Customer Reviews

KitchenAid KSB5CR 5-Speed Blender, Black/Chrome

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

 

 

This blender sets itself apart from other blenders in a couple of important ways. Its glass is shorter and wider than other blenders, and this in combination with the shape of the blades makes it very difficult for stuff to hand about and not get blended. Also, it is a powerhouse. It has a fat motor and just will not let you down. But, and this is possibly my favorite, the cord wraps up neatly in the base for clutter free storage.

After owning a @$#%@#$%!@#$!$#** blender made by Oster this is a great relief.

The wide and short container is the way to go (and it does hold a lot). The shape helps things mix much better than the tall skinny design of other blenders. Of course the fact that it has an industrial strength motor helps. In any case it mixes ice or anything else just fine without bogging down.

The built in cord storage is a nice bonus. As is the way the container just sets down on the base with no twisting or effort. The container takes apart easily for cleaning. The base also is easy to wipe clean. The buttons on the base are actually good for what they say they are, and are clearly labeled. Very smooth operation, not a lot of vibration. Still sounds like a blender, but on the quieter side of blender volumes.

In all ways this blender will save you from blender frustration. You will quickly forget about how wonderful it is because it simply does what it is supposed to without any hassle.

This blender is frustrating. It offers good points, but in the end, the flaws outweigh the benefits. First the good:

The heavy glass base is stable and easy to clean. The powerful motor hacks through most foods with ease. When the blender is started, the motor begins at a low speed for a second or two before turning on fully.

The problems I found led me to toss the blender. If you plan on making blended soups, beware of the explosive force with which this beast turns on. Without a heavy hand on the lid, both the lid and your soup will hit the ceiling. Moderately thick, viscous liquids (a lemon cream was the latest such one I experienced) tend to get caught in the scalloped swoops in the jar. This leads to only the center portion of the liquid being actively blended, while the outer edges stagnate and remain clumpy. Deft work with a spatula is required to coax everything into the blending area.

The above problems were annoying, caused occasional swearing, but were tolerable. What finally got me shopping for a replacement was worse. After several years of moderate use, the KitchenAid stopped working. The blades and motor are connected via a set of rubber teeth. These reduce operating noise, but over time, weaken. The problem first arose when making smoothies with chunky frozen fruit such as strawberries. A burning rubber smell came from the blender coupled with a strange noise and no action in the container. The rubber drive teeth slipped, and friction quickly heated them up. The result was hot, floppy rubber teeth that bent flat instead of turning the blades. When this happens, it takes 20 minutes or more before the teeth are capable of another round of use. Before long the blender could not even swirl water for more than a few seconds before the teeth slipped.

This is easy to use, easy to clean, love the cord storage beneath for easy storage. My last blender which did a great job chopping ice was nice, but it also doubled as a food processor and everytime I used it, had to take out the manual and both the blender jar/and processor jar took me forever and a day in the land of frustation getting it on just right, so it would work. I've passed it onto someone else with more patience than myself. And I've also gotten a separate food processor. Kitchenaide is the right tool for blenders and mixers at this point for me.

Now that I own one, I see them being used on the food network cooking shows. I relly like the unit. Blender works great, and does a nice job on ice cubes, frozen fruit. Glass is heavy and dish washer safe. Rubber teeth looks like they will wear down with time.


Important Safety Tip! The unit does not have a safety interface switch, and the unit can operate the blades without the protection of the cannister. This could cause severe injury to young kids or the elderly. So I would not recommend it to be used around young kids.