In case you purchase by means of our hyperlinks, we could earn cash from affiliate companions. Learn more.
- A high-quality blender has a robust motor, contains a sturdy jar, and is straightforward to wash.
- I just like the KitchenAid K400 5-Speed Blender for its 1.5-horsepower motor and useful presets.
- The blender makes smoothies and crushes ice in addition to fashions that price thrice as a lot.
Low cost, weak blenders are irritating. Many individuals battle with an inferior blender — maybe given as a present or a secondhand retailer discover. You would possibly even quit on mixing altogether as a result of your low-grade mannequin presents such a trouble. I’ve examined a number of blenders of all costs, and I’ve discovered you get what you pay for.
That mentioned, I discovered the KitchenAid K400 Blender supplies a formidable stability of efficiency and worth. At $200, it is not a trivial buy for many shoppers, however it does nearly as good of a job at frequent mixing duties as a number of the greater names, like Vitamix (a blender I additionally personal and used as a degree of comparability). Listed below are my experiences with the KitchenAid K400 Blender.
Design and specs
What units the KitchenAid K400 Blender (Mannequin Quantity KSB4027BM) aside and warrants the $200 price ticket is its heavy-duty 1.5-horsepower (1200-watt) motor. The blender has 5 pace settings plus 4 presets for mixing icy drinks, smoothies, crushing ice, and cleansing. There’s additionally a pulse perform and a begin/cease button.
The 56-ounce plastic jar is square-shaped with a curved backside. 4 uneven blades on the backside of the jar assist produce a good mix by pulling the contents down right into a vortex.
The lid can be fabricated from arduous plastic with softer rubber round edges to type a decent seal. An heart gap within the lid means that you can add elements whereas the blender is operating with out making a multitude.
The KitchenAid K400 Blender is backed by a five-year guarantee that covers full alternative of the unit, alternative elements, and restore labor prices. The guarantee doesn’t cowl delivery and dealing with related to fixing or changing your blender.
House Depot
Setup is a snap: take the blender out of the field, clear the jar and lid earlier than utilizing, plop the jar on the bottom, plug it in, and also you’re good to go.
Operation is simply as simple with the blender’s easy dial and begin/cease button. To make my first concoction, I added the elements to the jar, closed the lid, turned the management dial, and pressed the beginning/cease button. Inside 10 minutes of opening the field, I had a recent smoothie in my hand.
What makes the blender stand out
I most admire the KitchenAid blender’s presets. You simply flip the dial to the preset you need and the blender does its factor. That is notably helpful when crushing ice for drinks or snow cones. The equipment routinely pulses the ice — a should for a extra uniform consistency. After placing a tray of ice cubes by means of the ice crushing preset, there have been just a few chunks. The remainder was extra of a slush best for summer time treats.
Any blender wants to have the ability to make top-notch smoothies. Most blenders will not pulverize berry seeds or robust, leafy greens, and you find yourself with them caught in your tooth or throat. So, I made a kale, strawberry, frozen banana, and almond milk smoothie within the KitchenAid blender. The ensuing beverage was as {smooth} as could be. There have been no disagreeable bits of strawberry seeds or kale items to take care of.
I additionally wish to see how properly blenders could make nut butters. I tossed uncooked peanuts into the jar and ran the blender on excessive. The K400 did a reasonably good job of creating a slightly-chunky peanut butter. The chunks have been a lot finer than store-bought chunky peanut butter, however not fairly as {smooth} as peanut butter made in my Vitamix.
Fortuitously, cleansing the jar of the KitchenAid K400 blender is straightforward. I simply rinsed it out, added a drop of dish cleaning soap, stuffed the jar a few quarter of the way in which with heat water, and ran it on the cleansing preset.
House Depot
Whereas testing this blender, nothing unfavourable jumped out at me. I discovered it mildly annoying that the K400 routinely shuts off after operating for 3 minutes. Whereas making mayonnaise — a course of that requires including olive oil slowly whereas the unit runs at excessive pace — I grew involved when the mixing stopped. However, the blender simply timed out. I pressed the beginning button, and it was again at it.
Total, the KitchenAid K400 Blender is a workhorse. I examined it for 100 days, and there have been no hiccups in its efficiency. It tackled the entire mixing duties I gave it and was straightforward to wash afterward. It is an excellent mid-priced blender that provides a stability of affordability and efficiency.
What are your options?
After I’m not testing blenders, I primarily use the Vitamix A3500, which is the most effective blender I’ve ever used and prices about thrice as a lot because the KitchenAid K400. The A3500 has sensible connectivity, a 2.2-horsepower motor, and is backed by a 10-year full guarantee. That mentioned, the K400 does a comparable job at fundamental duties like crushing ice and making smoothies.
For different blender choices, take a look at our guide to the best blenders.
Must you purchase it?
The KitchenAid is a really highly effective blender for the worth. That mentioned, many customers could not essentially want a blender this highly effective. In case you primarily want a unit for combining easy elements, comparable to milk, bananas, and protein powders, save your cash and select a extra reasonably priced choice.
Nonetheless, if you need extra out of your blender and may’t afford or do not want a big-name Vitamix, the Kitchen K400 is for you. For many duties, comparable to making truly-smooth smoothies, nut butters, crushed ice, icy drinks, and mixing thicker objects, this blender will get the job achieved. But, in case you plan on placing your blender by means of harder duties, comparable to kneading doughs, or if you wish to warmth soups as you mix them, you will have to spend more cash on a fancier mannequin.
Execs: Pulverizes berry seeds and leafy greens, crushes ice, 4 presets, 1.5-horsepower motor, five-year full guarantee, nice for nut butters, straightforward to wash
Cons: Solely 5 motor speeds, routinely turns off after three minutes of operation
Discussion about this post