Hamilton Beach Power Elite Wave Action Blender For Smoothies, 40 Oz Glass Jar, 12 Functions Including Puree, Crush Ice, 700 Watts - Black (58148A)

The Hamilton Beach Power Elite Blender is a great little helper for everyday smoothies and shakes. It blends ice and fruit pretty well, and the glass jar feels solid and easy to clean. It’s a bit loud and doesn’t love small batches, but for the price, it’s totally worth it. Simple, reliable, and gets the job done.

For the price, I’m honestly amazed at how well this Hamilton Beach blender works. It’s inexpensive, but it gets the job done perfectly if you use it the right way. The key is to layer your ingredients correctly—once you do that, it blends smoothly without any issues.I saw other reviews saying it doesn’t blend well, but I think it just comes down to proper layering. For the cost, you really can’t beat it. It’s a solid little blender that performs better than I expected.

I picked this up after being unable to find a blender under $30 in any local stores that had decent reviews (I always check Amazon.com for pricing and reviews before purchasing anything). I had purchased a VERY similar model (same brand, and similar features) on impulse at a local store for right at $30, but decided not to even take it out of the box after reading the reviews on Amazon (my phone was dead when I purchased it, or I would have checked the reviews before pulling the trigger). After a bit of research I came across this unit which was a few dollars less, and is the same brand with almost identical features - so I was surprised that it had so much better reviews, but I figured it was worth the gamble and I needed a new blender for my morning smoothies ASAP (my old one was not working at-all). I never took the other one out of the box, so I can't compare this one to that one - but I can say that I'm very happy with this blender - it works perfectly for what I need it for, and although I have only had it for a few weeks, I haven't had any problems yet and it seems sturdy enough to last for a while. The problem with my last blender was that the gears the connected the motor in the base to the blades in the pitcher were made of rubber or soft plastic, so over the years they eventually got stripped until they were unable to catch each other enough to make the blades spin. During my search, I came across several models that had metal pieces connecting the blades to the motor which seems like it would be ideal. This model uses plastic, however it seems thick and sturdy enough to last a while. The pitcher is also very wide all the way to the bottom. Many blenders have a 'funnel' shaped pitcher that is smaller at the bottom (by the blades), sometimes causing ice or frozen chunks to get caught in the blades which can cause problems with the motor and/or the gears that connect the blades to the motor. Because the bottom of this is so wide, it seems like this happens less frequently because the blades will simply push the frozen chunks aside rather than getting them stuck between the blades and the glass. I rarely used the lid on my old blender, as I don't usually have issues with the ingredients splashing out - however, the lid of this blender has a couple of features that I really like. One is the spout that allows you to more easily pour your smoothies into your cups with less mess/dripping, and the other is a little 'flap' that allows you to easily pour in ingredients while blending without worrying about splashing.I've only had this for a few weeks, but so-far it is working very well and I feel confident that it will hold up for a good while. I definitely recommended this for anyone looking for a sturdy, powerful blender in this price range. I'm only withholding the 5th star because I would really like to see metal pieces connecting the blades to the motor instead of plastic - but hopefully this won't be an issue.BONUS: DELICIOUS SMOOTHIE RECIPE!1. Optionally put 1/2 or 1 full avocado (removed from the skin and separated from the seed/pit) in the blender (depending on how much you are making and/or how creamy and how much avocado flavor you want.2. Optionally add a banana to help thicken it up a bit and add some more nutrients3. Add 2-3 cups (or your desired amount) of any type of fresh or frozen fruit you like. I especially like peaches, strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, pineapple, mango, and cherries.4. Optionally add a scoop of protein powder to add some more nutrients. I use vanilla flavored powder to add a bit of flavor as well. You can also add powdered vitamins such as Airborne, vitamin C, or fiber.5. Mix in about a cup or so (depending on how thick you want your smoothie) of juice. I personally prefer fresh squeezed orange or apple juice, but use whatever you like or have available.6. Optionally add a half cup or so of GoodBelly, or any other type of probiotic or nutrient rich juice. You can also use wheat grass, or something similar to get some extra nutrients.7. Optionally add a half cup or so of kefir or a few spoonfuls of yogurt. I prefer either vanilla or berry flavored kefir which adds some probiotics to your drink, and a bit of sweetness and flavor. Obviously you can leave this out if you prefer a dairy-free smoothie.8 Start blending the ingredients on low, then turn it up to medium once the big chunks start to break down.9. Optionally add a couple tablespoons of agave nectar, or honey as a natural sweetener. You shouldn't need much, especially if you used sweet juice or flavored yogurt. I prefer raw light agave nectar, and just a couple of squirts is enough.10. Optionally, add a few drops of grapefruit seed extract, or other natural oil or extract for additional nutrients.11. Blend on medium until it begins to 'fold' (you should basically have a smoothie funnel/tornado) - if this doesn't happen within a minute or so, it may be too thick and you may need to add some more juice (or use a thicker straw). Then you are ready to drink. Taste a bit with a spoon or straw first, and add more ingredients as desired to get the perfect texture and taste before pouring.12. Rinse the pitcher and lid with hot water right away to ensure you have a clean blender to use the next morning.This may seem like a lot of steps, but once you do it a few times it takes less than 5 minutes to have a healthy and delicious breakfast that you can drink on your way to work. I always make enough to share with my kids, so I know everyone gets a nice dose of fruit, protein and vitamins each morning. Give it a try, and you will probably be hooked! Enjoy...

Works super well to blend everything, I made a smoothie with it and it did a great job breaking apart the ice. It was very easy to use and also to clean. The noise is about what you would expect from a blender and overall it’s great for the price.

Works excellent. I had to replace my 20 year old blender and this one chops up anything. Very easy to use and easy to clean. Awesome quality at a great price. Received very quickly too in manufacturer packaging.

I at first thought it was a mistake after I figured how to use it this turned out to be a good blender. I really like the glass jar

Recently, my blender broke and I bought this during Amazon Days. The price was right and the pitcher is glass. All I use my blender for is making smoothies. My other one had a blade that went all the way up and seemed to be quicker and more quiet. This one is quite noisy and takes forever. Keep in mind my smoothies consist of frozen fruit, yogurt and almond milk. The pitcher is smaller than my old one, but this one will do. I've used the self cleaning cycle and it worked pretty good. I've also put the pitcher and parts in the dishwasher. Totally dishwasher safe! The lid goes on tight like a Tupperware lid, so it stays on great during the blending process. It's a little difficult to take off, but I don't mind.

Our old blender was functional, but very loud (I wore ear plugs when using it). Looked at far more expensive models along with this one, and specifically researched those rated as being super quiet. While not in the “whisper quiet" category, I’m very happy with the Hamilton Beach and think it’s excellent value for the price (unless your ego requires a high end brand name and price to go with it).It’s lightweight, easy to use, powerful enough to puree frozen fruit for smoothies and has enough settings for all of our uses. Before purchasing, I read a number of reviews from customers who complained about how tight the lid was. It’s takes some getting used to, but once done, I like the secure fit and especially appreciate the built in pour spout, which works extremely well without removing the lid. Putting the front end of the lid in first and then snapping the back in place works well. Doing the reverse for removal works. Another complaint was having to remove the base for cleaning - - I don’t know of any blender that can be cleaned thoroughly without doing this and this base is very easy to unscrew and re-assemble and the blender cleans well in the dishwasher. Overall, a very good value!