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Oster BLSTPB-WBL vs Hamilton Beach 51101AV Side-by-Side Comparison

Tina Pham
Tina Pham
Reviewer
Nguyen Ntk
Nguyen Ntk
Visual Specialist
Updated
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 17, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 17, 2023
The Oster personal blender standing on a white table with its additional accessories, including a to-go lid, user’s manual, and paper carton box, by its sides.
The Hamilton Beach Personal Blender standing on a table with its user’s manual and paper carton box by its sides.
Blenders type
personal
personal

Our Verdict

5.0
Overall Score
  • Performance (60%)
    3.9/10
  • Design (25%)
    6.6/10
  • Usability (15%)
    7.0/10
2.9
Overall Score
  • Performance (60%)
    1.4/10
  • Design (25%)
    5.0/10
  • Usability (15%)
    5.7/10

For simple blending, the Oster BLSTPB-WBL appears to be a better choice. 

Both of them are low-powered models, but the 250-Watt motor of the Oster BLSTPB-WBL broke down the frozen fruits quicker in the smoothie testing without being diluted. In the same test, the Hamilton Beach 51101AV struggled, and still left unprocessed fruit chunks behind.

In the remaining tests, we also found the Oster BLSTPB-WBL was more efficient for hard ingredients like seeds, raw nuts, and root veggies. The Hamilton Beach 51101AV however, competed against its rival with great  difficulty. 

Design-wise, this Oster has superior material quality, too. All its parts are considerably stronger, making the blender feel more durable overall. We might be less critical of the Hamilton Beach if its cost was less than that of the  Oster BLSTPB-WBL, while appearing less sturdy, almost flimsy in design.

Limited Versatility

Oster My Blend Personal Blender Performance

Hamilton Beach 51101AV Personal Blender Performance: Very Lackluster
3.9
Performance Scores
  • Protein Shake (40%)5.2/10
  • Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)6.0/10
  • Fibrous Greens (20%)0/10
  • Crushed Ice Cubes (10%)0/10
1.4
Performance Scores
  • Protein Shake (40%)3.4/10
  • Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)0/10
  • Fibrous Greens (20%)0/10
  • Crushed Ice Cubes (10%)0/10
5.2

Protein Shake

3.4
  • Blending Time: 2 mins 50 seconds
  • Result: Coarse

The consistency of the Oster’s protein shake was about average and much in line with other low-powered blenders, such as the Black+Decker FusionBlade. After letting it pass through a mesh strainer, we found a small amount of dried berries remaining partially intact and this made the shake somewhat gritty. The oatmeal and almonds were mostly turned into liquid form, however. So overall, the beverage was still drinkable enough to help an athlete or gym enthusiast increase their muscle mass without feeling uncomfortable.   

Despite being second to none within its market segment, this blender abjectly surrendered to its higher-priced counterparts in terms of blending time. To manage an acceptable result, it took up to nearly three minutes, which was about one minute slower on average. For this reason, we only gave it a 5.2/10, in comparison to other personal blenders in our Protein Shake test.

  • Blending Time: 3 mins 45 seconds
  • Result: Coarse

In this test, the Hamilton Beach took 3 mins 45 secs to yield a portion of protein shake, which is far longer than average. The mixture came out slightly coarse due to a smattering of unblended dried blueberries, but since all the oatmeal and almonds were entirely liquified, it wasn’t too lumpy or unpleasant to drink. For the most part, we agreed many fitness enthusiasts would consider this texture to be acceptable. 

Blending time was a little bit of a compromise, though. Personal blenders are designed to produce quick-blended results so the blending time of nearly four minutes was clearly too long in this regard. Even if you’re willing to blend a bit longer for an acceptable result, running this blender in excess of three minutes will cause its motor to overheat, thus impairing its longevity.

Moreover, to activate the blender, you’ll need to press the Power button continuously until the desired texture is achieved. This means the prolonged processing time will also make your hands tired or even numb.

6.0

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

0.0
  • Blending Time: 1 min 40 seconds
  • Result: Silky Smooth
  • Suction:

The Oster BLSTPB-WBL did fairly well in this test, producing a result that was roughly the same as that of a higher-powered blender. So if you tend to focus on frozen smoothies, this device should be worth your consideration. Spinning at speed, we can assure you its blades will yield a silky frozen smoothie without a particularly intense struggle. Just make sure to give your blending cup a good shake once you notice any food getting stuck in the blades and prevent them from turning.

However, you might be wondering why it only got a 6/10 if its smoothie came out that good. Again, it was because of its longer-than-average blending time. 

In particular, after a course of testing trials, we found that a good blender for making icy beverages has to process all the frozen ingredients as fast as possible so they don’t have time to thaw and dilute the overall consistency. As such, the completion time of the Oster meant its smoothie was thinner and less ice-cream-like than faster models, namely the Ninja Fit or the  NutriBullet.

  • Blending Time: 2 mins
  • Result: Chunky
  • Suction:

We began the test by tossing all ingredients into the blending cup, then blending them until they came out smooth or until we hit the time limit (2 minutes). As such, we found this Hamilton Beach to be just mediocrely capable of preparing frozen fruit smoothies. 

The final result appeared visually smooth, but when we used a spoon to stir it back and forth, we noticed a few fruit chunks still remained intact. Considering that such residual solids might be a good compromise for the cheap price, you might think this blender’s performance wasn’t half bad. 

The real problem here, however, was that throughout the whole 2-minute blending procedure, it struggled considerably to break down the ingredients while its counterparts, in contrast, got the job done quicker and more easily (for instance, the Oster and the Ninja Fit). Not to mention its longer-than-average blending time.

Speaking of the blending time, we can’t say for sure if longer processing would have resulted in a silkier smoothie but we can assert that this would have failed to achieve the

thick, ice-cream-like texture we were after. This is because frozen fruits thaw quickly at room temperature, causing the overall consistency to be diluted if a blender isn’t able to blend fast enough.

0.0

Fibrous Greens

0.0
  • Blending Time: 20 seconds
  • Result: Very Coarse

With the Oster, it was definitely an undertaking to extract high-fiber food into liquid form in a short period of time (20 seconds). By our cutoff point, we drained the final mixture with a mesh strainer and ended up with a substantial amount of coarse pulp. This suggested that the test was just one-third completed. 

Perhaps, if we allowed this blender a longer runtime, we would eventually get a smoother outcome. However, one noticeable point was that some personal blenders we tested could do this trick perfectly following the same time frame. (For example, the Nutri Ninja Auto-IQ). As such, the performance of this Oster means more than just a slower extraction — it also has some implications for its overall efficiency in comparison with the expensive, high-end ones.

  • Blending Time: 20 seconds
  • Result: Very Coarse

After blending all the leafy greens with water in 20 seconds — our time limit for this test, we drained the liquid through a mesh strainer and disappointedly ended up 

with a considerable amount of pulp. Not only that, but we also noticed the pulp was very coarse. This suggested that the extraction ability of this blender is too weak to help you get the most nutrients and flavor out of your veggies. 

Actually, the mixture would’ve had a finer consistency if we had blended it for longer, but this didn’t matter nor wasn’t worth the labor since we have already found several other models that can produce perfect high-fiber extractions, namely, the NutriBullet.

0.0

Crushed Ice Cubes

0.0
  • Ice Fineness: Chunky
  • Unblended Ice: 65% of 6 oz

The weak motor power didn’t allow the Oster BLSTPB-WBL to crush ice so the final outcome came out almost pristine but this is a common occurrence of this type of personal blender. If you want fluffy, snow-like crushed ice or desire to incorporate ice into your smoothies, we recommend more powerful blenders, like the Ninja Fit.

  • Ice Fineness: Chunky
  • Unblended Ice: 75% of 6 oz

The Hamilton Beach wasn’t able to power through ice cubes, causing the final outcome to come out almost pristine, but this is typical for this type of personal blender. If you want fluffy, snow-like crushed ice or desire to incorporate ice into your smoothies, we recommend considering a higher-powered blender, such as the NutriBullet.

Eye-Catching with Standard Quality

Oster My Blend Smoothie Blender Design

Hamilton Beach 51101AV Smoothie Blender Design: Just Average
6.6
design Scores
  • Blades (20%)7.0/10
  • Build Quality (60%)7.0/10
  • Blending Cup (20%)5.0/10
5.0
design Scores
  • Blades (20%)5.0/10
  • Build Quality (60%)5.0/10
  • Blending Cup (20%)5.0/10

In the Box of the Oster MyBlend Portable Blender

In the Box
  • Motor Base 
  • Extractor Blade
  • Recipe book & user guide
  • Blending Cup
  • Motor Base 
  • Blending Cup

Dimensions

Hamilton Beach Mini Personal Blender Dimensions
  • Height:
    14.5" (36.8 cm)
  • Width:
    5.5" (14.0 cm)
  • Weight:
    2.6 oz (74 g)
  • Shaft Length:

The Oster BLSTPB-WBL is 5.5 inches wide and14.5 inches tall with the blending jar attached. It’s not so bulky, but a bit taller compared to most single-serve blenders. Despite that, we believe it would fit nicely in a tiny kitchen or easily tuck away in any cabinet when it’s not in use.

  • Height:
    12.0" (30.5 cm)
  • Width:
    3.8" (9.7 cm)
  • Weight:
    1.7 oz (48 g)
  • Shaft Length:

The Hamilton Beach is a relatively low-capacity personal blender. It’s therefore small and compact enough to fit anywhere. At 1.72 pounds, it is lighter than average, allowing for easier transportation. The light weight, however, also means your blender lacks the necessary sturdiness to help it stand firm during intensive tasks.

7.0

Build Quality

5.0

The overall build quality is more than acceptable. The whole construction is made out of plastic, except for the blending blade, which is the standard in most budget-friendly personal blenders. We can’t say for sure if such a material makes this blender less durable than the ones reinforced with stainless steel, but it surely means that your machine isn’t as steady, resulting in the fact that it will be shaky when tackling heavy-duty blends.

The Hamilton Beach is of flimsy construction with a substantial amount of plastic components whose quality seems to be inadequate for high durability. We tested it over the course of a month, and after such a period of use, we shockingly found its quality doesn’t hold up well over time. 

The blending cup became cloudy with use, losing the shiny appearance we originally liked. Plus, we noticed multiple little scratches somehow appearing on its inner surface despite the fact that we never used a scouring pad or scrubbed it vigorously when cleaning. 

The motor’s build quality is a little bit better but doesn’t look as sturdy as other blenders we’ve tested and lacks the firmness to ensure optimal stability.

7.0

Blades

5.0
  • Material:
    Stainless Steel
  • Type:
    Dull Blade
  • Guard Material:
  • Blade Count:
    4
  • Removable:
    No
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The blade assembly looks solid, adding extra value to the overall product. That being said, it comes with dull prongs made of stainless steel, not sharp, which are typically more ideal for processing dry ingredients rather than wet mixtures.

  • Material:
    Stainless Steel
  • Type:
    Sharp Blade
  • Guard Material:
  • Blade Count:
    4
  • Removable:
    No
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The Hamilton Beach has a stainless steel blade assembly, which is too short and not particularly sharp, unlike other personal blenders. We wondered if this awkward design was able to ensure a good contact between blades and ingredients to produce quick, even blending and as it turned out, this blender is definitely not as life-changing as it would seem to be on paper.

Oster BLSTPB-WBL Personal Blender Motor Base

Hamilton Beach Small Smoothie Blender Motor Base
  • Rated Voltage:
    120 V
  • Rated Power:
    250 Watts
  • Working Time:
    N/A
  • Protection:
    Yes
  • Weight:
    2.2 lbs (1.0 kg)
  • Cord Length:
    2.1 ft (0.6 m)
  • Extra Feature:
    Handle

The motor peaks around 250 watts, which is sufficient to handle simple combinations of soft ingredients. In general, such a low-powered motor can only run continuously for one minute. Longer than that will result in an overloaded motor and cause it to be permanently damaged. More often than not, you can determine the maximum continuous runtime of your blender by checking its user manual. 

So far, however, we haven’t found any information about the Oster’s motor in this regard. As such, it’s uncertain if this blender has a specific maximum runtime, especially when it’s packed with a built-in thermal resettable fuse to prevent damage in the case of extreme overload. Despite that, we still recommend not running it continuously for longer than 1 minute per interval.

Another nice extra feature that you won’t find in other blenders' motor bases is the handle, which gives it much better mobility.

  • Rated Voltage:
    120
  • Rated Power:
    175
  • Working Time:
    N/A
  • Protection:
    No
  • Weight:
    1.2 lbs (0.5 kg)
  • Cord Length:
    2.1 ft (0.6 m)
  • Extra Feature:
    Ventilation holes

The motor peaks around 175 watts, which is relatively low so it’s best to avoid using this blender for dry ingredients like coffee beans. Typically, each personal blender has a maximum continuous runtime varying from 1 to 4 minutes. This is to prevent the motor from overloading, resulting in permanently damaged components. However, there is no clear information about this blender in that regard. Despite that, since our Hamilton got hot after the smoothie test of 4-minute blending, we recommend not running it longer than 1 minute per interval.

5.0

Blending Cup

5.0
  • Material:
    Plastic
  • Capacity:
    20 oz
  • Weight:
    0.3 lbs (0.1 kg)
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes
  • Measurement:
    No
  • Suitable For:
    Small batches
  • Accessories:
    To-go lid

Included in this set is a 20-oz blending cup with lid. We found the lid is easy to attach to the cup, but a little bit on the firm side to unscrew. It seals the cup so tightly that you can take your favorite beverages with you wherever you’ll go without leakage. You may also appreciate its flip-top spout, which allows you to take a sip straight from the cup easily and mess-free. 

The cup, on the other hand, is not as practical. We like its beautiful and ergonomic design—which makes it feel good in our hands and ensures convenient handling—but there was always a problem getting our hands inside for cleaning due to its narrow structure.

  • Material:
    Plastic
  • Capacity:
    14 Oz
  • Weight:
    0.4 oz (11 g)
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes
  • Measurement:
    Yes
  • Suitable For:
    Small batches
  • Accessories:
    No

The set only includes a 14-oz blending cup with lid. More often than not, the lid is easy to screw on but demands a great force for unscrewing. In our tests, it didn’t seal tightly to the cup, causing the ingredients to leak out and spill onto the countertop.   

The lid also has a slide-top spout, allowing you to sip straight from the cup easily and mess-free. However, we don’t think this add-on is necessary, given the awkwardly-designed blending cup. As mentioned above, unlike most other personal blenders, the Hamilton comes with a

fixed blade assembly rather than a removal one. This makes us feel unsafe; we tremble thinking these parts could come apart when we are drinking.

Speed and Controls

Speed and Controls of the Hamilton Beach 51101AV Personal Blender
  • Control Type:
    Twist
  • Min Speed:
  • Max Speed:
  • Presets:
    No
  • Noise Level:
    86 dB
  • Digital Display:
    No
  • Pulse Mode:
    No

As a standard personal blender, the Oster BLSTPB-WBL comes with only one speed, but you can get pulse mode by pressing and releasing the cup in short intervals.

  • Control Type:
    Button
  • Min Speed:
    N/A
  • Max Speed:
    N/A
  • Presets:
    No
  • Noise Level:
    98 dB
  • Digital Display:
    No
  • Pulse Mode:
    No

The Hamilton Beach allows you to get its single-speed through a simple button, which demands just a slight pressing pressure to activate. It doesn’t have a particular setting for the pulse function, but you can simulate pulse mode by pressing and releasing its button in short intervals.

Oster MyBlend Personal Blender Usability Review

Hamilton Beach Mini Personal Blender Usability Review: Too Much Problems
7.0
usability Scores
  • Hands-Free Operation (60%)6.5/10
  • Assembly (20%)7.5/10
  • Cleanability (20%)8.0/10
5.7
usability Scores
  • Hands-Free Operation (60%)4.6/10
  • Assembly (20%)6.0/10
  • Cleanability (20%)8.5/10
6.5

Hands-Free Operation

4.6

The Oster BLSTPB-WBL allows you to lock the blending cup in place so you won’t need to continuously press it down to the motor base for activation. However, this doesn’t mean that it will get the job done without your hands involved in the blending process. If your beverage is packed with tough ingredients which are too hard for the blade to power through, thus causing it to get jammed, sometimes you’ll need to stop the blender and give its cup a good shake to even out the blend.

Disappointingly enough, this Hamilton doesn’t provide the ease and convenience of hands-free blending. It, instead, delivers a frustrating way to puree and pulverize food. Beyond the need to continuously hold its button during the operation, this blender also demands you to pay attention to the blending process at all times so you can detect and intervene timely if food gets clogged in the blade and stops it from turning.

7.5

Assembly

6.0

There’s minimal assembly required since this blender has only three parts. First and foremost, you’ll need to fasten the blade assembly on the open end of the blending cup, then turn the whole piece upside down to place it in the base. For the proper result, make sure to line up the arrows on the blade assembly to the arrows on the base. Blending begins as soon as you press the cup down, but you can also lock the cup for hands-free operation by turning it clockwise in the base, though it can take quite some time to figure out how things work.

To set up this blender, you’ll need to place the jar on the base, aligning the unlock icon with the line on the base, then turn it counterclockwise. Removing the jar is a lot easier; just turn it clockwise and lift it up. The trade-off is that it takes time to get the hang of it.

8.0

Cleanability

8.5

All the parts, except for the motor base, are dishwasher safe, so simply add them to the top rack and you’ll have more time to spare for other activities. Hand washing is also nothing short of frustrating and worrisome. Make sure you have cleaning brushes handy for removing food tailings in the hard-to-reach spots of the long, narrow cup and the blade’s backsides.

You can put the jar in a dishwasher, but we recommend hand washing so as to reduce the risk of discoloration. That being said, hand cleaning is a relatively frustrating process. Since the blending cup is quite narrow, we had a hard time getting our hands inside, especially under the blade’s backside. Letting the blender clean itself, on the other hand, is less stressful. We simply added soapy water into the jar, then let the blender run for 30 to 60 seconds. After dumping out the solution and rinsing the jar thoroughly, we found there wasn’t any remaining gunk.