Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher
Score: 81/100
Ninja BN701
Score: 78/100Rankings
The Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher is a 40-oz glass-jar blender with a powerful 700 W peak motor and 14 preset functions, excelling at ice crushing and easy cleanup. Its lower continuous power and occasional reliability issues limit heavy-duty use. Ideal for budget-conscious families needing everyday smoothies and frozen drinks.
The Ninja BN701 Professional Plus blends with a 1400-W peak motor and Auto-iQ presets in a 72-oz pitcher, offering strong performance for family-size batches. It lacks personal serving jars and can be noisy, which may deter those seeking a quieter or more portable solution. Great for users focused on high-capacity blending with preset convenience.
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
385 W | 1,200 Wbest | |
1.18 L | 2.13 Lbest | |
3 yearsbest | 1 years | |
700 W | 1,400 Wbest | |
6best | 4 | |
0.94 HPbest | — | |
120 Vbest | 120 Vbest | |
14best | 3 |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | |
|---|---|---|
Warranty & Support(1) | ||
Warranty (years) | 3 years | 1 years |
Power & Performance(2) | ||
Motor Power (W) | 385 W | 1200 W |
Peak Power (W) | 700 W | 1400 W |
Controls(2) | ||
Number of Speed Settings | 6 | 4 |
Preset Programs | 14 | 3 |
Accessories(1) | ||
Included Accessories | 4 | 5 |
Design & Build(5) | ||
Jar Capacity (L) | 1.18 L | 2.13 L |
Product Weight (kg) | 3.18 kg | 3.67 kg |
Dimensions (H×W×D) | H×W×D: 37.6×20.1×20.3 cm | 17.5×9.0×6.75 in |
Blade Material | stainless steel | Stainless steel |
Jar Material | glass | Plastic |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers commend the Wave~Action system for delivering consistent, stir-free blending and note the Ice Sabre blades' impressive ice-crushing capability, tested on two tons of ice. They also appreciate the dishwasher-safe parts and three-year warranty, though they caution that the 385 W continuous power and lack of overload protection may limit performance on heavy loads, and some units have been reported to fail early.
Everyday users generally love the smooth results, strong ice-crushing, and easy cleanup, especially valuing the durable glass jar for family batches. However, a recurring theme of early failure and occasional inconsistent performance on tougher jobs tempers the overall enthusiasm.
“doesn't work”
“unfortunate purchase”
Select Hamilton Beach if you value a glass jar and patented ice-crushing blades; select Ninja for more presets and higher wattage.
Professional reviewers commend the BN701 for its 1400-peak-watt motor, Total Crushing blades and Auto-iQ presets, noting it outperforms the older BL610 and delivers reliable ice-crushing power for family-size batches. They also appreciate the generous 72-oz pitcher but point out the high noise level and lack of single-serve accessories as drawbacks.
Everyday users praise the blender's ability to quickly pulverize frozen fruits and ice, the convenience of one-touch Auto-iQ programs, and the ease of cleaning thanks to dishwasher-safe parts. The most frequent complaints revolve around loud operation, the unit's heft, and the missing personal jars for individual servings.
