May 2007
First Look: Oster Fusion
This appliance combines a blender and a food processor
TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE The Oster Fusion blender, $80, is designed to work as a blender and as a food processor.
Name of product: Oster Fusion blender
Price we paid: $80
Date published in Consumer Reports: August 2007
What it is. Like the Blendtec Total Blender we recently evaluated, the Oster Fusion does a bit of bragging--it is touted as the "Ultimate Chopping & Blending Solution." The Oster (model BRLYO7-Z) functions as a blender and a food processor. That design, according to the manufacturer, allows it to chop or slice vegetables for a soup or salad, and tackle tough blender tasks, such as crushing ice for drinks and cocktails. The Fusion offers a range of settings, including one-touch preprogrammed settings and two pulse and three manual speeds, a trademarked All-Metal Drive designed to be durable, and a reversible motor that should blend items more completely.
What we liked. This 600-watt multitasker excelled at preparing smoothies and crushing ice in its 6-cup glass jar, making it a smart addition to your kitchen arsenal if you especially enjoy making cool summertime concoctions.
We're also testing the Fusion alongside two other all-in-one machines--the Vita-Mix 5000 and the Blendtec Total Blender, $400 each--to see how well they handle tougher tasks, including making banana bread and peanut-butter ice cream. Our preliminary results indicate that the Oster takes longer to do some of the jobs and requires regular stirring. Still, the blender has produced good results and costs a lot less than the competition.
What we didn't like. The Fusion did a so-so job when it came to making piña coladas, a staple chore in our testing. The sensory panelists who tasted the resulting pineapple-based drinks found them thick but not smooth. What's more, this blender proved somewhat noisy when running at maximum power.
Our initial take. The Fusion appears to be a very good blender, though the icy drinks it produces are a bit chunky and you need to stir frequently for some jobs. We're completing our testing and will report on the results in the August 2007 issue.
More information. Read our latest product report on food processors (Ratings are available to subscribers), and check out our easy-to-make recipes for food processors--these appliances can definitely do much more than grate cheese.
Price we paid: $80
Date published in Consumer Reports: August 2007
What it is. Like the Blendtec Total Blender we recently evaluated, the Oster Fusion does a bit of bragging--it is touted as the "Ultimate Chopping & Blending Solution." The Oster (model BRLYO7-Z) functions as a blender and a food processor. That design, according to the manufacturer, allows it to chop or slice vegetables for a soup or salad, and tackle tough blender tasks, such as crushing ice for drinks and cocktails. The Fusion offers a range of settings, including one-touch preprogrammed settings and two pulse and three manual speeds, a trademarked All-Metal Drive designed to be durable, and a reversible motor that should blend items more completely.
What we liked. This 600-watt multitasker excelled at preparing smoothies and crushing ice in its 6-cup glass jar, making it a smart addition to your kitchen arsenal if you especially enjoy making cool summertime concoctions.
We're also testing the Fusion alongside two other all-in-one machines--the Vita-Mix 5000 and the Blendtec Total Blender, $400 each--to see how well they handle tougher tasks, including making banana bread and peanut-butter ice cream. Our preliminary results indicate that the Oster takes longer to do some of the jobs and requires regular stirring. Still, the blender has produced good results and costs a lot less than the competition.
What we didn't like. The Fusion did a so-so job when it came to making piña coladas, a staple chore in our testing. The sensory panelists who tasted the resulting pineapple-based drinks found them thick but not smooth. What's more, this blender proved somewhat noisy when running at maximum power.
Our initial take. The Fusion appears to be a very good blender, though the icy drinks it produces are a bit chunky and you need to stir frequently for some jobs. We're completing our testing and will report on the results in the August 2007 issue.
More information. Read our latest product report on food processors (Ratings are available to subscribers), and check out our easy-to-make recipes for food processors--these appliances can definitely do much more than grate cheese.
