I never write reviews but I'm so satisfied with this product I wanted to share that with others. Had trouble at first with the ice cream setting so have learned not to set and walk away as recommended. Learned to use the pulse feature more when using ice or making ice cream to get things started so chalk that up to learning curve. Cleaning setting also not perfect but willing to do some easy washing of the rim and lid. Love the presets feature. Makes for very convenient use. So versatile to be able to use with frozen blending and make hot soups. My most favourite feature is the ability to make hot soups so quickly from raw, fresh ingredients. And so far has proven to be teenager-proof. My teenage daughter uses it often with no trouble. She burned out the motors of our two previous non-Vitamix blenders. Highly recommend if you can afford the price tag. Their multi payment option can help with that which was offered by direct purchase through the Vitamin website.