Finally, a blender that actually does crush ice and not just a few cubes at a time, but a whole bunch. I have been through several blenders in search of a blender that actually crushes ice. Just because the button says "Crush Ice" does not mean the blender actually does it! This one does! Great smoothies and quick. The one-piece pitcher with built-in blade makes cleaning much easier. Also, the extra-wide pitcher allows for more room at the bottom so that ice cubes and chunks of fruit don't get jammed under the blades and between the glass and blades on a traditional blender. Lastly, it is shaped to pour very easily in to a glass.

The consistently good reviews on Amazon encouraged me to buy this and like I've said, after several years of really poor blender purchases, I think I've died and gone to blender heaven!

This Kitchen Aid blender is absolutely great. I love how large the 56oz jar is because I was always having to blend twice with other mixers that had only 40oz jars. The blender is very powerful and chops ice amazingly well. My wife and I bought a Kitchen Aid Mixer last year and use it regularly. We are equally impressed with the blender, it is both powerful and reliable.

Bought this brand because I heard it can chop up ice cubes - Don't start with full size ice cubes because I got that burn smell, but using the smaller ice cubes worked great. Other than that no issues. Forgot to send mail in rebate form, but even still cost was much lower still than at the big retail stores i looked for it at.

This Kitchen Aid blender is great. It has 500+ Watts of power so I won't burn up another blender motor anytime soon. I like the sealed buttons, so if there's a spill it won't get down into the cracks around the buttons. When I first put it on its highest speed I was afraid it might take off like an airplane!
The only downside is the blender jar and the blades are one unit - so if you tear up the blades it'll be expensive to replace them.
However, given the power this thing puts out, I'm not sure the older style of blender/blade combo would hold up.
This is a serious blender for people who do some blending of dense ingredients.

I LOVE my new Kitchen Aid blender! It's a beautiful addition to my kitchen and works GREAT!