THE CUTTING EDGE 83/100

Panasonic MX-ZX1800 Blender £400 from amazon.co.uk SOUPED UP The 1200w motor on this powerful blender allows it to crush ice, slice veg and puree whole fruit in seconds. It also features a two-tier, six-point blade system, six programmed settings and touch controls – plus an ice sleeve to keep its contents chilled. All singing, all dancing, all blending, essentially. EXPERT VERDICT Even on a low setting, the Panasonic packs a lot of power. It doesn’t so much crush ice as obliterate it. The soup setting is useful, heating your blends up to 90°C in eight minutes. The touch controls are very simple to use and, because the jug has no set position, it’s comfortable for both lefties and righties. One downside: the jug is plastic, not glass, so may stain if the soup du jour is tomato. Still, we feel it’s a cut above most.