amazing when pureeing hot soups, saving you from a lot of risk of burning your hands. The only minor drawback to this is that you have to clean between all the ribs, but that is a very minor issue.

Fifth, the glass jar is perfect. It is tough, easy to clean in the dishwasher, and hold a crazy amount of stuff.

Sixth, the control buttons and display is very nice. They are easy to wipe off if you spill something, and they are very easy to operate when your hands are covered with gunk from cooking.

Others have complained about the blade assembly being difficult to remove/reinstall. Breville provides a tool to give you all the leverage needed. If you clean your seals regularly and keep the assembly clean, there is no reason it should be difficult to put on or take off, and it should not leak. If it is leaking, you have done something wrong - likely put the seal in improperly or didn't get it seated before you tightened it down.

This unit is very heavy, probably twice the weight of most other blenders, and that pays off with blending power and durability.

While the price is very high, this is one of the few products that may actually be worth the premium.

We bought this blender when our old standby broke. We've had nothing but great experiences with it. It's quiet and has settings for everything. I use it to make baby food several times a day and the "snow" setting lets me puree foods to the consistency I want. No leaking problems; no problems tightening it; no trouble removing blades; no problems cleaning it. I rinse after each use and take it apart for an easy wash after every few uses. I've never had to pick around in the blades to clean them out. Also, the way that the blades are positioned eliminates air bubbles, which was a problem with my last blender. All around, great product.

I purchased this on July 10, 2006 after my kitchenAid stopped working. I was really excitied about this blender, it crushed ice perfectly and the smoothies were excellent. But after less than 10 uses, the blender stopped working, no warning no nothing. I turned it on and it turned itself off. Spend the extra dollars and get a VitaMix.

This product dies after 2.5 years. I probably used around 50 times and it is about $4 for each blending.

The cleaning for this product is also not very good. The bottom cannot be easily seal even with their tool. Not worthy it. A cheap blender will last longer than this one.

Purchased this blender because it was sold as a display at 40% off. Knew nothing about it, but did some research online after purchasing. Seemed to work fine for me at first, but this morning, only it's second use, I noticed it was leaking just as many reviewers had complained. Also, the "smoothie" function produced more of a "chunky" than a "smoothie" which was very disappointing. Other reviewers have noted that the blade assembly tends to freeze up, and emits dark residue over time, as well as the motor failing after only 1 or 2 years. With only a 1 year warranty I don't feel too confident about this product. If only this $100+ blender worked as nicely as it looks I might keep it, but it's going back ASAP.

Update: Finally decided to go for it and ordered a Vitamix 5200. Yes, it's expensive, but so far worth every penny. It outperforms every other blender I've tried.

When purchasing a blender, I compare everything to the Blendtec commercial blender I used when I worked in Retail. Unfortunately, few blenders measure up, and this is no different, but it's adequate.

The problem is that there shouldn't be such a thing as an adequate $200 blender.

Pros:
This blender is quiet (for 750 Watts), lightweight and compact. And unlike many blenders I've tried, there was never any chunks left in my smoothie. I didn't have to stop and stir and blend again for the mix to be "lump free". It was easy enough to take apart and clean and it actually is quite aesthetically appealing.


Cons:
I expect better than average performance from a blender in this price range. My biggest issue with this blender is at it's highest setting, I could not make a smoothie "smooth". The best I could get was a well mixed foamy slush consistency and everything I blended except plain ice seemed to be a little foamy. Also, the blender would constantly start and stop on every setting. I'm not sure what purpose this was meant to serve, but from what I read in the instructions, it was meant to operate this way. I, however, didn't like it.

This blender wasn't bad, but I have $40 blenders which perform better and that's what makes this a three star blender. I returned it to Bed Bath & Beyond where I purchased it so unfortunately, I can't comment on the durability.

I thought this blender would solve all the issues I've had with previous blenders; dying for no apparent reason, difficult to clean, gears becoming stripped, etc. It's a nice looking blender and very quiet. However, no matter how much I try to secure the blade component to the base of the jar, it ALWAYS leaks from underneath. Sometimes when I pour my juice or milk into the jar, it literally comes pouring out from the bottom and all over the countertop. I have to quickly pour the liquid into another container and attempt to tighten the blade some more. This leakage makes cleanup a hassle because I have clean the base and under the gears every time. Additionally, I have to pour my smoothies into a glass over the sink. I'm going to be returning this product and looking at a Vitamix.

I just got off the Breville USA site and....

1. It appears that I can't get a new glass jar to save my life!

2. Also, have you ever solved the leak issue with this blender?

3. Because of the constant leakage, I'm forced to clean the top of the motor often. Because of this, the finish is coming off in three quarter sized places.

Is this scripture describing your blender? Looks pretty outside, but inside it's full of disturbing issues and poor engineering?

Matt 23:27 "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness.
(NKJV)