The Oster 3-in-1 Hand Blender, Food Chopper and Electric Knife 2619 is a multipurpose kitchen appliance that can save you valuable time in the kitchen. Once you come to rely on its many functions, you'll wonder how you ever managed without this versatile machine.

The tall, slender motor housing fits comfortably in your hand and attaches to one of three included accessories: a stick mixer/blender, a food chopper or an electric knife. Each appliance connects easily onto the motor housing with one simple turn to lock the unit in place.

The stick mixer has a stainless steel blender shaft that can be used to blend liquids or soft foods. It's perfect for blending hot liquids, such as soups, which are often too hot to transfer into the carafe of a standard blender. The included 16-ounce measuring cup is perfect for making cold milkshakes or blending ingredients for a sauce or dressing. To use, you simply submerse the blade in the container so it rests below the ingredients, press the On button and move the appliance in an up or down or circular motion. The On button is pulse activated and will stay on only as long as the button is depressed. Most blending chores are done quickly, within seconds.

The electric knife is ideal for slicing meats with little effort. The two stainless steel blades fit directly into the electric knife unit, which is easily attached to the motor housing. The blades come with a protective plastic cover for use during storage. There are two On/Off buttons and one eject button.

The food chopper was our favorite component. The motor housing fits onto the chopping bowl cover that, in turn, fits over the 2-cup capacity bowl. The chopping bowl contains a removable blade perfectly suited for chopping nuts, vegetables and fruit, or for pureeing soft fruits and vegetables. It's ideal for preparing healthy, preservative- free baby food or for making chopped salads, dressings and salsas.

The one negative about this type of blender is that it is not intended to chop ice. This is unfortunate when it comes to making smoothies since it's hard to achieve a frosty consistency without adding ice. The other limitation is the fact that the motor should not be used continuously for more than one minute at a time. If you take the recommendation literally, this can be a nuisance since there are plenty of times you will need more than a minute to complete a task. We felt the rule is more of a caution that holding the button down for a full minute is not advisable. Using short on/off bursts of power, however, the motor is plenty powerful to keep going with its appointed task.

The Oster 3-in-1 Hand Blender, Food Chopper and Electric Knife 2619 is a great time saver. It takes literally seconds to chop nuts, fruits and vegetables. Anyone who has arthritis or other limitations will appreciate the ease of cutting, slicing, and chopping with the Oster 3-in-1 appliance.


Pros: Multi-function unit (hand blender, food chopper and electric knife), ease to use
Cons: Cannot chop ice, motor should not be used continuously for more than one minute at a time

Warranty
1 year, limited