Hamilton Beach Offers Cheap Thrills!

We were on the plane flying back from Arizona talking about our vacation and how we enjoyed the delicious smoothies around the pool. It suddenly occurred to us that even though we had almost every major appliance on the market, we did not have a blender! "Go to Wal-Mart Monday" came the instructions from "she who must be obeyed".

And so, I made a trek to Wally World, made it out of the parking lot alive, and found the appliance section. I stood for a few minutes and perused the vast array of blenders - all sizes, features, and prices. Finally, my eyes settled on the Hamilton Beach 50199R for $19.96. Into the cart it went.

Drooling and ready for a cool drink ( I whizzed by Wally's produce section and picked up some fresh fruit and yogurt), I quickly unpacked the box. There are seven loose parts, but they fit together easily and in seconds.

A diagram in the manual is easily followed - no reading needed.Filler cap sits on the lid, lid fits on the plastic jar (plastic - NOT heavy glass - 7 cup capacity), blade and gasket fit on the bottom of the jar, safety base screws on, whole assembly fits down on the base. It's a breeze! Of course, you want to wash everything before assembly.

I remembered the old blenders where you had to set the jar on the base and twist it into place. Not this model- just set it down and turn it on. Also, on old model blenders, they would tip easily if you set the jar down. Not this one- the jar mounts to the safety base so it gives it a wide bottom.

The lid has a lift off cap so you can pour in ingredients without removing the whole thing. Also, the lid has three positions for closed blending, slots for straining, and open for pouring.

The machine has ten speeds - actually five settings that can be operated on either high or low. It also pulses at two speeds - great for drinks.

This is a powerful blender. Our first concoction was a strawberry-banana smoothie. After all the ingredients I threw in the ice cubes (standard size, straight from the freezor) and it immediately pulverized them. I pulsed a few times and then blended for a few seconds. The drink was smooth and evenly mixed. It was excellent.

HB throws in a recipe booklet, a complimentary packet of Hershey's Strawberry Syrup and some coupons. Their website also has tips and recipes.

Instructions for cleaning are given- there's a "quick clean" method and a regular cleaning method. Glass jars are dishwasher safe, but NOT plastic jars. I found cleaning to be a snap.

The only drawback I've seen so far is that the cord is a bit short - about two feet. But, it's fine for our counter. There is a wind-up area under the base if you want to store the blender without the cord dangling everywhere.

HB offers a pretty standard one year warranty and provides a toll free number and a website for service. The owner's manual comes in French and English - no Spanish! I chuckled a bit - HB has offices in the USA and Canada, but the manual was printed in Mexico. Hooray NAFTA (tongue-in-cheek).

I recommend this blender for ease of use and power. It may particularly be good for people who have arthritis in your hand. With the lightweight jar and good gripping handle, this will make it easier.

For under $20.00, it's an excellent addition to your kitchen cadre of appliances.