I was somewhat on the fence about this item especially when I saw the price in other catalogs. Amazon had it cheaper (like usual). I decided to try the item and return if not happy. I was blown away by how good the drinks were. This is an excellent frozen drink maker for use during the hot summer months. It's pretty much idiot proof. You follow the instructions and it makes great drinks. The only downside is that all drinks must conform to the standard proportion recipe. Stray from it, like my wife did once, and it makes lousy drinks. Follow the instructions, and the drinks are flawless. The price seems somewhat high. However, the quality of the item justifies the price.