Kitchen Notes › Appliances› The immersion blender I actually use, and four more worth knowing
Kitchen Notes / Appliances

The immersion blender I actually use, and four more worth knowing

One I've used for years, and four more worth knowing, at every price.

Anna Lind Harper
by Anna Lind Harper
Updated 2026-06-16 · 8 min read
An immersion blender pureeing a pot of tomato soup on a stovetop in soft daylight, one hand steadying the pot.
DISCLOSUREThis post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. I only recommend tools I actually use.
The short answer
For the people skimming.
If you only buy one
The Braun MultiQuick

Quiet, smooth, and it has earned its drawer space for years.

Best value
The Cuisinart Smart Stick

Most of the blend for a fraction of the price.

Splurge
The Breville Control Grip

If you blend most nights, that trigger control is worth it.

Once soup season starts here in Minnesota, an immersion blender is the small tool I would not want to cook without. It turns a pot of roasted tomatoes or simmered white beans into something silky without dragging out the big blender and ladling hot soup back and forth.

I have used the same one for years, so I can tell you exactly why it earned its drawer space. For the rest of this list I did the homework I would do for a friend who asked, weighing what reviewers agree on against what actually matters when you are standing over a pot. Here is the one I reach for, and four more worth knowing at every price.

Side by side

At a glance.

#
Pick
Notes
Best for
01
Braun MultiQuick MQ7077
350W, corded
Best overall
See pick ↓
02
Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick
300W, 2 speeds
Best value
See pick ↓
03
Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender
280W, 15 speeds
Best control
See pick ↓
04
Bamix Classic 150W
150W, high-torque
Heirloom
See pick ↓
05
KitchenAid Cordless Variable Speed Hand Blender
Cordless, variable speed
Best cordless
See pick ↓
The picks

Ranked.

Each one with its honest pros, real downsides, and what I actually cook in it. Listed in the order I'd recommend buying them.

Braun MultiQuick MQ7077 immersion blender with stainless steel wand and ACTIVEBlade.
No. 01
Tier
Mid-range
See on Amazon →
№ 01
Best overall

Braun MultiQuick MQ7077

Braun

The one that actually lives in my drawer. From the first cold soup of summer through every pot of tomato bread soup in the fall, this is what I reach for, and it has not let me down.

What I love
  • Blends a full pot smooth with no streaks, even down in the corners
  • Quieter than any stick blender I have stood over
  • The guard has not marked my enameled pots
  • The variable trigger means I control the splatter, not the other way around
Worth knowing
  • Corded, so you are tied to an outlet
  • The beaker it comes with is fine, not generous
Best for
Anyone who makes blended soup more than a few times a year and wants to buy once.
Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick hand blender in white with a stainless steel blending shaft.
No. 02
Tier
Budget
See on Amazon →
№ 02
Best value

Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick

Cuisinart

The one I'd hand someone setting up a first kitchen. It shows up on nearly every budget list for a reason: 300 watts, two speeds, and very little to go wrong.

What I love
  • Genuinely inexpensive without feeling flimsy
  • 300 watts handles soup and smoothies without complaint
  • Simple two-speed control, nothing to learn
  • Comes with a beaker, so you can blend the day it arrives
Worth knowing
  • Only two speeds, so less fine control than pricier models
  • Reviewers note the plastic body feels its price
  • Corded
Best for
First kitchens, occasional blenders, anyone who wants the job done cheaply.
Breville Control Grip immersion blender in brushed stainless steel with a trigger handle and bell-shaped blade guard.
No. 03
Tier
Splurge
See on Amazon →
№ 03
Best control

Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender

Breville

The one I'd save up for if I blended most nights. The whole design is built around that trigger grip, and reviewers consistently rank its comfort and control at the top of the category.

What I love
  • The trigger grip keeps your wrist neutral over a tall pot
  • Fifteen speeds give you real control from a slow start
  • A bell-shaped guard made not to scratch or splatter
  • Owners praise how stable it feels deep in a pot
Worth knowing
  • A real step up in price
  • Heavier and bulkier than a basic stick
  • More blender than most casual cooks need
Best for
Frequent soup makers and anyone who blends in tall, deep pots.
Bamix Classic 150W immersion blender in black, Swiss made, with stainless steel attachments.
No. 04
Tier
Heirloom
See on Amazon →
№ 04
Heirloom

Bamix Classic 150W

Bamix

The one I'd buy to keep for decades. Bamix has made these in Switzerland since the 1950s, with a long warranty behind them. Do not let the 150 watts fool you: the high-torque motor is built to hold its speed through a thick puree rather than chase a big wattage number.

What I love
  • Swiss build quality that owners keep for decades
  • High-torque motor holds its speed in thick mixtures
  • Backed by a long manufacturer warranty
  • Simple, repairable, made to last
Worth knowing
  • The lowest wattage here, so it is about torque, not raw power
  • Premium price for a no-frills design
  • No trigger grip or beaker bundle like some rivals
Best for
Cooks who would rather buy one good thing and keep it.
KitchenAid cordless variable speed hand blender in black with a removable blending arm and pan guard.
No. 05
Tier
Mid-range
See on Amazon →
№ 05
Best cordless

KitchenAid Cordless Variable Speed Hand Blender

KitchenAid

The one I'd point a small-kitchen cook toward. No cord to wrestle, a removable arm for easy washing, and enough charge to get through a pot of soup before it wants the dock again.

What I love
  • Cordless, so you can move from stove to counter freely
  • Removable blending arm is dishwasher safe
  • Variable speed for a controlled start
  • A pan guard to protect your pots
Worth knowing
  • A battery is one more thing to keep charged
  • Runtime is limited compared to a corded motor
  • Costs more than a simple corded stick
Best for
Small kitchens, batch cooks, anyone who hates fighting a cord.
Buying guide

How I'd shop for one from scratch.

№01
Power

200 watts is plenty for soup. Higher wattage helps with tougher purees and nut butters, though a high-torque motor like Bamix's matters more than the number alone.

№02
Speed control

Variable speed or a trigger gives you a slow start, which keeps soup from leaping up the shaft and onto your arm.

№03
Blade guard

A bell-shaped guard reduces splatter. Plastic or guarded feet are gentler on nonstick and enameled pots than bare metal.

№04
Attachments

A whisk and a mini chopper are genuinely useful. A lot of the rest just clutters the drawer.

№05
Beaker

An included tall beaker is the difference between blending neatly and wearing your smoothie.

№06
Cord vs cordless

Cordless is freeing if you cook for a crowd. For everyday soup, a cord is one less battery to charge.

The questions I get

Frequently asked.

Immersion blender or a countertop blender?

For hot soup, an immersion blender wins. You blend right in the pot, there is nothing to pour, and far less to wash. A countertop blender gets you a silkier result for things like smoothies, but it is a bigger commitment of space and cleanup.

Can an immersion blender crush ice?

Most cannot, and the ones that claim to tend to dull fast. If crushing ice matters to you, that is a job for a countertop blender.

Will it scratch my nonstick or enameled pots?

A plastic or guarded foot is gentle. A bare metal foot can mark a nonstick coating, so keep it moving and do not press it into the base of the pot.

Is cordless worth it?

If you regularly cook big batches or move between stove and counter, yes. For a pot of weeknight soup, a corded model is simpler and one less thing to charge.