Hand Blender Buying Guide

If you are purchasing a hand blender as an addition to your traditional kitchen blender, you will be ready for all your blending needs, even while traveling. As your only blender, a stick blender will handle light to medium chores. Most will not handle heavier tasks like pulverizing ice.

A hand blender is powered by 200-550 watts with pulse control and/or one to nine speeds. A bit more work is required with hand blenders: maneuvering the hand held blender around all sides of the bowl to reach all of the contents. Hand blenders are maintenance-free, cleanup is easy, and they are priced from $12-$140. Now start shopping!

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
Look for a model with a whip attachment and mixing bowl; these will give you more options. A couple of models come with small food choppers. Removable blades are a plus, both for cleaning and for blade replacement. Since Cuisinart hand blenders cover a broad counter area - look for a five-foot power supply cord with a three-prong plug. The longer the design, the easier it will be to reach into deep bowls and pots.

Cuisinart CSB-44N Cordless Rechargeable Hand Blender

Purchasing too small of a Oster hand blender and working it too hard can cause the motor to burn out. Be prepared for splashing; some models come with a splashguard. Plastic casings may melt if used in pans with extremely hot foods. Poor grips and awkward design can lead dropped blenders.

People Talk

KitchenAid blenders, Oster hand blenders, and Cuisinart hand blenders receive high reviews for their models priced under $50. KitchenAid's higher-end model ($120) is credited for producing flawless smoothies. Hamilton Beach blenders scores high on their models, but it is acknowledged that they are not intended for stiff batters or blended drinks using ice.

Wolfgang Puck's immersion blender offers an attractive attachment package: chopper bowl, mixing cup, interchangeable blades (aerator, blending, grinding and multipurpose), wire whisk, and wall mount for its $60 price tag.