Hamilton Beach Portable Blender With Travel Cup, Coral (51171)

This broke after less than a year of use.
The pics show the cracks, i definitely wouldnt purchase again, even for the price it is.

I wish you could buy a second blender cup for this blender. I love the size and it works pretty well for smoothies (definitely can’t handle anything more serious / thick than that). However, I have two of these and after awhile the lids for both cracked at the base. They still fit on the cup, but besides preventing splash they’re basically useless, leaking when drinking. I imagine committing to hand-washing only would’ve helped it last longer, but broken lid seems pretty inevitable. One lid lasted about a year before breaking, the other maybe 4 months tops. It’s still great for a quick 1-serving smoothie, just don’t bank on using the cup.

This is a small, personal blender meant for light duty blending only. It’s great when used according to the directions – my first one has lasted for five years and still is going strong. I purchased a second, new one for use in my basement kitchenette.

The unit is great for quick, light smoothies made with 1/2 – 1 cup of cold to room temperature milk or other liquids, about 1/4 – 1/2 cup of cut-up soft, fresh fruits such as ripe strawberries, avocados, or bananas, a scoop of protein powder, and maybe one small ice cube to add body and froth, if desired.

Pouring the liquid into the cup before adding other ingredients is key, as is using just enough liquid to accommodate the solids. Otherwise, if you add the solids first, your ingredients will get stuck in and under the blades, and your smoothie will fail.

Putting ice or fruit in the blender cup before you add liquid, using too little liquid, or filling the blender cup above the 12 ounce line before blending will produce disappointing results, as will trying to force the blender to an intense blending speed.

The pulse button in front is meant for just that – pulsing the mixture inside the cup in short bursts until the ingredients are well mixed – about 30 seconds. You can hold the pulse button in for 15-30 seconds according to the instructions, if you like, but the recommended pulsing action (pressing the pulse button firmly but gently several times in short bursts) works best to blend ingredients, and preserves the little motor within the base.

Just steady the unit base on a counter with one hand, while pressing the pulse button with your thumb or a finger on the opposite hand, and all will be well. (Be sure that the cup is locked in, and the lid is snapped on tightly with the drinking opening closed, before you begin pulsing the button.)

The lid comes off easily if you grasp it from the top with your fingers placed just under the rim connecting to the cup. Steadying the base with one hand while removing the cover slowly with the opposite hand prevents the contents from splashing out as the cover is removed.

The cup fits into the base and locks in easily with a gentle twist, according to the directions. It unlocks in the opposite direction and lifts out, just as easily.

Definitely read through the directions – which have good illustrations – to get the most out of this personal blender without frustration or breakage. Clean up is easy. Just rinse the lid and cup thoroughly under warm running water with a little dish soap. A small dishwashing brush can remove small debris, if needed. Let the parts air dry, or pat dry with a clean towel.

This little gadget is great for producing 8-12 ounces of light shakes and other blended foods, such as cooked vegetable or fresh fruit soups, and small puddings made with tepid or cool liquids. Meats, large cubes of ice, big raw chunks of hard vegetables or fruits, and very hot or boiling liquids are not right for this personal blender.

Save the heavy duty work and bigger batches for a large Cuisinart or other power blender. This personal blender cup, when used properly, serves up a nice, light, satisfying smoothie, every time.

I’m absolutely in love with this smoothie blender! It’s powerful, quick, and blends everything to a smooth, creamy consistency in seconds. Whether I’m using frozen fruits, greens, or protein powders, it handles everything with ease. The design is sleek and compact, making it perfect for my kitchen counter, and cleaning it is a breeze. I use it every morning for my smoothies, and it’s become an essential part of my routine. If you’re looking for a high-quality blender that performs flawlessly, this is the one! Highly recommend!

This little blender is very powerful. It’s like having a huge blender budding compact size. It will destroy fruits and vegetables for a smoothie, once you wash it the smell is completely gone, the seal could use a little work because I believe it’s slightly loose if you don’t hold it down. It is a little noisy because it sounds like a regular blender. However, it’s durable, it’s small, and it’s convenient when taking it while we travel.

I think what helps to clean this more efficiently is to wash it out with hot water immediately after finishing your drink. What I end up doing is filling it with hot water half of cup and shaking it up and down with the lid on facing downward into the sink. This minimizes splashing and you get the shaking that removes residue from the blade area. The only negative is that it will start leaking from the bottom of the cup when the gasket wears out. It’s not a huge leak but expect to dry it with a towel or paper towel after each use. For $15 from Amazon Warehouse, it’s a good deal. Definitely don’t buy it new at $20, buy something else.

UPDATE: I figured out why the cup leaks from the bottom. If you constantly fill it with difficult foods to blend and jam it up, the bottom assembly will eventually shift from the normal position and pop out. You can see the teeth from the bottom where it locks in with clips, but you have to make sure those clips are in between the opening grooves. when you jam it up, the bottom shifts to those opening grooves and the entire blade unit will pop out (and cause you a leak). you can repair it yourself with automotive tool, but it’s better to avoid it by blending soft foods.