KitchenAid® 5 Speed Blender w/ Polycarbonate Jar -- Onyx Black

"Cabbage: A familiar kitchen-garden vegetable about as large and wise as a man's head."

I'm the one that does a good portion of the cooking at our house and I've been thinking about buying a blender for our kitchen.  I want one that won't break the bank and do what I want it to do. I thought I'd begin with Kitchen Aid because my son had purchased a red Kitchen Aid mixer and he is very happy with it.  He does most of the cooking at their house too.  Like father like son I guess. I spent some time researching and here's what I found about the KitchenAid® 5 Speed Blender with a Polycarbonate Jar - onyx black.

The things you will see:
The color.  If you like color this unit won't disappoint you with its choices. The base is available in  9 different colors – white, empire red, onyx black, tangerine, silver metallic, metallic chrome, gloss cinnamon, blue willow, pear.  I'm partial to the empire red just like the sports car I dream about.

The pitcher. A clear, lightweight polycarbonate jar instead of the heavy glass ones I've had in the past makes for easy handling and pouring.  It's shatterproof  and dishwasher safe.  You can make a lot of silky smoothies or puree boiling hot soup at one time with this thing.  A 56 oz (1.65litre) or 7 cup capacity will keep your family or party going. A wide pour spout directs your delicious creations into the cup or bowl in a smooth pour.  Because of the power of this unit you can add 2 to 3 cups (475 to 710 mL) of your favorite ingredients at a time versus 1 cup (235 mL) portions of most other units.

The lid. The flexible lid has a strong seal to prevent any kind of leakage as it blends. A 2 oz cap in the lid allows for measured filling while the unit is running.  However, it is best to stop the unit before adding hot ingredients or when the blender is full.

The separate ice button. I like buttons on my gadgets so the automatic crush ice button caught my attention. With power enough to smash ice into smithereens from chunky to snow cone fine it makes for a great family and party machine. 


The controls. The smooth, seamless control pad wipes clean in an instant. There are no cracks or crevices to trap ingredients. I love this feature over the push buttons of my previous blender.  It was a pain to clean.

Variable speeds. Like a sharp looking sports car this unit has 5 speed push buttons plus a pulse capacity for increased power at any of the 5 speeds. They are stir, chop, mix, puree, liquefy, crush ice and pulse.  The crush ice speed automatically pulses at staggered intervals to make sure you get the ice as fine as you want it. A slow start feature starts the motor of a slower speed to draw ingredients into the blade and reduce the contents from splashing out the top when it starts. 

The base. This blender is solid. The base is made of solid die cast metal sitting on 4 rubber feet to resist slipping and help reduce noise. It also stores the cord so it is out of the way and out of sight. The way I wish my kids would be sometimes. 

The blade. This blade cuts. It has four large tines each positioned at a different level which makes for fast blending.  


The coupler. This coupler is strong.  It has 12 stainless steel reinforced interlocking teeth that provide direct transfer of power from the motor to the blade.

The size. The unit measures  38.1 x 17.8 x 22.9 cm or 7-1/4 by 9 by 15-1/5 inches so it fits comfortable on the counter top under the top unit.
The weight. 6 kg or 9-8/9 lbs.

Warranty.  The blender comes with a one year warranty.  From the research I've done people who returned the unit stated they received replacements in a timely, no hassle way.

The things you don't see – the guts of this unit:

The motor. If you want power you got it here.  A .9 horsepower motor makes it powerful enough to   crush ice without wincing, easily puree soup mixtures, and quickly whip up shakes or smoothies for your next party. Unlike the sports car this thing starts off slowly to prevent splattering, then it picks up speed as the mixture thickens.

Speed Control. Like a smart car the special electronics in this unit tell the blender to increase power as its needed to maintain an even speed even when new ingredients are added to the mix.

Heat Control. Overheating can be a problem for some appliances but that's not a problem here. An advanced airflow design keeps the blender cool during continued use.

Things it does not have:
This unit does not have a timer control nor does it allow for food processor attachments. I think that would be a nice addition. It doesn't have cruise control either.

Here are some things reviewers said about this unit.
"The clean up on this blender is easy. There are no parts to take apart,  just fill 1/3 of the pitcher with water, add a drop of dish washing liquid, and set it to the "stir" speed, then rinse. Very easy."

"It is a year and about 300 smoothies later and we still have this blender."

"The pitcher is huge so no problem with overflowing liquids. It makes a mean margarita because the ice crushing function is great. There are 5 speeds for all your blending needs, and plenty of power. Clean up is easy because the chassis is very streamlined with no protruding buttons to catch food and sticky liquids. I HIGHLY recommend it!!"

A few comments I came across reported that the unit leaked.  They also stated that Kitchen Aid had been quick to send a replacement.

All in all this KitchenAid® 5 Speed Blender with a Polycarbonate Jar looks like a great addition to my kitchen.  Maybe my wife will get it for me as a gift!  We'll see.

Click Kitchen Aid 5 Quart Mixer for my review of the Kitchen Aid 5 Quart Mixer