This machine definitely packs a punch. The power levels are wonderful and it definitely blends smooth and well. It is also very easy to clean. It is also very quiet when running on low speeds it does get louder higher you go, but that’s to be expected. The blender itself gives off a very chemical plastic smell when you use it, but it does not transfer to the food that you were making. It does not matter how many times you wipe it down or what you wipe it down with you cannot get rid of the smell. It has triggered a few of my migraines. You can also use the stir stick in the blender when the shield is down through the top which it did not mention in the manual. Speaking of the manual: The grammatical spelling errors are absolutely atrocious in the manual. To the point that it is hard to read and understand parts of it. In fact, I made it a project for the fifth grade student. I am tutoring to go through and correct it. It looks like a bloodbath.(I let him use red ink like a real Teacher would use). If you can get past the manual and the smell, this machine is absolutely amazing. It blends perfectly and consistently it’s easy to clean and it’s lightweight for the size. It is a little on the bulky side with the shield, but it’s worth it for the noise reduction. Overall, I would recommend this machine and if they want me to send them the corrections to their manual I would do so happily.