Verdict

It might be expensive, but the second you get your hands on the KitchenAid Artisan Blender K400, you'll know where your money has been spent – this is one of the best built and toughest blenders we've reviewed. Not only does it look good, its powerful motor and automated programmes blend anything you put into it with ease. If you're looking for the best, this is the model to buy.

Pros

• Extremely powerful
• Neat automated programmes
• Excellent build quality

Cons

• Expensive
• Ships with one jug

If you want to mix your own drinks regularly, then you’ll want a machine that’s easy to use, powerful, quick and easy to clean up – and the KitchenAid Artisan Blender K400 ticks all those bases. Sure, it’s expensive and lacks bundled accessories, but with its automatic programmes and powerful 1200W motor, it makes light work of any task.

KitchenAid Artisan Blender K400 design and features – Solidly built and gorgeous to look at

• Exceptional build quality from this tough blender
• There are automatic programmes for common jobs to make using it easy
• With a heavy jug, there’s no need for a lock mechanism, so this model is quick to use

The KitchenAid Artisan Blender K400 has a reassuring heft to it. From the tough metal base to the chunky glass jug, this blender is clearly a high-performance, well-made bit of kit. It’s beautiful to look at, too, available in the full range of colours as the company’s mixers. Certainly, if you’re after a product that you can proudly display in the kitchen, then this is the model for you.

This blender looks fantastic

The 1.4l jug includes handy measurement markings, and the rubber lid slots securely into place to provide a waterproof seal; a removable centre section makes adding ingredients mid-blend that bit easier. There’s no need for any fancy clips or locks to hold the jug in place – the sheer weight of it means you can just drop it in place and go.

The hefty jug just drops into place

And that’s it in the box – there are no extras included at all. If you want a 500ml bottle for making drinks to go, or small-batch jars for storage, you’ll have to pay extra. Given the high price of the blender, it’s a touch disappointing that more doesn’t come in the box.

There are no complaints about the controls, however. A single dial on the front lets you select pulse or turn to select a blender speed. There are also three dedicated programmes for crushing ice, icy drinks and a smoothie cycle.

The controls are simple, with special programmes for some operations

KitchenAid Artisan Blender K400 performance – Can cope with anything

• Makes short work of even the toughest of ingredients
• Can cope with dry ingredients
• Automatic cleaning mode takes the pain out of clean-up

Given the chunky build of the K400, I was hoping that it would have the performance to match – I wasn’t disappointed. I started with one of the toughest tests: crushing ice. Using the ice-crush programme, the blender took my ice cubes and crushed them into a fine snow, leaving a texture and consistency that’s perfect for frozen desserts or drinks.

Ice was crushed into a fine snow with no lumps remaining

Next, I turned to smoothie making, combining pineapple, coconut milk, ginger and coconut yoghurt. The automatic programme adjusts mixing speeds and adds some pulsing in to deliver a perfectly smooth drink with no bits, all with very little effort.

A perfect, very smooth smoothie with no bits

For a more manual approach, I used the Disney recipe for Dole Whip (pineapple, pineapple juice and ice cream). This time I used the manual blend modes (speed three with a bit of pulsing after did it for me), to achieve a perfectly smooth drink that had me convinced I was back in Disney World (well, maybe for a couple of seconds).

The Disney Dole Whip recipe proved no trouble for this blender

I also ground down some cashew nuts to make butter, although the K400 would throw up bits of debris into the air, so I had to frequently scrape down the sides and add oil to finish the job. It was a bit of a time-consuming process; the blender appears better suited to working with liquids.

I got a passable nut butter, but it required more effort to make

This blender can also cope with grinding. Facing a lack of desiccated coconut, I used dried coconut shavings and whacked the blender up to full speed to get what I needed.

Once you’ve finished blending, evoke the K400’s self-clean programme. Simply fill the jug halfway with hot water, add a couple of drops of washing liquid and you’re good to go. I found this mode useful for getting rid of the debris, leaving the jug in a good state to go into the dishwasher for a thorough clean (the base has to be wiped clean).

Should you buy the KitchenAid Artisan Blender K400?

The KitchenAid Artisan Blender K400 is expensive, and you can get a glass-jug blender for less with the Morphy Richards 403010 Total Control Blender. However, you can’t get the build quality, automatic features and sheer power that the K400 offers. If you’re after the best, this is it, although my guide to the best blenders has some alternative choices.

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