Hassle-Free Blending: Hamilton Beach Professional Quiet Shield Blender with 1500W Power, 32oz BPA-Free Jar, 4 Programs & Variable Speed Dial for Puree, Ice Crush, Shakes, Smoothies - Silver (58870) Review

I used to have a Vitamix - of course it was excellent. But this sub-$150 ($119, actually) device comes pretty close and does what we need it to do. So far, so good. Just received it and it seems to be doing its job. We prepared gazpacho and ice cocktails. No power issues, and the silent "shield" really helps reduce noise. I wish it had a large jug for making large batches, but 32 oz. will work for most of what we want to do with it. The downside is that the top isn't as easy to remove and is…

This blender is fine, we bought it in 2016. It's a little less noisy with the "jug" screen on it, but not really enough to justify buying a new mixer. It's okay to make smoothies, and if that's all you're doing, you're probably fine. In terms of power, it cannot be compared to Vitamix, Blendtec or Ninja. I was disappointed with the many recipes he can't handle. Peanut butter, forget it, my coffee grinder did a much better job. Ice cream and dates often break badly, leaving large chunks. We…

PROS: (1) Tough, strong and powerful. Finally there's a blender that doesn't leave lumps in the mix, doesn't overheat, and does everything from smoothies to crushing ice and making chickpea flour. (2) Simplified operation. The numerous knobs and functions in this mixer really are the backbone of most mixing needs. It's nice to see there's no useless jumble of buttons that don't really do anything other than give the impression that they're better. (3) Easy to clean. CONS: (1) An ugly flaw that…