This $110 blender pulverizes berry seeds and kale leaves for some of the smoothest smoothies I've ever made - it's almost as good as the Vitamix
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- A high-quality countertop blender should be intuitive to use, handle a broad array of materials from ice to seeds, and clean up easily.
- I like the Calphalon Auto-Speed 2-Liter Blender because the jar is shaped just right to create a vortex, the whole unit is short enough to fit under most cabinets, and it features four preset programs for smoothies, dips, frozen drinks, and milkshakes.
- Currently at $109.99 on Amazon, it's pricier than other options, but it's backed by a 10-year limited warranty and features a powerful 1100-watt motor that you wouldn't get otherwise at this price.
If you've heard of Calphalon before, it's likely because of its excellent cookware. Calphalon, a Newell Brands company, is sold at a lot of upscale retailers and department stores, and its durable pots and pans are designed to last a lifetime.
Recently, Calphalon entered the kitchen appliance space with a toaster oven, coffee maker, slow cooker, waffle maker, indoor grill, and a blender. I had the opportunity to test out a few of these appliances, and below are my experiences with the Calphalon Auto-Speed 2-Liter Blender.
Specs
The Calphalon blender has a variety of useful features, such as:
- 1100-watt motor
- 4 speed settings
- Pulse and reverse pulse buttons
- An easy on and off switch
- 4 presets for milkshakes, frozen drinks, dips, and smoothies
- Compact 12 inches by 10 inches by 16 inches footprint to fit under most cabinets
- 6-point stainless-steel blades
- Comes with a 25-ounce smoothie cup
The two-liter jar is made of Tritan plastic, which you'll find with most high-end options, including the Vitamix. The body of the jar is mainly square with rounded corners, so ingredients won't get stuck. Closer to the base, it becomes more circular, and the bottom is flat.
The lid features a removable center piece so you can add ingredients while still running the blender.
Set-up process
Set up is straightforward. You remove the packaging, hand wash the jar and lid, place the jar on the base, plug in the unit, and blend away.
To operate the blender, you turn the dial to the speed or preprogrammed setting you want and press start. Or, you can choose to pulse or reverse pulse. It took about 10 minutes from the moment I opened the blender's packaging to the point when I had a fresh protein shake in my hand.
What makes the blender stand out
The shape of the jar allowed for the blender to form a "vortex," which is ideal for optimal blending. The vortex works kind of like a tornado. It sucks the contents down and shoots it up the sides in a continuous motion that leads to uniform blends.
To me, a blender is essentially worthless if it can't make good smoothies easily. To test this out, I made a concoction of kale, strawberries, frozen bananas, and milk. I simply used the preprogrammed smoothie function and watched it go to work. The smoothie function runs for about 68 seconds and features a combination of pulsing and speed changes. The resulting smoothie was incredibly smooth. There were no strawberry seeds or bits of kale to contend with - both of these pesky produce pieces were pulverized.
A blender should make margaritas with minimal effort too. This was certainly true with the Calphalon unit. I simply added the mix and a tray of ice to the jar, turned the dial to "Frozen Drink," and 52 seconds later, my adult slushy was ready.
I also liked using the blender to make my own pizza sauce. I just tossed a can of whole San Marzano tomatoes and some salt into the blender, pulsed it a few times, and had a sauce with a nice, uniform consistency for my homemade pizzas.
Calphalon backs the quality of its blender with a 10-year limited warranty, which is the best warranty I've seen for a blender. Unfortunately, under the warranty, you're expected to cover shipping, which can be quite costly.
The Calphalon blender is also easy to clean. I just filled the jar about a quarter of the way with warm water, added a drop of dish soap, and ran it on the Smoothie preset. This was enough to clean off any stuck-on debris. For a deeper clean, you can also detach the blade and wash the unit by hand. You should never submerge or wash the bottom base unit.
Cons to consider
I was not a big fan of the removable center part of the lid.
You basically have to yank on it to add ingredients through the top hole. It's a common feature in a lot of blenders, but this didn't seem like a particularly sustainable option so I wouldn't be surprised if the hard plastic breaks in the long run. Fortunately, you can also add ingredients by removing the lid entirely, but just be careful that you keep the blade on a low setting so you don't make a mess.
There also don't appear to be many safety features with this blender. With other units I've tested, the blender either won't turn on when the lid is off or the unit comes with a tamper that fits through the lid to redistribute the ingredients. Of course, you should never reach into a blender in general.
The bottom line
I enjoyed using the Calphalon blender. It worked well on a daily basis for making smooth drinks, margaritas, and protein shakes. The clean up was a snap with a little bit of water and a drop of dish soap, and it looks nice on my counter without taking too much space.
Overall, the Auto-Speed 2-lite Blender is outstanding for its price point. And, if you don't mind waiting and tracking prices, you might be able to find a deal. In the last month, the blender has been listed for significantly less than its current price of $109.99 on Amazon.
- Should you buy it? If you're looking for a reliable blender for light-duty tasks such as smoothies, grinding ice, or making tomato sauces, the Calphalon is an excellent option that's backed by a great company and a 10-year warranty.
- What are your alternatives? The only blender I've tested recently that beats the Calphalon blender is the Vitamix A3500. You can do just about anything with that machine, but the only problem is that it costs five times as much as this Calphalon blender. If you have an extra $450 sitting around and want a blender that can make pizza dough, grind up nut butters, and cook soup while it blends at the same time, then definitely go with the Vitamix. Otherwise, most people will be happy with the Calphalon.
Pros: Pulverizes seeds and leaves, creates a vortex for even and efficient blending, 10-year limited warranty, four preset programs, easy to clean
Cons: Hard to add ingredients while the blender is running