best immersion blender?

[kishka4]

I love having a hand stick blender - for soups, dressings, dips, etc.

But my new Cusinart one just broke so I am going to replace it. I wasn't that thrilled with it actually. I make a lot of pesto and the blade was too high to properly chop the herbs. The mini-chopper attachment didn't quite do the trick for pesto either.

Does anyone have suggestions for another immersion blender?

And follow-up question: Do you have a food processor and what do you use it for?

Thanks! :)

[coll]

My original was a cheaper brand that my BIL gave me for Christmas, not that I asked for it. It probably cost about $25 or $30. Never liked it, and lent it indefinitely to somebody, never to be seen again.

Then I see people here raving about theirs. Kitchenaid seems very popular. So I look at Amazon, and they're all about $100, except one place was selling it for $29.99. I get it and it's no better than the first.

Then somehow, I realize that Kitchenaid makes two models. One cheap (which I bought) and one that seems identical but is not. The only difference I can see is 5 speed vs 10 speed. The good one is the one you can find for $100 or so. So I gave it one last try and now I can see that it's a nice gadget for certain things. Unlike my food processor, which I couldn't live without.

So, don't cheap out, is my advice, or you'll get what you pay for. I sold the lesser one on eBay for $10, and always wonder what the buyer had to say after using it.

[NickBelletti]

The waring pro are far superior to any of the others. There are deals on ebay.
Something like this I mean:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Waring-18-imm...
Just saying drop a bit of money and get one that runs
forever.

[Antilope]

That one looks great for blending 5-gallon bucket portions. It might be a little large for most home uses.

If you put wheels on it, you would have a blender and a Segway. ;-)

[NickBelletti]

I use it alot even on smaller stuff just because I have it, you might use it as a canoe motor if you needed though!!

[emu48]

Buy Bamix. Unless you like getting a new one every couple years. Much cheapr on eBay. Used ones are a pretty safe buy, since they seem to last forever.

[CCCate]

I hope you just got a long reply from me; I hit "reply" and it disappeared...where?

[MrsJTW]

I've been researching reviews the past couple days because I would really like to get an immersion blender. Who knew it would be such a hard decision to make! I've seen a lot that have bad reviews. One brand I considered was Krups, but I saw that their immersion blenders are made in China. I just can't see forking over a lot of money for one of those since it wasn't actually made in Germany.

The best sounding one I saw on Amazon today while continuing my search was a 3 in 1 by Calphalon. It is also made in China though and almost 80 bucks. About the same price as the Krups I was looking at.

Reading in this discussion here though, now the Bamix sounds good. They're about $150 on Amazon. Definitely not something I can afford right now, but I don't want to blow 80 or even 15 to 30,, which is my current budget, on a piece of crap. I will have to wait to get one, but my question is, where is the Bamix immersion blender made? If they ARE made in Switzerland, I could see spending that much. If all of the choices are from China, I guess I'll get a really cheap one.

And as for the second question kishka asked, I don't have a food processor per se. I have a food processor attachment that came with my Oster blender. It doesn't work too well for me & doesn't have any different attachments. I have used it to chop cilantro, etc. but for garlic, hummus and falafel batter it just sucks. The blender works slightly better than the processor attachment, but I get better results if I just make these things by hand. I'd like an actual food processor some day, especially to try out with making bread dough. I fear this thing would break if I tried it with that.

[bemocked]

on the box of the Bamix i just got for Christmas:

[MrsJTW]

Thank you! I will probably buy one of those when I have the $ to spend. I'd rather not buy anything made in China.

[roxlet]

Here's one for $39.99
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bamix-hand-mi...

[John Francis]

This thread is years old, but just in case: America's Test Kitchen's highest recommendation is the Kalorik Sunny Morning Stick Mixer, at $25. Their second choice is the KitchenAid Immersion Blender, $50. That's as of 2010.

[dragon2]

Just logged on to Cook's Illustrated and the immersion blender ratings/recommendations have changed. Due to soooo many complaints about Kalorik, they revisited the issue and bought some more of the Kalorik model. Once again, one of them performed flawlessly, BUT the other broke immediately, confirming customers' complaints. SO, they have "un"-recommended the Kalorik for unreliability and the KitchenAid has moved back up to first place.

[John Francis]

After I posted the above, America's Test Kitchen changed its recommendation. The Kalorik blender is poorly made and sometimes breaks during its first use. Their first choice is now the KitchenAid 3-Speed Hand Blender, $60.

[sueatmo]

I bought a Cuisinart Smart Stick with the separate vessel and attachments, and it works for everything I've done with it, including stir natural peanut butter.

[knowspicker]

Bamix is available at Williams Sonoma... at least online.

[dabmsn]

Here is the information from Consumer Reports. Bamix is on the bottom of their list.
http://static2.consumerreportscdn.org...
Anyone use Breville?
Thanks.

[shiralamb]

Hi dabmsn. Your link appears to be broken... Would love to take a look at the info you are referring to! Thanks.

[dabmsn]

http://static2.consumerreportscdn.org...
See if that is any better.
I had a Cuisinart, but it never worked quite right.
Would love to know if anyone has the Kitchen Aid or the Breville. Thanks

[FoodChic]

See my posts above.

[CCCate]

CostCo is offering the Miallegro 9090BMiTutto 550-watt Secure System with anti-sliding finish immersion hand blender for $59.99. I'm in the market for such a blender, and after reading and researching I am inclined to go with this one. Does anyone have any comments, pro or con?

[scubadoo97]

It has Bamix like blades. Looks like a good deal

[mommasue]

I just bought the Kalorik based on the CI review, and it is a piece of S***. I used it ONCE to mix protein powder, water, and half a banana and the plastic housing has already started to separate, plus it didn't do such a great job mixing.My Cuisinart didn't stand up, and all I use this for is pureeing soups in the pot and such--I don't try to use it for jobs it's not designed for. So, I am looking for a durable and useful tool. I guess I'll look at some of the suggested ones in this thread.

[hahnsh]

Consumer Reports tested immersion blenders in September. Top three were Bamix, Breville, and Miallego. On interesting tip was that the speed didn't indicate quality.

[shiralamb]

Hahnsh- do you know specifically which models for Bamix, Breville, and Miallego? Thanks!

[careme_fan]

I had good luck with a Dynamic MIniPro. I posted a comparison to a Bamix in this thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/756410 . Right now, Katom has it on sale for just $138 -- see http://www.katom.com/048-MX070.html?C...
(For nerds: leave the Google referral in to see/get this price

)

-- CF

[smkit]

I have a KitchenAid one and have yet to use it. Maybe fall soup season will force me to break it out ; ) And I don't care for smoothies that much. A few years back I bought a recipe book for smoothies, tried a bunch out and gained 5 pounds in a week. Smoothies have been on my s**t list since then.

I know the Bamix looks great, and I kind of wish I had gotten one of those instead, but the KA is what I got now. What is the heat up time on the KA?

[shiralamb]

Does anyone have any thoughts on the Waring Pro SB10 Professional vs. a Bamix (mono)? I'm hoping to find an immersion blender that isn't too expensive, but I'm weighing whether or not it would be worth it to spend almost $100 more for the Bamix. The Waring is going for $40. I would appreciate any input. Thanks :)

[Dapuma]

does anyone know what the difference between the bamix and bamix professional at William Sonoma is

Is it really worth and extra 80 bucks for the professional

Is there a better price on the bamix than WS?

[shiralamb]

I'm trying to make a similar decision right now! From my research, I've found that the Bamix has a 150W motor (I inquired and it is the Mono model even though it doesn't say so in the product description) while the Bamix Professional has a 200W motor. The Bamix Professional also has a 25% longer drive shaft.

So far William Sonoma has the best prices I've seen on both models. One things to consider, though, is that if you buy through Ocean Sales (who sells on Amazon.com), a 10 year warranty is included. William Sonoma does not offer/include a warranty.

[Dapuma]

Is this one: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/produc...

the bamix mono?

200 on ebay vs 130 at WS - doesnt make sense to pay 70 more for the warranty if they are the same thing

however if the mono has more hp or better parts then maybe it is worth it

[shiralamb]

Yes, that one is the Mono. Keep in mind WS charges a hefty shipping fee plus sales tax in CA, so you might want to account for that when doing your price comparison.

[emu48]

Just bought a new-old-stock 1980s Bamix Deluxe on eBay for USD 70. To replace the Deluxe I bought new in 1988 for more than USD 100 and foolishly gave away during a move. This one will go to my heirs someday.

[Antilope]

Cook's Illustrated April 1, 2010 review
of immersion blenders priced from $25 to $100.

Highly Recommended

Kalorik Sunny Morning Stick Mixer

Recommended

KitchenAid Immersion Blender

Recommended with Reservations

Oster 3-in-1 Hand Blender
Dualit Immersion Hand Blender
Waring Quik Stik Immersion Blender

Not Recommended

Breville Cordless Hand Blender
Nesco Professional Grip 'n' Go Immersion Blender
Cuisinart Quik Prep Hand Blender

[cookbookchick]

I bought the Kalorik as a second IB on Cook's Illustrated's recommendation. Got it for about $25 on Amazon -- it's now down around $15. VERY disappointed -- it overheats very quickly and the instructions tell you to use it only for short periods with long breaks in between. What's with that?? Just not up to the job! My Braun Multiquick is far better. Wish they hadn't quit making them -- and their wonderful $35 blender! As a side note, I bought an expensive Cuisipro food mill top-rated by CI and it, too, is a bust. The turning knob won't stay on -- other similar complaints on Amazon -- and the company won't respond to my emails asking them to honor their "25 year warranty." I now take CI recommendations with a big grain of salt!

[paulj]

I suspect the bit about not running it for long periods has to do with overheating the motor. When I use my Cusinart Smart Stick, I can feel the motor housing (the main cylindrical body) warm up. There are no fans or ventilation holes (which would admit water) to aid in cooling. Cusinart manual specifies a 30 second time limit, though I've used it for a minute without it feeling too warm. The power they stuff into a small package, the greater the heating problem.

Regardless of whether instructions are overly conservative or not, you don't want to run one of these so long and hard that if overheats. If you have to use it for more than 30 seconds at a spell, you may be using it for too big of a job.

[catbert]

thanks for this. a store ad has been tempting me with the breville. i'll stay clear of it now...

[dragon2]

Cook's Illustrated has changed their recommendations (I just went back to the recommendation page today - 25Nov12). The Kalorik is now NOT recommended. It is inexpensive and, when it works, is great, but after so many complaints, CI revisited the Kalorik, buying some new ones. One worked beautifully, but the other broke immediately. They removed their recommendation for the Kalorik, due to unreliability.

[AlexisM]

I have the cuisinart smart stick and it works great. I can't imagine life without it.

immersion blender

[FoodChic]

I have the Breville and it's simply wonderful!!!! A single charge will blend and blend.

[FoodChic]

I'm revising this. My Breville died a slow and painful death. There was no bring it back to life. I did love it when it worked, but in light of the money spent and the short lifespan, I must say I wouldn't do it again.

I've replaced it with a Kitchen Aid plug in model that seem to work just fine for 18 months. It was half the price and I really can't tell a whole lot of difference.

[bxgirl]

Can someone tell me the difference between the Kitchenaid 100 blender and the 300 immersion blender (aside from the considerable diffence in price)?
Those of you who are satisfied with your immersion blender, can you tell me which style you have. One is about $50.00, and one is closer to $100. Is the $50 one acceptable?
Thanks

[MikeB3542]

I think the only difference is that the 300 comes with accessories -- a chopper and a whisker. The 100 is just a blender. We have the 100 and have really enjoyed using it.

I haven't seen the accessories for sale separately, so get the 300 if you want the accessories. Personally I am not a fan of food procssors (we have a chopper that fits on our Osterizer for the occasional salsa or hummus) and a hand whisk is fine for the occasional egg white or whipped cream, so can't say i would shell out the extra $.

[bxgirl]

Thanks, Mike, for the quick and informative reply. Sounds like the 100 would be fine. May I ask how long you have had yours, and if you use it for things other than liquids(such as nuts)? I won't be using it for ice, but is it powerful enough to chop nuts?

[brendastarlet]

I wasn't sure I would like an immersion blender, so I bought the Proctor Silex stick blender upstairs at Zabar's for $9.95. One of the best investments I've ever made. It isn't super powerful but it does a fine job with soup, purees, and whipped cream. I use it all the time.

I also have a restaurant quality (bought it from a restaurant that closed) Waring that I think retails for about $150. It is way too much blender for my daily purposes, but is it nice!

[Sam D.]

I also have a $10 Proctor Silex stick blender and it has worked perfectly well for me for at least 5 years. I bought another one and gave it to my daughter. She loves it.

[MikeB3542]

I have had it for two years -- I have used it to make smoothies, which involved blending frozen strawberries. Also have used for Mex hot chocolate which comes in the form of solid "hockey pucks". You can do ice, but you have to take it easy, since the drive mechanism has plastic parts, which could crack if you got aggressive. Shelled nuts would be no problem at all. The results should be comparable to what you would get in a conventional blender. The KA has a pretty wide selection of speeds -- always start as the slowest speed unless you like to re-decorate your kitchen.

[bxgirl]

Again, Mike, thank you so much. You have been very helpful.

[rememberme]

I only use my immersion blender for pureeing hot soups, i.e. only a few times a year, but every time I'm really glad for it, because it's a pain to use the big blender for hot things. I use my food processor for pesto, and mixing lots of things, plus chopping nuts (unless I need them really dry, in which case I use a 100 year old nut grinder.) Come to think of it, I don't use my blender for very much, except the occasional smoothy. And maybe I can just do without it for that . . . .

[fredbillie]

One of the differences is the accessories but in addition the 300 blender is 300 Watts versus the 100 blender's 100 Watts.

[catdoc2]

Really? When we were looking at IB's I emailed KA customer support for that reason. I was told by customer support they were the same immersion blender, just the accessories were different. Had no need for the accessories so got the KHB100. It was great while it lasted, felt heavy duty, but died after 1.2 years of moderate use. Maybe we will get the 300 if truly more heavy duty. That being said, the warranty is only 1 year, which makes me nervous...

[Grillncook]

Another KA owner here, I love it and use it all the time. It's great for pureeing sauces and making salad dressings.

I also love my 12 cup KA food processor, great for making pie and biscuit dough. slicing, grating, grinding small amounts of meat. It comes with a small 4 cup bowl and blade which is great for small jobs, great for clean up.

[paulj]

I've never tried pesto with an immersion blender. For that I use the chopper attachment. The blender part needs more liquid.

[MikeB3542]

For the money, the Kitchen Aid seems to be the best. There are better immersion blenders out there, but they start to get pricey. The part with the cutter pops off for cleaning.

Not that I have had a problem, but most of the units (including KA) have plastic parts in the drive -- they WILL break if you go ape with it, though have had no problems blasting through frozen strawberries in smoothies or the chocolate hockey pucks while making Mexican hot cocoa (shameless plug for Abuelita and Ibarra Mexican chocolate -- good stuff!)

Word to the wise -- get agressive with ice and hard stuff and you'll be sorry. Tough jobs belong in your regular blender or food processor.

Final note -- don't mess with the blade part unless detached from the power unit. My wife found out the hard way last Thanksgiving and ended up at the ER getting her fingers sewed back together.

We don't have a food processor, but we do have a cutter/chooper unit that fits on our Osterizer. Mainly used for hummus and salsa.

[applehome]

Love my Braun - I've had it well over 10 years, no problems ever. I use it to grind spices in the small blender adapter, blend soups, etc.,

[Caralien]

I love my Braun Multiquick, which they've discontinued making for whatever reason (low replacement value? great price?) Current one I've had 10+ years, old one over 20 (it stays in the car for trips). I haven't seen the need for a standard blender since I don't drink frozen drinks (and they always leak, take up tons of space...)

We tried the Cuisinart Stainless model (registered for it because it was pretty), and it broke immediately, as did the replacement parts (it's also so heavy that it tips over small pots). It's somewhere in a box now.

The immersion blender attachment: hot soups, cold soups, milkshakes, all purees aside from potatoes (it'll turn it to glue)
-chopper: gazpacho, salsa, habanero-garlic-ginger paste, oatmeal scrub masks, mineral makeup
-whisk: egg whites
I've found some on eBay for family members who wanted the same one I had, priced $25-50.

[TampaAurora]

Mineral make-up and scrubs? Do tell.

[Caralien]

scrubs: dried milk blended with oats, cranberry-e capsules, brown sugar, touch of cinnamon (can also be reconstituted as a drink); coffee+cocoa+brown sugar...

mineral makeup supplies: wholesalesuppliesplus.com (iron oxides+tapioca powder+titanium dioxide)

[atg106]

I have to second the Braun Multiquick - the biggest feature to me is that the business end of the immersion blender can be put in the dishwasher. I look at replacements, and I find that lack of cleaning the interface between the motor and blade to be a big turn-off.

[MEH]

Hi!

I have a Kitchenaid Immersion blender and it does everything I ask it to! No complaints at all.

And, yes, I have a food precessor, also a KA. I use it for everything- chopping veggies, making biscuit and pie dough, making batter for popovers, making hummus and breadcrumbs, grating hard cheese, etc.

I use the immersion blender for processing hot foods - pureeing soups and sauces and such, and for making milk shakes.

Hope this helps-
Mary
www.BestinKitchen.com

[hollerhither]

Ditto. I like my KitchenAid, use it for pureeing in-pot, mostly soups. You can't safely puree a hot soup in a food processor (although a classic blender can often work quite nicely). I use my Cuisinart food processor for hummus, breadcrumbs, and dough, too.

[Mother of four]

Love my KA!

[mech_e]

I got a heck of a deal on a KA and have been looking for ways to use it more. How would one use it for pie crusts? TIA.

[roxlet]

I can't imagine using a stick belender -- or any kind of blender for pie crusts...

[grnidkjun]

No issues here either with my KA

[scubadoo97]

Bamix. The top of the line for home immersion blenders

[KTinNYC]

Second on the Bamix. The brand is not well known in the states but it really is a great product.

[greglor]

Bamix by a mile. I've used the other ones, and they don't even begin to compare. Kind of like comparing the el-cheapo plastic-handle knives you can buy in a grocery store with the $100 Henckel's. You can feel when you pick it up that the Bamix is more substantial than the other plastic immersion blenders.

People don't believe me when I say I can whip cream in less than 20 seconds - until they see the Bamix in action. It's really that good.

[Candy]

Third on Bamix, try to find one! I have 2 Cuisinarts I've had for years and have no complaints.

[roxlet]

I got a Bamix for Christmas, and took it for a test drive making whipped cream for the dessert. Apparently I used the wrong blade, and although it didn't take 20 seconds (is that an exaggeration?) it was quick and easy and the results were excellent. Best of all, it rinsed off in a flash and I didn't have to drag out another appliance and have clogging up the countertop. Love it and can't wait to use it more!

[greglor]

Nope, not an exaggeration. Time yourself with the right blade (it's not the blade attachment, it's the perfectly round circle attachment with no baffles on it), and hold it at just a slight angle to the cream.

Congrats on the new Bamix. Mine sees a lot of use, and it's probably close to ten years old, and still going strong.

[roxlet]

I am loving my Bamix. I use it to whip 2 egg whites and 1 whole egg for the fluffiest omelet ever. I've even used it to chop garlic for meatballs and grate cheese for lasagna. I love it and I was very happy to learn about it here. My husband was pureeing tomatoes right in the can the other day and was loving it too. I will definitely use it to whip cream the next time I have the need.

[Khai]

This may seem like a stupid question, but I've been looking at immersion blenders for while now and have often seen Bamix touted as "the very best". When I go into "professional" restaurant supply stores however, I see brands like Robot Coupe, Dito Dean, occasionally Waring, and almost always Dynamic International - all of which have a large product range with the largest IBs in the lines looking more like gasoline powered weed whackers (dual hand grips, 4' long to reach into those MASSIVE soup cauldrons), than your typical "stick blender".

Are these simply not brought up in the same way that Hobart isn't often mentioned when people are looking for a stand mixer - obviously better, but several orders of magnitude of overkill for a home chef?

To my mind, while the Bamix looks like a great option and a far better tool than I am a cook, something like the Dynamic "Master" or "Junior" would be *the ultimate* - if perhaps akin to commuting to work in an McLaren F1.

[scubadoo97]

If I were to get a different brand of IB other than the Bamix I would get the Waring WSB50. Not that much more than the Bamix Gastro but lots of power.

[iyc_nyc]

Scuba, would you prefer the WSB50 over the Barmix Gastro, or are you saying you'd get the Waring only if youhad to switch brands?

Also, do you find any downsides to the larger shaft of the Gasto (over the Barmix De Lux, Mono, etc.) -- i.e., is it ever cumbersome, too heavy, too big? (I'm petite at 5'2" with tiny hands so might be more of an issue for me..). I looked at the Waring and I tk it's a 10" shaft!

Finally (for now), do you know how the Gastro compares to WS's new 'professional model'? I called over there and no one at the 1-800 # or the stores really knew much about it, and the web site doesn't tell much. Turns out the Barmix USA site is actually just a distributor.. competes with WS. But very nice people there.

[scubadoo97]

The Gastro is 200w. Not sure about the WS model. The extra length is of the Gastro is a plus. I don't find it too long at all. Great for working inside a big pot. My wife recently had a bad bout of TMJ and has been on a soft diet for the last couple of weeks. I made 3 different soups the other day. Carrot/ginger/sweet potato, broccoli cheese and lentil and kale. I wized each up in the pot.. The Bamix did a fine job .

I had looked at the Waring model on line. The WSB50 is the lowest of the heavy duty IB in their line with 750w. The WSB40 is medium duty and is around the same price as the Gastro with 350w of power.

I had a Bamix look alike before getting the Bamix and I really liked the blade designs and the multiple blades even though I used the basic chopping blade the most. I was familiar with the design and although the Bamix is worlds better in quality of the copy the copy lasted me around 8 yrs.

[iyc_nyc]

Scuba, thanks so much - super helpful. The lady I spoke w at Bamix.USA suggested the De Lux and Mono over the Gastro bc she said the Gastro was too large and also to powerful! She said that even for experienced cooks, it threw food all over the kitchen..

Sounds like this has not been your experience so am now leaning toward the Gastro,.Thanks again for your helpful advice.

[scubadoo97]

No way the Gastro is TOO powerful. As to size, here are a couple of photos of the Gastro in a 6 qt Lodge dutch oven and the blender in a 4 cup measuring cup for reference.

[iyc_nyc]

great, thanks so much, scuba!

[iyc_nyc]

Scuba, do the instructions/manual that came with your Gastro indicate what the two speeds/RPMs are? I've seen conflicting information on different websites -- i.e., some say max 15,000 RPM and others say 17,000 RPM (and it turns out the Barmix USA site is just a distributor that licensed the name, not the manufacturer).

Do you know if this would even make a difference, or if wattage is more important?

Many thanks..

[scubadoo97]

Here is what is quoted on the Bamix Swiss site for the Gastro 200
translated from German
Power: 200 W
- RPM:
Level I: 12,000 rpm
- Category II: 18,000 rpm

[iyc_nyc]

great - thanks!

[shiralamb]

Scuba, it seems like you're quite the expert! Do you have any thoughts on the Waring Pro SB10 Professional? I am looking for a good quality IB, but something less expensive than some of the other models discussed previously... Thanks!

[scubadoo97]

Certainly no expert but thanks. The SB10 is cheap enough and has a detachable blade/shaft. A quick search turned up some positive reviews and a few that had issues with the 50 sec maximum blending time before it started to get hot.

[Mother of four]

I love my KA!!! I have and have had for about thirty years or more a Cusinart FP which is wonderful. I use it to chop, puree, slice, grate,and mix.

[rainey]

Me too! I've gone through a number of other brands in my time. The KA takes a load of punishment and always comes through. It's also very powerful at full speed.

I also love that you can release the blade end and pop it in the dishwasher.