Welcome to Test Drive, in which we subject kitchen tools and equipment to the rigor of the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen—then judge which ones perform best.
Just how much can you accomplish with an immersion blender? That all depends on which one you’ve got. These are the BA Test Kitchen’s top performers.
A hand blender is ideal for puréeing soups, but that’s just the beginning. We keep one at the ready to blitz single-serving smoothies, emulsify mayonnaise (why dirty a giant blender for that?), and pulse sauces like Bolognese to just the right consistency. It also happens to be the best possible tool for whipping up our take on a Dairy Queen Blizzard, with homemade halvah.
• The Smoothie Test: How powerful is this thing? Can it pulverize frozen fruit?
• The Soup Test: Am I going to get splattered? How comfortable is it to hold for 5–10 minutes?
• The Pesto Test: Are the blades sharp? Is there enough movement to process the herbs without bruising them?
Electrolux Masterpiece Collection Immersion Blender ($230; available for purchase mid-October)
With its powerful (yet quiet) 300-watt motor and triple-blade design, this blender justified its price tag, pulverizing roasted veg into a velvety soup three times faster than most other hand blenders. The “soft start” feature gradually brings it to full speed so that ingredients don’t go flying, while the extra-wide blade deck and footing made it the most stable and easiest to handle. Even while the blender shows all that muscle, its controls are comfortable to operate.
A) The Work Horse: All Clad Immersion Blender ($100)
This 600-watt blender aced our performance tests with a (literal) roar. In the minus column: It can jerk into action when starting, and the deeply recessed control button wasn’t the most comfortable to hold down. But the turbo feature provided that extra power that many other models lacked.
B) The Value Proposition: Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed Hand Blender ($60)
If you’re blending on a budget, this is the one for you. The stick is light, compact, and intuitive to use, and a two-speed 200-watt motor gives you power when you need it. This is your tool for quick, simple tasks like mixing milkshakes or thinning a sauce.