We Tested 15 Immersion Blenders to Find the Very Best

Our Favorite Immersion Blender

For a top-notch immersion blender that can quickly and thoroughly blend tough ingredients, the Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender does it all with minimal splatter or suction. If you're looking for a more affordable option, the Nutribullet Immersion Hand Blender offers incredible power and precision without some of the Breville's bells and whistles.

Factors to Consider

Handheld Functionality

Smooth, creamy soups are likely the first thing you associate with an immersion blender, and, while it's certainly an important function, it's capable of so much more. You can also use the appliance to emulsify sauces like mayo, whip up fluffy cream, or crush ice for frozen cocktails. You need a blender with a strong enough motor to power through tough ingredients, as well as sharp blades to create creamy consistencies. It's also helpful to have multiple speed options to adjust for softer and harder ingredients. To test functionality, we ran the blenders through a series of three culinary tests designed to evaluate their abilities to puree, emulsify, and crush ice.

Stick Design and Maneuverability

An immersion blender is undeniably easier to maneuver than its full-sized counterpart, but some are less difficult to hold and use than others. During our tests, we took weight, ease of speed control, and design into consideration. We assessed how heavy each felt during both short and long blending tasks. Was it comfortable to hold for one minute, but not two? We also took into account design features. Was the grip ergonomic, even when wet? Is the blending wand long enough to use in deep containers?

Another factor to consider when it comes to a hand blender's design and maneuverability is whether it is corded or cordless. There are pros and cons to each kind, so consider which tradeoffs you'd rather have. With cordless models, you have to remember to keep them charged up so they're ready when you need them. However, they offer you a much wider range of motion and flexibility than most corded models. On the flip side, corded models may be able to support a more powerful motor and are generally less expensive than their cordless counterparts.

Motor Power and Speed Settings

The blenders we tested ranged from simple two-speed options to high-power variable-speed devices. Wattage for immersion blenders starts around 200 watts and tends to go up to 1,000 watts. In our testing, however, we found that higher wattage didn't necessarily mean better performance.

We noted how it felt to pulse ingredients, as well as how it felt to operate blenders at full speed. Was it necessary to hold it with two hands? Was the safety lock helpful or hindering? How easy was it to change speeds? Also, because blenders of all shapes and sizes have a reputation for being loud, we used a frequency spectrum analyzer to measure the decibels of the products while blending soup. To test power and durability, we pitted the blenders against a tough ingredient: ice. The best options easily worked through ice cubes in our smoothie test, while several less-powerful machines struggled.

Accessories and Attachments

For an immersion blender to do its job, no extra accessories are needed. But with an attachment head for whisking or chopping, an immersion blender can take on additional functions. Some models come with a pan guard to prevent splatters, while others come with a bowl or a container designed for blending. Some models, like the Nutribullet Deluxe Set and the Breville Control Grip, even include accessories that allow you to convert your hand blender into a mini food processor for dicing veggies and other finely chopped ingredients without pureeing them. With the right attachments, an immersion blender can effectively take the place of several small kitchen appliances while saving you time, space, and effort.

Wand and Blade Cleaning

How easy is it to clean an immersion blender? Well, having a detachable blending wand helps. That way there's less of a chance of getting the motor wet. And though many in our product group were dishwasher-safe, we washed the blenders by hand after every test to see whether food got stuck in nooks or crannies. To wash the blenders, we first pulsed the blending shaft in a container of soapy water, then used a sponge to clean around and under the blades.

Our Immersion Blender Tests

The first step in our test was picking which immersion blenders to try. We researched the top-rated options from a variety of tested reviews, as well as best-sellers from retailers like Amazon. We asked our editors to share what immersion blenders they had in their kitchens and whether they'd recommend them. We narrowed it down to 15 blenders for our product set, including models from Breville, KitchenAid, Cuisinart, and Vitamix.

To test the functionality, feel, and durability of our blenders, we used three recipes. For pureeing, we made a creamy broccoli soup, timing how long it took to reach a smooth, velvety consistency and noting suction and splatter. For ice crushing, we timed how long it took to blend a very fibrous green smoothie filled with kale, chia seeds, and, well, ice. If the appliance overheated or struggled to process the ingredients, it ranked lower in our findings. Finally, we made mayonnaise to test emulsification, judging how long each took to blend the ingredients and continuing to note suction. We also noted how easy (or hard) the appliances were to control and clean, as well as their volumes at full speed.

Other Immersion Blenders We Tested

Strong Contenders

Braun MultiQuick Immersion Hand Blender ($175 at Amazon)

Braun's immersion blender features a flexible shaft that helps reach the bottom of the container, an innovative design we didn't see on any other models. However, it didn't really stand out from the crowd during our tests—it made decent soup, smoothies, and mayo, but wasn't nearly as fast as our top picks. And while it comes with a plethora of accessories, including a whisk and puree masher, it was one of the most expensive options we tried.

Cuisinart Smart Stick Variable Speed Hand Blender ($130 at Sur La Table)

Cuisinart's variable speed option is made with a stainless steel body that feels solid, as well as a strong 200-watt motor. We found it excelled in the emulsion test and did pretty well in ice crushing, too. Controlled by power and lock buttons on the front, as well as a speed dial on the top of the device, it was a bit challenging to turn the device on and change speeds while blending.

Hamilton Beach Professional Variable Speed Hand Blender ($73 at Amazon)

With nine speeds and a comfortable handle, Hamilton Beach's variable-speed blender was easy to hold and operate. It has a trigger speed control and LED display that we found straightforward to read and control one-handed. We were impressed with its speed and velvety results when making smoothies and soup, but we noticed a fair amount of suction that made it challenging to move the device up and down the container.

What Didn't Make The List

We tested several more immersion blenders, including other models from KitchenAid, Cuisinart, and Hamilton Beach, as well as the Bella Immersion Hand Blender and two different Waring models. Some common themes among these low performers were the lack of versatility, power, and consistency we found with two-speed hand blenders. Across the board, two-speed models fell behind their variable-speed counterparts in terms of performance, particularly when it came to achieving a smooth consistency in purees and smoothies. In addition, we noticed that some of the lower-end models came with plastic bodies that felt flimsy and also struggled with overheating. Some other models, like the Waring Bolt Cordless Immersion Blender, lacked the performance to justify their high price tags, while the Waring Light-Duty Quik Stik had several design features, such as a short blending arm that was attached to the motor, that made it difficult to both maneuver and clean.

Our Expertise

• Katie Macdonald is a food writer and editor on Dotdash Meredith's commerce team, covering everything from chefs' must-have classics to the latest and greatest kitchen deals since 2017. For this story, she researched competitor-tested guides and performed in-depth tests on 15 immersion blenders, making dozens of batches of soup, smoothies, and mayonnaise. In addition to Food & Wine, you can find her work on Allrecipes, Cooking Light, and Food52.