Casabella Silicone Cutting Board, Set of 4

The set just arrived, and there was no red, as in product photo. Instead there was a yellow one. The other colors were the same. I would have preferred the red for meat, but can live with it. But that's not the reason for 2 STARS. The silicone backing simply does not work. I have a wood surface counter, as well as a laminated counter top, and the mats move all over the place. You can feel the silicone backing, but it does absolutely nothing to keep the mats from slipping or sliding all over both of the counters. I'm really disappointed with this item. Oh, and calling them "boards", is a misnomer. They're less than a 16th of an inch thick. I did expect that, but come on...call them mats, and not boards.

I purchased these thinking they seemed like a great way of preventing cross-contamination of food when cutting multiple items for a meal. I didn't realize when purchasing them, however, that they aren't dishwasher safe. At first I didn't mind and would hand wash them after using them. Almost a year later though, I've come to realize that they are a total pain to clean. The vegetable one is fine but I've noticed that meat tends to stick to the meat boards and can be difficult to get thoroughly clean. It isn't necessarily obvious when they are wet when washing them because the boards are clear so products like chicken or other meat residue can blend with the water. After they dry, however, there are still little pieces of meat and/or meat residue stuck to the boards almost every time. As a result, I have to hand wash them two or three times to get them clean. I've grown to hate them over time. I'd much rather have thicker boards with the same color coding that can be cleaned in the dishwasher and disinfected/better cleaned from the heat and steam. If they hadn't cost as much as they did, I would have pitched them a long time ago. Save yourself time and money and look for something better.

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I've used flexible cutting boards for a long time now, and tend to buy a new set every year because of the potential for contamination. I'm really incredibly happy with this set. The past sets that I've used have had a definite tendency to slip, and, unlike some of the other reviewers here, I've found that the silicone backing really does help keep these boards more stable.

These boards will mark up pretty quickly, as will any plastic or wood cutting boards. This is actually a good thing; it means that the edge of your knife blade isn't being dulled every time you cut something.

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These color coded cutting boards are just Okay. They are very thin silicone and are coded for different food products but I would have liked a "cutting" board to be thicker. One side does have a grip side so they don't slide all over your counter. I still use them but place them over my existing plastic cutting board for more cushion and stability while cutting.

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I'll start by saying I love the way they look. Fun, colorful, sleek. That's what attracted me to them and ultimately why I purchased them.

When they arrived, I found that they were surprisingly thin and very flexible. The rubber backing doesn't grip the counter (specifically granite, since that's what's in my kitchen) and if you cut anything on them once, you will leave a mark. After one use, they already have cut marks all over the place.

For what they cost, I'd say look elsewhere.

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Wusthof Classic Steakhouse Steak Knives, Set of 4

By far the best steak knives I have ever had! For years we had the Wusthof Grand Prix II steak knives, which are fine knives. But the Steakhouse design is far superior because of a thinner, sharper blade. I'm sure the Steakhouse ones will require more care in sharpening because of the fluted blade, but they cut without pressure, keeping the juices in the meat. The straight part of the blade required a little touch up with a diamond hone right out of the box because of blade thinness. But WOW!

These knives are absolutely amazing. They are a little longer and thicker than a traditional steak knife. They are probably among the best steak knives made today. I would recommend these in a heartbeat. They are supposed to be exclusive to Williams-Sonoma and can also be found on their site for a much higher premium than seen on Amazon.

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Victorinox Kitchen Utility Shears with Bottle Opener

I own four (count 'em, four!) pairs of these shears, purchased from other vendors, but am posting a review here to add my voice to the chorus of admiration for this product.

I purchased these shears for use in the kitchen, even though they lacked what I thought was the critical feature of take-apart capability, because I was unable to find kitchen shears that otherwise fit the bill. I subsequently found shears that do come apart for cleaning that I prefer to use in the kitchen, but these shears still remain in constant use in many areas of the house.

I keep one pair in my knife block to use in cutting open packaging in the kitchen when food contamination is not an issue; the shears' sharply pointed blade tips make them excellent for dealing with plastic packaging of all types. I keep a pair in my bedroom nightstand, a pair in my desk, and a pair in my car. (It's amazing how often I use them in the car!) I plan to buy another pair to keep in the garage.

The shears are sized for general kitchen use, being neither too large nor too small, and are amazingly lightweight. The handles are extremely comfortable in my average woman-sized hands; they fit either the right or left hand. The blades are sharp and tough; they have a Rockwell hardness score of 55. (See info @ .) The blade action is extremely smooth and the sharp blade tips make the shears useful for a myriad of kitchen tasks. Unfortunately, the danger involved in cleaning these bad boys without being able to separate the blades, and the extreme caution I prefer to take with regard to contamination, rule out general kitchen use for me. But if you're less squeamish than I am on these subjects, go for it.

I own a pair of Shun kitchen shears for meat/poultry trimming and feel that they're the only shears to use for that purpose (see my review at Shun Kitchen Shears), but the Victorinox shears would be excellent for all other jobs in the kitchen or anywhere else in the house, garage, office, shop, RV, etc. They're available from Amazon on their 4-for-3 promotion if you can think of as many uses for them as I did.

I would like to be neutral like the Swiss, but I can't in regards to these shears. They are awesome and are perfect to use with my other "outdoor" cooking implements with my grill. Victorinox is one of the best brands out there. Buy today.

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For the price, they are sharp, durable, and fit my average male hand well. Would buy again.

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My initial impressions were great. The shears were sharp and the handles fit my hand, but then they started to rust at the pivot. I've always hand washed these shears and dried them with paper towels. I've never had any of my knives or shears rust before, so this is a complete surprise. Needless to say, I'm unhappy with this product.

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As with all Forschner/Victorinox products I have purchased, what you get is exceptional value and high quality. Simply one of the best product lines in existence.

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J.K. Adams 19-Inch-by-13-Inch Hickory Wood Heritage Homestead Cutting Board

I purchased this cutting board as an Amazon "scratch and dent" model that was missing its original packaging. The item arrived packed in the normal Amazon shipping box and was surrounded by plastic. The board itself is beautiful and I have been using it for the past several weeks. It has not warped or cracked or had any other issues. I have been coating it with mineral oil on a weekly (more or less) basis. I suspect this board will last for many years.

Stop eating petroleum. Buy sustainable. Buy American.

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Premier 3 Piece Starter Set

these shun knives are fantastic such great handling and not too heavy which make it really easy to handle when carving meat, choppping vegies or coring tomatoes and such

I love these knives. They make chopping up food so much fun. They are sharp as can be and beautiful to look at too.

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Messermeister 8-Inch Slicer Edge Guard, Messermeister Blue

I had never heard of these edge guards, being a "normal" household cook. However, after getting them to round out a free shipping order, I love them. Tney really protect your knife blade in your drawer and protect your hands when reaching in. Easy to insert and remove.

Though one may purchase a better quality guard, this one has worked well for my purposes.

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7.1 Quart Stock Pot (soup pot) with Non-stick German Weilburger Ceramic Coating by Healthy Legend -

I am very happy with this soup pot. It is very large and it is great for cooking soup. I love to cook soup and noodle for my family. It's non-stick German Ceramic coating works perfectly and it can avoid food from sticking and burning. The most important is that it is non-toxic and more durable than Teflon. It is a great gift for my in-law. It is inductive ready too, I can take it to my RV and use my inductive cooktop. One note is that not all pot and pan made by Healthy Legend are inductive ready. I think only the bigger ones are inductive ready.

I love this pot. The only thing that is marginally regrettable is that the 7 quart is a bit large for my usages. That's my bad...should have ordered a smaller one. The pot is great, and the non-stick surface is all that it is cracked up to be. I also ordered the skillet set from this seller, which I will review separately. Excellent packaging and shipping. I had had no previous experience with the Wellburger ceramic coating cookware, but am rapidly becoming a fan. Really good cookware.

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and I am free of the dangers of consuming toxic Teflon flaking off of my old pans. Heats well, cleans up easily.

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The pot is well designed; no sharp or rough edges, conducts heat evenly, nonstick ceramic surface allows for easy clean up, and it was reasonably priced.

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Farberware Color Paring Knives, Mixed Colors, Set of 4

I started using these knives a few years ago because I happen to see them in a local hardware store. They worked so well for so many different usages that I actually wore them out. I spent almost a full day going from store to store trying to find the EXACT brand, shape, and color but could not. I finally checked out Amazon and found them. I can't say anything negative about this product because it WORKS WELL FOR so many things.

Seems like the handle is too thin or the blade too short or something! Just very difficult to hold and use these knives. Next time I'll pay a bit more and hope for something easier to use.

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Chose this because I needed some small gifts. This goes with what I was giving and the pricing was just right. Nice little knives. I even kept one for myself

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I should have spent more money=more quality. They were kind of small. I did like the bright colors. They will do in a pinch.

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Professional Series 8" Chef Knife

This is a nice heavy, good quality chef's knife for those who really like the weight of a heavier knife while cooking. It came very well packed in a plastic sleeve as well as a cardboard case with Viking metal rivets so I saved that to store it when not in use. Great knife for the price.

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Hampton Forge Essenstahl Arch 20-Piece Flatware Set

I found this flatware in a Macy's store and was thrilled by the design of the knives (as well as the spoon sizes). Unfortunately, Macy's only had one 20 piece set left which just wasn't enough for my needs. So I searched online and found it through Amazon. Even though only the fork (why?) was displayed as an image and I had no name for the set, I decided to go for and order it. Fortunately, it turned out to be the right choice and I am now a happy owner of 2 sets. The handles of all pieces have a night weight to them and really sit well in your hand. Very stylish! ...forgot to mention that Amazon's price was 50% cheaper than Macy's...

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Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Pro S 2-Piece Deluxe Asian Set

Both knives are razor sharp. Great balance and heft. The kudamono knife (3-inch) will even slice easily through a large carrot. These knives are built to last. (I've had my other ones for probably 20 years) The 7" knife is far superior to the regular chef's knife, too. My new favorite knives, for sure!

With so many foreign "knock-off" high-end articles it is good to read the comments of others who made the mistake and purchased a knock-off. Well, you pay for way you get, and I paid a lot for their wonderful knives; I've am amature chef, so I appreciate quality knives and have had a very nice set for 20 years, but never the ones with the bevels in the sides, basically making whatever you slice just fall away with little or no effort. Great knives, reasonable prices, and fast service.

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I ordered this knife set after due research. Took a long time to arrive. The larger of the Knives works, the small knife is blunt would not slice a tomato, paper nothing it is useless. I sent an email to the company explaining difficulty. This is what I received back:

"Hello Joesphine,

As the Australian distributor your enquiry has been forwarded to us.

We wish to advise that to achieve a good finish without damage to the knife by

being incorrectly sharpened, we recommend that you have the knife professionally sharpened.

This service can be done via retailers such as King of Knives who have many stores nationally."

NO free voucher to have it sharpened. I will never purchase this product again. and feel very dissatisfied as I fell I have wasted a considerable amount of money. No customer service at all. BUYER BEWARE!!

_____

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Wusthof Classic 12-Inch Long Slicing Knife

I work at a sushi bar so I needed a knife that can easily cut through special rolls without messing up or squishing the toppings in 2 simple strokes.

Special rolls are hard to cut because they have to be covered with plastic wrap (this helps toppings from falling off the roll) and the knife

needs to cut through the plastic wrap and the roll very quickly.

The edge is really sharp, and grip and weight of the knife makes it comfortable to use.

I also have relatively new (less than a month old) Henckels Classic 8 inch slicing knife, and this Wusthof knife slices through rolls much better,

but that's to be expected since this knife costs almost 3 times more.

Only one thing I didn't like was the packaging.

It came with a cheap looking paper cover and it was taped to the handle. Even the much cheaper Henckel knife mentioned above came in a plastic packaging.

The tape was a pain to get off, and the sticky residue left behind from the tape is even worse.

Took me a while to get it cleaned off, but I don't think I should give it less than 5 stars because of it.

This is an expensive knife, especially so if it is for home use, so treat it well and it will in return give you the pleasure of effortless cutting for a long time.

I also purchased a 12 inch carving knife blade guard by Wusthof and it fits this knife perfectly.

-Update 05/05/2013

I've been using this knife daily at my work for almost 2 years now.

At first, I sharpened the knife on whetstone about once a week.

Now that I've got the angle of the blade as I like, I can go 2 to 3 weeks between sharpening.

Of course the knife is showing some wears, but I bet I can use it for at least 10 more years.

I'll probably "want" to buy a new knife rather than "need" to buy one before this knife wears out.

*Note this knife requires a little extra work on whetstone when sharpening than other knives I have.

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Le Creuset Stoneware 12-Inch Dinner Plate, Caribbean

I just love this product! Very much worth the price while on sale. A bit steep for me otherwise. I will be able to keep these for a very long time. Not too heavy since i am relatively short and taking very heavy dishes out of the cupboards can be a bit cumbersome. They are heavy enough to last and not so heavy i will need to get a chair to take them down!

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Pure Komachi 2 Series Fish Knife

Years ago I bought a package deal from On The Table containing a first generation Pure Komachi Fish knife and Kitchen Shears (matching colors) for $20. We're still using both, but the Fish knife has had some of the coating near the edge chip away; however, it's also the most used knife in our kitchen. Though I've sharpened this knife many times over the years, it holds its edge much better than most of my knives, some of which are fairly expensive. They're also easy to sharpen. Pure Komachi knives seem to be fairly high carbon and I honestly prefer them to my Gerber, Mac (non-pro), etc. knives. In my opinion, Pure Komachi knives are better than anything else you will find at most (non-specialized) department stores.

I keep all of my kitchen cutlery, regardless of quality, very sharp. I use Spyderco Fine and Ultra Fine bench stones. I sharpen my knives before they get dull, such that they are usually sharp enough to shave hair. My Pure Komachi continues to hold a great edge.

I also own a number of Pure Komachi 2 knives (made in China), which is what I'm reviewing here. As far as their blade characteristics go, the second generation knives are essentially the same as the first generation Pure Komachi knives (made in Japan). First generation Pure Komachi knives had slightly more appealing colors and nice translucent handles (and the knife tang contained cutouts depicting fish, bread, etc. depending on the knife's purpose).

Wash these knives by hand--I recommend against putting any knives in the dishwasher. In this case it's bad for the coating, but it seems likely that putting knives in the dishwasher can damage their temper. As absurd as that may sound to you, I inherited a few knives from my grandparents that are duplicates of knives I've owned that have that simply won't hold an edge (while mine will). The only difference is that my grandparents washed their knives in the dishwasher.

Higher end knives are better than Pure Komachi, but one high end knife will cost you as much as a full set of Pure Komachi knives. I vastly prefer my 4 Shun knives--they get sharper and stay sharp much longer, but they're expensive knives and I tend to baby them (and hide them from guests).

A good knife for about ten bucks. The lifetime free sharpening from Kershaw/Shun is nice too. Because the blade edge is SIXTEEN DEGREES not 15 degrees, I suggest you send the knife back to Kershaw/Shun for free re-sharpening. Failure to re-sharpen with the proper angle makes the knife not work for cutting.

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This knife is great. I haven't used it for fish, but it is awesome in cutting ribs abd veggies. Very sharp. Many good uses.

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I was first drawn to this item because of the color. After I tried it for the first time the quality of the item won me over! You have to be careful the first few times you use this it is so light that you underestimate how well it cuts!

This knife is worth twice the price I highly recommend you purchase it!

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I love all Komachi knives. They cut extremely well, and the resin makes them rust-resistant. They are easy to grip, and the colors make it easy to identify their use. They clean easily and are great to use. I buy them as presents for friends and family every year for Christmas. The fish knife is great for tuna, salmon, tilapia and catfish. Those are the only fish that I have tried it on.

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Oneida Wedgwood Juliet 18/10 20 Pc Set Service for 4 (Mirror)

When I was ready to buy a good stainless steel set, Juliet was my favorite pattern. I discovered it had been discontinued, so rushed to purchase it before it disappeared all together! I saved 75% over currently-available designs. This stainless steel set is beautiful, heavy, durable, classy, and I'm sure it will be passed on to the next generation. I'm sure Oneida's other patterns are great, too (just more expensive than one being discontinued).

I was missing half of my flatware that I got as a wedding gift and I found it on this website. Now I have flatware for the whole family!

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Prodyne White Marble Cheese Slicer

While the marble itself is very high quality and looks great, the handle grip is cheap plastic and very poorly made. The very first time I used it, the wire stretched quite a bit because the handle did not hold it securely. Now, I have to re-tighten the wire almost every time I use this cutter. I strongly discourage anyone from purchasing this product.

UPDATE: A short time later, the handle broke completely. I just cannot understand why Prodyne would pair such a nice piece of marble with a really, really cheap handle.

I had this cheese slicer for six months and it worked fine until the cheap plastic handle that holds the wire cracked and broke. It is now useless.

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Fantastic slicer. Heavy duty slicer and great appearance. The price is fantastic. I ordered five (5) for friends and family, everyone is just pleased as punch with this item. Thank you Prodyne and Amazon.com.

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I purchased this cheese cutter years ago in Rudolph WI at the Wisconsin Dairy State Cheese Co. (which is also 5 star). I personally eat cheese with every meal, so the cheese cutter gets a LOT of use. In fact, we just started on the 3rd wire. Xmas day, one of the grandkids accidentally broke the cheese cutter, so I am ordering another identical one.

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I received my slicer with the wire broken. And some of the marble was chipped off around where the wire lies. Seems like it would be a good product, but doesn't seem to be very well protected in the packaging.

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Chroma # 800 Medium Grit whetstone

I purchased this whetstone to go with my set of chroma knives. I thought it was a little expensive, but ordered it anyway because I felt that if you have the knives then you should probably order this whetstone. It arrived very quickly and was very nice quality. It even has rubber feet on it so it will not slip when you are using it wet. You must soak the whetstone in water for about 15 minutes, until it no longer absorbs any more, prior to using. Your knife is then drawn back and forth on the whetstone at about a 10-15 degree angle to the blade of the knife. In very little time the blade is brought back to it's original sharpness or better. It is suggested to use the whetstone 70-80 percent more on the side of the hand that you use. That would mean if you are right handed then sharpen 70-80 percent more on that side than the left side or vice versa if you are left handed. I use a ripe tomato to test the sharpness on. In all I would say that this whetstone is a good valued tool that does a great job.

This little stone helps me keep my type 301 and other knives sharp as could be! Takes no room in my kitchen and easy to learn how to do it! LOVE IT!

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A quality whetstone with an outstanding nonslip base to hold the stone in place while shapening knives.

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Herdmar "Spiga Brushed Gold" 18/10 Stainless Steel 5-Piece Place Setting

The quality of this flatware is phenomenal. The pieces are longer than you'd expect, however; the large spoon and fork are massive. The handles are very long. Have only owned for a few weeks.

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Epicurean Camp Series 19 by 6-Inch Filet Recycled Cardboard Cutting Board, Nutmeg

I HAVE A LARGE BOARD I BOUGHT FROM AMAZON A FEW MONTHS AGO-LOVE IT. WHEN I SAW THIS CAMP BOARD I SENT IT TO MY SON TO TAKE FISHING. I AM SURE HE WILL ENJOY IT. I USE MINE EVERY DAY-LOVE IT.

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Bella Cucina 17-Pc Rocket Blending System 10029

I have been looking for a blender/food processor/blending system that could hold up to the ingredients I put in my smoothies, and this one works like a charm, even when my ingredients include big chunks of nectarines or walnut halves. All of my smoothies have come out smooth, not chunky, and this is even replacing my Cuisinart mini-prep as go-to kitchen appliance of choice.

Other things I love about this blender:

There's a locking mechanism that allows you to set it to blend and walk away.

With the multiple blending cups, I never have to worry about having a clean one handy. I wash the blades by hand, but put the cups and lids in the top rack of the dishwasher.

A screw-on cap is included, so I can take my smoothies with me if I don't have time to drink it at home.

Finally, my smoothie recipe (which I now consume every morning):

1 peach or nectarine, in big chunks

handful of fresh blueberries, if available (otherwise, frozen)

handful of fresh raspberries

1/3 c. lowfat cottage cheese

1/3 c. plain lowfat yogurt

5-10 walnut halves

Blend.

When you get this item for less than half the price of a Magic Bullet, I was tempted to buy this Overall it is a good blender and does pretty much most of the things which a Magic bullet can do, but my only disappointment is that it is not built well, here are some details:

Plus:

* Does the job well, but not as good as the Magic bullet. something which would take 1 minute on the Magic bullet would probably take about 1.5 minutes

* Poorly platic quality on the mixer jars The jars have lost their shape to a slight degree after a few times in the dishwasher can't these guys put some decent plastic in their jars ?

* Poor quality gaskets and sealing There is a small rubber gasket (sealant) which seals the blender jar and the blade the gasket is so poorly designed and build that it sometimes leaks and spills liquids into the blender, sometimes drops off into the contents of the blender

Overall, my suggestion is that if you are planning to use this to make some quick smoothies & shakes go ahead and buy this at $17 it is worth every dollar, no need to pay $60 for a Magic bullet.

But if you are planning some heavy kitchen work stay away from this blender you will have to trash this in a 2-3 months.

~ Update: 12/30/2007 ~

If you are planning to buy this blender: I just saw that the price on this item was $59.99 (offered by Macys) it is a ripoff by macys. Try looking elsewhere on the net for prices around $20-$25, or hopefully amazon will offer this directly as better prices.

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This item's motor broke after just a few uses. Cheap design, not intended for use.

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We received this as a Christmas present 10 months ago and we've used it almost daily since. In that time, the only problem has been a gasket on one of the blending heads coming off. This thing cleans itself very easily: just put in some water and a bit of soap and let it run for a minute. It's fast, it can make small batches, and it cleans easy.

I like it.

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The first time I used it I was thrilled with it's performance. The second time I tried to use it the coupler wouldn't fit in. Apparantly I didn't keep the cup in the perfect position the first time I used it and it is no longer usable. I would say that it's quality isn't very good if you can't get more than one use out of it.

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