Why you'll love it: True to its name, the Calphalon Auto-Speed Blender automatically senses the correct speed for the ingredients you’re blending and can be used for smoothies, dips, and milkshakes.
The Calphalon Auto-Speed Blender has four preset functions, 10 adjustable speeds, and a 1,100-watt motor that automatically senses the thickness of your ingredients. It applies the power necessary so all the manual guess-work is taken out of blending, making it convenient to use and resulting in a great final product whether you’re making a smoothie or a salsa.
Having tested this blender myself, I can personally attest to how well it works. Call me a creature of habit, but my morning smoothie is an almost daily ritual — one that’s been going on for close to eight years now — so a high-quality blender I can count on is a must.
I put the Calphalon Auto-Speed through its paces, and it’s held up well to daily use, resulting in thick, silky smoothies. I can tell you firsthand how unpleasant it is to encounter an unexpected spinach leaf or chunk of banana in a poorly blended smoothie, but that hasn’t happened once since I’ve started using this blender.
The Calphalon Auto-Speed can do much more than make smoothies, which makes it a great multi-purpose tool to have on your kitchen counter. The pulse feature allows for food prep and chopping — and results in a great salsa. There are also four preset functions for dips, milkshakes, frozen drinks, and smoothies as well as adjustable speeds for more hands-on control.
I especially like the addition of the reverse pulse button which helps pull the ingredients further down into the blade if necessary to prevent any jams and resulting in a smooth blend. The 6-point stainless steel blades are both durable and easy to clean thanks to the way they’re angled.
Each part of the blender that attaches to the base is also dishwasher safe for further convenience. I’ve cleaned each of these parts in our own dishwasher multiple times with no issue.
With such a powerful motor, this blender is much quieter than I expected. It’s by no means silent, but it’s much less deafening than others I’ve used in the past, making it a little less grating to listen to in the morning if you’re a breakfast smoothie fanatic like myself.
When blending, you can either use the 2-Liter pitcher for larger quantities, or the convenient 25-ounce Blend-N-Go Jar for single serving sized smoothies and drinks. While I liked using the Blend-N-Go Jar for smaller serving sizes, I did find the drinking lid that comes with it slightly awkward to use. It prevented any spills, but the attached cap sometimes was more of a nuisance than anything else.
For this reason, I often used one of my own containers for drinking, but still liked to use the Blend-N-Go jar when blending smoothies and drinks for the simple fact that it meant a smaller container to clean.
As far as quality and ease of use go, I was not disappointed. The lids to both the pitcher and the jar seal tightly, and I had no issues with any splatter or leaking while blending. The blade attachment fits easily onto the base, and removes just as easily when you’re finished blending.
While this blender is on the expensive side, if it’s a tool you know you’ll be using often, it’s a worthwhile investment that you’ll be able to rely on for durability, great results, and ease of use. Presets and speeds are controlled by a dial on the front that’s clearly labeled, and you can start, pause, pulse and reverse pulse at the push of a button.
The easy to read digital interface is also a nice touch, showing you how long you’ve been blending, or counting down to the finish if you choose to use one of the preset functions.
The Calphalon Auto-Speed blender is highly rated on Amazon, and as a result, is labeled as an “Amazon’s Choice” product. Reviewers call this an “awesome blender” loving how it looks on their countertop, it’s auto-sensor that results in perfect smoothies and shakes, and the high-end features that put it “at the head of the blender pack.” — Kylie Joyner
Pros: 1,100-watt motor that automatically senses ingredients and adjusts for best results, four preset functions, 10 adjustable speeds, easy to clean, features durable stainless steel blades, comes with a Bend-N-Go jar for added convenience
Cons: On the expensive side, lid that goes with smoothie cup is slightly awkward to use
Buy the Calphalon Auto-Speed 2-Liter Blender on Amazon for $159.00 (originally $199.99)