We love it so far!!

My fiance and I needed a blender for our kitchen. I have had previous experience with lower-priced blenders that just couldn't...well...blend! On this blender search, however, we were specifically looking for a blender that would allow us to make quick, no-fuss smoothies. I'm not too crazy about cooking (though sometimes the mood does strike), and I absolutely despise cleaning. I knew that if we chose a blender that couldn't easily crush ice, many of our upcoming mornings would consist of frustrating and/or failed attempts at making smoothies -- and who wants to start off their day like that? I also knew that if it was difficult to clean, I would never use it. I am not fond of taking things apart and putting them back together again!

My fiance said I was possessed, but I read consumer and professional reviews high and low, trying to find the perfect blender. I didn't realize just how expensive good blenders were, but after some initial research I decided that I would stay under $200.

For the most part, the Waring PBB came highly recommended by consumers AND professionals. The aspects that most interested me were 1) people said it was easy to clean, 2) people said it crushed ice like a dream and 3) people said that it was durable and reliable. Ultimately I was oscillating between the Waring PBB and the KitchenAid 5-Speed Ultra Power Blender. I finally chose the Waring because of the one-piece pitcher assembly, and because a Consumer Reports review seemed to indicate that the KitchenAid's actual blending performance might not meet my needs.

When it arrived, my fiance set it up. This essentially consisted of lifting it out of the box and plugging it in! Within minutes we were sipping delicious "Orange Julius" type drinks. They were completely smooth. The 40 oz. pitcher is definitely sufficient, but if you have large parties you may want to purchase a model with a higher capacity.

We've been using our Waring for a week, and have made various smoothies and finely crushed ice for "sno-cones." We have almost exclusively used the "low" setting...we didn't need to shift it up to "high"! A plus: the warranty on the motor is 5 years, so we aren't afraid of having it die on us.

The only *possible* problem I have run across is that, a couple of times, after blending about seven ice cubes, the fine "snowy" ice froze into a solid piece under the blades. This prevented me from grinding up any more ice without first removing the blockage. I'm a novice blender-user, so I'm not sure if there is a way to avoid this. Maybe the user simply needs to give the pitcher a shake every now and then?

Cleaning is a snap! We just rinse it out with dishwashing liquid and warm water, and place the ONE-piece pitcher assembly back onto the stand. Add the two-piece lid and you are set to go! The pitcher is glass, so you must be careful not to drop it (hence the 4-star durability rating).

We purchased the cobalt blue blender, and it looks great on our kitchen counter. My fiance, who drools over kitchen decor with my mom, absolutely loves it!


Update:

December '05 and the Waring is still going strong! It has survived several tumbles to the kitchen floor (the dogs like to "counter surf") and the lid emerged relatively unscathed after being chewed on for approximately 45 minutes by a large male doberman! Therefore, I am upping my "durability" rating to a 5!