The Hamilton Beach Personal Creations 51128FG is a corded personal blender built around one nominal 14-ounce travel jar. Its exact page lists a 12.3-inch height, while its own Use & Care guide sets a lower 400 mL maximum fill. It makes sense for a single cold drink that can leave in the blending cup—not for larger servings or work that needs a roomy pitcher.
Read the jar size together with its fill limit
The 51128FG page describes a BPA-free, 14-ounce jar that doubles as a go-cup, with measuring marks and a separate travel lid. That is a useful format for a shake or smoothie meant for one person: blend in the jar, lift it off the base, fit the lid and carry the drink. There is no second personal jar or large pitcher listed for this package, so a second serving means another blending round. Fourteen ounces is the jar's nominal capacity, not the amount of liquid the manual tells you to pour in.
The directly linked 840229906 guide identifies the appliance as the 51128 model and directs users to add at least one-half cup of liquid first—enough to cover the blades—then add the other ingredients. It says not to fill above 400 mL, about 13.5 U.S. fluid ounces. The jar's maximum fill is therefore lower than its advertised nominal size. If your recipe needs a full 14 fluid ounces of liquid before ingredients, this is the wrong vessel; use a larger documented jar instead of treating the rim as usable capacity.
Hamilton Beach lists dimensions of 12.3 inches high by 4 inches wide and deep. Within this small personal group, that is taller than the listed 51131G/51132G and 51146G bodies. Measure the shelf opening with the jar fitted, rather than assuming that a narrow footprint guarantees cabinet clearance.
One button still asks you to manage the blend
The product page calls the control one-touch, but the manual describes the actual routine: press and hold the ON button for roughly 15 to 30 seconds, or pulse it until the texture is where you want it. There is no speed dial or named automatic recipe cycle. This is straightforward if you are nearby and willing to decide when to stop. It is not a hands-free smoothie preset, and it does not provide multiple speed choices for different mixtures.
The personal cup is attached to a plugged-in base during blending; only the jar travels after you remove it. The guide says to keep the lid on, hold the jar down while it runs and unplug before removing parts. That is a small but meaningful difference from rechargeable portable blenders: the 51128FG has a carryable cup, not battery operation.
Frozen ingredients need liquid and a modest expectation
The exact 51128FG page advertises stainless-steel blades for ice, frozen fruit and leafy greens. That is relevant if your single-serve drink contains ice or frozen produce. The manual's troubleshooting guidance says pieces of ice or frozen fruit can lodge under the blades; removing the jar and shaking it or adding more liquid may help. It does not establish an ice-only batch size, dry grinding, or permission to process hard foods. The same guide specifically says not to chop or process hard foods such as cheese, crackers or meat. Do not translate the page's smoothie claim into a general-purpose food processor claim.
Hot food and hot liquids are also excluded by the guide. If hot soups, dry spice grinding or large frozen mixtures are essential jobs, choose a model whose own manual documents that use. A larger pitcher gives ingredients more room and avoids repeatedly making small personal batches.
Care and ownership tradeoffs
The manufacturer says the jar, blades and travel lid are dishwasher-safe; the guide specifies top-rack washing for the jar and drinking lid. The base, plug and cord must not be immersed. For a quick rinse, the manual describes a warm-water-and-dish-soap Pulse routine, but this is a user-started wash rather than an automatic clean program. It also says not to store food or liquid in the jar. If the motor stops from overheating, unplug the unit and let it cool for about 15 minutes before using it again.
The published warranty is three years in the United States under the manual's limited-warranty terms. The page's manufacturer-described features support the intended single-serve use; they are not independent measurements of noise, texture or durability. The practical buying decision is whether this jar size and manual routine fit the drink you actually make, not whether a small base can be asked to stand in for a family blender.
Which nearby package is the better fit?
Choose the 51128FG when its one travel jar, simple control and 12.3-by-4-by-4-inch listed shape suit your counter. The 51146G is shorter in the maker's dimensions but wider, while the 51131G/51132G pair has a narrower listed body and a different linked manual. If you want a spare cup rather than another finish, the 51102G package lists two 14-ounce jars. For more than one modest drink at a time, step up to a full-size pitcher instead of counting two personal jars as one larger batch.
Primary sources: Hamilton Beach 51128FG U.S. product page and its directly linked Use & Care guide 840229906. Package features and dimensions are from the exact page; limits and care are from the linked guide.
