Bamix invented and developed the original hand blender in Switzerland nearly 60 years ago. It has never enjoyed the level of distribution that Braun and other more recent manufacturers enjoy, because of their much greater visibility and their construction of much cheaper alternatives. I bought the original popular Braun hand blender many years when it first came into popularity over here--15+ years ago now. Being vegetarian, I had always been a big blender fan. The little Braun truly transformed my soup making in particular. Now I could take the blender into the pot itself instead of spooning soup into a blender! I also enjoyed the ability to make foolproof fresh mayonnaise, and I do mean foolproof. And much faster. I had that little Braun for a number of years until it died a natural death. I replaced it with a 5-speed Braun that died after roughly a year. I purchased a Cuisinart with interchangeable blades; that stripped out shortly after the warranty ran out. I finally purchased a Bamix after I discovered the brand on the internet. It was obviously a step above other home-intended brands. I bought the deluxe with a few extra beakers and a chopper and stand.
My Bamix has been used countless times. The quick-change blade change system is simple and foolproof. There is a general foot, a whipping foot for whipping cream, a blending foot that can make fresh mayonnaise in a few seconds. There is a meat chopping foot--be careful, it's very sharp! There is a little chopping accessory made for chopping small amounts of hard material such as hard chocolate, coffee beans, nuts, etc.
I discovered with my 5-speed Braun that that many speeds aren't necessary; more a marketing gimmick than anything else. The Bamix has two very different speeds controlled on the handle with the fingers. With the multispeed Braun I had to use the other hand to turn the dial on top. With the Bamix there are two buttons falling naturally under the fingers. Press one for slow, the other for fast. Nothing to take your eyes off the other end where the work is going on.
I have read other reviews on this site where people complain about the price. It's your choice--buy several cheaper hand blenders over a long period of time, and of course they don't do as much. Or, spend a little more and buy a product that is Swiss-built to last.
As with small appliances of old, this one is built to last and serve as an investment. Or, again, just buy a Chinese-built one and plan to throw it away and replace it every so often. Your choice.
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