Cuisinart Hurricane Pro Review

Performance Comparison

To determine which blender is truly the best of them all, we bought the top models available on the market today and tested them head-to-head. We conducted over a dozen different assessments for each product, grouped among five weighted metrics: Smoothies, Ice, Convenience, Pureeing, and Grinding.

Smoothies

Earning the most weight out of any of our rating metrics, the set of tests comprising our Smoothie metric take credit for 30% of the total score. We ranked and compared the performance of each blender at making a green smoothie, fruit and oat smoothie, and a berry smoothie, as well as an Oreo malt. The Cuisinart performed exceptionally well.

Our scoring for smoothies was based on ratings of four different types of smoothies, each blind tasted by our panel and rated relative to the competing blenders.

The Hurricane started off with an excellent performance in our green smoothie test. We used the "Green Smoothie" preset, which ran the blender for 1:30.

The resulting green drink was exceptionally smooth, almost completely passing through the sieve without any issue.

This kitchen appliance continued into the berry smoothie assessment with a strong performance.

We used the Hurricane's "Fruit Smoothie" setting, which ran the blender for about 45 seconds.

The smoothie was well-blended, although not all the berry seeds were pulverized, as evidenced by getting caught in the sieve.

The Cuisinart had a good showing in our fruit and oat smoothie. This is a difficult recipe, as it only has strawberries, bananas, almonds, yogurt, oats, and maple syrup in it — meaning the blender is working with very little liquid. The finished product was drinkable, but still thicker than the smoothie made by some other high-end machines.

The Hurricane Pro created a stellar Oreo malt when we followed the manufacturer's instructions and didn't even require any intervention on our part to stop and scrape the inside of the pitcher.

Ice

Ranking next in terms of importance, our Ice metric takes responsibility for 20% of the total score and was one of our favorites to test.

This metric consisted of two tests: crushing ice only and blending a margarita. The Cuisinart crushed it, earning the highest score possible and tying with a few other models.

We followed the manufacturer's directions for crushing ice, and the Hurricane Pro rose to the occasion. This blender crushed all of the ice without difficulty and didn't even require us to use the "Pulse" function.

This appliance also produced a stunning blended margarita that was extremely well-blended and incredibly smooth. To do this, we ran the blender at speed 10 for 45-90 seconds, per the instructions.

Convenience

On par with our Ice metric, our Convenience metric is also responsible for 20% of the overall score. We rated each product on if it is dishwasher-safe, if the pitcher could adequately dry when placed on the motor base, whether or not each appliance has a digital timer or preset functions, and their labeling, as well as the difficulty in washing the components by hand and removing the lid. The Cuisinart again scored very well, tying for the top spot.

Our Convenience score is based on seven different tests to explore factors such as ease of use and ease of cleaning.

The Cuisinart is all set for the dishwasher, including the pitcher, blades, and lid. The pitcher is large enough to wash easily by hand and can be placed back on the base to dry. This model has a digital timer and a handful of presets, like Clean, Soup, Smoothies, and Ice Crush. You also have the option of selecting Fruit or Green for the smoothie preset. The presets are clearly labeled and easy to understand.

The lid seals well, so it can be a little difficult to remove, and this blender is relatively quiet, measuring in at 83.5 dba on our meter.

Pureeing

Our Pureeing metric is responsible for 15% of the total score, and based on three different tests. The Hurricane Pro did quite well, earning another perfect score of 10 out of 10, tying for the best performance with a few others.

The three different tests used to score each product include our nut butter test, a pureed tomato soup test, and the third test to see if the blender could actually heat the soup.

The Hurricane did extremely well in our nut butter test, creating a nice and creamy spread after about 8 minutes of blending. We used a pound of almonds and honey roasted peanuts, as well as some oil for our recipe. This blender also made quick work of our tomato soup, creating a silky-smooth soup that poured right through our sieve.

The Hurricane heated up the soup more than enough, ending at 150°F after 6 minutes of blending.

This model doesn't leak when filled to its maximum fill line, holding 8 cups of water without issue.

Grinding

Taking credit for the remaining 15% of the overall score, our Grinding metric consisted of three tests. The Hurricane finished out our review with a solid performance.

The Grinding score was based on performance in grinding corn meal from popcorn, grinding sugar into powdered sugar, and grating parmesan cheese.

Following the manufacturer's directions for making powdered sugar yielded poor results, but the Hurricane actually made excellent powdered sugar when it was given some additional time.

The Hurricane delivered one of the best performances of the entire group, creating finely ground parmesan cheese, similar to what you would find in a shaker in a pizza parlor. This blender also did very well in our cornmeal test, grinding the popcorn into a flour so fine that 95% of it passed through our sieve without issue.

Should You Buy the Cuisinart Hurricane Pro Blender?

We would highly recommend the Cuisinart Hurricane Pro to anyone interested in a top-performing blender. Earning one of the top scores of the entire group, this is undeniably a phenomenal blender that won't disappoint. It makes excellent smoothies, purees well, and makes a magnificent margarita. Our only reservation is the wear and tear that this model exhibited at the conclusion of our testing, which shouldn't be a huge problem if you are not crushing ice, grinding nut butter, or grating parmesan cheese on an extremely frequent basis.

What Other Blenders Should You Consider?

If the price tag of the Hurricane Pro leaves you with second thoughts, then we'd suggest you consider the NutriBullet Blender, which sells for a third the price and yet still offers excellent performance. It tied the Hurricane on both Ice and Pureeing in our tests and performed well above average on Smoothies and Grinding. Given the huge cost savings, it might be just the right balance of price vs. performance.

If you do a lot of blending or really value top-performance, then you might want to consider a blender that will offer more over the long term. There is no doubt in our minds that the Vitamix A2500 Ascent Series will offer outstanding long-term performance, more so in our opinion than the Cuisinart, and makes for an excellent long-term investment. At the end of our testing, the Vitamix A2500 showed no signs of wear and tear, while the Hurricane had some evidence of deterioration and wear on the blade.