Hand Blender Reviews and Buying Guide:

The leading brands for hand immersion blenders are KitchenAid, Cuisinart, Bamix, Viking, Dualit, Deni, Toastmaster, Hamilton Beach, Proctor Silex, Rival, Breville, and Oster. They range in price from about $30 to $130. The most expensive stick blenders are not always the best in terms of reviews and ratings. We found a lot of positive feedback on the Braun Multiquick which can be bought for around $30 while the $120 Viking hand blender leaves many consumers wondering why they bought it. We found several reviews online at sites like Amazon.com and Epinions as well as ratings in magazines like Consumer Reports. We also trust the feedback on Cooking.com from avid home chefs who use immersion blenders on a regular basis. Since I have some experience using our KitchenAid hand blender I can add my two cents worth as well. The real question for a speciality appliance like a stick blender is how much will you really use it. As I mentioned earlier, my wife is an avid cook and likes to create exotic sauces and soups so I find her using the immersion blender quite often. Other friends of ours have bought stick blenders and say they never use them. You can find them in retail stores like Target, Sears, and even Lowes. Browse the most popular immersion blenders on Amazon here.

Best Hand Blenders: The Onyx Black Immersion Blender from KitchenAid - Model KHB300OB sells for roughly $85. The overall opinions on this blender are that it's the best of the bunch and KitchenAid has a solid reputation when it comes to kitchen mixers and blenders. It's available in white, empire red, or black so it can match your kitchen. It's even been used on the TV Show America's Test Kitchen. That being said, the immersion blender works wonders on fluffing egg whites, chopping herbs, and blending soups. Attachments include a chopping blade and whisk and the stainless steel splashguard keeps messes to a minimum. All the accessories are dishwasher safe. The variable speeds allow you to control what you are pureeing, chopping, or blending.

Top Rated Budget Stick Blender: RECOMMENDED - It's hard to go against hundred of buyers on Amazon.com who voted the Cuisinart CSB-76 Smart Stick Hand Blender ($32) as the best hand blender on the market. The Cuisinart SmartStick features a 200 watt motor and has a protective guard to keep splatter down. The controls are simple to understand and the unit is easy to operate. The stainless steel blending shaft is dishwasher safe so no need to hand clean it. You get a 2-cup plastic beaker to blend your ingredients in and the Cuisinart hand blender has a 3-year limited warranty. This immersion hand blender is perfect for blending drinks, mixing pancake or crepe batter, or pureeing soups. Put your ingredients in a bowl, pot, pitcher, or whatever and blend away. Most owners say the immersion blender works flawlessly as long as you follow directions.

Professional Hand Blender: You may think of Viking or another top end appliance maker when it comes to commercial style kitchen gadgets, but the Viking hand blender doesn't rate as well as the Braun MR5550MBC Impressions Multiquick Handblender which sells for around $200. The Braun MR5550 gives you 400 watts of power with their Turbo function. Comes with an ice crusher insert - great for creating mixed drinks or just for crushed ice. The 5 speed hand blender has a 1 year warranty and comes with plenty of extras. The Bamix Mono and Deluxe hand blenders sell for over $120/each, but the reviews are mixed on their durability for the price. We are waiting to hear more from owners before we can recommend this high priced brand.