Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher Blender For Smoothies With 40 Oz Glass Jar and 14 Functions, Ice Sabre Blades & 700 Watts for Consistently Smooth Results, Black + Stainless Steel (54221)

I use this thing DAILY to make smoothies. It literally crushes ice like it's NOTHING. It's so strong. The blades aren't "sharp" - you can actually stick your hand in there while cleaning it, and feel that they're not like a knife. And that's fine because they don't need to be! They make perfect smoothies despite not being sharp. Someone on here said that you can't tell the difference between settings 1 vs 2 vs 3 etc vs 4 vs 5 vs 6 - you definitely can. It's subtle but it's there. There are five super minor gripes I have with it that I wish I knew before I got it, BUT honestly I love it so much I don't really mind: 1. It's very loud. I mean... it's a powerful blender, so I guess that's normal? But I like to walk away so that it's not just screaming in my ear lol 2. It's really lowkey irritating trying to put the lid on (and even more annoying trying to take it off), so if you have weak hands I'd go with a different blender. It's not like the WORST thing ever, but it does make you say "ugh" when you get ready to take it off or put it on. On a side note, when you get the lid on, it's ON. it won't fly off, which I really do appreciate, as I can walk away from it while it's doing its thing (because, again, it's so loud lol). It also doesn't rattle or anything like that, so I really like it! 3. This is probably my biggest gripe: it's glass. That means when making smoothies, you have to be careful not to run it under hot water directly after. I keep almost forgetting, which makes me worried that I'll break it from the shock of the hot water or if I drop it. On the plus side, the heavy glass really makes you feel like it's a sturdy, quality product! 4. It's in that weird space between "big enough for 3 small glasses or two large glasses". It would be nice if it were just the TINIEST bit bigger. 5. Sometimes it seems more blended at the bottom than at the top. It's possible the smoothies I make are just too thick and I should add more liquid or something, but it's sliiiightly noticeable. Honestly I don't really care that much though. It's not like it doesn't blend it. All in all though I am extremely happy with it, those were just me complaining. The blender is great. If you want something that is affordable and super powerful and won't leave you with chunks, get it.

Works great and doesn't struggle to blend ice. When I used it I was surprised how quiet it was.

I want to love this blender! The vortexing blades mix super fast and well, and the design makes pouring easy. The blender jar is heavy. I love the speed clean feature. But... it's REALLY, REALLY difficult to get the lid off/on. As in: both hands, both thumbs, wrapping the rest of your arms around the base and blender jar, and maybe asking for help from passersby, then wrestling for a while. This cannot possibly end well. Also, the motor makes a burning smell, is super loud, and makes grinding sounds as if it's not going to last very long :(

I recently decided to try a vegetarian diet so it was a given I would need a blender to mix up some protein based drinks. I am not sure I will be staying a vegetarian so I did not want to spend $50 or more for a blender since I never needed one before now. Seems like the big factor is whether or not a blender can chop ice. Well this is not a factor for me since I have issues with brain freeze when just taking even a small sip of any slushy type drinks. That made it easier in my mind to go with a less expensive model. Based on the power it seems to have, I suspect it would chop ice just fine, but have not tried it and probably never will. That said, it has real good power and mixes up pretty much anything I put in it with no problem. So far that has been fresh fruit, veggies, soy based milks and various powders - nothing very challenging I suppose. I wanted a blender with a glass jar and this one has a very heavy thick glass jar with a very snug fitting top. I really like the flip open spout on the top too - it's very convenient. I usually mix a blender full of whatever, pour a glass...then put the jar in the fridge to store what is left. The 40 oz size is perfect for my needs and I like that it's shorter and more compact looking. I hand wash my dishes so to clean it I fill it with soapy water, put the top on and shake it to loosen up what is stuck to the sides. I finish the job with a long handled cleaning brush I have and I'm good to go. Doesn't take more than a couple of minutes to get it real clean - which is one reason I wanted a model with a glass jar. I have had plastic blenders in the past and the are just not as easy to clean and eventually get scratched and opaque looking, especially if you put them in a dishwasher. It's not super quiet I guess. I imagine higher end models might be quieter, but that is not a factor for me...hey it's a blender and they make noise. End of story. The only negative I would point out are the buttons on the front are a little cheap feeling so not sure how well they will hold up over time. I suppose that is expected for a blender at this price point. But IMO the heavy glass jar and super tight fitting top are more important features. Plus I could buy two or three of these blenders for the price of one of the higher end models. I only use it once or twice a week so it will probably last me a long time. Overall I am very pleased with this purchase and can recommend this blender for anyone who has similar needs and usage requirements.

Our old American-made blender, handed down from the sixties, started leaking. The seal had degraded over the years. No replacements could be found. The Wave Crusher had good reviews and the price was reasonable. There are lots of reviews so I will jump right to things we like. The glass pitcher is nice because it cleans up easy. Plastic can shrink or deform over time. This can lead to poorly sealing threads and gaskets if you plan on keeping the blender for years and years. Plastic will also develop tiny cracks and crevices that trap food particles, glass will not. Yes, probably nothing really to worry about but it is true. The lid fits tightly. It requires some wiggling to pop it off. This is good because the tight lid allows you to pour the pitcher without leaks, drips or the lid flying off when you tilt it. The motor runs smoothly compared to the old US-made blender. I imagine the gears are finer and don't grind as much. My wife makes iquid breakfast drinks made from kale, powder mix, fruits (frozen and fresh), soy milk and ice cubes (sometimes). The blender is able to mix, blend, crush all these foods nicely. The kale is converted into a drinkable liquid. I can hear the motor respond to frozen fruits and ice cubes but the blender easily handles this load. Clean-up can be a simple rinse. I often twist off the base and pop out the blades. It is easy to do. Overall I think this blender is a good value and does what it claims. Time will tell if the motor and blades last but that will depend a lot on what we throw at this blender. Grinding ice cubes is probably the most "stressful" job for a blender motor and blades. For basic home use this blender is a winner.

This blender has everything to hate. If you are blending anything other than a thin liquid, it makes a hole in the middle and never chops up additions. Lots of time pushing things down. Particles get stuck in a channel beneath the blade and is near impossible to dislodge. Even when cleaning you need a pressure washer to remove it or take the whole thing apart. The lid is extremely hard to get on properly and even harder to get off without splashing to contents all over. It says 14 functions but only 6 speed plus high and low pulse. Very loud! I haven't used it a lot due to the frustration when I do use it and then months later I attempt again with the same results. Today I am throwing in the trash. The only good quality is the motor seems very strong, combine that with the rest of it and you have something that's no good. I am going to enjoy throwing it away and save my sanity. It is absolutely the worst blender I have ever used and I am not young. Signed, pos.

I love that this blender comes with a large capacity glass jar and is SO easy to disassemble and clean! It's quite powerful, no issues so far. Everything I've tried blending has come out smoothly. It is a bit louder than I remember my last blender being, but since it blends quite quickly, I don't mind this. The lid has a very tight fit. At first it was hard to get on and off for someone with weaker hands, but this became easier by the 3rd or 4th time I used it. It feels very sturdy and hefty, which leads me to think that it will last me a long time. Great blender for the price.

The glass blender jar is solid and substanial but the base is flimsy plastic. Also, for those who are concerned about microplastics in food, the lid is black plastic and comes in contact with the contents of the blender jar. Not good. Also, the lid is difficult to secure and it leaks.