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For a kitchen appliance to earn a permanent spot on the kitchen counter, it must be a true workhorse, great at multitasking while blending seamlessly into the kitchen aesthetic. But it’s also easy to overlook when upgrading your larger kitchen appliances.
From frozen drinks to soups, sauces and even nut butters, the KitchenAid® Pure Power Blender with 2 Personal Blending Jars earns this spot on the counter by delivering professional-level blending with practical everyday features – and at a surprisingly reasonable $170 (and it’ll be on sale from March 19 to April 1 on KitchenAid.ca).
As a household of five, our blender gets a thorough workout. After putting it to the test in my kitchen for about two weeks, here’s a full breakdown based on performance, features and usability.
Design and first impressions
KitchenAid has long built its reputation on appliances that look as good as they perform and the Pure Power Blender continues that tradition. From the moment you take it out of the box, the design feels thoughtful and sturdy.
The porcelain white finish gives the blender a beautiful, clean, modern aesthetic that fits beautifully into most kitchens. The base feels solid and well-weighted, giving the impression that it’s built to last.
The blender includes a 68-ounce BPA-free plastic pitcher, which is large enough for family-sized batches of smoothies, soups or sauces or for meal prep. Clear measurement markings along the side are a practical touch that make it easier to follow recipes without reaching for a measuring cup (helping keep cleanup minimal).
What immediately stands out, however, is the inclusion of two 16-ounce (500 ml) personal blending jars. These smaller containers allow you to blend individual smoothies or protein shakes and then simply swap the blade assembly for a travel lid. It’s a small detail that adds a lot of convenience for busy mornings in our household and simply makes healthier choices easier.
This also means we can easily scale meal prep – anything from quick chunky salsas or hummus for snacktime and smoothies for two to full on family-sized soups.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of the Pure Power Blender is the price.
KitchenAid® appliances often fall firmly in the premium category, but the Pure Power Blender sits at a much more accessible price point than many high-performance competitors, which often retail for more than $500.
For shoppers who want KitchenAid brand quality without paying top-tier blender prices, this is a major draw.
Performance
A blender can look great on the counter, but versatility and performance ultimately determine whether it earns regular use. Fortunately, the Pure Power Blender delivers solid results for everyday use.
At its core is a 1700-watt peak-power motor, paired with stainless steel blades designed with a 360-degree asymmetric angle. This blade design helps pull ingredients down into the center, reducing the need for constant stirring or shaking during blending. The result is a smoother, more even overall blend.
Smoothies and frozen drinks are where it shines most. Frozen fruit, ice and leafy greens blend into a smooth consistency when enough liquid is added, producing the kind of creamy texture most people expect from a high-powered blender.
The ice-crush function is another strong point. Ice breaks down quickly into a fine texture that works well for frozen cocktails, slushies or iced coffee drinks (who’s ready for summer?).
For cooks who like to experiment, the blender is also capable of handling soups, sauces and purees. The lid features a heat-release vent that allows hot ingredients to blend safely, which is particularly useful when finishing soups directly from the pot.
The blender offers 10 speed settings plus a pulse function, giving you plenty of control depending on the recipe. Lower speeds work well for chopping or mixing (think chunky salsas), while higher speeds handle tougher ingredients without strain.
For most households, this blender is more than capable of handling daily blending needs – whether it’s soups, sauces, smoothies and more – this blender handles it with ease.
Ease of use
One of the Pure Power Blender’s strengths is its straightforward design.
Instead of complicated touchscreens or digital programs, KitchenAid has intentionally simplified the features using a precision speed control dial and a few clearly labeled preset buttons. These include settings for smoothies, ice crushing and cleaning, making the blender extremely user-friendly, without complicated setup.
This approach makes the blender easy to use right away. Even if you’ve never used a high-powered blender before, the controls are intuitive enough that you’ll quickly understand how to get the texture you want.
The large pitcher handle is comfortable to hold and easy to pour from and the wide jar opening makes it simple to add ingredients mid-blend if needed.
The personal jars also add real convenience. They’re ideal for single servings and eliminate the need to transfer smoothies into another container before heading out the door. This, of course, makes for easier cleanup.
Speaking of which…
The cleanup
Cleaning blenders is often a nuisance at best, but KitchenAid has made the process painless and effortless.
The Pure Power Blender includes a dedicated cleaning cycle, which works by blending warm water and a drop of dish soap to loosen residue from the blades and jar.
For deeper cleaning, the pitcher and lid are dishwasher-safe and the wide jar opening makes it easy to reach inside with a sponge if you prefer to wash by hand.
Because the blades are fixed inside the jar, there are fewer loose parts to worry about during cleanup.
The verdict
The KitchenAid Pure Power Blender strikes a smart balance between performance, design and price. For everyday cooking and drink preparation, it delivers consistent results and plenty of versatility.
The only minor drawback keeping it from a perfect score is that for the thickest blends, you still occasionally need to scrape the sides and mix in the ingredients (think blending tamarind paste or nuts and seed butters). Overall, however, the Pure Power Blender lives up to its name as a capable, user-friendly appliance that deserves to feel right at home in most kitchens and on your counter, earning a solid rating of 4.5/5.
