Best Hand Blender For Soups

Hand blenders, often called immersion blenders, are an excellent addition to your essential kitchen tools. They can handle major tasks such as pureeing soups or blending smoothies and minor tasks that include whip cream and salad dressing.

I sorta cringe every time a soup recipe calls for cornstarch as thickening agent. Nothing wrong with cornstarch or flour, but many times you can thicken a soup by blending up some of the food base, and not modify the flavors with any additive thickeners. With a hand blender, you get the power of a standalone blender in the palm of your hand, giving you more control, speedier results, and easier cleanup compared to a full-size blender.

Looking for my pick? I like the KitchenAid 5-Speed Hand Blender at Amazon.

We took a look at the best immersion blenders available today. Some come with extra accessories and features. Some are more affordably priced and simple to use.

Buying Guide Considerations

We think these factors are important when thinking about which hand blender to buy:

• Cord or Cordless. Do you have plenty of outlets in your kitchen? If yes, then I think you wouldn’t mind having the immersion blender with a cord. However, if space in your kitchen is an issue, you can go with the cordless and rechargeable ones. They get the job done, but they will always be less powerful and reliable than the corded versions.
• Speed and Power. Do you prefer an immersion blender with several speed settings, or are you fine with two? Budget-friendly immersion blenders usually come with two settings, yet with the right power, they work just fine in achieving your desired thickness.
• Easy to Clean. It is best to find immersion blenders with removable parts to ensure you can easily clean them.
• Price. When we start seeing appliances on Amazon that are “bundled” with other accessories, let’s be real. Most of the models have a simple function and all of them do it. So the manufacturers start adding freebies and nice-to-have add-ons. If it happens to work for you, then by all means buy. But the hidden message is that price shouldn’t be a wide range.
• Size for Storage. I don’t know about you but if it’s a small appliance I’m gonna find space in the cabinet somewhere.

Best High End Option: Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender

Breville Control Grip is a kind of essential kitchen tool that you will probably keep for a lifetime. This immersion blender is designed for three best reasons: ease of use, comfortable and secure ergonomic handle with a special trigger feature, and 280-watt motor. Thus, making soup in large quantities is done easily with its 8-inch immersion depth and 15-speed settings. With a one-year warranty and high customer service ratings, the Breville Control Grip is an investment if you’re looking for a high-end immersion blender.

PROS:

• It has a smart gripped handle, called a “pistol grip,” and a very large range of speeds, 15 to be exact, giving you the most control possible.
• This immersion blender also comes with a chopping bowl and a large pitcher for easy organization and storage of your food, all dishwasher safe.
• If you often make more soup in one sitting, it has a built-in lid for a seamless transfer to any container.
• It features a non-scratch base to prevent scratching pots.

CONS:

• Due to its best features, this immersion blender is more expensive.
• Although too many speed settings can be great for some, it may also confuse other users.

Best Git R Done Option: Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed Immersion Hand Blender

The Cuisinart immersion blender is very powerful with its 200-watt motor for its affordable price, perfect for major blending tasks. It features speed dial controls to easily puree soup and ergonomic handles for a more comfortable and controllable grip. You can start on low settings and easily change into high to produce a smooth and fairly thick texture and scatter-free soup! Although it doesn’t come with any attachments or extra kitchen cookware, you surely get a great bang for your buck with this best immersion blender —easy-to-use and comes in various colors to match your kitchen’s style.

PROS:

• Its detachable shaft is easily removed for cleaning, and it’s also dishwasher safe.
• With a stainless steel build, it’s durable.
• It has a one-touch control to achieve a convenient one-handed blending session.
• It has a built-in slotted guard to protect your hands from being cut since the blade is so powerful.
• This product is a great balance between affordability and performance, making it a great buy.

CONS:

• This immersion handle has its control settings on top, meaning it may need two hands to operate.

Best Cordless Option: Cuisinart Rechargeable Hand Blender with Electric Knife

The Cuisinart Rechargeable Hand Blender with Electric Knife is a truly essential addition to your kitchen tools. It lets you blend, whisk, whip, chop, and carve, making it convenient for kitchen tasks. Thus, you do not need to take out your knives if you need them because this hand blender has it all.

Cuisinart is every chef’s favorite because you can use it cordless, straight for 20 minutes, once fully charged. This immersion blender has a 9.5-inch slim shaft that allows blending or pureeing deep pots or pitchers with 5-speed settings to achieve different consistencies.

PROS:

• It is a cordless, rechargeable blender with a 7.4 amp lithium-ion battery. Thus, you can use it anywhere you like.
• It is ergonomically designed for a comfortable grip.
• This immersion blade comes with easy 5-speed control settings. No matter what you use it with, you can surely achieve your results.
• It has a power lock and unlock feature for safety purposes.

CONS:

• This rechargeable hand blender ticks all the list in terms of convenience, yet some users note how the battery wears off over time, resulting in more charging times.

Best Model with Attachments: Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick 9-Speed Immersion Hand Blender

The Mueller Austria 9-Speed Hand Blender is another great choice for cheaper best immersion blenders. The quality is not sacrificed for its price because it comes with a 500-watt, full copper motor. Therefore, it is a very powerful immersion blender that can handle purees, smoothies, sauces, soups, and even almond or peanut butter. It has a milk frother and a whisk attachment, too, so that you can have homemade lattes and mayo for sandwiches, aside from making large batches of soup. You can easily clean the attachments, too, since these are dishwasher safe.

PROS:

• It is made of premium quality of full copper motor that can compete with other more expensive brands.
• It is designed to provide a comfortable grip, especially for long blending sessions.
• The attachments are removable for easy operation and cleaning.
• This immersion blender comes with a 1-year warranty to maximize a quality blending experience.

CONS:

• Reviewers say everything about this hand blender feels sturdy, durable, well-made, and comparable to blenders that cost twice as much. It is best to ensure attachments, especially the blade, are well-secured before blending to avoid accidents.

Best Looking: All-Clad Cordless Rechargeable Stainless Steel Hand Blender

All-Clad Cordless Rechargeable Hand Blender is every chef’s dream for its exceptional features. It is a 600-watt high-powered blender with a 5-speed setting, where you can freely choose which texture you wish to achieve with your smoothies, pureed vegetables, and soup. You can chop nuts, too, as its blade comes with reasonable space. What makes this product one of the best immersion blenders is its recharging feature. It has a recharging base that serves as its safe storage.

PROS:

• The shaft and blades are removable and dishwasher safe. Plus, the removable shaft allows easy storage as well.
• It has a solid construction considering it is made of premium stainless steel.
• It has easy-to-operate settings with 5-speed blending options.
• It is cordless so that you can bring it conveniently anywhere.

CONS:

• It does not come with accessories, such as a whisk or mini chopper, but it is always available for purchase.

Best Commercial Quality: Waring 7″ Light-Duty Quik Stik Immersion Blender

This Waring Immersion Blender is a perfect choice for commercial use; however, its price can compete with other home-use immersion blenders. With its 100-watt motor, it can make up to three gallons of soup. This light-duty immersion blender is designed to handle tasks in professional settings easily, so when it’s placed in a home setting, it is a powerhouse. It comes in two easy-to-operate settings for one-handed blending. Although it does not come with other accessories, it is the right purchase for the high volume cook, especially if you are constantly making soups for groups of people.

PROS:

• It is made of a durable 7-inch stainless steel fixed shaft and blade that can last for a long time.
• It is good for commercial or personal use, especially for making large batches of soup.
• It has 2-speed settings to achieve the desired thickness, and it is easy-to-use.
• It is compact and lightweight.

CONS:

• Since it has fixed attachments, cleaning this immersion blender can be challenging.

KOIOS 800-Watt/ 12-Speed Immersion Hand Blender

If you want a more high-powered products for your soup and other needs, this KOIOS Oxasmart Immersion Blender has 12-speed settings and a turbo mode. It will take a shorter period to blend and puree fruits and vegetables and achieve a smooth and thick texture using KOIOS. It comes with a chopper attachment, whisk attachment, and a blender jar if you do not use your own for blending. This immersion blender has a titanium-made blade for extra strength and a bell-shaped exterior to prevent mess. Plus, it comes with a loop for easy handling or hanging after cleaning.

PROS:

• It features an anti-splash design, which works perfectly well for soup, smoothie, and sauce making.
• This immersive blender’s versatility is eminent since you can use it for several tasks, apart from making soup.
• Its 800-watt motor allows a very powerful blending strength along with its 12-speed settings. Thus, you can use any fruits or vegetables with this appliance.

CONS:

• It can get challenging to clean the food stuck on the blades.

Braun 3-in-1 Immersion Hand Blender

Braun’s 3-in-1 Immersion Hand Blender has a unique feature that is not mostly found on other best immersion blenders —variable speed button! It means the speed and its power depends on how harder you press the blender. Thus, no need for manually setting up the controls to achieve your desired speed. The blade’s height adjusts to your soup or food’s height to ensure blending is done securely and neatly. Also, it comes with a narrow bell-shaped blade guard without vents to avoid removable food stuck on usual vents. This immersion blender comes with a mixing jar, food processor, and whisk attachment, which all are dishwasher-safe.

PROS:

• The easiest single-hand blending operation for its Easy SmartSpeed technology.
• This best immersion blender produces faster and finer results due to its flexible blade shaft that moves up and down, creating flavorful, smooth, and thick results.
• Expect less to no splashing while blending with its advanced splash control technology.

CONS:

• Blade attachments need to be dried thoroughly after cleaning as it is prone to absorb water.

Hamilton Beach Turbo-Twister 2-Speed Hand Blender

The Hamilton Beach 2-Speed Hand Blender is a cheaper alternative to the higher-end models. This turbo twister immersion blender has a 200-watt motor that lets you blend and puree soup and smoothie directly into the bowl and glass. Its convenience is ideal for quick blending and out-of-town use with its size and five-foot cord. This immersion blender has a simple design with two speeds, a detachable plastic head for easy cleaning, and a stainless steel whisk attachment. The attachments ensure safety during blending, and at the same time, these can be easily removed for hand washing.

PROS:

• Its 200-watt motor allows quick blending of soup in under 90 seconds.
• It has large control settings, which are easy to operate.
• It comes with a stainless steel whisk which allows other tasks to be accomplished.
• This immersion blender comes with a one-year warranty to cover any issue of defects.

CONS:

• It doesn’t come with any extra features or attachments, but if you’re looking for a simple hand blender to get your soup done quickly and easily, this is a perfect option.

Our Top Choice: KitchenAid 5-Speed Hand Blender

The KitchenAid 5-speed Hand Blender is another great option for homemade soups. Its 5-speed settings and bell blade assemblies can handle several kitchen tasks, such as crushing ice, pureeing soup, frothing milk, and more, in different consistencies with comfort and ease. This immersion blender has an 8-inch blending arm, allowing blending tasks in deeper containers. Plus, its top rack is noted to be dishwasher safe for easy cleaning.

PROS:

• The Kitchenaid comes with three different blade attachments, as well as a stainless steel whisk attachment. More attachments allow for even more control and nuance in your cooking.
• It also has a rubber pan guard in order to protect your pans from getting damaged by the blades.
• Aside from the attachments, it also comes with a “chopper.” That’s a 2 ½ cup container with blades at the bottom and a lid for specialized chopping jobs, and a 4 cup pitcher or storage or to house your soup. On top of all of this, it comes with a convenient storage container.

CONS:

• This hand blender definitely comes with the most bells and whistles, but it’s still pretty high on the price scale.

Conclusion

When the weather cools down, you’re probably getting in the mood for soup. With the right hand blender, you’ll be whipping up your favorite bisques, purees and creamy soups whenever the fancy strikes.

My personal recommendation today is the KitchenAid 5 speed hand blender (Amazon). I love the different attachments. They make one tool do a whole lot of duties and I’m a big fan of multitasking in the kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a hand mixer for soup?

If you do not own an immersional blender and have a hand mixer instead, you can use it to make your soup. Although an immersion blender is more convenient to use, using a hand mixer is not bad as well. In fact, there is a significant advantage in using a hand mixer for soup making. It actually adds more air while it is whipping, resulting in a fluffier soup consistency. If you have a multi-blade blender, you can achieve the same results, especially when whipping cream and batter.

How do you blend soup in a hand blender?

To ensure you are blending soup the right way, it is always best to read the product instructions. Each hand blender works differently. Some come with attachments that need to be properly secured before use. Some hand blenders have different speed settings, so it is best to find out how to operate them first. It’s important not to turn on the blender until it is completely submerged in the liquid, or you run the risk of splashing or splattering. Finally, hold the pot or container and move it around at a certain angle to ensure you get the right soup consistency.

Is a hand blender the same as an immersion blender?

Hand blenders are commonly referred to as immersion blenders and vice versa. They are similar. Hand blenders or immersion blenders are convenient, lightweight, and powerful tools noted to be a perfect addition to your kitchen. Instead of storing a bulky full-size blender, where only limited tasks can be performed, investing in quality immersion blenders will make your kitchen tasks much easier, faster, and cleaner. Some of these come with attachments that prevent food splashing.

Additional Resources

1. Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe
2. How To Clean A Hand Blender

Image credit via Flickr Creative Commons: Shanna S. and Ewan M.