Cuisinart Compact Portable Blending/Chopping System Review

We purchased the Cuisinart Compact Portable Blending/Chopping System so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Keep reading for our full product review.

The Cuisinart Compact Portable Blending/Chopping System seemingly has it all: a powerful 350-watt motor, a sleek stainless steel design, intuitive three-function controls, and two ultra-sharp blades designed to break down even the toughest of ingredients. Best of all, this personal blender takes up very little counter space, making it ideal for small kitchens and daily use—but is it as good as it seems?

If you can’t decide whether to invite the Cuisinart Compact Portable Blending/Chopping System into your kitchen, read on for our detailed review.

Design: Compact and intuitive  

This blender-slash-chopper has as high, low, and pulse modes, and it comes with a variety of attachments, including a 32-ounce blender jar, an 8-ounce chopping cup, and a set of four 16-ounce travel cups with drinking lids.

The easy-grip blending jar has a cover and pour lid with a sturdy design for safe, spill-proof blending. The lid fits securely on top, with a handy 1-ounce pouring lid that tucks inside. The blender cup even has easy-to-read volume measurements that we frequently used instead of a measuring cup to dole out ingredients—any opportunity to wash one less dish is a small victory for us! 

The chopping cup, on the other hand, has lid handles to help with a variety of food preparation tasks, including chopping, grinding, and whipping. Each of these containers conveniently pairs with the two included stainless steel blades—one for chopping and one for blending.

We thought the Cuisinart is great for daily use, as it doesn’t take up a lot of space in our tiny kitchen. It was small enough to leave on the counter, saving us the trouble of hauling it in and out of a cabinet, and the blender even self-stores its cord, keeping your countertop clear and safe. 

This kitchen blender and all of its parts are made of sturdy, high-quality materials, which makes us think it will last a long time. Plus, everything about the Cuisinart is intuitive, from the blade assemblies to the touch-button controls to the lids. A quick glance at the instruction manual is all you need before you begin blending and chopping. 

However, one negative we noticed is that the blending blade can be a little difficult to screw off once attached to the cups—but this also means it's secure and leak-proof. Another small con is that the blender only has a manual pulse for one setting, which makes it a little less versatile than desired.  

Performance: Powerful and efficient 

Each of the included containers pairs with both of the unit's two blades. Although Cuisinart claims both blades are strong enough for all blending, chopping, and grinding tasks, we found that the blending blade didn't adequately crush ice.

That said, this blender is ideal for making smoothies. We made banana, apple, and kale smoothies in our blender every day for a week, first using the chopping blade to cut through the ice, and then switching to the blending blade to blend the drink. Another perk is that you can blend smoothies and other drinks directly in the 16-ounce travel cups, which come with convenient sippy-cup lids.  

The 350-watt motor is impressively powerful for its size, and it effectively handled every task we threw at it, including crushing ice and grinding coffee beans. We found the blender to be extremely loud, however, and it shook a little bit when running on high power. It made us a little nervous but ultimately had no tangible negative effects.

We also used the chopping cup and blade to chop whole cashews, and then blended the cashews with grapeseed oil to make a perfectly smooth and uniform cashew butter. Each blade serves its purpose well, but some people might find it a little bothersome to switch back and forth between the blades. Overall, though, we found the blender to be very efficient, allowing us to whip up smoothies in minutes. For those who like to start every day with a homemade drink, this is a huge selling point!

This blender is also useful for pureeing soups and sauces. We used it to puree half of a batch of lentil soup to create a better texture, as well as a chunky vodka sauce to make it smooth and creamy. We typically use a food processor for these tasks, which can lead to a big mess, so we loved that this blender is both easy to use and clean up after. 

Material: Sleek and sturdy

This blending and chopping system features sleek, sturdy, and safe materials, including stainless steel. The blending jar, chopping cup, and travel cups are all made from BPA-free plastic.

Further, all of the plastic vessels are shatter-resistant and top-rack dishwasher safe, and the stainless steel accents make this blender an attractive addition to any modern kitchen.

Cleanup: A breeze

All the different parts of this set are top-rack dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning up quick and painless. We washed them in the dishwasher and by hand with warm, soapy water, and both processes were simple and effective. The blades can also be removed from the cutting assemblies, which makes it easier to clean each piece thoroughly.

We also tried the Cuisinart-recommended method of cleaning the blending and chopper cutting assemblies, which entailed putting a little dishwashing soap into the container, attaching the blades, and running the blender on low for 15 seconds before following the same process with water. We thought this was a fast and easy way to clean the blades without having to pay too much attention to detail.

Price: Bang for your buck

Retailing for around $70, this blender set is fairly priced, especially considering how well-made and versatile it is. Plus, it's often on sale for below the MSRP, making it even more of a deal.