I purchased this blender about a year ago from Wal-Mart. I've had a number of blenders over the past 30+ years but always ended up giving them away because I seldom if ever used them -- too much bother -- and have this thing about getting rid of unused stuff but finding yet another excuse why I "need" to buy another blender. I got it strictly for smoothies.My sister convinced me they were good for me, but I wasn't about to pay $3-4 a pop for one smoothie.I was going to do all the research but saw this blender in Wal-Mart and just liked how it looked and really liked the price, around $18 at the time.I thought the spout thingee was neat, but I was really blown away by the 500 watts on this thing.I figured how bad could it be with 500 watts. If it blew out after recouping the price of 4-5 smoothies, it would be a fair tradeoff in my view. I'm not a technical person but after comparing the wattage of this one with the others on display, I thought what have I got to lose?
It's plastic, very lightweight and easy to move around. That works for me.Soooo easy to clean and disassemble when doing a thorough clean. Immediately after use I rinse it, fill it less than half full with hot water and a drop of liquid detergent, hold the lid down and give it a couple of whirls on pulse.Take it off and shake it around to get the top clean, then rinse again and make sure I open the spout to let it drain.If you don't clean it right away, you'll have to scrub it clean. You can disengage the spout, replacing it with the screw cap at the bottom of base, if you don't want to use the spout. My smoothies are so thick now I just pour it out.
The first few times I used it, I smelled burning rubber but I do push this thing as far as filling it with ice and whatever else I want and doing it as quickly as I can, using the setting that gives me the quickest results, be that pulse or smoothie or whatever.Again, Ilike this blender so much I figure I'll replace it with the same if I blow it and it's not under warranty. So far, so good. (It's a 3-year warranty.)
No more burning rubber even though I still fill it with ice and a mixture of everything.I'm reading "Green for Life" so I've added greens, celery, carrots and other vegetables, chia seed gel, flax seed, a little honey, etc., to my juice and fruit mixtures, both frozen banana and other fresh and frozen fruit, all of these things at the same time. DELICIOUS! My husband didn't like the vegetables added at first but now he really looks forward to them, which is just about every day or every other day now.The blender works like a charm.It doesn't pulverize the greens (spinach or romaine lettuce)100%.There's a small amount of greens that doesn't get chopped up - but very minute bits that aren't that noticeable and not worth the price for a higher-priced, "better" blender, as none of them get 5-star reviews anyway and mine works well enough to suit my needs. No problem whatsoever with ice. It has only bogged down on me once, but I just turned it off and nudged it around with wooden spoon and it's been good to go. Now, if I can remember, I put the ice cubes in after the juice, which is first.Sometimes I put them in last.
I'm not that easy to please, but I'm very satisfied with this blender.It's still a pleasure to use. I'm sending one to my son for his bday.
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Hamilton Beach 54615 Wavestation Express Dispensing Blender with 48-Ounce Jar, BlackProduct Description: Equipped with 500 watts of power, this countertop blender works great for liquefying frozen fruit, whipping up creamy smoothies, making pureed soups, and more. Its revolutionary WaveAction blending system continuously forces the mixture down into stainless-steel ice-crushing blades for thorough blending from top to bottom--every time. Great for parties or everyday use, the blender's design includes a convenient dispenser valve, which can be removed and replaced by a cap for standard blending operation. The unit includes a 56-ounce dishwasher-safe DuraBlend plastic jar with a tight-fitting lid, generous handle, and drip-free spout for graceful pouring. The blender measures approximately 7 by 8 by 13 inches and carries a three-year limited warranty.
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I had been using the manual plastic cone filter holder for many users and recently switched to the porcelain. There is a huge improvement in the taste, probably because the porcelain conducts heat better. It's also convenient to be able to put the cap on the carafe when the brewing is finished. The coffee stays warm for about 60 minutes or so. 
