Product Description

This KitchenAid Ultra Power blender is powerful enough to crush ice and has five constant and five pulse speeds. Its glass goblet features graduated measurements and four cutter stainless-steel blades. Comes with auto shut off for added safety.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9645 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Brand: KitchenAid
• Model: KSB52BAC
• Released on: 2003-01-24

Amazon.co.uk Review
This is the blender of the future. It performs all the traditional blending tasks (crushing ice for margaritas, thinning ice cream) plus it can be used like a food processor (mincing garlic, puréeing peppers). The wide jar is rounder and squatter than old-style blenders, which makes it easier to reach in and scrape the sides (when the blender is off!). To reduce splatters of strawberry daiquiri, the Step Start feature starts blending slowly, then picks up to the chosen speed. This blender also comes with a booklet containing 75 recipes--including Frosty Chocolate Raspberry Latté. --Dana Van Nest

Manufacturer's Description
KitchenAid has progressed considerably since it launched the first domestic stand mixer, a classic iconic shape of the early 20th century, designed by one of the great American style gurus, Egmont Arens, back in 1937. There is now a complete KitchenAid® Artisan™ Collection that looks equally stylish and is made with the same attention to detail as it always was. The Collection is available in the widest range of colours on the market and includes a host of beautiful, functional appliances including a blender, toaster, espresso maker, burr grinder and food processor, as well as the original mixer. All of the products have the same tactile, 'retro' look, with solid knobs, buttons and smooth curved lines. Every item in the KitchenAid Collection is still assembled by hand from reassuringly solid die-cast metal parts, receiving the individual attention to detail vital to ensuring top performance and quality.

KitchenAid® stands for beautiful design, reliability, efficiency and effectiveness - built to look and feel good, but also built for function and hard work.

The KitchenAid Artisan blender has a metal base and heavy duty jar which makes it robust, stable and durable. The powerful 500W motor and unique blade design allows for thorough blending and ultimate ice crushing, whilst the clean touch control pad has smart symbols which makes for ease of use and function. The electronic mixing sensor automatically adjusts the power and helps make this the perfect blender for ice crushing, blending, whipping, pureeing and shaking.

Box Contents

Customer Reviews

Disappointing, does not produce lump free puree
I own a Kitchenaid mixer, food processor & blender. Based on my excellent experience with the mixer I expected the blender to work to the same high standard, but alas no. The blades do not have sharp edges and I find, no matter how long you process soup, there always seem to be some lumps left, which you only discover as you pour the contents out, the contents having appeared completely smooth through the quality glass jug. As a Home Economist I am used to appraising equipment, and while this product is well made & looks good I am not sure it is fit for the purpose - making smooth puree.

It does crush ice and whip up batter well, but beware making mayonnaise. When you remove the the central lid from the main lid to drip in the oil, so much egg and oil spatter out that not only the machine and your arm but the surrounding kitchen require a complete scrub down on completion. A good design feature is that when you switch on, the motor starts slowly for a few seconds before engaging at full speed, this means the contents don't hit the lid with a great whoosh of impact. However, blending hot soup does seem to create a lid lift off effect as steam is whirred up. Let the soup cool prior to blending, only half fill the jug and always, as with all blenders, cover the lid with a cloth before turning on.

Other reviewers mention leakage from the jug, this only happens if the jug is not taken apart from the base each time after use, and it, and the rubber gasket are not properly cleaned, then ensure you screw firmly back in place engaging the thread correctly. This is not an arduous task, but one which is necessary with all blenders for health and hygiene - food clinging in nooks and crannies will grow microbes.

If you really want a blender that is the business, and manage not to faint at the price, buy a Total Nutrition Centre by the Vita-mix corporation (from America but available in the UK now). This gadget has a 2 horse power motor and can reduce a whole orange, skin and all, to juice in the blink of an eye. I guess this blender has dimmed my view of all others on the market.

Had I bought my Kitcheniad blender, and not been given it at a greatly reduced price because of my job, I would be very cross to have spent the money only to find it did not work as I expected. Do not however, let this bad review of the blender put you off the mixer, it is the best in its class. When I have had my Kitchenaid food processor for a reasonable length of time I will report on it, it is too new at the moment and people always write glowing reports about new items, better to wait and really see how they perform over time first.

Once you've got one, you'll wonder how you ever did without
I've had one of these for the last year and can't fault it. Its a brilliant piece of equipment. Its tough, durable and you can even put the jug in the dishwasher. Does everything from making a great Margarita to pureeing food for babies to chopping the vegetables. And it looks good too. Brilliant!

Disappointed
Had this blender for two years, it seemed the most robust when I was looking at the time. However I've been disappointed in its blending performance and reliability. It just won't blend fine enough for me, this is a direct result of the blades having no sharp edges. This blunt blade technology is intentional according to the makers, but cuts no ice with me (excuse the pun).
The drive mechanism consists of a rubber toothed pinion wheel which transmits power to the heavy jug, and for the last six months its been shedding its teeth and now the final three have come off and I can't use the machine any more. £100 for two years use is not good value.
It looks good though, sigh.