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Our team of culinary experts researched more than 50 of the best immersion hand blenders on the market before purchasing 9 of the top models to test side-by-side. We assessed each immersion blender based on its ability to blend vegetables into soups and fruits into smoothies, and for its capacity to grind seeds. We also examined the effectiveness of the accessories that came with each model — an immersion blender is a utilitarian tool and these kits often can be used as a mixer, chopper, and even a milk frother. We compared ease of use and which ones minimize your clean-up time. Our comprehensive review offers expert advice on which blenders are the best bargains, which are the best for specific applications, and which ones are our subjective favorites.
Editor's Note: We updated our hand blender review on January 10, 2024, sharing some additional photos of our award choices and some alternative blender picks for each award winner.
When it comes to hand blenders, it'd be hard to top the Braun Multiquick. This nifty little kitchen appliance is one of the most comfortable models we've reviewed, and the buttons are easy to use. When it comes time to grind, whip, and blend, the Braun offers the utmost performance, further enhanced when you engage the turbo boost. During our smoothie-making party, this device did a great job, didn't create much suction, and pulverized everything very quickly. We also found that the attachments for this model were especially easy to change.
However, speaking of attachments, the Braun only includes two. If you're looking for a model with a chopping cup attachment or a milk frother, this is not the one. The only other flaw we found is that the textured handle is so grippy that it tends to hold onto little towel fuzzies and dust. Despite these minor drawbacks, we still think this appliance is the best choice for those looking for a simple ergonomic blender that does a tremendous job and is easy to use. If you want extra attachments, see the Amazon Basics Multi-Speed Immersion or Bella Multi-Use 10-Speed, which both include chopper cups.
The Braun MQ505 has a comfortable grip, easily interchangeable accessories, and overall fantastic performance.
If you're ready to immerse yourself into the hand blender world but don't want to break the bank to purchase one, we recommend the Amazon Basics Multi-Speed Immersion. This model offers one of the best blending performances, which becomes even more impressive considering its affordability. The accessories are effortless to attach, making it a cinch to get prepped for blending your delicious sauces, dips, and kitchen concoctions.
Although the attachments are super easy to snap into place, we found them to be a bit difficult to remove. If you need to switch up accessories in the middle of your process, be ready to put a little extra elbow grease into exchanging them. Another minor flaw we found is that the speed setting is a bit of a pain to change while the appliance is in use. Still, this isn't much of a problem if you don't mind halting your blend quickly to dial it up or down. If you're looking for an affordable hand blender with similar performance to the high-end models, go with the Amazon Basics Multi-Speed. If you want to save even more money, see the Ovente 300W Immersion Blender, a bare-bones model that lacks attachments but still performs well for a nominal price.
The Amazon Basics Multi-Speed offers commendable performance at a reasonable price.
The Ovente 300W Immersion Blender is one of our favorite models, especially considering the price. Unlike several models in our review, it's very easy to toggle speed while in use — you don't have to stop blending to change speeds. Removing and reattaching the shaft for cleaning is a sinch.
While using the Ovente to create smoothies, our testers noticed it creates minor extra suction. Although the handle is comfortable, it is relatively large. This may be preferable for some people, but others may prefer a device with a more slender construction. Lastly, The Ovente only includes the standard shaft and chopper, but that may be all you need. If you want more accessories, check out a model like the Utalent 5-in-1 Immersion, which includes the standard blending cup and whisk but also a chopper cup and a milk frothing attachment. If you don't need the extra attachments or any bells and whistles, we think the Ovente is an excellent budget option.
This affordable hand blender has a speed toggle that is simple to use.
If you are looking for a model to use in a professional setting or know you're hard on your kitchen appliances, check out the Mueller Ultra-Stick 500W 9-Speed. Due to its metal construction, this device has a solid feel, and the blending arm locks directly into the motor. Our team found this model particularly powerful during our blending assessment, thanks to its 500-watt motor. The power buttons are a cinch to use, adding to kitchen efficiency.
However, the speed dial is rather challenging to use during operation. You can work around this by placing your speed on the right setting before blending. Regardless, we discovered that this product doesn't circulate ingredients as efficiently as other options. Flaws aside, the Meller Ultra-Stick 500Watt is a terrific choice if you're in the market for a heavy-duty hand blender. Though the Mueller is powerful, if the absolute best blending performance is what you seek, we recommend the Braun Multiquick.
Every hand blender should have a good chopper.
Credit: Laura Casner
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Hand-operated immersion blenders are a versatile tool. With blending and mixing attachments, they are a utilitarian addition to any kitchen.
Credit: Laura Casner
Why You Should Trust Us
We tested nine popular hand blenders by inspecting each package for included accessories and assessing how easy they are to attach and remove. We subjectively judged their ergonomic feel and ease of operation for our ease of use metric. But where the real meat of the story comes in is our blending tests. We made smoothies with the same recipe for each model to assess their overall performance. Finally, we gauged how much mess each model made while in use and how difficult each blender was to clean.
Our testing of hand blenders is divided across 3 testing metrics:
Blending (55% of overall score weighting)
Ease of Use (40% weighting)
Accessories (5% weighting)
To complete this review, we paired our Senior Research Analyst Michelle Powell with our In-House Review Editor, Ross Patton. Michelle Powell already had more than ten years of experience working in the food and beverage industry before joining our team. Since joining GearLab, she has conducted in-depth, side-by-side product analysis on over a dozen different types of kitchen appliances ranging from the best espresso machines and best air fryers to the top ice cream makers. With a formal education in environmental science and more than a decade of product review experience under his belt, Ross Patton is no stranger to studying the intricacies and tiny details of products that set them apart from one another. With this team, you can rest assured that they have created a darned good set of review parameters.
Having a milk frother attachment is ideal for baristas.
Having a whisk attachment can take a lot of the work out of many recipes.
Analysis and Test Results
We took our findings from our head-to-head assessment and grouped them into three individual rating metrics — Blending, ease of use, and accessories. These metrics are designed to help you make the right purchase based on your specific wants and needs.
Value
We appreciate it when solid performance is paired with a high-value price tag. Our fleet includes a range of immersion blender prices, with our top scorer, the Braun Multiquick offering the best performance at an acceptable price point. We also included two other exceptional award-winning products, the Amazon Basics Multi-Speed and Mueller Ultra-Stick 500W 9-Speed, which both ring in around the same price. Last but not least, the Ovente 300W is one of our favorite models; it's easy to use, and what's not to like about the price?
Blending is one of the top uses of a hand blender.
Credit: Laura Casner
Blending
The first subcategory of our assessment is blending. Our recipe included bananas, frozen blueberries, frozen strawberries, spinach, orange juice, and hemp seeds.
We paid close attention to each blender's feel and power while in use and how long each one took to get the concoction to the same general consistency. Once the smoothies were done, we used a blind panel of testers to let us know what they thought about the blend and noted any excess chunks of fruit or seeds left in each batch.
We used the same recipe for each smoothie to ensure even test results.
Credit: Laura Casner
The clear champion of this assessment was the Braun Multiquick. This model did a phenomenal job, and it did it quickly. Our testers found that the finished product was perfectly smooth and devoid of chunks of fruit or spinach leaves, and the hemp seeds were pulverized.
The Braun MQ505 made quick work of our smoothie recipe.
We were delighted with the blending performance of the Braun MQ505.
Next up was the Amazon Basics Multi-Speed and Ovente Electric Easy Grip 300. Although the Amazon Basics took a bit longer than the Braun Multiquick, it eventually got the mixture to an appropriate consistency. The Ovente Electric Easy Grip 300 also did a great job, but it missed a few of the blueberries and created moderate suction.
Our team of kitchen appliance experts were pleased with the blending performance offered by the Ovente Electric Easy Grip 300.
Credit: Laura Casner
The handle on the Bella Multi-Use 10-Speed is relatively large in diameter. Still, we found it comfortable to hold for all shapes and sizes of hand thanks to its tapered handle that rounds back off to the full diameter of the body at the top. This device has ten speeds to dial the RPMs to the optimal rate for your desired consistency. Although the Bella 10-Speed is not the most powerful model we've tested, we still found it reasonably strong, especially considering its 350-watt motor.
The Utalent 5-in-1 Immersion also got the smoothie to the ideal blend for our panel of testers, but it took longer than the models mentioned above to do so. However, we love the ergonomic handle and its eight speeds to chop, blend, or froth at the perfect rate for optimal consistency. Finally, the Mueller Ultra-Stick 500W 9-Speed produced the same result, but it took the longest to get there.
The Utalent includes a milk frother accessory for those looking to step up their home barista game.
Credit: Laura Casner
Ease of Use
To subjectively judge the ease of use of each model, we began by considering each's overall ergonomic feel. We closely examined how each model fit into our hands and how well they balanced during operation.
We carefully inspected and tested the buttons and controls to see if anything made the blender easier or more challenging to operate.
We paid close attention to extra spattering or spraying while each device operated during our smoothie-making extravaganza. We switched and used the various dials and buttons while mixing and assessed how easy or difficult the accessories included with each device were to attach or remove. Finally, we considered the effort required to clean up each model and anything that made cleaning especially easy or difficult.
Some hand blenders are much easier to use than others. We think that the Utalent is one of the best.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Mueller Ultra-Stick 500W 9-Speed is our favorite to operate. We found this model to be particularly easy to hold and maneuver. The on, off, and turbo buttons are comfortable and don't require much effort to push, and the accessories are a breeze to attach and release. The Braun Multiquick operates similarly to the Mueller Ultra-Stick 500W 9-Speed, but the rubber texture on the grip tends to hold onto things such as dust and paper towels.
Using the Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick 500 Watt is as easy as can be thanks to its simple design.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Amazon Basics Multi-Speed feels ergonomic in hand, and the buttons require minimal effort to press. The attachment is a tad difficult to remove, although it's a breeze to put on. The power and turbo buttons are top-notch, but the speed dial is hard to access while in use.
The Gourmia GHB2360 has an LED light in case you're ever blending in a dim setting. It also excels in our ease of use metric, as it is an intuitive product.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Ovente Electric Easy Grip 300 Watt 7's speed toggle is a cinch to use while blending. We also noticed the unusually thick handle, which may be a dealbreaker for some users. The Utalent 5-in-1 Immersion is more challenging to operate than its competitors because the buttons are more difficult to push, and the attachments are a very tight fit. However, this model is still one of the better hand blenders we tested.
The controls on the Amazon Basics Multi-Speed are simple and perfectly located.
Credit: Laura Casner
Accessories
Depending on how you use your hand blender, accessories may play a key role in your purchasing decision.
The Utalent includes an array of attachments including a hand blender.
Credit: Laura Casner
If all you're looking for is something to help you froth milk, then you probably don't require a whisk or a chopper cup. But if you want an all-around kitchen blending machine, purchasing a model with as many attachments as possible would be wise. We carefully cataloged and tested all of the included accessories for each device.
Models that include a plethora of accessories can really help you step up your kitchen game.
Credit: Laura Casner
If you're looking for the model with the most bells and whistles, look no further than the Utalent 5-in-1 Immersion. In addition to the standard shaft and chopper, this model includes a whisk, a milk frother, a cup, and a chopper cup.
The BELLA offers 10 speeds and an excellent assortment of accessories.
Credit: Laura Casner
The Amazon Basics Multi-Speed comes with everything the Utalent 5-in-1 Immersion does besides the milk frother, same with the Braun Multiquick minus the chopping cup. The Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick 500 Watt has the standard chopper, a whisk, and the often coveted milk frother but does not come with a chopping cup or blending cup.
The KitchenAid Pro Line comes with a handy carrying case for those that need a portable setup. It also offers a range of accessories.
Credit: Laura Casner
If all you're looking for is the most basic model without the frills, the Ovente Electric Easy Grip 300 Watt does not come with any attachments or accessories.
The Utalent includes all of the attachments that we love, including a chopping cup.
Credit: Laura Casner
If you know you'll be taking your appliance on the go, you may want to go with the KitchenAid Pro Line 2-Speed. This model has a handy pouch that fits the device and its attachments. We found the KitchenAid handle reasonably comfortable, and this version has some appealing aesthetics. If portability is important, you might consider one of the best portable blenders.
Some of our favorite hand blenders we've gotten our hands-on.
Credit: Laura Casner
Conclusion
Finding a device as seemingly basic and easy to use as a hand blender can be a pain, with so many to choose from. We purchased all of the products for a proper hands-on analysis here at GearLab so that we can take the headache and stress out of shopping to ensure that you get the perfect product for your given situation. We hope you have as much fun using these devices and creating delicious treats as we did while testing them.
