So my trusty old stick blender finally died after something like 15-20 years. I was looking at the new ones, and it seems that variable attachment sticks are the new thing these days. The half-ass food-processor bowl thingy makes sense, but I have to ask about the whisk. Does it actually do anything? From what I can see they are all just your basic balloon whisk style. It seems that a few then wires spinning after each other in a circle really isn’t gonna create any useful shear with which to accomplish the goals of whisking. The stand mixer whisks are slow enough, and the have a rapid planetary rotation action as well.
And it looks way too heavy to get any kind of normal whisking motion.
For people who have these things, does it work very well?
I don’t have the blender you are talking about, but I have a stand mixer with a balloon-style wire whisk, and it works great. I had to whip heavy cream into something thicker than whipped cream, but not butter yet, which is why I had to whip it myself, just yesterday, and it did it in a few minutes. Also, when I make sufganiyot, I have to separate the eggs, and beat the whites separately, but just to a froth, not until they are stiff, and by doing it at a reduced speed, I get it right, every time.
I’m not entirely sure what you are describing in regard to the “half-ass food-processor bowl thingy,” but if it is really like a stand mixer, the stand mixers are fine. It depends on how fast is “fast” for your mixer, I guess.
That thing is awesome for finely-ground stuff. I use mine to grind coffee. I have a Braun, if that matters.
The whisk is good for egg whites and whipped cream; I’d guess it would be helpful for anyone who has trouble using a regular one, due to physical limitations.
I know how to whisk an egg, or cream, but don’t do so nearly as fast as the stand mixer can, and the fact is that I do this pretty regularly; also I have had carpal tunnel syndrome. It was successfully treated, but I’ve been told to watch what I do, because I’m at high risk for developing it again, and it won’t be easily treated again the way it was the first time-- I’ll have to have surgery. Since it will be my second time around, they might not be able to do it laparoscopically. So I don’t whisk when I can use the stand mixer.
I also use it to do most of my kneading. If something needs mixing, then 5 minutes of kneading, I’ll mix it in the stand mixer until it’s smooth, and needs just about two more minutes of kneading, then take it out. I’m getting good results that way.
If I just had to whisk once in a blue moon, I’d do it by hand, but I need to once or twice a week.
I’m not sure of the source of the miscommunication, but a stand mixer was only a passing comparison, and has practically nothing to do with the whisk of a stick blender.