Hand Blender Brands and Links

Choosing and using a hand or stick blender

Experts say that while handheld blenders excel at tasks such as whipping cream or egg whites, they can't replace traditional blenders or handheld mixers. Many manufacturers advise against running hand blenders for longer than one minute, or the unit will likely overheat and shut down. If you want one appliance that can handle most blending tasks, consider buying a traditional blender instead. See our blenders report for more information.

Food processors perform much the same as traditional and handheld blenders, but the best models outperform either type of blender when it comes to grinding hard foods. They cannot, however, crush ice. Some food processors come with small jars that allow you to process small quantities of food. Our report on food processors provides details on a variety of models.

An immersion blender is a handy tool for making baby food from scratch. WholesomeBabyFood.com has a great guide for puréeing and storing homemade baby food.

Blending soup right in the pot is one of the most popular uses for an immersion blender. KitchenScoop.com uses one in its recipe for broccoli cheese soup.

EHow.com offers tips on making smoothies with a hand blender:

Hand blenders can be used to mix more than just food and beverages. This article on Fresholi (a British website) describes using a hand blender to mix lye and other ingredients to make homemade soap. Be aware that some hand blenders may experience mechanical problems if operated continuously for longer than recommended by the manufacturer.

DoItYourself.com provides a list of safety tips for using hand blenders.

Hand blender brands

Manufacturers' websites provide specifications and suggestions for use:

Cuisinart

DeLonghi

Kalorik

KitchenAid