The Fusion Blender with Food Processor BRLY07-BF0-000 delivers superior results thanks to Oster's Triple-Tech technology, which consists of a reversing motor, a six-point blade and pre-programmed function buttons. What's not to like?

The Fusion Blender includes a black base containing a 600-watt motor, a push-button control-panel, a 6-cup (48-ounce) glass blender carafe, and a clear or black plastic lid with food spout and removable cap. The blender stands 15-1/4 inches tall and has a 7-3/4x6-inch rectangular base.

We were intrigued by the assortment of soft touch power buttons that offer many more options than usually seen on a blender. The Fusion Blender sports an On/Off button, as well as Low, Medium and Max buttons for traditional (continuous) blending and Low Pulse and Max Pulse buttons for shorter bursts of power. There are also two clever preprogrammed function buttons labeled Food Chop and Frozen Drink and Shakes that have timed routines to optimize the Fusion Blender's performance with related ingredients. A separate Stop button cancels any function in progress.

The first thing we noticed was the Fusion Blender's power. This unit kicks up a storm inside the carafe, and ice cubes and frozen fruit pieces don't stand a chance against the strong vortex and super-sharp six-prong blade. The stainless-steel Star Blade essentially combines a food processor blade with a blender blade, and the resulting performance is a "fusion" of both. The Fusion Blender draws all solid and liquid ingredients into its blending path for smooth, consistent mixtures.

We tried the preprogrammed Food Chop function with a chunky tomato salsa recipe. While a few onion pieces clung to the side of the jar, most pieces were pulled into the blade's path by the forward-reverse motion. The program took approximately one minute to complete, and it delivered thoroughly chopped results without any stirring on our part. While we appreciated the convenience of this option and especially liked the reversible blade (which only operates with the two preprogrammed functions), the manual buttons offered a greater degree of control over the finished product.

The Fusion Blender comes with a simple clear or black lid that lets you keep an eye on the blending process. The lid has a 1/2-inch lip on one side to help remove it after blending, and it fits best when the lip is placed opposite the pour spout. In addition, the oversize (1-1/2x2-inch) crescent-shape feed chute is positioned to one side, so you can drop food pieces directly into the path of the blades.

Other features that add to the Fusion Blender's appeal include an All-Metal Drive system for enhanced power and durability, an automatic shutoff function if the blender is left unused for several minutes and indicator lights that show the function in progress.

This unit has all the power you'll need to crush ice, blend frozen drinks and more. With its combined food processor and blender blades, the Oster Fusion Blender can tackle a host of blending and processing chores.


Pros:  Wide range of speed settings and preprogrammed function buttons, 600-watt motor, glass carafe; soft push-button controls
Cons:  Loud on highest settings, lid can be tricky to position on jar

Warranty
1 year, limited