Breville Ikon Hemisphere Blenders

The Breville Ikon Benders are available in two tabletop versions which are the Breville BBL600XL

The 51-Ounce Breville Ikon BBL600XL has five speeds that crush ice and makes smoothies with ease. The blender has an aluminum base and comes with a backlit digital timer. The blender’s 51-ounce glass carafe is chip resistant with a ¼ turn blade removal system for easy cleaning and is dishwasher safe.w This product has a one-year warranty.

Similarly, the four-speed Breville Ikon BBL550XL 610-Watt Blender with pulse control also has a 51-ounce glass carafe with easy to read measurements. Additionally, the blender has a state-of-the-art blade and bowl Hemisphere blade system designed to eliminate trapped food from within the carafe for ease of use. The extra-wide wing blades are excellent for crushing ice. The stainless steel blender has a finger loop in its lid for easy removal and is dishwasher safe. This product also has a one-year limited warranty.

The reviews of the Breville Ikon BBL600XL were generally positive—especially concerning the ¼ turn base and blade removal system and LCD screen. Many reviewers assert that the higher cost of this particular blender is worth the well-designed quality and longevity of the blender. Purchasers love its sleek design and quiet operation.

Reviews of the Breville Ikon BBL550XL included positive references to its sleek stainless steel design and easy functionality. There were a few negative comments, however, A handful of other users stated that the blender was heavy and that its blades did not effectively eliminate lumps when blending because of areas that its blades did not effectively reach within the carafe—despite its hemisphere blade design system. Interestingly enough, none of these problems were reported with the BBL600XL, likely due to its higher power.

The main problem with both of these units is unfortunately also a fairly common one: The gasket on the carafe does not properly seal and may cause leakage. If left unclean, the interloping liquid can turn rancid, and produce an odor that may be transferred to food. Effected users have tried to tweak the tightening on the blade assembly, but this produced little help. While the rave reviews are encouraging, the number of people who have complained about this is somewhat concerning.

Though both the Breville Ikon BBL600XL and the BBL550XL tabletop blenders are on the more expensive end of the spectrum — with the BBL600XL being the more expensive of the two — the BBL600XL offers more quality features in terms of functionality and ease of use when compared to that of the BBL500XL blender model. Still, the leakage issue is a major drawback and if a better value is sought over price while not sacrificing quality, the Kitchenaid Pro Blender is a blender of great quality and has many positive reviews by purchasers, although it has a slightly smaller, 48oz carafe.

• Relatively quiet operation
• LCD Screen on the BBL600XL is a crowd pleaser, even if gimmicky
• Heavy duty 51-ounce glass carafe
• Easy-to-read measurements engraved on carafe.

• Both units leak due to poor gasket seal and if not cleaned will produce a rancid smell that can transfer to food.
• Both units have higher price tags.