This is a wonderful milkshake, smoothie and juice making machine. It's specific for beverages and I don't think you can make soup or probably not ice cream out of it, as you can with home use Vitamix machines. The programmed times are wonderful where you get the same consistency each time when using the same ingredients, so there's no manual work on your part, unless you want to use the pulse instead of a pre-programmed button. The pitcher does get a little cloudy with use. I've been using this machines for smoothies daily and it's great. I've also used it to cream ingredients like warm spinach and artichoke dip that I heated on the stove, so you can blend hot liquids in it.