Positive, you doubtless have already got a conventional blender sitting in your countertop, and probably a meals processor tucked away in a cupboard, however for fast chores like thickening soups, making fluffy whipped cream, of blending a smoothie, an immersion blender (also called a hand, wand or stick blender) makes a useful addition to your kitchen arsenal.
To search out out which immersion blenders carried out the perfect, we put seven fashions to work, testing 4 recipes and noting every thing from velocity to consolation to how straightforward they had been to make use of.
Finest immersion blender total
This slim, compact hand blender is full of energy, making it a flexible instrument that may whip up every thing from smoothies to soup to spreads in seconds — and, whenever you’re achieved, could be tucked away out of sight simply in a drawer.
Finest price range immersion blender
Nutribullet’s cheap tackle the hand blender is easy to function, has lots of the options of its a lot pricier counterparts, and produces fab outcomes
Vitamix has developed a cult-like following for its highly effective — albeit expensive — conventional countertop blenders over the previous a number of years. In a position to eviscerate, nicely, just about something, the model took prime luxurious honors in our overview of the best blenders. So we’re actually not shocked Vitamix’s tackle the immersion blender carried out simply as strongly.
Like its large sister blender, the compact mannequin is comparatively costly in comparison with the competitors. At $150, it was the third priciest immersion blenders we examined, and solely features a motor physique and mixing wand, in contrast to another fashions that included a variety of equipment. Since one of many promoting factors of an immersion blender is that you just simply use it within the container you’re making ready your meals we don’t actually thoughts the shortage of equipment right here, however they do turn out to be useful and including them does get the price of the unit up close to $200, so it’s one thing to bear in mind.
For testing functions, we added the 32-ounce mixing jar ($19.95 at Vitamix) and whisk attachment ($19.95 at Vitamix) and we advocate investing in each — the whisk was of clearly superior development to the whisks provided with the opposite fashions, and whereas the jar’s mouth was a bit slender (it was onerous to dig hummus out with a spatula) we appreciated the twin units of metric and imperial markings.
However first, the motor. The 110 volt Vitamix model boasts a 625-watt motor, essentially the most highly effective of these we examined. A single-button management lets you choose from 5 variable velocity settings which are clearly displayed through LEDs on prime of the deal with. It rose above the pack for its thoughtfully designed ergonomic deal with that makes it super-easy to regulate speeds with one hand, even whereas in use.
The stainless-steel mixing wand with its four-blade design (all of the others had three blades) attaches simply to the motor unit with a easy twist, locking into place, as does the whisking wand, and it was solely one in all solely two fashions (the opposite was the Breville) to function a plastic coating on its bell, a function we love as a result of it means you gained’t have to fret about scratching up any non-stick pans or slicing your self on the blade cage.
However better of all was the Vitamix’s efficiency throughout our recipe assessments. It blended our inexperienced fruit smoothie a lot quicker than some other mannequin examined, taking simply over 30 seconds and completely pulverizing all of the elements. There wasn’t a touch of fibrous leaf materials left behind and even the pesky blackberry seeds had been virtually undetectable when all was mentioned and achieved. Our hummus got here collectively lickety-split, with the right creamy texture and just-right consistency. Whereas some hummus we made with different immersion blenders was a little bit too skinny or a little bit too thick, the Vitamix nailed it (nope, we’re by no means shopping for store-bought hummus once more). The basis vegetable soup? Once more, fully clean with not a hint of rosemary or thyme stalk and even the slightest chunk of vegetable. Like all the immersion blenders we examined, the Vitamix turned out nice whipped cream; the whisk (once more, a separate buy) was of clearly superior development to the whisks provided with the opposite fashions.
After all, nothing’s excellent. With a lot energy, it’s actually essential to look at your velocity when utilizing this immersion blender, particularly when you’re working inside a smaller container. The smoothie, for instance, was perfection on low energy and velocity modes, however after we amped it up, it splashed all around the counter (and our T-shirt). Lesson discovered: Staying on low energy solved that situation. And, sorry, nevertheless it’s not fully dishwasher protected (the jar and whisk are, however not the whisk attachment itself). However, like all of the blenders examined, cleansing these items is about as straightforward because it will get.
The Vitamix immersion blender is an funding, particularly when you outfit it with the total suite of equipment. However with a three-year guarantee, severe energy, high-quality development and intelligent design, we predict it’s price each penny. And simply assume how a lot you’ll save on hummus.
We’re not gonna lie: Because it’s priced at a mere $30 — half the worth of its closest competitor — we didn’t essentially have the best of expectations for Nutribullet’s compact hand blender. However preserving an open thoughts, we had been greater than pleasantly shocked. It did nicely on all of the assessments we threw at it, usually outperforming rather more costly fashions.
The field features a 350-watt motor physique, stainless-steel mixing wand and whisk attachment; It measures 16 inches lengthy (when put collectively) and was comparatively light-weight at 2 kilos (the fashions we examined ranged from 2 to 4 kilos assembled). The Nutribullet’s wand twists on and locks into place with ease and we discovered the ergonomic design delivered a snug grip and the velocity controls had been among the many best to make use of of the varied fashions we examined. Two buttons let you choose between high and low energy ranges, whereas a dial helps you to fine-tune the velocity inside these ranges.
Throughout our 4 recipe assessments it did an admirable job. Our inexperienced fruit smoothie had nary a hint of kale or spinach leaf, and the Nutribullet did the job third-fastest of all the blenders we examined. The hummus got here collectively rapidly, with a clean, even texture, and our root vegetable soup was blended fully clean with little time or effort. We used the included whisk attachment, simply as straightforward to lock into place because the wand, to make whipped cream, and in addition ended up with quick and fluffy outcomes.
Each the wand and whisk indifferent fuss-free with a easy flip and clean-up, for essentially the most half was a breeze. The motor physique, mixing wand and plastic whisk attachment base aren’t dishwasher protected (the whisk itself is), however every thing was straightforward to wash with no need for any additional elbow grease. To scrub the thicker hummus from behind the blade, we merely dipped the blender in a jar of soapy water and it got here proper off.
We do want the Nutribullet got here with a mixing jar with measurement markings for comfort sake, nevertheless it’s definitely not a dealbreaker (and even our rather more costly prime choose doesn’t include one both). A big wide-mouth Mason jar will do the trick. We did observe a little bit of vibration in use on among the assessments, although not sufficient to make it tough to make use of. And the one-year restricted guarantee was shorter than these provided on many of the fashions we checked out.
Due to its low worth, we will likely be to see how nicely this mannequin stands the check of time (although we’ve got seen principally optimistic person opinions on retail websites). In the event you’re unsure whether or not you’d use an immersion blender fairly often however are keen to search out out, at $30, that is the right product to take an opportunity on.
One of many immersion blender’s finest options is its comfort. Sufficiently small to tuck away in a kitchen drawer, it doesn’t take up counter area like a blender or meals processor, plus it’s lighter in weight and simpler to make use of than a hand mixer. They’re nice for duties like pureeing soups as a result of you possibly can simply use the blender proper in your pot with no ready or doubtlessly messy fuss of pouring sizzling soup into a conventional blender and dirtying but extra dishes, they usually allow you to whip up or mix small batches of most something you want in no matter container you’re utilizing.
The fashions we examined ranged in energy from 280 to 625 watts and all present variable velocity management, which permits you higher management over the consistency of your mixing and allows you to keep away from splashing (you’ll at all times wish to begin at a low velocity and work your approach up as wanted).
All of the immersion blenders we examined had removable wands and attachments, making them straightforward to retailer and clear. Whereas not one of the motor items and nearly all of the blender wands we examined aren’t dishwasher protected, all had been easy to rinse within the sink. Cussed caught meals could possibly be simply eliminated by operating the blender for a couple of seconds in a jar of soapy water. Additionally, one observe on security: As a result of the blades are uncovered, be certain your blender is unplugged earlier than eradicating the wand to keep away from any unintended harm.
Talking of blades, in the case of the blade guards (additionally referred to as cages), all of the fashions we examined had been stainless-steel, which is advisable for longevity and warmth resistance, though their sizes and shapes assorted barely. Some had slits or holes for added circulation, however we discovered these might lure meals like kale and in addition result in extra splashing.
A couple of higher-end fashions featured plastic guards on the fringe of the blade, which we most popular. Not solely did it shield our soup pot from scratches and marks, however there have been no jagged or sharp edges to fret about that might result in unintended nicks or cuts.
One other factor to look out for is included equipment. Whereas some blenders merely embody the motor and wand, others additionally function a mixing cup, whisk attachment and even chopping bowls. A mixing cup with marked measurements is definitely helpful, however not a dealbreaker, because the blender will work in any big-enough glass, ceramic, stainless-steel or plastic bowl or jar. And, usually, you’ll be utilizing your immersion blender straight in a pot or bowl. In the event you’re searching for one thing principally to make smoothies or different blended drinks, a personal blender is likely to be a better option anyway.
Lastly, when searching for immersion blenders, one of many greatest components to contemplate is the consolation of use. The place the velocity controls are positioned makes a giant distinction whenever you’re utilizing one hand to regulate the blender (your different hand will most certainly be holding the mixing jar), and we discovered fashions that make it easy to alter speeds together with your finger or thumb the simplest to make use of.
However earlier than you assume you possibly can exchange your countertop blender altogether, bear in mind immersion blenders are made for smaller jobs and softer meals that ought to nonetheless be chopped up into smaller items earlier than you start. If you wish to mix up a lot of ice or extra fibrous veggies, or have to mix for longer than, say, a minute or two at a time, finest persist with your conventional blender.
Our testing pool included seven immersion blenders ranging in worth from $30 to $180; some included a variety of equipment whereas others arrived as naked instruments. In these circumstances we added the equipment obligatory to finish our assessments.
Whereas all of the fashions carried out nicely in our recipe assessments, which included a inexperienced fruit smoothie, hummus, a root vegetable soup and whipped cream, some fashions did a greater job mixing and ensuing within the desired texture. We discovered variations in consolation, construct, ease of use and different particulars.
To check efficiency, we used 4 typical immersion blender recipes in all the fashions.
- Inexperienced fruit smoothie: We blended up our go-to smoothie recipe—almond milk, peanut butter, protein powder, frozen berries and a mixture of kale and spinach—noting the time every immersion blender took to finish, together with texture, whether or not any inexperienced bits had been left within the jar, any splashing that occurred and total ease.
- Hummus: We used the identical chickpeas, tahini, olive oil, garlic, cumin and lemon juice recipe to make the unfold, paying shut consideration to texture, smoothness, and ease of mixing.
- Root vegetable soup: Utilizing the identical easy recipe (potatoes, candy potatoes, turnips, carrots, rutabaga, onion, herbs and broth), we cooked the soup in a cast-iron pot after which recorded how nicely every mannequin labored when used instantly within the pot to mix it to a creamy consistency, noting any bits that did not mix, the general consistency, any splashing outdoors the pot and whether or not the immersion blender scratched or left marks on the underside of the pot.
- Whipped cream: Going from low to excessive velocity, we blended heavy cream with a heaping spoon of powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla with every immersion blender, noting ease of use, time and consistency. If a whisk attachment was included, we used it on this check, additionally recording development and the way straightforward it was to connect and take away.
Some high-powered fashions will trigger a number of suction, which may result in splashing as you attempt to pull the blender up, so we famous when suction occurred. All immersion blenders we examined had been straightforward to make use of, though some had been extra snug and less complicated to function than others. All fashions had been straightforward to wash, as most elements are dishwasher protected and, except for hummus, all blades rinsed simply below the kitchen faucet.
Whereas testing, we took particular observe of the presence or absence of variable velocity settings, total design and construct high quality, the standard of the included equipment (corresponding to a mixing jar or whisk), ease of setup, dimension and weight, the ergonomics of the deal with, and any distinctive options corresponding to LED screens or cordless functionality. Some blenders included a chopping jar, which some could discover useful, however because it wasn’t common or practically so we didn’t check this function for the needs of this comparability.
We additionally famous whether or not the blenders had been snug to make use of, whether or not vibrations made it uncomfortable to make use of, how straightforward it was to assemble and disassemble and to alter speeds whereas mixing and the way a lot time it took to finish recipes. We additionally listed all of the equipment included, user-friendliness and whether or not the elements had been dishwasher protected or straightforward to wash.
We additionally checked out guarantee protection, customer support accessibility, and worth — not simply being attentive to affordability, however specifically, ensuring that any higher-priced fashions we examined had been well worth the further price over price range fashions.
It is a nice immersion blender, with high-quality development, a chrome steel wand with a plastic protector on the bell to maintain it from scratching up pots, a pistol-grip deal with, 15 speeds that may be chosen through a dial on the prime, and a wand that merely snaps into place and is launched by urgent the eject buttons. It additionally carried out nice on all our recipe assessments.
However its 280-watt motor pales compared to the Vitamix, we wished the deal with was smaller for a extra snug grip, and it’s on the heavier facet at practically 4 kilos. The Breville additionally ranked in the course of the pack for velocity of use and solely has a one-year guarantee. Alternatively, when you assume you’ll use equipment or a chopper usually, for almost $10 greater than the Vitamix, you additionally get a whisk attachment, plus an extra-large 42-ounce mixing jug, an anti-slip mat to maintain it in place and a 3-cup chopper bowl with stainless-steel blades.
Hamilton Seashore Skilled Hand Blender
Just like the Nutribullet, this Hamilton Seashore mannequin packs a number of wallop for a great worth. With a chrome steel wand, 300-watt motor and included whisk, it did a pleasant job on our recipe assessments. The smoothie left behind some flecks of kale, the hummus was a bit on the thick facet and whereas the soup ended up good and creamy, it splashed greater than different fashions. The whipped cream turned out fantastically. Our greatest grievance was that we discovered it tough to regulate the velocity. It comes with 5 variables, however they’re strain based mostly, so it’s important to pay shut consideration whereas mixing at something apart from full velocity (which is totally depressed). Like different fashions, solely the whisk is dishwasher protected, however a five-year restricted guarantee is a bonus.
All-Clad Cordless Rechargeable Hand Blender
Little question, a cordless immersion blender could be actually handy. Whether or not you’d somewhat not stretch a twine throughout the counter to puree your vegetable soup or you could have a kitchen with oddly positioned shops, it could definitely simplify your work. After all, it’s important to hold the factor charged, or it’s just about ineffective. All-Clad’s 600-watt stainless-steel model helps hold the guesswork out of its battery life with a light-weight that flashes pink whereas charging, flashes blue when fading and stays stable blue whereas charged and in use. As soon as we received it charged up, the blender, which comes with the motor, mixing wand and charging base, was straightforward sufficient to twist into place and begin utilizing. However we discovered the expensive All-Clad was outperformed by many of the different fashions. The wand brought on a number of suction whereas mixing our smoothie and kale received caught in cutouts of the blade cage. The hummus and whipped cream turned out nicely, however we discovered the onerous approach why it’s not advisable to be used on nonstick or forged iron pots, because it left marks on the underside of our Le Creuset whereas mixing the soup. In the event you’re keen to spend $180 on an immersion blender (with a two-year guarantee), we are saying stick to a twine and go for the Vitamix or Breville.
There was rather a lot we appreciated about Braun’s immersion blender. It did a fantastic job on all our recipes, leaving our smoothie, hummus, soup and whipped cream properly combined. We admired its stainless-steel design and appreciated its 500-watt motor and the way simply its attachments snapped into place. Along with the motor and wand, it comes with a 20-ounce beaker, whisk and 2-cup chopper attachment (in addition to the motor base, gearboxes and chopper lid, all different elements are dishwasher protected).
However at 3 and 1/2 kilos, it’s on the heavier facet — our bicep received a pleasant little exercise and our hand was barely sore after mixing up our soup. And the blade cage was a bit scary — sharp-looking and considerably tough across the edges, the place most fashions had been clean, or just like the Vitamix and Breville, protected by a plastic masking. This mannequin makes use of a pressure-controlled set off to regulate velocity; we discovered it tough to take care of the velocity we needed. It additionally has a versatile wand designed to mean you can push the wand gently into your meals for extra coarse or chopped outcomes, one thing we stay up for experimenting with in different recipes.
KitchenAid Cordless Hand Blender
Let’s begin with the professionals: The cordless function of KitchenAid’s stainless-steel hand blender makes it very easy to make use of as soon as it’s all charged up and able to go. This mannequin additionally labored nice on all our recipes. The smoothie time was second quickest, our hummus was additionally quick and good and creamy, our soup ended up tremendous clean and our whipped cream got here to excellent delicate peaks very quickly. We appreciated that the battery indicator modifications coloration from inexperienced to pink to let you realize when it’s time to plug it in and that the field features a mixing jar and pan guard together with the motor and wand items (plus, the arm, jar and pan guard are all dishwasher protected). It additionally is available in a slew of colours and has a little bit built-in stand on the physique so it rests properly in your counter and gained’t roll round. However listed here are the cons: Although it weighs simply 2 and 1/2 kilos, it feels somewhat heavy in hand and it has a security button function that have to be held down on the identical time you press the facility set off, which could be awkward. We discovered it tough to regulate the velocity (which is modified in accordance with how a lot strain you employ), although it was the toughest mannequin to detach the wand from and we skilled a lot of vibration, each within the hand holding the blender and the one holding the jar. However, once more, when it got here to efficiency on recipes, the KitchenAid was in our prime three, so when you’re keen to experiment with the velocity management, for $100, it might be price a glance.
