If counterspace in your kitchen is an issue for you, you may want to try the Cuisinart SmartPower Duet. The blender is a treat to use; the Food Processor is good if you don't need much volume. The footprint is nice and small.
Over the years I feel like I've been through the blender wars. Finally, thanks to this little unit, peace, so to speak, is at hand. I tried a EuroPro combination blender and food processor, but it didn't measure up. It had a significantly bigger footprint, didn't blend smoothies as smoothly, and after about a year I broke the plastic carafe. Need I say more? Oh yeah, it cost more.
Glass vs. Plastic:
I've used up so many blenders that, even though I favor lightweight, I'm now a confirmed Glass Guy. With plastic carafes it's just too easy to break 'em. And when you go to find a replacement carafe, whattayaknow? That model has been discontinued.
The Cuisinart BFP-703 SmartPower Duet (hereafter "BFP-703") has a great, heavy glass carafe, which holds plenty and disassembles in a flash, making it very easy to clean. The blender does the job on a smoothie. Very few, if any, lumps (banana in my case) ever left in the bottom.
Besides the carafe there are three other parts: the base it sits on, the blade, and a rubber gasket. They reassemble just as flashily. I expect to need (someday) to replace the gasket. (Maybe I should start looking now!)
The Controls: Way cool! We've all used those blenders with a million different speeds, only problem being it doesn't seem like the speed changes from Low(1) to High(1000000). The BFP-703 has "Stir", "Chop", "Mix", "Puree", "Food Processor". (I think in that order.) Each speed is noticeably different from its neighbors. The machine has an "On" button and an "Off" button, and a "Pulse" button as well. First you press "On", then you choose your speed. It's easy to change speeds, as long as "On" is on. If you press "Pulse" along the way, the unit pauses: then any speed button is effective only while you hold it down. Press "Off" when you're done. It's actually intuitive! (I love these controls.)
The Food Processor: Well, if you need volume, if you have a couple of kids, this FP probably won't cut it, if you get my meaning. Since my food processing needs are modest, it's AOK for me. For example, it does bread crumbs just fine (or coarse if you like 'em that way). Yesterday I used the FP to make a puree out of some eggplant (with roasted garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, fresh coriander, yum). A "real" FP would probably have done all three eggplants at once, with room to spare. With this small FP I needed to make two batches. But the thing did the job. And again, it disassembles with ease and cleans likewise.
The BFP-703 is, to my ears, fairly noisy. But c'mon, it's a blender!
I recommend this unit for anybody who: needs Blender first, Food Processor second; wants something that will last; cares about counterspace; likes intuitive controls; likes (relatively) simple cleanup.
Enjoy a frozen drink, crush enough ice for a crowd, and prepare hors d'oeuvres for a party with the Cuisinart SmartPower Duet Blender / Food Processor...More at Home Depot
Cuisinart skillfully combines a blender with a small food processor without sacrificing the performance or features of either one. This Duet appliance...More at Cooking.com
Enjoy a frozen drink, crush enough ice for a crowd, and prepare hors d oeuvres for a party with the Cuisinart SmartPower Duet Blender/Food Processor. ...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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