The blender for Sunday smoothies with the whole family

The figure that decides this blender is 1400 peak watts, the motor rating the listing gives. Around it sit a 72 oz pitcher, three Auto iQ presets and dishwasher safe parts. Here is what those details say, and what they leave out.

The motor is listed at 1400 peak watts. Peak is the highest momentary draw, and the listing does not state a continuous wattage, so the figure tells you about the ceiling of the motor rather than what it holds under a thick load. The blade is called a stacked blade assembly, and the pitcher is described as Total Crushing, which the listing ties to crushed ice for smoothies and frozen drinks. How fine that ice comes out is described as perfectly crushed, a claim rather than a measurement.

Capacity is the more concrete detail. The pitcher holds 72 oz, and the maximum liquid line is marked at 64 oz, so the usable volume for liquids is 64 oz. That is eight cups of liquid, which suits a batch for a household rather than a single glass. Three Auto iQ presets handle the work through timed cycles of pulsing, blending and pausing. The listing does not name the three programs or give their running times, so those are worth checking before you buy.

Both the pitcher and the stacked blade assembly are listed as dishwasher safe on the top rack, and the pitcher is BPA free. The box holds the motor base, pitcher, blade assembly, lid, recipe guide, instruction booklet and quick start guide. It is also sold as Pro Plus DUO Blend in Grey or Sand, and as Pro Plus Blender in Blue.