When they say quiet for a blender… it is quiet! This doesn’t scare my animals- if you know you know! I love making icy drinks and I can whip up any smoothie I can think of easily. This breaks down easy for clean up, has 3 speeds, a single serving cup, and stores great. The machine has a nice area for the cord underneath the base. It gives you detailed instructions on how to use. The lid fits tightly but isn’t a pain to get off. I will definitely be making more smoothies and that’s thanks to how easy this machine makes it and how easy clean up is.