Hamilton Beach HBH650 Commercial Tempest Blender, Black

While I can't believe we actually paid this much for a blender we rationalized it because we had gone through so many blenders that were recommended by rating agencies-they all died in a few years. Just for reference this is No. 2 in the CR ratings but I couldn't bring myself to by the No. 1 because it was super ugly.This machine is definitely industrial strength. Because the blender jar is all one piece (i.e. no removable bottom) you won't get any leaks like we did with our last blender. The motor is clearly powerful. It can produce a frozen drink from frozen ingredients in about 20 sec. We've also used it to puree hot soups--the blender jar can take hot items even though its plastic.One of the downsides of this unit is that its noisy. This isn't really a big issue since it only runs for a few seconds at a time. The other is that with the one piece blender jar you need a good long handled spatula to get the finished product out if you're doing something like a fried onion paste for a curry that has some body.You also have to be careful because it purees things so fast that you need to pay attention if want a little texture left in the final product.

I have been bartending for several years now and have used several blenders in my time. At the bar I work at we use a Vitamix commercial blender rated at 2+ h.p. with metal coupling like the H-B and works well. (25-30 second margarita)($300 on Amazon) I used an Island Oasis ice shaver type that you pour 10 poundes ice in the top and is fully automatic (couple thousand dollars through I-O). This blender gives similar results in consistancy to the Island Oasis machine and is rated at 3 h.p. with a timer which is very helpful for a busy bartender. (electronic timer) Not mechanical. This blender is more than capable of whipping up some of the smoothest frozen drinks I have ever gotten from a bar blender. This blender will do a full pitcher of frozen margaritas in 15 seconds flat, yes 64 oz. of creamy smooth goodness. The wave action system works well for agitating the ingridients while pulverizing them to a creamy consistency. The motor has more than enough power to do this well. The jump feature starts the blending off slow and gradually goes to full speed which is a nice feature that will not only prolong the life of the blades and motor, but may also save electricity as well. The buttons are touch pad style (buttons under plastic cover) nice for cleanliness. This blender does very well in my opinion and is for home use. The only bad thing I can say for a $450+ blender is that when in use at high speed the pitcher seems to wobble, not visably but you can hear when you hold the pitcher in place. Its not going to fall off but Hamilton Beach could have done better and retooled for this piece of removable rubber. Meaning it is bad for bearings in the pitcher and motor shaft in the long run. This can defeat the purpose of the timer if you care about product life in a commercial environment. This is due to the short legs that hold the pitcher in place. I would have given it a 5 star rating if they where taller. This is probably why they installed a safty feature that shuts off power when magnetic contacts on pitcher become well, not in contact any longer. This wobbling is so small and invisable, the pitcher hasnt given me trouble when making large batches of margaritas or pina coladas. Dont let this deter your decision, this is a great blender. This is for home use for me. I am going to contact Hamilton Beach and see if they can gat a fix for this silly removeable piece of rubber with 4 legs that holds the pitcher in place, taller legs for more stablility or tighter fit is all I ask, bottom line this blender kicks some serious butt compared to the others I have used. UPDATE- I have removed the rubber piece on the blender base for cleaning and rotated it to a position that gave the most level surface for the pitcher. It works much better now, still 4 stars due to having to figure this out for myself, but not for that I would give it 5 stars for a really smooth 20 second pitcher (64oz.) of Margaritas on the fly when having get togethers or partys. Also has been kicking butt and not taking names when bartending weddings and private partys of 120-150 people at a time since I bought it. My tips have increased as well since in use.

I have owned this blender since 2018. It is still going strong without any problems. Makes great chunk free ice daiquiries. We used to buy a cheap blender every couple of years as that's about how long they last. This is a commercial blender that is built to last

My wife and I simply love this blender. We have used it for a few weeks now to make smoothies and watermelon juice. It is fast, efficient and produces a product that is smooth and creamy. I know that some people want texture in their blended products, but I don't. So even when I put granola in my smoothies, it pulverizes them.What is also nice is the two step setting. It starts out reasonably fast and then takes off. And, unlike some, we don't find it to be overly loud.After wasting hundreds of dollars on GE, Oster and other blenders that were too weak, poorly deisgned or that died after a few months, we are so happy that we went commercial grade.

after owning it I guess a year or so it has held up well and blends almost anything I can throw at it. The only thing wrong is the wave action will push ingredients out the top if the lid isn't held down with a firm hand.

It popped and caught fire in my kitchen. Don't think I can get a new one because the warranty is up after a year...and I've had it 14 months.....very expensive to replaceUpdate: 7/7/13I contacted Amazon via Chat and they have asked me to return the unit to them and they will give me a full refund! I had the blender 14 months.I am so greatful because this blender is 500 dollars.....I LOVE YOU AMAZON! THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP!