This blender is extremely strong and surprisingly quiet. I had worn out a smoothie maker and wasn't happy with the unit I purchased to replace it. I couldn't afford to step up into the really expensive brands so I gave this a try after reading a review that said it was too strong and pulverized everything.I haven't had it long enough to know how the durability will be, but in the first month of use it's been fantastic. My only two quibbles are that the lid fits too tightly, hopefully it'll loosen with further use, and that it's one of those models where the blades don't come off the glass jar for cleaning. You just run it for a second with some warm soapy water to clean it. That method certainly works just fine, but I had to get used to it.If you're looking for a strong machine, especially for making smoothies, this is a great and cost effective option.