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Immersion blenders are a dream come true for the smoothie lover, nut-butter maker, or parent who prefers to DIY their own baby food. They're easy to use, don't take up much storage space, and rinse or wash clean without fuss.
Although you can chop or grind in a food processor and blend or puree in a countertop blender, using an immersion blender - often called a stick or hand blender - makes food prep so much easier. Once you buy a stick blender, you'll probably find yourself reaching for it far more often than its larger kitchen cousins.
We researched all the most popular and recommended immersion blenders on the market, looking for those that deliver the most bang for your buck.
What to look for in an immersion blender
Stick blenders are fairly straightforward, but there are a few things to know before choosing one.
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How powerful is the motor? While an immersion blender isn't going to beat your countertop blender in a duel, an effective stick blender needs at least 200 watts of power. In general, the more power, the better it will do when mixing and chopping ingredients into creamy smoothness.
How many speeds does it have? The most basic immersion blenders have two speeds, but some offer five or more. While two speeds are perfectly sufficient for occasional mixing or blending, you'll enjoy having more choices if you use your stick blender regularly. That's especially true if you are chopping nuts or herbs, or mixing thick soups or purees.
Cord or cordless? While cordless hand blenders are great for use at the office, in a kitchen without many outlets, or while camping, you'll usually pay for that versatility with less power. However, cordless immersion blenders do have their benefits, so we have a recommendation if you prefer to unplug.
How about accessories? Less-expensive stick blenders don't typically include much in the way of accessories, but many models come with some handy extras, such as mixing or chopping cups, whisks, or even an electric knife attachment.
Plastic or stainless steel? While just about every hand blender has steel blades, the more expensive models typically have stainless steel shafts as well. Less expensive immersion blenders are likely to have plastic shafts. While not a deal-breaker, plastic is more likely to warp or crack, and white plastic may stain if you frequently mix strongly colored ingredients like tomatoes or beets.
Is it easy to clean? Some immersion blenders have detachable shafts for easy cleanup in the dishwasher. If not, you'll have to rinse the shaft and blades by hand.
Choosing your immersion blender
When shopping for a stick blender, consider how you'll be using it. If you simply want to mix protein powder and water, a basic, inexpensive model will be sufficient. If you plan to make thick fruit smoothies, pureed baby food, creamy soups, or homemade mayonnaise, you'll be happier with a hand blender with several speeds and more power. If you want to chop nuts or herbs, a chopper attachment is a handy accessory.
If you'll be using your immersion blender regularly it's also important to choose a model that feels comfortable in your hand, switches on and off easily, and doesn't vibrate excessively or become hot during use.
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With 280 watts of power, the Breville Control Grip is strong enough to chop, mix, blend, puree, or emulsify just about anything you throw at it — even kale and other leafy greens. It's able to chop ice cubes, too – a task that many lesser immersion blenders struggle with. Plus, the variable speed control lets you pinpoint your mixing speed with 15 possible settings.
However, it's the ergonomically designed handle that really sets this immersion blender apart from the competition. Easy to hold, and with trigger operation, your hand won't feel tired or sore during extended use.
The Breville Control Grip offers lots of other great features, as well. The 8-inch base reaches easily into soup pots, while the bell-shaped design reduces suction and creates more efficient blending. It has a non-scratch guard, so you won't damage your pot's finish, and is made of durable stainless steel.
The hand blender can be disassembled for dishwasher cleaning, although we did find a few customer reviews claiming that it's easier to simply rinse the blades clean after each use.
You'll also get several handy accessories with it, including a whisk for beating egg whites or salad dressing ingredients, a 42-ounce blending jar, and a chopper for chopping nuts, herbs, and similar ingredients.
The most popular use for an immersion blender is whipping up fruit or protein smoothies. While all of our picks serve this purpose well, the KitchenAid KHB2561OB 5-Speed Hand Blender really stands out, thanks to its unique interchangeable bell blade assemblies.
It has an S-blade assembly for general mixing and pureeing; a multi-purpose blade assembly that makes short work of chopping ice or frozen fruit, and also shreds cooked meat and minces ingredients; and a frother and beater blade assembly for whipping coffee drinks, batters, or light and airy smoothies. All it takes is a simple twist to switch the blades – no struggling or tools required.
The KitchenAid 5-speed is powerful and quiet, and of course, has five speeds to choose from. The 8-inch blending arm is handy for deep pots of soup or tall smoothie cups, and the unit can be stashed away in its handy storage case when not in use.
It also comes with a whisk attachment for making whipped cream, mayonnaise, and salad dressings; a 2.5-cup chopper for tackling nuts, herbs, and cheese; and a 4-cup beaker with a lid for measuring and storing smoothies, protein drinks, baby food, and more.
If you're looking for a no-frills immersion blender, you can't go wrong with the Cuisinart Smart Stick CSB-75BC. At 200 watts, it isn't exactly a high-powered device, but it still gets the job done with surprisingly good efficiency. And it's definitely large enough to whip up a smoothie, batch of pureed baby food, or dressing for a salad.
There are only two speeds to choose from, and you need to keep the power button depressed the entire time you're using the hand blender, making it a poor choice for those with very weak or arthritic hands.
The device has a stainless steel detachable shaft and blade assembly, making it easy to clean in the dishwasher. The only included accessory is a 16-ounce mixing cup.
We came across a few buyer reviews mentioning that the Smart Stick struggled with blending raw kale and frozen fruit, and also had a hard time chopping ice.
Pros: Low price, reasonable power, ease of use
Cons: Somewhat flimsy construction, not good for blending leafy greens or chopping frozen ingredients, only two speeds
The best immersion blender for making soup
Although the OXO On Digital Immersion Blender is well equipped for other hand blending tasks, it really shines when it comes to mixing creamy, thick soups.
The OXO On has 200 watts of power and six speeds, giving it plenty of power and versatility for blending, mixing, or pureeing. But it has an unusual feature that differentiates it from its competition: a "headlight" that illuminates the inside of the pot or beaker as you blend, making it easy to monitor the consistency of your soup or smoothie.
A surprising number of immersion blender users are injured when they reach into the beaker or pot while the device is on, but with the OXO On's bright light, it's much easier to remember to avoid the blades. Of course, for safety, you should never put your fingers near an immersion blender during use.
The OXO On has other nice features as well. The stick blender has a "slow start" to avoid splatters, and a nylon head and silicone-coated stainless steel shaft to protect your cookware from scratches. Surprisingly, however, the removable shaft and blade assembly are not dishwasher safe.
In terms of accessories, the OXO On comes with a 3-cup plastic beaker, which is perfect for whipping up smoothies when you aren't using the stick blender for soup.
Cons: Noisy on high speeds, no chopper or whisk, not dishwasher safe
The best cordless immersion blender
Unlike many cordless immersion blenders, the Cuisinart CSB-300 Smart Stick is powerful enough to tackle just about anything you ask of it.
In general, cordless immersion blenders lack the power of their plug-in counterparts. Still, they do offer some conveniences that make the tradeoff worthwhile for many owners (like mixing and blending at the kitchen table instead of the counter, or bringing your blender to work so you can whip up an afternoon smoothie). The Cuisinart Smart Stick CSB-300 has quite a few extra perks that make it even more desirable if you're in the market for a cordless hand blender.
Its most unique feature is the electric knife attachment, which is perfect for carving a turkey or roast. You'll also get a whisk attachment for making meringue or whipped cream; a 2-cup chopper for nuts, herbs, or soft cheese; and a 4-cup beaker for mixing smoothies and drinks. It even comes with a storage case.
Some buyer reviews mention that operating the blender is a two-hand job: you'll need one hand to push the unlock button, while the other hand presses power (which you'll need to keep pressing the entire time you're blending).
When fully charged, you'll get around 20 minutes of run time, which is sufficient for just about anything you're likely to do with an immersion blender. There are five speed settings, which is a nice plus on a cordless hand blender. It's also stainless steel, and the shaft and accessories are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.
Pros: Electric knife, versatility, five speeds, dishwasher safe
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