The Hamilton Beach Ensemble 12 Speed Blender 52283WV is sturdy and efficient. The Sure Rest jar sits smoothly on top of the base.

This model is styled in red to complement other appliances in the Ensemble line. With curved edges and a sloping front panel, the blender is sleek in appearance. There are eight pushbutton controls, including Hi, Low, Ice Breaker/Off/Pulse, and five speed settings.

This unit features Hamilton Beach's patented Wave-Action System, which continuously whirls the contents of the blender jar so liquids and solids are pulled toward the blades. The Wave-Action is extremely efficient in terms of combining liquids and solids, and needs no stirring, except with really thick mixtures.

The Pulse and Ice Breaker setting is handy for short, effective bursts of power. It's great when getting started, blending solids into liquids, or processing dry foods such as cracker or bread crumbs. The Ice Breaker button can also be used to crush ice cubes into a fine granular consistency.

This model includes a 48-ounce glass blending jar, with measurement markings in cups, ounces, liters and milliliters. You also get a coordinating flexible rubber lid with removable clear measuring cap. The lid forms a tight seal; however, we did notice that a few droplets escaped through tiny air holes around the cap. This was due to the powerful pulsing action at initial startup.

The Hamilton Beach Ensemble Blender provides 550 watts of power for efficient blending performance. We were impressed with the rugged construction and efficient action of the stainless-steel Ice Sabre blades. After a few seconds of pulsing, you can let the machine run continuously on your chosen setting to achieve exceptionally smooth drinks, sauces, gravies and more.


Pros: Powerful wave-action blending system, 48-ounce glass jar
Cons: Slight leaking around lid cap

Warranty
3 years, limited