Buying guide for best hamilton beach blenders
For most people, a blender is an essential kitchen appliance. Not only do you need one for making smoothies and frozen cocktails, but you can use a blender to make sauces, dips, soups, ice cream, nut butter, breadcrumbs, baby food, and more. If you need a reliable, versatile blender, you’ll definitely want to consider one from Hamilton Beach, a respected manufacturer of kitchen appliances and blenders in particular.
Hamilton Beach blenders range from basic models with few special features to commercial-grade options that have enough power to handle a wide range of kitchen tasks.
But sorting through all the Hamilton Beach blender options can be a challenge. You have to select the best type, power, capacity, and other features to ensure that the blender can effectively meet your kitchen needs.
Not to worry. Take our Hamilton Beach blenders buying guide out for a spin and we’ll provide all the information required to choose the best blender for your countertop.
Key considerations
Type
Hamilton Beach offers three main types of blenders: conventional, personal, and premium. Choosing among them is mainly a matter of your budget and needs.
A conventional Hamilton Beach blender is a classic countertop blender. It works well for any blending task that doesn’t require too much power. Fresh fruit smoothies and milkshakes are no problem for these models, but you’ll have more difficulty crushing ice and frozen ingredients.
A personal Hamilton Beach blender is designed to make single-serving beverages. It’s ideal if you only make smoothies or milkshakes for yourself, though it doesn’t have the power to fully crush ice. Amping up the convenience factor of these models, the blending jar doubles as a travel mug. You just pull the jar off the base, add the lid, and take your smoothie on the go without dirtying any other cups.
Hamilton beach premium blenders can also be called “commercial” or “professional” blenders. They are meant for more intensive blending tasks. All of these models can fully crush ice and frozen ingredients, so your smoothies and frozen cocktails will have a perfectly even texture. Some Hamilton Beach premium blenders are also powerful enough to pulverize ingredients, so you can easily make baby food or nut butter.
Power
A blender’s power is typically measured in terms of motor wattage. Hamilton Beach blenders vary in power; the least-powerful models are the company’s personal blenders, which generally range from 175 to 300 watts. While these units can effectively blend fresh ingredients, they can’t fully crush ice.
Most Hamilton Beach conventional blenders have between 500 and 1,400 watts of power. That’s enough to crush ice, though you won’t necessarily get a completely smooth texture if you’re blending ice or frozen ingredients. For that higher level of performance, opt for a Hamilton Beach blender with 1,500 to 1,800 watts of power.
Capacity
The size of a blender jar or container determines how much you’re able to blend in a single batch. Hamilton Beach blenders have containers that range from 14 to 64 ounces.
- Hamilton Beach personal blenders usually range from 14 to 20 ounce in capacity.
- Hamilton Beach conventional blenders typically range from 40 to 52 ounces in capacity, which usually produces three to five servings.
- Hamilton Beach premium or professional blenders generally range from 32 to 64 ounces in size, which usually produces two to six servings.
Features
Controls
Hamilton Beach blenders feature a few different types of controls. Some have touchpad controls, which are extremely easy to clean. Others have push-button controls that are simple to use but can collect dirt and residue around their sides that is tough to clean. Dial controls are easier to clean, but they aren’t as user-friendly and definitive as dedicated buttons.
Wave-action technology
Some Hamilton Beach blenders offer the brand’s patented Wave-Action system, which is designed to promote more effective blending. The technology helps continuously pull the ingredients in your blender down toward the blades, resulting in the smoothest texture possible without having to stop the blender to stir your ingredients.
Jar material
You can find Hamilton Beach blenders with plastic or glass container jars. Choosing between the two is really a matter of personal preference because both materials have their pros and cons.
Plastic containers are lightweight and easy to handle. They don’t shatter if dropped. The problem with a plastic blender jar is that it can easily absorb stains and odors, which means it must be cleaned soon after each use.
Glass jars don’t stain or retain odors. With a glass container, you needn’t worry about your smoothie tasting like last night’s salsa. On the downside, a heavy glass container can slip out of your hands and break if you’re not careful.
Speeds
Hamilton Beach blenders have anywhere from two to ten speeds. Some premium Hamilton Beach blenders also offer specific recipe settings, so you don’t have to decide which speed is appropriate for the task at hand. For example, the smoothie setting applies the ideal blending speed for … you guessed it: smoothies!
Functions
While all Hamilton Beach blenders can blend, some models offer other functions to make the appliance more versatile. You’ll find blenders with the following additional functions:
- Pure
- Mix
- Ice crush
- Chop
- Liquefy
Dispenser
Some Hamilton Beach blenders that are designed to serve larger crowds include a serving dispenser spigot. Instead of having to lift the blender jar to pour a frozen cocktail into a glass, you can hold a cup right below the dispenser spout and fill it with your favorite margarita or daiquiri.
Sound shield
If you’re concerned about how noisy your blender is during operation, choose a Hamilton Beach model with a sound shield. It covers the jar during blending to help dampen the sound, so you don’t have to worry about disturbing your family while whipping up an early morning concoction.
Chopping attachment
You can find some Hamilton Beach blenders that include a chopping-bowl attachment. This allows you to easily chop veggies, nuts, and other hard ingredients, as well as mix up salsa, sauces, and dressings.
Hamilton Beach blender prices
Hamilton Beach blenders vary in price based on their power, capacity, and features. Most models range from $15 to $950.
Inexpensive: The most affordable Hamilton Beach blenders are small personal models. They usually have a capacity of 20 ounces or less and offer a maximum 300 watts of power. You’ll typically pay between $15 and $30 for these blenders.
Mid-range: Medium-priced Hamilton Beach blenders are conventional models that cost $30 to $250. They usually offer 1,400 watts of power or less, though some models in this price range are extremely effective for crushing ice.
Expensive: The priciest Hamilton Beach blenders are premium or commercial quality models. They usually offer 1,500 watts of power or more and can effectively crush ice and other frozen or hard ingredients. Prices for these high-end models range from $250 to $950.
"Never use a blender with a damaged plug or cord. It’s a potential fire hazard."
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Tips
● Maintain liquidity. When operating a blender, you must always add liquid to the jar to keep the ingredients moving around enough to blend well. A good rule of thumb is to include at least one cup of liquid in every recipe.
● Keep it wet. You can tell if there’s not enough liquid in your blender if the appliance stops blending or the ingredients get stuck to the side of the jar.
● Save the solids. For the most effective blending, add liquid ingredients to your blender before any frozen or solid items. Make sure that any solid foods like fruits or vegetables are cut into small pieces that can easily move around the blender blades.
● Don’t overfill. Don’t cram your blender jar with ingredients all the way to the top. Leave at least one-third of the jar empty to account for expansion as the ingredients whip up.
● Clean smarter, not harder. To clean your blender, fill the jar with a couple of cups of warm water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. Run the blender for about ten seconds and rinse with clean water.
Other products we considered
Hamilton Beach offers a wide range of quality blenders, so there are a few models that we couldn’t include on our shortlist of favorites. The Hamilton Beach Electric Wave Crusher Blender with 6 Functions is a good basic option that offers plenty of versatility. In addition to a 40-ounce blender jar, it includes a 20-ounce travel jar for blending smoothies to go. It can mix, puree, crush ice, and blend milkshakes, too.
We also love the Hamilton Beach 51101BA Personal Blender with Travel Lid if you prefer a smaller blender that provides individual servings. It has a 14-ounce capacity and features durable stainless steel blades that can effectively blend smoothies and shakes for the morning commute.
FAQ
Q. Do I need a blender if I already have a food processor?
A. While a food processor can effectively chop and pulverize dry ingredients, a blender is better suited to liquid ingredients. If you regularly make smoothies, milkshakes, frozen cocktails, or even soups, you’ll definitely prefer a blender to a food processor. Of course there’s room in most kitchens for both appliances.
Q. What type of Hamilton Beach blender is best for a small kitchen?
A. Hamilton Beach single-serve blenders typically have the smallest footprint, so they don’t take up much countertop space.
Q. What type of warranty does a Hamilton Beach blender include?
A. All Hamilton Beach blenders are protected by a warranty, though the coverage varies from model to model. You can expect one to three years of warranty protection for defects in materials or workmanship.
