I purchased this primarily with milkshakes and smoothies in mind. For those tasks, it works great. It will get further use with soups and salsas when I will give those things a whirl to thicken them, while still retaining some texture. I'm sure I'll find other uses as tasks arise. It's easy to clean and it is powerful enough to blend ice cream and fruits.
Great for smoothing out homemade barbecue sauce. The beaker is really importnat for not making a mess. I expect that if I am creaming a soup, I would hold up the lid to protect myself.
The locking device is a bit of a nuisance, but I am sure I will like it much better when I have grandchildren in the house.