A practical comparison
Cuisinart PowerEdge CBT-700 or SmartPower Duet BFP-703?
The discontinued Cuisinart PowerEdge CBT-700 and SmartPower Duet BFP-703 are both corded glass-jar blenders with feature-rich push-button controls, but they solve different kitchen problems. The CBT-700 is the pitcher-focused choice: a 56-ounce jar, Low/High/Pulse, a count-up timer, and separate Smoothie and Ice Crush cycles. The BFP-703 trades some jar capacity for a distinct three-cup food-processor attachment. Neither exact U.S. listing shows current manufacturer stock, so treat each as an earlier-model reference and verify any used seller’s exact model and complete parts list.
Start with the vessel that has to do the work
The CBT-700’s jar is nominally 56 ounces; BFP-703’s is 40 ounces. Neither meets a strict 64-ounce minimum, and BFP-703’s in-box jar falls short of a 48-ounce requirement. Its product page separately lists a 48-ounce replacement jar as a part, but a parts listing is not evidence that a given machine includes it. The manuals do not define finished-batch capacity by the nominal jar marks, so leave headroom for the actual recipe and do not convert a jar label into a maximum blend volume.
BFP-703’s second vessel is the main reason to consider it: a three-cup processor bowl with a feed tube and pusher, chopping blade and reversible slicing/shredding disc. It handles a different preparation job, not a larger drink. Its processor bowl must replace the blender jar on the base. The CBT-700 has no processor bowl in its exact package. If you seldom slice or chop, the extra parts may be a storage and cleanup burden; if small-batch processing is essential, the CBT-700 cannot meet that need.
Compare the controls without overcounting buttons
The CBT-700 offers two manual speeds, Low and High, plus Pulse. It also lists Smoothie and Ice Crush as timed pre-programmed routines; the booklet describes a 30-second Smoothie cycle and a 35-second Ice Crush cycle, recommending about eight cubes per ice cycle. Purée and Soups & Sauces are labeled preset speeds, while the Count-Up timer displays elapsed time to three minutes. That combination suits someone who wants a named drink routine but still adjusts a blend manually.
BFP-703 is described as a seven-speed touchpad. Its manual’s speed guide names Stir, Chop, Mix, Purée and Food Processor; a separate Ice Crush button behaves as Pulse, and the Pulse control gives short bursts. The processor setup has separate instructions and cannot crush ice. BFP-703 is thus more flexible in tool selection, but the source does not document a timed smoothie cycle. The BFP manual’s 500-watt maximum rating is based on the highest-drawing jar attachment; it is not a motor-watt claim for each operating mode. Do not compare that maximum with the CBT-700’s listed 700 watts as if the figures measured performance on the same basis.
Heat, ice and maintenance differ by setup
Both manuals allow controlled hot-liquid blending, but neither provides a numeric hot-fill maximum. On both, hot contents require steam venting at the measured lid, and boiling liquid must cool for five minutes before loading. The CBT-700 handbook also cautions against thermal shock with hot-washed glass and frozen contents. Both support ice crushing in their blender jars; BFP-703’s small processor bowl is expressly not an ice-crushing tool. This distinction matters when one answer asks for a processor while another insists on an ice workflow: use only the compatible vessel for each job.
Both products ask you to take apart the jar’s blade assembly for hand washing. Their glass jars can be cleaned in the dishwasher upside down, and the lids are dishwasher-safe. BFP-703 adds dishwasher-safe processor pieces but requires wiping its non-immersible gearbox collar; CBT-700’s removable locking ring can go in the upper rack. Both bases are wipe-only, not immersible. In either secondhand purchase, inspect the glass for chips or cracks and confirm the gasket, cutting assembly and correct locking parts are present.
Choose by fit, not by age or wattage
Choose CBT-700 in this comparison if a larger jar, glass construction, two manual speeds and one-touch Smoothie/Ice Crush routines matter more than processor capability. Choose BFP-703 if the 40-ounce jar is large enough and its small processor setup would replace separate chopping or slicing equipment. Look elsewhere if the requirement is 64 ounces, a documented hot-fill volume, or a large processor bowl. The earlier CBT-500FP offers a different compromise—a 50-ounce jar with another three-cup processor setup—while the CBT-1500P1 has a larger 60-ounce plastic jar and its own timed controls. Verify each model’s exact package, since nearby Cuisinart names do not establish interchangeable accessories. These comparisons summarize manufacturer documents, not hands-on testing or a product ranking.
Manufacturer sources: CBT-700 page and CBT-700 booklet; BFP-703 page and BFP-703 booklet.