KitchenAid KHB2351CU 3-Speed Hand Blender

I used to buy Kitchenaid “for the way it’s made”. It used to be a high quality product, but times have changed. I bought a Kitchenaid mixer in the late 80’s and it’s been great. I’ve had Kitchenaid blenders that have worked well. I bought this hand blender reluctantly to replace an older Kitchenaid model with a variable speed motor I bought in 2006 that was terrific. I used it daily, replaced the shaft several years ago and continued to use it. But the shaft was having problems again and the rubber cover over the motor button was deteriorating, so I bought this one. All I really wanted was a quality variable speed blender with a container to blend in. BUT - to get a blender and container, I had to settle for 3 set speeds and a chopper which I didn’t want. The more pieces you get for $50 or so, the less money goes into each one which is likely to affect the quality of each piece. This blender is nowhere near the quality of the former model. It looks nice and contemporary. I bought the one that looks like stainless steel, but it isn’t - it’s a gray plastic. The shaft weighs a lot less than the old one because the plastic at the top of the stainless steel part of the shaft is nowhere near as thick as the older model. The other reviewers who said the shaft separates from the blender are correct. I had this less than a week when it happened to me. I use it mostly for making rice protein powder shakes, and I do defrost my frozen fruit so it’s not as hard as ice cubes. I don’t think I’m asking too much of the blender to stay together while I’m blending something that’s not rock hard. I found that the problem was you have to turn the shaft hard until you hear a small click to make it stay attached to the motor. BUT - once it’s on, I couldn’t twist it off because I have arthritis in my thumb joint, and the motion needed to do that was too painful. This blender NEEDS a release button like the older model had. I found that the blender did not handle my small shake well on the 1st setting, so I have to use the 2nd. I am not sure how much the 3rd one would do. I saved the old one in case I am trying to blend something that this new one doesn’t handle well. While I have doubts about the older model’s longevity, I’m sure it will work well for years to come with limited use. One thing I find annoying is cleaning the blade. As you are washing it (and I do it by hand), the blade turns, which turns the motor just a tad, which makes the same sound the blender makes when it is in use, although of course on a much lower level. But I don’t like that bit of grinding sound which never happened on the older model because of the way the shaft attached to it. Another issue with the way the re-designed model is that the blender motor can no longer be stood on the counter. The new model has a small opening instead of the opening as wide as the top of the shaft of the older model, so I have to either unplug the blender, wind up the cord, and put it underneath my counter, or leave it lying on its side on top of the counter. A minor issue, but just another little thing I don’t like as well. I wrote this detailed review because I appreciate the other reviewers who wrote detailed reviews that addressed the issues with this blender, including quality control issues. Because of those reviewers, I saved the product box and amazon box the blender came in case this blender breaks. But due to the problems I had using it and my concerns about its longevity, I decided to return it within the 30 day period, and I had to pay shipping costs to do so. All in all, I am disappointed in the quality of this new product. It looks to me like Kitchenaid has succumbed to the disease so prevalent in the US - cheaping down the products in favor of corporate greed. All I wanted was a quality hand blender with a container to blend in, and I got one - the new OXO On Digital Immersion Blender, also available on amazon.