KitchenAid's new blender melds fearsome power with durable design

KitchenAid just threw down a hefty gauntlet in the blender wars here at IHHS 2016 in Chicago. The appliance maker just unveiled the $600 Pro Line Series blender, which it breathlessly claims is the most powerful smoothie machine home cooks can buy. Equipped with a 3.5 peak horsepower motor, on paper the new Pro Line looks like a beast of blender. It technically offers more raw chopping muscle than any similar appliance we've taken for a spin which includes powerhouse contenders such as the Blendtec Designer 725 and Vitamix 750.

More than just a monster

Tucked away inside the KitchenAid Pro Line Series blender is a 3.5 peak hp electric motor, which in theory is stronger than the Blendtec Designer 725's (3.4 hp) and Vitamix 750's (2.2 hp) engines. According to KitchenAid though, strength is just part of this blender's story.

The countertop appliance relies on what the company calls, "asymmetric" blades which are designed to suck food ingredients into an inescapable whirlpool of liquefaction. This approach say KitchenAid ensures ultra-smooth blends competitors can't match. Of course we can't confirm these lofty claims until we put the KitchenAid Pro Series through our official (and grueling) blender torture tests.

KitchenAid also chose to install die-cast metal knobs on this machine instead of the plastic dials or touch controls other blender makers gravitate towards. This design supposedly increases the appliance's durability and lifetime in the long run.

More details

• 3.5 peak hp
• Dual-walled thermal jar
• Capable of blending hot liquids such as soups and sauces
• Flex-Edge tamper that doubles as a spatula
• $600 for Frosted White and Onyx Black models
• $700 for Candy Apple Red, Imperial Black and Medallion Silver models