[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] This PowerMax blender arrived well packaged and in perfect shape. My first impressions were that this was the largest blender I'd ever used. The glass jar holds 48 oz of fluid and the lid fits tightly. Out of curiosity I filled the jar with water, set the lid and tipped the jar upside down. The seal held without issue. As is my habit with new kitchen appliances, I disassemble the jar and ran the entire assembly through the dishwasher to make sure that it was clean for use. Both disassembly and reassembly of the jar was easy. Then it was time to try it out. One of the first things I noticed was the massive drive system for the blender blades. I cannot imagine this beast of a machine to ever lock up for any of the things I use a blender for, but if it does, attached to the power cord are instructions for resetting the blender if the motor should lock. The controls consist of five buttons. Power, low speed, medium speed, high speed and the Pulse button which also serves as a stop button. The Jar locks into the drive mechanism firmly, allowing you to start. My first 'blend' was a tray of ice cubes. a few presses of the Pulse button and I had a jar of shaved ice, a quick rinse of the jar later, I made a jar of smoothies from fresh fruit and yogurt. That turned out perfect. For a third test I made pancakes. I've always used my blenders to mix my pancake batter, and it's a test of the machine to deal with thicker fluids. I had no problem at all mixing my batter in the blender. Clean up was simple, the jar disassembles easily and goes together again just as easily. I highly recommend this appliance. The simple controls and large size make using the blender simple and enjoyable.