I wasn’t expecting such a beastly appliance! There are dramatic differences from my worn out chef-branded blender and this beautiful beast, in a very good way. I was almost afraid of it, lol.   This is a larger, hefty unit. Easily assembles with a “smooth as butter” locking mechanism, I knew immediately that this IS the cream of the crop. Variable speeds are nice, smooth and easy to adjust.   Blades are sharp and star shaped. Double the chop factor compared to my old immersion blender.  Tasks are literally done before you know it.    I definitely recommend it, it is worth every penny!!!