I have watched immersion blenders being used on YouTube and want to get one.
Can anyone tell me if a particular brand is best?
Also, what may be some things to be careful of when using one? They look like fun.
For puréed soup I wouldn’t want to use anything else. I’m using a Braun 200 watt model.
Earlier thread:
The one I got was KitchenAid. I don’t use it a lot, but when I do I am very happy with it, and I am very glad I opted for cordless.
I looked up ratings and bought one. Mine has a cord. There are outlets all over my kitchen, and I’m happy to never worry if the thing is charged. It has made smooth bean soup enormously easier. I’m happy with it.
Thanks for the replies so far. It’s not like I HAVE to have one, but even at my age I want one.
Two suggestions. First, if you’re blending anything that is high in fiber, especially longer strands, take it slow and steady. When I’m making slow cooker saag, my immersion blender (KitchenAid) gets the blade area clogged if I’m too aggressive in moving it around. And things that have celery that isn’t well chopped are a minor nightmare.
Second, if you’re blending any hot/sticky fluid, get a couple of cheap paper or plastic plates, cut a straight line to the center (not all the way through) and maybe a small circle in the center. Put the body of the blender through the center and the disposable plate works as a shield against any black splash. Nothing like having a hot creamy blended soup splash back on your skin or clothes for a bad day.
I got one just a few weeks ago to mix protein powder. One point to keep in mind is make sure the blades actually fit in whatever container you intend to mix in. I neglected to consider that, and my blender does not fit in any of my drinking glasses. I have to use a mason jar.
I’m a religious Braun Multiquick fanatic after trying out many, many other models. One thing I highly advise is to buy the 3 in 1 model with the stick blender, whisk & multi-chopper. I probably use the multi-chopper 80% of the time, the immersion blender 15% of the time and the whisk 5% of the time. I upgraded to a MQ9 but the MQ5 is perfectly adequate for every job.
The multi-chopper is great for mincing garlic/ginger or making chopped nuts. I use it to make chimichurri’s and other chunky sauces.
We got a cheap one, and it worked well for a long time until it broke. We replaced it with an expensive one, and it is even better. My mum blew her cheap one up trying to chop almonds, but the better ones can chop anything, even ice.
I have a Bamix, which has a cord, which isn’t a problem for me, as I have plenty of convenient outlets.
I need to buy another little chopper bowl as mine cracked. I think I put it in the dishwasher, which was a mistake.
I probably use my immersion blender about once a month, sometimes instead of my hand mixer, especially if whatever I want to mix is in a narrower container.
Do make sure whatever you’re using as a container has high enough sides, and be careful about using it at any angle besides 90° from the counter, as that’s when you’re most likely to make a mess.
If you spend time in the kitchen, you totally do. It’s one of the most essential kitchen tools.
Ours also chops, but we use it as a blender pretty much always. We already had ways that worked for chopping. We really didn’t have a good way to make smooth bean soup. It’s been great.
I use mine all the time. It’s great for sauces and soups for which you want to control the texture. I’ll blend for a second or two to get some of the veggies puréed, but leave some intact.
A few years ago, I was making mashed potatoes and didn’t realize it was still plugged in. I nearly cut the tip of my finger off and we were still finding blood splatter under cabinets and counters in the kitchen months later. As with any power tool, make sure it is unplugged when not in use.
Once you start making fresh mayonnaise with it you will use it all the time.
Mine is a Cuisinart Smart Stick blender. I’ve used it to blend stuff still in the pot. The end of the blending shaft so I’m not sure if using it in a non-stick pot is a bad idea though when I did, I tried to keep it from touching the bottom of the pot.
I have a supermarket’s own brand stick blender (as they’re known in the UK).
These days the only thing I use it for is to blend my leek & potato soup.
They’re fairly small and easy to store so even if you only use one occasionally, it’s not a big deal.
We had one a few years back where the housing at the end for the blades was plastic, and this warped terribly after blending hot soup. So you’ll want to avoid getting one as crap as that.
Again, I really like all the replies. I am getting ideas on use and brands.
Yes you do. You’ll see.
Mine is a Braun, with cord. They last forever, otherwise I would have bought a cordless one by now. As there are enough sockets in the kitchen I don’t really mind the cord.
Safety: The body with motor and the part with the blades are usually detachable from each other. Buy a model that is detachable and always keep them apart. Only keep them together when actually using them for blending. Then get the reflex to separate them immediately and you won’t have accidents. And it keeps the kitchen cleaner.
Never clean the blades while the motor part is attached. Because some day it will be attached and plugged in, and that way lies a bloody mess.
The part with the blades can be made from plastic or metal. I recommend metal.