I'm very late to this thread but two comments: I think BK is an A-ok company. They make good gear, they have lots of good distributors/resellers in their channels (customers can pick from a good variety of sellers), and they will definitely answer their phone and give you prompt, couterous, and knowledgable personal service.
Having said that, whether it's the 8500 or one of it's ancestors, recent predecessors, off-spring, other relatives or acquainteances somewhere in the world, or just a member of it's peer group from who knows where in the competitive landscape I'm of the opinion that the 8500 is a great electronic load and that electronic loads are one of the coolest and most useful pieces of test equipments you could have on your bench.
We could start another thread on this (or just do it here), but if I were assembling a few key pieces of gear to help learn and develop basic electronics skills and headed toward the basic electricity/analog realm and the digital realm, I'd go with:
PC with access to the Internet
DMM
oscilloscope (preferrably mixed signal with Logic Analyzer)
power supply (prefferably programmable)
electronic load (preferrably programmable)
signal generator
soldering iron
Maybe in that order - although I'm sure it depends heavily on what you are trying to build, fix, learn, and I'm probably forgetting something(s).
Althlough I don't have one (yet), that 8500 sure looks like a very useful device for making sure you are on top of Ohm's Law and more. And just because someone might have gotten a bee in their bonet about BK at some point, I don't think we want BK to disappear; I don't think that would do anyone any good. Healthy choices for EE-land are better than limited choices.
PS, thanks to LaurenceW, saturation, and everyone else on this thread for all the good info!