I bought this blender to replace an older Cuisinart blender that was wearing out. I use it to make smoothies, mix salad dressing, tofu pudding, and breaking apart vegetables in hot soup. Cuisinart stopped making the model that I was replacing, and offered this model in its place. WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT! The shaft is longer, so you can use it in deeper liquids. The blade and housing have been redesigned, so there is less fiber clogging the holes in the blade housing. The unlock button was moved to the front of the handle, making it much easier to use. The high/low speed switch was moved from the front to a rotary switch at the top of the handle. The unlock and power buttons on the front are also much easier to push, and have a better feel. The measuring cup is now 3 cups instead of 2 cups.