Cuisinart CB-18BK SmartPower Basics 18-Speed Blender, Black
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Kitchen and Housewares Reviews of Cuisinart CB-18BK SmartPower Basics 18-Speed Blender, Black
Customer Review: Two years later -- UPDATE -- only 2 stars!
Summary: 4 Stars
My original review stated: It is very reliable,can handle tough jobs; and I would recommend it to anyone. (That was after only a few months of use.)
TWO YEARS LATER UPDATE:
The SmartPower Cuisinart burned up in less than 1 1/2 years, and I mostly used it for hummus that had been watered down to help the motor handle it.
After a thorough search on the Net, we decided to buy a Blendtec Total Blender (competition for a Vitamix, but cheaper). Blendtec Total Blender is the product you see being used at all of the smoothie shops, and it is able to handle 1/3 of a pineapple, whole apples, raw beets, carrots, you name it! You can drink your raw foods with this machine, by adding them into your smoothies and get REAL food in your body pretty easily this way!
I no longer recommend any of the Cuisinart or Osterizer Blenders for any reason, unless you want something that will burn up every year and have to be replaced AGAIN! Even my two college kids are envious of the great Blendtec blender we now own! :-)
The Blendtec has a computerizer motor that senses when to speed up and slow down as needed to produce a completely blended smoothie. It automatically times out when the food is blended and is very easy to clean and maintain.
If you do your research properly, you will find one on sale for sure. Do yourself a favor and save up the money. FORGET buying a new cheapo blender every 14-18 months! Buy yourself a REAL blender that can handle more than gravy. You will not regret the investment, I assure you!
Joyce Stotts
Newark, NY
Customer Review: WOW - Nice Blender!
Summary: 5 Stars
I was hesitiant to purchase this blender after reading the other reviews about leaks. I took a chance and I am glad I did!
This blender is better than I had expected. It is heavy and sturdy. Easy to clean. Absolutely no leaks. More powerful than I needed. Easily beats out every other blender I have ever used or owned.
My wife makes fruit smoothies for breakfast in the morning. We pre-make them by putting the fruit and other ingedients in individual feezer bags and keeping them in the freezer. Our "old" blender would take forever to chop up the frozen fruit and would have to continually add more and more liquid to get it to work right. With this one, she just dumps in the bag of frozen fruit & stuff, adds a splash of juice, and seconds later it is done. No hang ups or stalls, just powers right through. It is relatively quiet to boot! (quiet for a blender at least)
We have had ZERO problems and NO COMPLAINTS about this blender. We have had it for about 6 months now and use it every week day before we go to work. I wish every product I bought met my expectectation as well as this one.
Customer Review: Great blender
Summary: 5 Stars
I've been using this blender for a few weeks now, and it's a pleasure to use! I make a daily smoothie using frozen fruit, which it handles with ease. I don't usually crush ice, but I did a test batch just to see if it worked well, which it did. I especially like that the base which screws onto the container is broad and shaped to match the lower part of the blender, so it is very stable in use. The one piece glass jar is easy to clean & looks better than the plastic ones some other inexpensive blenders have. The speed control is just a knob which you turn up or down as you are blending, which I find to be intuitive & easy. It seems to be on the noisy side at top speed. I rest a hand on the top to calm it down if I'm using "high". I find that it blends everything just great at low to middle speed, so I usually just stay in that range.
--I'm adding this comment after 5 months of daily use. The blender keeps on doing what it is supposed to, day after day...
Customer Review: Problems with New Blender
Summary: 5 Stars
Update as of 2/24/2004 - Amazon.com ROCKS !!I wrote Amazon about the problem I had with the first blender I had delivered, and they sent another one no questions asked. The new one works beautifully!! I'm making fruit smoothies, and protein drinks for my workouts every day now. It crushes ice like a dream and no leaks. It is very powerful, what a great value for the money I paid. I would give the blender and Amazon 6 stars, but the rating listbox doesn't go that high. Thanks Amazon and Cuisinart!! :-D (Happy Camper in Atlanta)
I purchased the Cuisinart SmartPower blender last month, and tried to use it for the first time yesterday. I made sure the bottom was connected with the washer and blade in place. It leaks, I tried everything and it leaks. I have to call their office but their hours are during the time I'm at work. It seems like its a good strong blender, but if it leaks, its no good...
Customer Review: Loud, leaky, and lumpy
Summary: 2 Stars
I don't know what kinds of horrible blenders the other reviewers had before buying this Cuisinart, but this model could only live up to quite low expectations.
I was impressed at first with this model. Good, solid, heft. Nice glass pitcher, wide mouth and base, and plenty of speed/power options. And, it all comes apart for thorough cleaning.
But, when making smoothies, it would leave big frozen lumps. And the wide mouth doesn't have much of a spout, so lumpy smoothies or soups don't pour well and drip down the side. Plus, it seemed un-usually loud at any setting. Within a few months, it started leaking. I traced the leak to a hair-width crack in the blade housing, which quickly became a total failure. The blade is now in two separate pieces.
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