660718 Mon Oct 19 11:16:38 -0700 2009 3 41 Cookware 0 5114625 At Costco's I saw the CSB-77 version for 30 bucks I believe. This price is the same as the CSB-76 which seems to be the more basic model. I may be in the market for a hand blender but I'm not sure whether to just get the basic model since on amazon it has over 300 reviews compared to the other and seems to be better rated as well. I want to use it for soups and other stuff once I figure out what. Here are the links from amazon. http://tinyurl.com/yz3hex3 http://tinyurl.com/yhdqewh Thanks! Mon Oct 19 11:16:38 -0700 2009 222121 bessa 1 5115158 But the 142 review for the 77 is not a drop in the bucket either. To make a fair comparison, based on reviews, you'd have to omit the ones where the attachments fail to meet expectation. This wisk, for example, is good for whipping egg whites, but not for mixing a cake. Similarly people could expect more from the chopper than is realistic. I have the 77, or equivalent (from Samsclub), and am, overall, pleased with it. It is comparable, in many ways, to the Braun Multimix. It doesn't have multiple speeds of the Braun, but the immersion blender part is metal. If you don't already have a whisk, or a small-job food processor, the 77 is an inexpensive way of gaining that functionality. I can't compare the immersion blender parts of the 76 and 77. My guess is that the differences are cosmetic. The specs (motor amps, etc) may say otherwise. Mon Oct 19 13:57:05 -0700 2009 5114625 12139 paulj 2 5115867 Thank you for you comments. I'll have a look at the reviews again to account for the added parts that come with the 77. I was at Macy's and thought I was looking at the 76 and noticed that it had two speed setting but not sure. The one at costco--77 that I looked like was like a pulse button thing. Not sure if this will make a difference on my decision either. Mon Oct 19 18:28:19 -0700 2009 5115158 222121 bessa 3 5115906 The 77 (the one with attachments) is single speed, with a large on button in the handle - hold it down for as long as you want to run it. The directions say something about not using it for longer than 30 seconds at a spell. The motor housing warms up a bit when run that long, but it's not as though it conks out when run longer. With that control it is easy to pulse it on and off. The control feels natural. I feel the lack of speeds more when using the chopper than the blender part. For example today I made a tonato sauce - an Italian puree of canned tuna, capers etc with mayo. I used the Braun mini food processor attachment at full speed for processing the tuna and other solids, and at lower speed to fold in the mayo. But I could have done the whole thing with the single speed Cuisinart. One feature of the Cuisinart chopper is that the blade comes apart for cleaning. It can also be reversed so it spins with the dull side forward, giving more of a chopping effect with nuts. That may be plus, but taking it apart for cleaning feels risky, applying a twisting motion that close to the sharp blades. Mon Oct 19 18:44:00 -0700 2009 5115867 12139 paulj