The Super Q from Breville is amazing. I went a little crazy when I first got this. I tried out all the various speeds/options and used the cookbook that came with it. It is much bigger than it looks once you have it all together but it should fit nicely on most counter tops, even with shelves above. It's not very loud at all. The most you hear is the humming of the blades and the vibrations on the counter. If making stews or casseroles, it definitely helps cut down prep time. Smoothies or shakes are quick and simple using this and very fast to make. Just follow the easy directions, set ups, and recipes in the booklet and recipe book(both included) to figure out the speeds to use.