Best immersion blender?

My brother-in-law has taken up making soup, so I want to get him an immersion blender for Christmas. Ideally my budget would stay under $40, and I don't need any bells and whistles -- just a solid performer, built to last, that can puree a nice soup in the pot.

Any suggestions? If so, I'd welcome specifics on the plusses and minuses.

Thanks in advance . . .

I don't know about best, but I have a KitchenAid immersion blender that works very well. As I've only had it for about a year, I can't give you much on longevity, but it seems well made and I have not had any operational issues. We use it primarily to make baby food (pureeing steamed or simmered fruits or vegetables) and it does a great job, getting a very good, even consistency in a very short period of time. I've also used it for soups (butternut squash) and to blend roasted tomatilloes and roasted chili peppers as a base for green chili, and for smoothies and milkshakes.

The version I have is here, but that comes with a bunch of extraneous stuff I rarely use (whisk attachment, mini food processor of sorts) and is well above your proposed price range. I believe this version is basically the same blender without the add-ons, and comes in just over your $40 threshold (at about $50). If you have the time, it's worth checking the prices periodically on Amazon, as these types of items often are the subject of Friday sales or other price fluctuations. As with the KitchenAid stand mixers, you can often get a cheaper price if you pick a less popular color; considering that a hand blender is much more unlikely to be a permanent fixture of your countertop than a stand mixer (mine is in a drawer), the color seems largely irrelevant.

Amazon also has a Cuisinart blender that comes within your budget and seems to be well reviewed there, but I can't vouch for it.

I'll second. I've had the same KitchenAid for about the same amount of time as Mike, but I previously killed any number of cheap immersion blenders through hard use, most lasting less than a month (one of them was an Aldi Crofton product which cost less than $10.) I do, actually, use the little food chopper - it's easier to clean and deal with than my food processor and it does a fine job chopping onions, etc. The little whisk works, but is kind of a pain to use. The blender does a great job with all kinds of blending and pureeing.

I think I decided on this one through the Cook's Illustrated ratings, but I've since cancelled my membership, so I can't check and make sure.

I had a cuisinart and the casing split down the middle. Not recommended.

I have a Braun and it's great. I think was rated #2 in the Cooks Illustrated comparison because it has a hard plastic shaft, rather than one made of metal. In any case, it works great and came with a bunch of attachments (some of which are pretty useful). I don't recall paying more than $40, but this was a few years ago. I think Braun now has a range of blenders.

imsscott wrote:I had a cuisinart and the casing split down the middle. Not recommended.

Yes, definitely get one with a metal shaft. I killed a couple of plastic-shafted ones before I got my current one, which has a metal shaft. It's held up very well. I think it's a Braun but I'm not sure.

=R=

The KitchenAid that I have (and that Mhays apparently has as well) has a metal shaft. Again, I've only had it for about a year, but it seems very durable.

In my product testing I found that for casual home use the KitchenAid, Braun, and Cuisinart models in that $40 price range are fairly comparable. For a true professional workhorse I cannot highly recommend enough any of the bamix models. They are not cheap, starting around $120, but they work very well and are extremely durable. They withstand constant, hard restaurant use and I've heard stories of home bamixers lasting decades - they were in fact the original hand blenders, invented in Switzerland in 1950. They also have an amazing array of accessories that allow you to do everything from puree soups to grind meat and even make toothpaste (!) yeah, that last one's an odd one, but very Swiss. In Europe they're so ubiquitous that when you immersion blend something, you "bamix" it. The name BTW is a play on French - "battre et mixer" - to beat and mix.

I have a Braun that has lasted over 10 years now. Simple model, no attachments other than a mixing bowl that I have never used, it's metal shafted and I bought at Ace Hardware for $20.

Thanks for all the great advice! I have a Braun Multiquick that I swear by at home, but it's an older model and I didn't know whether the new version compared. Sounds like that or the KitchenAid might be a safe bet. Very pleased to have one gift idea ticked off the list!

Now, perhaps a tougher question. I prefer to spend money in independently owned shops if at all possible, but things like small appliances seem a tall order at such places. Anyone have a favorite independently owned store (franchises are fine) that carries small electrics? (preferably in the city; I'm car-free, so the suburbs are tricky).

Louisa Chu wrote:In my product testing I found that for casual home use the KitchenAid, Braun, and Cuisinart models in that $40 price range are fairly comparable. For a true professional workhorse I cannot highly recommend enough any of the bamix models. They are not cheap, starting around $120, but they work very well and are extremely durable. They withstand constant, hard restaurant use and I've heard stories of home bamixers lasting decades - they were in fact the original hand blenders, invented in Switzerland in 1950. They also have an amazing array of accessories that allow you to do everything from puree soups to grind meat and even make toothpaste (!) yeah, that last one's an odd one, but very Swiss. In Europe they're so ubiquitous that when you immersion blend something, you "bamix" it. The name BTW is a play on French - "battre et mixer" - to beat and mix.

I considered a Bamix but they are, understandably, quite large and I felt like storage in a home kitchen -- at least my home kitchen -- wouldn't be practical.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Louisa Chu wrote:In my product testing I found that for casual home use the KitchenAid, Braun, and Cuisinart models in that $40 price range are fairly comparable. For a true professional workhorse I cannot highly recommend enough any of the bamix models. They are not cheap, starting around $120, but they work very well and are extremely durable. They withstand constant, hard restaurant use and I've heard stories of home bamixers lasting decades - they were in fact the original hand blenders, invented in Switzerland in 1950. They also have an amazing array of accessories that allow you to do everything from puree soups to grind meat and even make toothpaste (!) yeah, that last one's an odd one, but very Swiss. In Europe they're so ubiquitous that when you immersion blend something, you "bamix" it. The name BTW is a play on French - "battre et mixer" - to beat and mix.

I considered a Bamix but they are, understandably, quite large and I felt like storage in a home kitchen -- at least my home kitchen -- wouldn't be practical.

=R=

R - which model? Bamix definitely has ones that are even more slender than the other brands I mentioned. And don't you have a palatial kitchen?

Louisa Chu wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:

Louisa Chu wrote:In my product testing I found that for casual home use the KitchenAid, Braun, and Cuisinart models in that $40 price range are fairly comparable. For a true professional workhorse I cannot highly recommend enough any of the bamix models. They are not cheap, starting around $120, but they work very well and are extremely durable. They withstand constant, hard restaurant use and I've heard stories of home bamixers lasting decades - they were in fact the original hand blenders, invented in Switzerland in 1950. They also have an amazing array of accessories that allow you to do everything from puree soups to grind meat and even make toothpaste (!) yeah, that last one's an odd one, but very Swiss. In Europe they're so ubiquitous that when you immersion blend something, you "bamix" it. The name BTW is a play on French - "battre et mixer" - to beat and mix.

I considered a Bamix but they are, understandably, quite large and I felt like storage in a home kitchen -- at least my home kitchen -- wouldn't be practical.

=R=

R - which model? Bamix definitely has ones that are even more slender than the other brands I mentioned. And don't you have a palatial kitchen?

LOL, no my kitchen is fairly standard size. I don't remember the specific Bamix models I looked at but my thought was that even the smallest one was big enough to be used as an outboard motor on a small fishing vessel

If (when) my current one dies, I will definitely revisit the Bamixes because my chef-friends, like you, all seem to love them.

=R=

There giant industrial models - that blend a 5 gallon bucket like nobody's business - but yup there are standard sized Bamix models for sure. I just want to emphasize again that these are not inexpensive but are nearly bomb-proof - which is why I typically recommend spending more on the front end on products that will last.

HI,

I have had two wand blenders, which I bought for a total cost of less than $5. When the first one died, I bought another at a rummage sale. I like to save my money for the stuff one cannot find at a rummage sale.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:HI,

I have had two wand blenders, which I bought for a total cost of less than $5. When the first one died, I bought another at a rummage sale. I like to save my money for the stuff one cannot find at a rummage sale.

Regards,

Or there's that too.

About two years ago I got my first hand blender, a Cuisinart CSB-76. This blender receives rave reviews on Amazon and from professional review sources for its low cost, powerful motor, sharp blade and simple operation. In my experience, all of these things are true... BUT, I find the durability of the blender to be severely lacking. I use the blender almost every morning to make a breakfast smoothie. Within 6-8 months the first one stopped working properly due to the motor no longer making good connection with the driveshaft. The unit was still under warranty (sort of) and I was able to have it replaced from the manufacturer at the cost of shipping.

Fast forward to this weekend, my roommate used the blender to make hummus (as she has done before). In the process, the blender befalls the same fate as before. Somehow, the driveshaft has gotten out of whack and when you press the power button there is a loud grinding noise and a feeble attempt by the blade to spin. So my question to you LTH'ers (in my first ever post!) is: what experience do you have with hand blenders and can you recommend an alternative to this Cuisinart model for durability and performance? I am considering the Kitchenaid KHB100 as a possible alternative.

I see that I posted on that thread from 2008. I still have a Braun Multiquick and it still works like a champ. It's probably 15 or mores year old now and I use it to blend down potatoes and such for soup.

btb103 wrote:I am considering the Kitchenaid KHB100 as a possible alternative.

I have this model of the Kitchenaid and I've been quite happy with it for several years now. Granted, I don't use it every day like you do, but it's held up well for me. My only complaint is that you can't buy a whisk attachment for it in the aftemarket.

Choose one with a removable blade/shaft. Not that you'll replace it, but you'll want to stick the thing in the dishwasher, and the electronic end is less fond of water.
I've found that cleaning the blade end by hand is a pain in the butt (although blending a big cup of soapy water does help).

HI,

When I had an excess of celery, I made celery soup recently. The instructions advised removing the stringy bits before cooking. I didn't bother because the immersion blender would do short work of them.

Wrong. The celery strings wrapped around the shaft. It took a bit of work to get those strings unwound.

If and when I make celery soup, I will scrape off the strings first.

Regards,

Cathy, what you need is this baby

It makes short work of everything I've ever used it on (in a lab setting of course) - blends up pig brains without having to remove the meninges (the animal brain equivalent of stringy celery)

HI,

It is the price of your toy that suggests I can spend time unraveling strings. Especially when my immersion blender came from a rummage sale costing a whole dollar.

Good to know the next time I need to scramble pig brains.

Regards,