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The Spruce Eats / Chloe Jeong
After rigorous home testing, the Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Hand Blender earned the top spot with its variable speed control, useful attachments, and overall quality. Coming in a close second is the KitchenAid 2-Speed Hand Blender, which is our editor-approved pick based on its speed and ease of cleaning.
An immersion blender, also called a handheld blender, can be a convenient, easy-to-clean, and compact alternative to a full-size blender since it can be tucked into a drawer or cabinet. It can be used for a variety of everyday kitchen tasks, such as mixing pancake batter, whisking eggs, whipping cream, blending smoothies or sauces, and even pureeing baby food. And it's an essential tool for blending creamy, pureed soups, like butternut squash soup, right in the pot.
But there are a few considerations before you buy one of these handy gadgets. Firstly, there's no standard-size blade attachment for immersion blenders, so pay attention to the diameter of the blade if you want to be able to blend smoothies or salad dressings in drinking glasses or mason jars. Secondly, you'll have to choose between corded and cordless models: Cordless immersion blenders give you more freedom, but you have to remember to charge them.
We took these factors into account, as well as sent some of the blenders to our home testers to try. Here, are our top picks (and some buying tips) for the best immersion blenders.
Best Overall: Cuisinart Smart Stick Variable Speed Hand Blender
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Variable speed control
Convenient attachments included
Easy to clean
Reasonably priced
Awkwardly placed safety button
Not easy to store
Cuisinart may be the most familiar name in food processors, and this immersion blender lives up to the brand's reputation. It has a button for either continuous or pulse blending, as well as variable speed control so you can choose exactly the speed that’s right for you—no need to rely on a preset speed.
The blender only has two buttons on its front; an on button and a lock button, which needs to be depressed before the blender will turn on, but then it can be released. While that might be a safety feature, we found it awkward to use.
It comes with a jar that’s perfect for blending smoothies or making mayonnaise, a chopper attachment that’s great for making salsas and prepping veggies, and a whisk attachment for making whipped cream or beating eggs.
Our tester preferred using the highest speed setting for most recipes, but noted the adjustable speed is useful for blending softer foods, like avocados, or recipes that may splatter.
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The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
Power Rating: 300 watts | Speed(s): Variable | Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 x 13 inches | Warranty: 3 years
"The main feature is the variable speed control, which was easy to use. I found that I generally set it at the highest speed and left it there. However, it's great to have the option for a slower speed so that the blender can start on low to avoid splashing."
Runner-Up, Best Overall: Kitchen Aid 2-Speed Hand Blender
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Courtesy of Walmart
Comfortable soft-grip handle
Variety of colors to choose from
Simple, easy-to-use design
Blending arm can detach while in use
This simple two-speed blender has a removable blending arm that makes cleaning easier and comes from a brand that’s much-loved when it comes to kitchen appliances and gadgets. The blender doesn’t include a lot of accessories or frills that add to the price, so it’s quite affordable despite the quality.
It comes with a handy blending jar with a lid, so it can be used for storage before or after foods are blended. The soft-grip handle is easy to hold when blending, so it’s comfortable to use, no matter how much you need to blend.
Like many KitchenAid products, this comes in a wide range of colors, so you can match this to your stand mixer or kitchen décor, or add a pop of color to the kitchen.
Power Rating: 220 watts | Speed(s): 2 | Dimensions: 2.3 x 2.3 x 15.8 inches | Warranty: 1 year
"This KitchenAid blender gets the job done well—and fast. Plus, it's so easy to clean. The blending arm quickly detaches, so you can rinse it in the sink." — Julia Warren, VP of Commerce
Best Power: Vitamix Immersion Blender
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Courtesy of Williams-Somona
Long running time
Safe for nonstick cookware
Easy, one-handed button controls
Easy to clean
Expensive
No blending jar or accessories included
Vitamix makes blenders that have a top-of-the-line reputation for professional and home use, and its immersion blender fully lives up to that hype. Thicker soups, sauces, and smoothies can be tricky to get all-the-way smooth and can cause some immersion blenders to overheat, but this handheld blender has the power and durability to handle tough jobs and large batch sizes every time.
It has five different speeds and can run continuously for up to 4 minutes before automatically shutting off. Lastly, the heat-safe shield at the bottom will keep this blender from damaging your nonstick cookware. When tested, it was both easy to use and easy to clean, and the 5-foot-long cord helped to reach between pots and faraway outlets.
At around $150, the Vitamix Immersion Blender is one of the more expensive immersion blenders on the market. If you can spring for it, it's worth the price and will last a long time.
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The Spruce / Donna Currie
Power Rating: 625 watts | Speed(s): 5 | Dimensions: 3 x 18 x 3 inches | Warranty: 3 years
"Except for the time when I purposely let the blender run for the full 4 minutes, I never needed to run it that long. Most tasks were accomplished in under a minute."
Best Budget: Mueller Hand Blender (500 Watt, 9-Speed)
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Courtesy of Amazon
Easy to clean
Powerful
Sturdy
Noisy
Mueller's stick blender is a great option if our top picks don't quite fit within the budget for an immersion blender. You don't sacrifice any power for a more affordable price, though.
With a full copper motor and 500 watts of power, this handheld blender is plenty powerful to handle making baby food purees, smoothies, smooth soups and sauces, and even homemade peanut or almond butter. Reviewers say everything about this blender feels sturdy, durable, well-made, and comparable to blenders that cost twice as much.
It includes a milk frother for the ultimate upgrade to homemade lattes and a whisk attachment so you can use it to whip cream, beat eggs, or make a batch of homemade mayo for sandwiches. Clean up of the blender and attachments is as simple as running under warm water or popping them in the dishwasher for a more thorough cleaning.
Power Rating: 500 watts | Speed(s): 9 | Dimensions: 2.68 x 4.92 x 15.59 inches | Warranty: 1 year
Best for Smoothies: KOIOS 800-Watt 5-in-1 Low-Noise Immersion Hand Blender
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Courtesy of Amazon
Anti-splash design
Versatile
Very powerful
Tricky to clean food stuck in blades
With 12 speeds and a turbo mode, this immersion blender will make short work of fruits and vegetables to make perfectly smooth milkshakes and smoothies, as well as easy salad dressings, mayonnaise, and sauces. The KOIOS immersion blender includes a chopper attachment for chopping onions or herbs, a whisk attachment for whipping eggs whites or heavy cream, and a blender jar for times when you’re not using your own container for blending and emulsifying.
The blade is reinforced with titanium for extra strength, and the bell-shaped housing over the blade keeps the blade off the bottom surface of your containers and helps prevent splashing. A loop on the top of the handle makes it easy to hang this gadget on a rack to keep it handy.
Power Rating: 800 watts | Speed(s): 12 | Dimensions: 9.9 x 5.5 x 9.9 inches | Warranty: 2 years
Best Commercial Blender for Home Use: Waring 7-Inch Light-Duty Quik Stik Immersion Blender
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Courtesy of Amazon
Durable
Great for large batches
Easy to operate
Difficult to clean
Made for commercial kitchen use, but priced in line with home-use immersion blenders, this has the power to blend three gallons of soup. While this is called a light-duty blender, it’s designed for light duty in a professional kitchen environment, so it will be more than enough for your home kitchen.
This is lighter in weight than more robust commercial units, so it’s easy to hold and use. It has two speeds so you can control the texture of your food, operated with a simple button. This doesn’t come with any extras, but it’s a powerful choice for cooks who prefer commercial appliances.
Power Rating: 100 watts | Speed(s): 2 | Dimensions: 4.5 x 4.5 x 16 inches | Warranty: 1 year
Best Cordless: All-Clad Cordless Rechargeable Stainless Steel Hand Blender
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Courtesy of Williams Sonoma
Easy, one-handed use
Solid construction
Cordless, making cleaning and storage easier
Bulky end won't fit in smaller containers
Shaft is hand-wash only
This may be one of the easiest immersion blenders to clean since there's no cord to worry about, and the shaft removes from the body of the blender. The removable shaft also gives you options for storage in small spaces where the full blender might not fit as well. It is important to note, however, that the components of this blender are hand-wash only. This is the cordless version of the blender we reviewed previously.
This is a high-powered immersion blender with a variable five-speed setting so you’ll have complete control of the texture of your refried beans, soups, or pureed vegetables. You can even use this for a quick chop of nuts since the blade shroud gives you plenty of space. This cordless model has the same power as the previously reviewed blender at 600 watts, but you will pay a premium for the convenience of cutting the cord.
It comes with a recharging base that doubles as upright storage housing. While this doesn’t include any accessories that you might find with other blenders, a mini chopper and a whisk are available for purchase if you need those options.
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The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
Power Rating: 600 watts | Speed(s): 5 | Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.9 x 10.9 inches | Warranty: 2 years
"We liked the variable speed control at the top of the blender and found there was a very noticeable difference from low speed to high speed."
Best for Food Processing: Breville All In One Processing Station
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Courtesy of Amazon
Extremely versatile
Includes compact storage case
Powerful
Can overheat when run for long periods
While most immersion blenders are designed to mimic the functions of a blender, this one also takes on many of the functions of a food processor, with a 6-cup processing bowl that is powered by the blender body. The bowl includes an adjustable slicing blade with 18 thickness settings, so you can slice potatoes for chips or carrots for soup. A reversible shredding disk lets you choose from two different shredding options, while the processor bowl’s S-blade lets you chop, blend, or puree, just like a larger food processor.
Another unique accessory is the Variable Mashing Leg, which lets you choose fine, medium, or coarse mashing with a twist of the head, so you can use your immersion blender for mashing potatoes without the risk of them turning into glue.
When you’re using the immersion blender in its traditional mode, the shape of the blade housing reduces suction, so it won’t get stuck to the bottom of your containers while you blend. Plus, it has 15 speeds, giving you greater control of the result. Ice crushing blades and a whisk attachment are included, making this an incredibly versatile appliance.
Power Rating: 240 watts | Speed(s): 15 | Dimensions: 9 x 11.5 x 11 inches | Warranty: 1 year
Best for Baby Food: Braun MultiQuick 5 Baby Hand Blender
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Courtesy of Amazon
Includes lots of convenient extras
Perfect for smaller jobs
Easy to operate
Freezer tray is flimsy
While any immersion blender can be used to puree bananas or cooked carrots, this set was created with babies in mind. This has an extra blade and larger cutting area, so purees get smoother faster.
The bell-shaped shroud over the blades keeps splashing to a minimum, so there will be less mess to clean up when cooking is done. This has two speeds so you can adjust the food texture to suit your baby’s needs.
The included 1.5-cup chopper lets you chop as well as puree, so you can add some texture to the baby’s puree, or make a dip for yourself at the end of the day.
This includes a 20-ounce blending beaker that’s the perfect size for the blender, so you don’t have to scramble for a jar to use. You can also use the beaker for making smoothies or cocktails. A flexible silicone freezer tray lets you make and freeze up to nine portions in advance, then just pop them out and thaw or heat them when you need them.
Power Rating: 350 watts | Speed(s): 2 | Dimensions: 2.2 x 2.2 x 15 inches | Warranty: 2 years
"Multipurpose tools are a must for small kitchens, and Braun's Multiquick has everything you need. The blending wand makes ultra-smooth soups and smoothies, and the mini chopper is great for blitzing together small batches of sauce or homemade baby food." — Patty Lee, Senior Food Editor
We love the Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Hand Blender for its overall quality, versatility, and useful included attachments that should cover almost all your needs. Another great option is the KitchenAid 2-Speed Hand Blender, which is editor tested and approved. It's both quick to use and easy to clean.
What to Look for in an Immersion Blender
Design
Immersion blenders are meant to be smaller, more compact, and easier to store than regular blenders and food processors, but that doesn't mean there isn't variation when it comes to size, weight, and style.
Pay attention to the size of the blender head—some are too bulky to fit in a standard smoothie cup and are designed for large batches. Also, decide whether you want a corded or cordless model. Cordless models offer convenience but need to be recharged often. Finally, pay attention to whether the shaft detaches, which makes for easier cleaning and storage.
Power
Think about what you will be using your immersion blender for the most. Some are perfect for purees, like when you want to make baby food. Others are designed to slice through ice for quick smoothie-making. Most immersion blenders start at about 200 watts but can go up to 1000 watts. In general, the higher the wattage, the greater the power.
Speed Settings
Most immersion blenders offer a high and low speed. High speeds are best for blending tougher ingredients, like fibrous vegetables or ice, while low speeds can chop vegetables for salsa and retain some texture.
Some models have variable speed settings, which gives you greater control and versatility over the finishes texture and consistency of your blends.
Included Accessories
If all you want is a stick blender, then there's no reason to pay more for lots of extras—particularly because they might not be the highest quality. However, a lot of immersion blenders come with convenient items like a chopper or a whisk attachment and blender jars. If you're getting an all-in-one immersion blender package, keep in mind how you'll store everything—some come with storage cases for all the pieces so nothing gets lost.
FAQs
Why use an immersion blender instead of a regular blender?
An immersion blender gives you more flexibility, since you can blend recipes directly in a cooking pot, cup, jar, or mixing bowl. Not having to transfer recipes into a regular blender saves time, mess, and cuts down on the number of dishes to clean.
Immersion blenders also do a better job of blended or pureeing small amounts of food. Regular blenders often need to be filled to a certain level for the most efficient blending.
They're also smaller and therefore easier to store compared to countertop blenders.
Can you froth milk with an immersion blender?
Yes, you can froth milk with an immersion blender. Place your milk of choice in a container with tall sides to prevent splashing. A mason jar or drinking glass will work.
Can you use an immersion blender for mashed potatoes?
Immersion blenders will mash potatoes, but many cooks report the texture of the potatoes turns gummy and starchy due to the high speed of blenders.
The best tool to mash potatoes for a creamy, but not gummy, texture is either a hand masher or a ricer.
How do you use an immersion blender without splashing?
Blend in a container with tall sides to keep splashing to a minimum. Tall drinking jars, mason jars, pitchers, and deep pots are your best options. Another tip to cut down on splashing is to make sure the blade head of the immersion blender is completely submerged.
Can you use an immersion blender in a nonstick pan?
You can, but you run the risk of scratching the nonstick coating if the blades make contact with the bottom or sides of the pan. To prevent this, don't touch the blades to the bottom of the pan and hold the immersion blender at an angle.
Some immersion blenders, like the Vitamix model, have been specially designed with blade guards for use in nonstick cookware. Still, if you're worried about your nonstick pans, it may be better to blend in another container to be safe.
Can an immersion blender replace a hand mixer?
While an immersion blender can handle some of the same tasks as a hand mixer, like whipping egg whites into stiff peaks or making whipped cream, it can not replace a hand mixer. Immersion blenders are not equipped to mix stiff batters or cream sugar into butter.
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
Donna Currie is a cookbook author and food writer who specializes in product reviews and recipes. Her kitchen is filled with all the latest gadgets, from smart blenders to immersion blenders, and she's tested out models from numerous brands on this list.
Julia Warren, VP of Commerce for The Spruce Eats, loves using her KitchenAid immersion blender, featured above, and Patty Lee, Senior Editor for The Spruce Eats, uses her Braun immersion blender to make everything from sauces to homemade baby food for her son.
This roundup was updated by Katrina Munichiello, a writer and editor who specializes in the tea and food industries, and Katya Weiss-Andersson, a professional chef and editor for The Spruce Eats who is an evangelist for the convenience and versatility of immersion blenders.
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