Customer Reviews

Hamilton Beach 56400 Power Elite Blender

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

To all the margarita and daqueri makers out there, this blender makes the best frozen bar drinks I've ever seen from any home blender. It has a unique button called Autopulse that starts and stops and starts and stops and starts and stops the blending process for what seems like 5 minutes. I've never seen anything like it. Frozen drinks come out fully blended with no big chunks of ice. What a great blender! With my old Osterizer I had to stop the blender stick a wooden spoon inside stir replace the lid and start again and again. Now I can tend to friends and guests insted of my blender. Thanks

When we first read the reviews, the average was 4.5 stars. It seemed like it would be powerful and versatile. The one we received from Amazon started smoking when it was used the first 3 times. Per instructions in the user manual we returned it to Hamilton Beach as defective. They replaced it with a new one that also smoked and stopped the first time it was used. We were using it to make smoothies, the same way we have been making them with our old Osterizer - using juice, frozen yogurt, powdered protein, and frozen fruit. The old one was leaking so we wanted to replace it instead of finding replacement parts. We used the Auto Crush feature on the Hamilton Beach blender as instructed for "tougher jobs", but it still could not handle it. One big problem is that we ended up paying shipping charges 3 times, and only Amazon would credit us, but only for the original shipping charge, not for the return. During this whole process our old blender has been making smoothies just fine. It leaks, but it does not smoke or quit.

I was really excited about getting this new blender... I wanted a decent blender cause I love margaritas!!! However I have yet to be able to make a decent Margarita since I made this purchase. The bottom of the blender does not stay together and LEAKS no matter how strong of a guy I get to screw it on! The Autopulse feature is a great idea but the way the blades are set up it doesn't crush well. I get lots of chunks no matter how long I let it chop! Defintely not a good purchase!

I read the online review and thought that it seemed like a great buy. I mainly wanted a blender that could crush ice for smoothies. You do have to stick the wooden spoon inside of this one and it never quite crushed all the ice. For regular blending it is great.

I was looking for a blender that had a glass jar, was larger than average, and had sharp blades for ice and frozen fruit crushing. This seemed to fit the bill...that is, until I used it. Seems that the people at Hamilton Beach overlooked a minor design flaw: while blending (at any speed), the blade receptacle comes loose (but the base remains locked and in position) and whatever you are blending at the moment, winds up all over you! Quite lovely. So, that is why I find myself on this site today...looking for a replacement. Do I recommend this blender? Oh yes, but only if you are a compulsive cleaner and have run out of things to obsess over. The bottom line.. I would recommend opting for a lower maintenance appliance that leaves more of the blended product in the actual blender, rather than on you!

I have this blender, and I hate it! The first problem was that the motor burnt out within days of buying the blender. I had to sent it to the manufacturer for a replacement. Also, it has many more parts to take apart and wash than any other blender I've seen. The lid is difficult to put on, so I often get leaks. Ditto with the bottom. The torque from the blending has actually caused the blender bottom to unscrew twice. Big huge mess. It does not crush ice well at all. Even ice in smoothies stay as big chunks. Did I mention that I hate this blender? I'm going to buy a Waring classic bar blender with the on/off toggle switch. In my experience, the more dials and settings, the worse the blender.

I needed a new blender and was looking for something that would crush ice for snowcones and make great milkshakes. The box on this one said had a sabre blade for snow cone ice. To find out to crush ice, you have to add water which make is pure mush and real watery,especially after you add the flavoring. The kids did not like the snow cones. As for milkshakes the ice cream gets stuck at the bottom so you have to keep opening it up to stir. Several times it has leaked out from the bottom. I will be returning it.

Wanting to make smoothies, and knowing nothing about blenders, I did some research online and asked for help from a houseware store that I shop at frequently. The salesperson suggested I go with the 14 speed Hamilton Beach, as it is inexpensive and popular. He encouraged me to try it out and return it if I wasn't satisfied. I wasn't (I realized I wanted to be able to crush ice with without having to add liquid.) So I returned it for the 56400. Once I added my yogurt, fruit and ice cubes, I turned the 56400 on. Although it made a lot of noise, nothing was happening! I waited and waited. I used a spatula (once the blades stopped, of course). I used a spoon. Nothing! After several minutes, most of the ice cubes were still just that - cubes and and although the yogurt did blend with the raspberries, there were still some whole strawberries! I used a straw to suck up whatever I could, cleaned it and returned it. Now I'm in the market for a blender once again. I sure could use a margarita!

I read the reviews, and bought this blender anyway. I have used it several times and it has done everything the box said it would. I followed the directions on the Bacardi frozen daquiri mix and the drink was great. I let the blender go a little longer and all the ice was crushed very well. The only thing I have to do is remember to make sure the collar is tight on the jar. Hamilton Beach products are all over my kitchen, my mother's kitchen and any kitchen I have ever been in. It's a great blender from a great company.

I bought this blender. The first time I used it, it immediately began to smoke. I took it back to the store and exchanged it for the same blender. The second blender did the same thing.

This blender is scary.

I ended up going with a less expensive blender and am very happy with it.