The Verdict
The KitchenAid K400 variable speed blender pairs a distinctive Dried Rose finish with a balanced three-part blending system engineered to handle tough whole foods. With its adaptive motor control, dedicated preset programs, and included tamper, it delivers consistent textures for everything from morning smoothies to marinades.
Why We Love It (Key Features)
- Three-Part Vortex Blending System: Combines a ribbed jar design, an asymmetric blade cutting at four angles, and Intelli-Speed Motor Control that automatically senses contents and adjusts to maintain optimal blending speeds.
- Tackles Tough Ingredients: Effortlessly powers through notoriously dense items like kale and almonds, turning whole foods into smooth purées without stalling.
- Precise Texture Control: Features a 5-speed variable dial alongside three dedicated preset programs—Ice Crush, Icy Drink, and Smoothie—to yield textures ranging from chunky to completely smooth.
- Hassle-Free Self-Cleaning: Runs a dedicated self-clean cycle using just a drop of dish soap and warm water, making post-prep cleanup fast and straightforward.
Pros & Cons
- Pros: Powerful Intelli-Speed motor maintains blending speed under heavy loads; includes a tamper for processing thicker recipes; features a dedicated self-clean cycle; optional small-batch (6-oz.) and personal (16-oz.) expansion jars are available.
- Cons: Expansion jars for small batches or personal servings must be purchased separately; full countertop setup with the tamper requires dedicated storage and counter space.
Who Should Buy This?
This countertop blender is ideal for home cooks and daily smoothie drinkers who regularly work with dense whole foods like nuts and leafy greens and want dedicated texture presets without sacrificing manual dial control.
Frequently Asked Questions About the KitchenAid K400 Variable Speed Blender
Does the KitchenAid K400 variable speed blender come with smaller travel cups?
No, the blender comes standard with the ribbed jar and tamper. However, 6-oz. small-batch expansion packs and 16-oz. personal blender jar packs are available to purchase separately.
How do you clean the jar after blending sticky or thick ingredients?
You can run the built-in self-clean cycle by adding clean water and a drop of dish soap directly into the jar.
What preset recipe settings are available on the dial?
The control dial includes three preset recipe programs: Ice Crush, Icy Drink, and Smoothie, alongside the 5-speed manual variable control.
5.0 out of 5 stars Decent Blender I researched blenders, watched a ton of videos and narrowed it down to the vitamix, ninja and ka k400. I ended up picking the KA k400 because it has a strong motor and comes with a tamper, is only 15 inches in height so it fits under my cabinet with no problem, standard countertop to cabinet distance is 18 inches. This blender also came in the same contour silver as my other KA countertop appliances. It is very easy to use just turn the knob to either a number or picture icon and hit the on button. The picture icons have predetermined times and will automatically stop after the determined time is complete. It can make ice into snow. it is loud but I just expect that from a blender. It is aesthetically pleasing alot of blenders are just ugly. So far I have only used this blender for smoothies. It does an excellent job of making a frozen fruit smoothie super smooth in a short amount of time, BUT I have to use the tamper to help move the fruit & ice around and monitor it to see if I need to add more liquid to get the ‘vortex’ mixing started. After watching lots of blender reviews, I knew I wanted a blender with a ‘tamper” like the vitamix brand offers. Not all brands of blenders of a tamper although they should. The tamper is invaluable to help move stuff around in the blender. The tamper does not touch the blades. All and all I am happy with my purchase.Variation: Color: Contour Silver
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing American made machine I’ve had this for a few months now and it’s amazing. Got an extra personal container and now I use it all the time. Just set it to smoothie with my personal container and I have a perfect drink in like a minute, ready to walk out the door. I’ve learned that some KitchenAid appliances are made in the USA and some are made in china, this being one of the American made products definitely makes it work the price. Especially as I’ve hear other brands known for blenders specifically have outsourced parts and gone down in quality, the most recent online blender review video I saw also places this second to a Breville blender that’s more than double the piece, personally I’d take pay less for designed and made in America, than designed in Australia and made in ChinaVariation: Color: Contour Silver
5.0 out of 5 stars Purees Leafy Greens with No Problem, Is Powerful! This blender is the best I’ve owned. It makes fabulous smoothies, and crushes ice with no problem. It’s very powerful. In my opinion it works just as good as a juicer. It has a heavy base which makes it sturdy, has a cleaning cycle, and I paid much less than the cost of higher brand models. It purees leafy greens with no problem.Variation: Color: Contour Silver
5.0 out of 5 stars Top-tier blender, highly recommend!This blender is worth every penny. The build quality is excellent, and it feels very sturdy. It blends everything effortlessly in seconds. It is very easy to use, easy to clean, and the performance is outstanding. If you are looking for a durable, high-performance blender, this is the one to get.Variation: Color: Contour Silver
5.0 out of 5 stars Great blender, nice design Great blender. Had a vitamix that died and had to be sent back for repairs after 6 months. Bought this one to make smoothies while our other one was repaired. This is a great blender, half the price of the vitamix and just all- around better design.Variation: Color: Contour Silver