Having used my parent's old blender, using the Black and Decker - PowerCrush Digital Quiet Blender was quite a treat! I actually never had a blender of my own, but it's amazing all the different things I've already used this blender for. Besides making delicious smoothies with a nice even consistency, this blender also worked great for making soups, purees, and sauces! It was more than powerful enough for all kinds of applications and I don't know how I survived without this kitchen gadget for so long! [This review was collected as part of a promotion.]