I've always had issues with blenders that I've purchased. They either weren't powerful enough, didn't last long enough, or were a pain to clean. The BlendTec could very well be the best blender I've ever purchased -- at this price, it better be! :)
Folks who look at the BlendTec will quickly identify it as the same blender used by Jamba Juice, Starbucks, and various other beverage shops. There's a reason for this -- it's powerful, reliable, and blends intelligently. I've found that the only difference between the home and commercial models is power consumption, configuration, and warranty. The home models are just as good as the commercial ones, they are just made to operate on a standard 15 amp home circuit.
The Connoisseur model definitely deserves a place of prominence next to your espresso maker, food processor, and bowl mixer just on looks alone. The pre-programmed functions are useful, and more importantly they WORK! I use two modes regularly: soup and smoothie. Both work flawlessly and exactly as advertised. I have never encountered a piece of unblended food matter utilizing these modes, and the computer adjusts the blender's speed on the fly to suit the resistance met inside the jar. It also pulses to ensure food is effectively drawn towards the bottom.
The unit has a single large blade that is NOT knife sharp. I emphasize this point because, if the blender is powerful enough, the blade doesn't need to be sharp. The best blending occurs by smashing, not by cutting. Your food processor cuts with a sharp knife, and no matter how long you process something, it always comes out somewhat grainy. Not so in the BlendTec. If you cream soup, it will be the smoothest, creamiest concoction you've ever made -- and to my astonishment, it is so well emulsified that the liquid will not separate from the solids after sitting in the fridge!
The blending jar is wide enough so you can stick your hand inside and clean it properly, and because the blades aren't little knives, you don't have to worry about cutting yourself to shreds. Someone used his or her brain when they designed this appliance!
The Connoisseur is essentially the Total Home blender with a stainless control panel and the ability to be mounted underneath the counter. It also comes with two jars -- 64 oz. and 96 oz. -- along with an absolutely wonderful cook book that was far more than I had expected. The larger 96 oz. jar is indispensable if you are going to blend decent volumes of soup.
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Blendtec A3-31E-FLP Connoisseur In-Counter Blender, Stainless Steel.
