PROS / The flat controls are easy to wipe down for maintenance.
CONS / Other machines are better at crushing ice.
VERDICT / The Cuisinart Hurricane is compact, easy to use and relatively quiet, and it does an amazing job at making smoothies and soup, better than any others we compared.
{tocify} $title={Table of Contents}
All of the blenders we tested were able to crush fruit and vegetables to make smoothies and hot soup, but the Cuisinart Hurricane did a better job at those tasks than the others in our blender reviews, earning it our Top Ten Reviews. The soup came out hotter and the smoothies came out smoother every time. The pre-programmed buttons also made important features easy to find, and the long warranty inspires confidence in the durability of this unit.
{getButton} $text={Check it on Amazon} $icon={link}
Utility
This machine has only the fourth most watts when compared with the other high-power blenders we looked at, but you would never know it from the test results. It reduced fully frozen fruit into the smoothest of smoothies in test after test. There was not any hesitation like there was with some other blenders. There were not repeated rounds when the fruit got caught in an awkward spot like there was with some other blenders.
It offered the same excellence when we made tomato soup. The soup came out a piping 156 degrees Fahrenheit and silky smooth. A dedicated soup button on the controls meant there was no guesswork on how to achieve those results either, like there was with other machines. There was no lukewarm final soup that would likely have to be reheated in the microwave.
The Hurricane was less strong on ice crushing tests. There were a few larger chunks in the final mix, but this unit would still offer something passable, if not perfect, for your daiquiris and margaritas. Aside from the preset buttons for smoothies, ice and soup, there is a dial with 10 blending levels that you can use for different blending tasks like making baby food, nut butters and whipped cream.
The lack of a single-serve pitcher is one drawback with this unit. This feature can be nice for those who want to blend and get on the road in a hurry, but adding the one extra step of pouring your smoothie from the pitcher into your cup is not going to add too much time to the process.
Design
The Hurricane packs a lot of power into its relatively compact size. While competing blenders take up large amounts of countertop, this one is quite small, especially in terms of height. Some of the larger units we looked at will not fit under standard overhead kitchen cabinets, and that can get annoying for storage – you either have to store the pitcher and base separately or find a specific spot with no overhead cabinets. That's no problem in some kitchens but will get frustrating in others.
This is not the quietest blender in our comparison, but it is decent in that area. None of these machines is going to sound great if you are trying to sleep, but the Cuisinart Hurricane is the third quietest that we tested. That makes it a good option if noise is a major concern for you.
This blender stays in place nicely, even when counters are wet. There were a few that were even sturdier, but this one does a good job of staying safe and secure so you don't have to worry about accidently knocking it over.
Prep & Cleanup
The Cuisinart Hurricane is blissfully easy to use, with its flat controls and preset buttons for the most common uses. Everything was quite easy to find when we needed it and easy to clean up when we were done with testing. The controls can be wiped off with a damp cloth and the pitcher can be put in the dishwasher or hand-washed quickly. The one thing that would improve it would be a cord wrap for keeping the countertop more organized, but that is not a major failing.
Warranty & Support
The warranty coverage is great for this machine, especially the 10-year period for the motor. There was only one machine that offered more than that for the motor warranty. This is one of the high-end blenders so you would expect that kind of coverage, but it is still nice to see. This blender comes with good customer support as well. There is an online version of the manual that is easy to find, and you can contact Cuisinart by email or phone if you have questions after looking at that.
Summary
The Cuisinart Hurricane is a compact machine that offers all of the power you will need to get the blending results you want. Though it is not stellar at ice crushing, it is at everything else. You will be able to combine fresh ingredients to get smoothies, soups, baby food, nut butters and other items quickly and easily. The solid warranty coverage means you can be confident in your investment and expect to use this blender for years without interruption.