Blending & Crushing Ice in the Office with Hamilton Beach
Written: Sep 20 '05
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Pros: chops ice, mixes ingredients well, stainless steel blades, 400 watt motor
Cons: pour spout is wide and shallow (rather than narrow and angled); noisy
The Bottom Line: The Bottom Line tried to mix a beverage without the lid in place. Obviously it didn’t read the caution warning.
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| dlstewart's Full Review: Hamilton Beach 52252 BlendMaster Ultra 12-Speed Bl... |
You are probably wondering why we have the Hamilton Beach BlendMaster – Model # 52252 in the office. A blender is not exactly something you would pull out of the supply closet.
Description
This blender is suited for the office with its businesslike black plastic exterior and glass blending jar. This blender measures 13" high x 8" wide x 10" deep and weighs about eight pounds. It has a 400-watt motor and stainless steel blades.
The front of the base offers12 speed choices. The white buttons are oval and clearly marked with their function. The “Off” button writing is in red so that it immediately grabs attention. There is also a Lo and Hi button. The speeds are: ice breaker, grate, beat, shred, blend, liquefy, pulse, stir, puree, crumb, chop, mix.
The thick glass blending jar has a wide 5 1/2" opening and markings in both ounces and cups. There is also a wide pour spout.
Ounces: 40, 36, 32, 28, 24, 20, 16, 8, 4
Cups: 5, 4 1/2, 4, 3 1/2, 3, 2 1/2, 2, 1 1/2, 1, 1/2
There is a plastic cover that fits atop the blending jar. The cover is black with a clear center.
When the blender is removed from the base, it has a wide base that securely sits on a flat surface. The 22"-long electrical cord can wrap around the base.
Our Experiences
A coworker purchased this Hamilton Beach blender and gave it as a gift to the office. At the time, she was drinking protein shakes several times during the work day and needed a blender to mix the powder with water. She kept to this regime for about two years.
Meanwhile another coworker started a similar dietary program, except the protein drinks were supplements and not a major part of her diet. She added ice cubes and water to the powder mixes. Since this blender has the markings on the glass jar, it is easy to measure the liquid amount directly into the blender jar.
I have used this blender to chop ice and can attest to the power of the blades. I couldn’t believe how quickly the blender crushed the ice into small bits.
As you can imagine, in an office setting, this blender does not see much food chopping or mixing. Sometimes an adventurous soul will create a fruit smoothie, but this is a rare instance. Being the curious sort, if I am in the kitchen, I watch as these beverages are mixed. Each time I am impressed with how efficiently this blender combines ingredients.
One big drawback to this blender is that it is noisy. When someone decides to blend a beverage, the entire office knows it. This blender is loud enough to stop conversations in the kitchen. I can still hold a phone conversation since my office is not next to the kitchen, but I have to wonder what the person on the other end of the phone is thinking when they hear the blender noise.
The lid seals well on this blender. We have never had any incidence with liquid leaking or spewing forth. The lid is even printed with: Caution – Do not operate without this cover in place. The jar has a wide 5 1/2" opening. It is easy to pour liquid from the glass container, too, since it has a pour spout. I just wish the pour spout was more angular to define the liquid flow. This pour spout is wide and shallow.
When the blender is done combining the ingredients, it is simple to lift the blender jar from the base. The wide plastic collar at the jar bottom sits well on a flat surface. It is stable and has never tipped. Also, the glass handle is wide and can accommodate a large hand.
This blender is easy to clean, too. Being an office, we do not have a dishwasher. All dishes are cleaned by hand and air dried. This blender always cleans well. If something dirties the base, we use a damp sponge to clean it.
Purchasing
My coworker purchased this blender on sale from a local department store. This blender is also available from Amazon.com for $29.99.
Summary
Not every office has a blender, and judging by how many people find this blender an office convenience ... perhaps offices should have a blender. This blender thoroughly mixes the ingredients for various beverages and also does a great job reducing ice cubes into small bits. The only downside is the noise level when the machine is in use. But I don’t hear anyone complaining.
I hope you found this review useful.
Enjoy your day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com
Additional Information
3-year warranty
Hamilton Beach
Toll-free Customer Service Phone Numbers:
USA: 1-800-851-8900
Canada: 1-800-267-2826
Mexico: 01 800 71 16 100
Please read my other reviews:
Rubbermaid Stain Shield Round 1.1 Quart Container
Pyrex 14-piece Storage Container Set
Sterilite Ultra Storage Drawer
Ultra Dawn Dishwashing Soap – Apple Blossom scent
Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
Windex Wipes for Glass & Surface
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Duo
Ott Lite Flex-Arm Plus True Color Lamp
Pyrex Digital Timer
Black & Decker 4-slice Toaster Oven
Broan Allure III Range Hood
Maytag Gemini Double Oven Range
Copyright 2005 Dawn L. Stewart
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 29.99
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