The Verdict
The KitchenAid K400 variable speed blender pairs a 3-part blending system with intuitive speed controls to handle everything from fibrous greens to hard nuts. For home cooks looking to elevate both everyday meal prep and countertop style, it delivers reliable, vortex-powered blending with minimal fuss.
Why We Love It (Key Features)
- 3-Part Blending System with Intelli-Speed Motor: The combination of a ribbed jar design, an asymmetric blade cutting at four distinct angles, and smart motor sensing ensures contents are pulled into a powerful vortex and processed smoothly without stalling on stubborn ingredients.
- Soft Start Technology: The motor automatically begins at a slower speed to draw foods downward before ramping up to your chosen setting, keeping splatters off your kitchen walls and lid.
- Customizable Speed Dial & Presets: Featuring a 5-speed variable dial alongside three preset recipe programs (Ice Crush, Icy Drinks, and Smoothie), you can easily shift from chunky marinades to silk-smooth purees.
- Dedicated Self-Clean Cycle: Routine clean-up requires no disassembly—simply fill the jar with water and a drop of dish soap, run the cycle, and rinse.
- Included Tamper: When working with dense recipes, the included tamper lets you guide stubborn ingredients directly into the vortex for an even blend.
Pros & Cons
- Pros: Powerful 3-part vortex blending cuts through tough foods like kale and almonds; 5 speeds plus 3 presets for exact texture control; includes dedicated tamper and 56 oz BPA-free jar; hassle-free self-clean program; Soft Start prevents messy kitchen splatter.
- Cons: A full-sized countertop appliance that requires dedicated storage or counter space; optional personal and small-batch jars require separate purchases.
Who Should Buy This?
This blender is well-suited for home cooks, smoothie lovers, and entertainers who frequently prep whole-food drinks, frozen beverages, and homemade sauces. If you want dependable blending power capable of crushing ice and pureeing tough ingredients like kale and almonds in a single 56-ounce jar, the KitchenAid K400 variable speed blender makes a practical addition to your kitchen setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What comes included in the box with the KitchenAid K400 variable speed blender?
Model KSB4028 includes one 56 oz BPA-free blender jar, one blender jar lid, and one tamper to help guide stubborn ingredients into the blade vortex.
How do you clean the blender jar after use?
The unit features a built-in self-clean cycle. Just add water and a drop of dish soap into the jar, run the cycle, and rinse clean.
Can the KitchenAid K400 handle tough ingredients like ice and whole nuts?
Yes. It is designed to crush ice using dedicated presets (such as Ice Crush and Icy Drinks) and smoothly process dense, fibrous foods like whole almonds and kale thanks to its Intelli-Speed motor and asymmetric blade.
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