Best Immersion Blenders
If you cook up big pots of soup or sauce, a stick blender can be a game-changer in the kitchen
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Immersion blenders may not be helpful if you want to make frozen margaritas, but if you’re whipping up a summer smoothie or preparing gravy from scratch on Thanksgiving, you’ll be grateful you own one.
They’re not as powerful as full-sized blenders or as quick as personal blenders, but these handheld appliances are practical for whisking eggs, grinding nuts, and stirring up sauces, salsas, and shakes. They may be better as a complement to your countertop blender since they can’t quite replace it. Two other advantages: They take up little space (they fit in drawers) and can be relatively inexpensive. The models in our ratings range from about $17 to $165.
“Immersion blenders don’t make much of a mess compared with other blenders,” says Ginny Lui, who oversees CR’s blender testing. “It’s a quick use and a quick clean of the handle and blade.”
What Is an Immersion Blender?
It’s a handheld electric mixing device with a handle-grip top, a batonlike shaft, and a spinning blade covered by a protective guard at the bottom. Some come with accessories like whisks, choppers, milk frothers, beaters, and blender jars that expand their functionality.
To use an immersion blender, just submerge the blade directly into the pot, bowl, or other container, press a button, and adjust the speed as needed.
Immersion blenders do have their limitations. “You can’t do any ice crushing with them—that would break the blades,” Lui says.
How CR Tests Immersion Blenders
Consumer Reports rates blender performance based on lab testing to help you find the right stick blender for your kitchen tasks.
In our lab, we measure how well immersion models blend frozen peaches, strawberries, and yogurt for smoothies, and how well they purée vegetables in water for soups. We also test each device’s power in revolutions per minute (rpm).
Below, in alphabetical order, are the three best immersion blenders from our tests. CR members have access to full reviews and ratings of these three, as well as reviews of immersion blenders from brands like Blendtec, Breville, Cuisinart, GE, KitchenAid, Mueller, NutriBullet, and Vitamix in our comprehensive ratings. For advice as you shop for any kind of blender, check out our blender buying guide.
The All-Clad KZ750D showed excellent overall performance in our tests, showing very good results when blending frozen fruit and yogurt for smoothies. Plus, it aced our soup purée tests. It operates at variable speeds, including a turbo speed, and comes with a one-year warranty.
Priced at $35, the Amazon Basics MJ-BH5001W2 is both relatively inexpensive and a top performer in our tests. It’s one of only two stick blenders to get excellent scores in our yogurt blend and soup purée tests. It has a grip handle and variable speeds, including turbo. It also comes with a variety of accessories: a chopper attachment, whisk, beaker, and silicone baking mat.
When you buy the Ninja Foodi Power Mixer System CI101, you get a top-notch immersion blender with an attachment that converts the blender’s motor base into a hand mixer with beaters and a whisk. (The package also includes a 3-cup blending jar.) As an immersion blender, the Ninja got excellent scores in our yogurt blend and soup purée tests. It’s also the most powerful handheld blender in our ratings, at a maximum of 15,500 rpm on its turbo setting. It has variable speeds, with five for mixing and two for blending, and carries a one-year warranty.
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