Immersion blenders, also called hand blenders or stick blenders, are handy kitchen tools that save you the trouble of pouring ingredients into a blender jar; instead, you can blend soups and sauces directly in the pot. They can also serve as multi-purpose blenders, especially if you want to save space with a tool that fits in a kitchen drawer. If you want something more versatile, consider a model that comes with a variety of accessories: a whisk attachment handles dressings and whipped cream, hand mixer beaters handle batters, and a food processor bowl can tackle anything from salsa to pie crust. Noise and build quality are worth considering too, since a loud motor or flimsy construction can undercut an otherwise capable blender.
We've tested over 20 immersion blenders, and below are our recommendations. While immersion blenders can offer comparable performance to conventional plug-in models, they aren't as well-suited for making large batches of smoothies, preparing thick recipes like hummus or nut butter, or crushing ice. For options suiting those needs, check out the best blenders and the best glass jar blenders.
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Best Immersion Blender
Soups9.2Fibrous Ingredients (Full Capacity)7.6Build Quality6.5Noise7.5See all our test resultsWeight2.0 lbs (0.9 kg)The Vitamix 2-Speed Immersion is our pick for the best immersion blender, and it's a great choice if you mainly need one for soups, sauces, and other hot dishes that you can blend directly in the pot or pan. It creates a very smooth blend even with fibrous ingredients like kale or broccoli, so you can make well-blended soups and purees. At 91 dB, it's not very loud for a blender, which makes it more pleasant to use.
It's fairly well-built, but it's mostly made of plastic and doesn't feel as sturdy as most of Vitamix's full-size blenders. Also, while it's a great option for blending in your own pots and pans, if you're looking for a more multi-purpose hand blender, you might prefer something like the Breville Control Grip, which comes with a food processing bowl and blade, adding to its versatility.
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Best Mid-Range Immersion Blender
Soups9.1Fibrous Ingredients (Full Capacity)6.8Build Quality7.0Noise7.7See all our test resultsWeight2.1 lbs (0.9 kg)The KitchenAid Go Cordless Hand Blender is the right pick if your kitchen is short on outlets or if you'd rather not deal with a cable near the stove. While the cordless design means it's less powerful and takes longer to process fibrous ingredients than our top pick, the Vitamix 2-Speed Immersion, it produces similar results if you're patient. Recipes like kale smoothies or broccoli soup will have only a few unprocessed pieces left over, which is a small price to pay for the added convenience. It comes with a beaker with a matching storage lid, and a plastic pan guard to protect non-stick cookware from scratches by the blade cover. And at 89.8 dB, it runs relatively quietly for a blender.
The manufacturer advertises 30 minutes of battery life, although mixing thicker mixtures and harder ingredients depletes the battery faster. Unlike most cordless immersion blenders, this one has a removable battery. You can use it with five other KitchenAid Go appliances, including a portable personal blender. Once you have one battery, you can save money by purchasing the other appliances without the battery included.
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Best Budget Immersion Blender
Soups9.0Fibrous Ingredients (Full Capacity)6.0Build Quality6.5Noise5.2See all our test resultsWeight1.6 lbs (0.7 kg)Consider the Cuisinart Smart Stick Two-Speed Hand Blender if you want a lightweight, no-frills option for basic blending without spending too much. This inexpensive option takes longer to blend fibrous ingredients, but produces mostly smooth results, comparable to those of the Vitamix 2-Speed Immersion, especially when working with smaller batches. It's fairly well-built, with a reasonably sturdy plastic design, and it includes a 24-ounce beaker for blending smoothies or smaller batches of sauces. It's also quite light, which is a plus when blending larger batches.
While none of the blenders here can handle tougher blends like nut butter, this one is particularly unsuitable because the motor base can overheat when you use it to process thick recipes. This model is also extremely loud, which gets annoying quickly.
Notable Mentions
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All-Clad KZ750DGT:
The All-Clad KZ750DGT does a good job of processing fibrous ingredients into a smooth blend. It has a longer blending arm than the Vitamix 2-Speed Immersion, but it's louder and has a less sturdy design.
See our review
Recent Updates
Aug 05, 2026:
We made sure that our recommendations represent the best options for most users, and made minor text edits for clarity.
Jul 03, 2026:
We ensured all picks are still available and remain the best options for our users' needs.
May 21, 2026:
We removed the Ninja Foodi Power Mixer System because it has been discontinued. We also made edits to the text to help readers make a buying decision.
Apr 13, 2026:
We've made minor updates to the text for clarity, but our recommendations haven't changed.
Feb 13, 2026:
We removed the Braun MultiQuick 5 because it's no longer available and made minor edits to the text throughout.
FAQ
What is an immersion blender?
Immersion blenders, also called stick blenders or hand blenders, are designed to process hot ingredients directly in a pot or pan. They can also be used for a variety of other blends, though they typically don't offer the same power as full-size blenders.
Unlike other kinds of blenders, immersion blenders require you to hold them while using them. They usually aren't as powerful as full-size blenders and process ingredients more slowly, but their smaller design can save space in your kitchen. We've found that a blender's weight, controls, and motor housing shape can all affect how easy a particular immersion blender is to use.
How do we test immersion blenders?
We test them almost the same way we do full-size and personal blenders, with a few small differences. We measure blending arm length as well as other dimensions. Unlike with a full-size blender, we don't crush a dozen ice cubes at once with an immersion blender. We don't assign a capacity score, either, as they can be used with any container.
Can you use immersion blenders for smoothies?
Yes, but other blender types are better. Some can make a mostly smooth blend with fibrous ingredients like blueberries and kale in liquid recipes, which is important for well-blended smoothies. Some models also come with beakers that are a good size for single-serve smoothies. However, immersion blenders usually don't process ingredients as quickly as personal or full-size blenders.
Can you froth milk with an immersion blender?
Generally, blender blades aren't the right shape for frothing or foaming milk and can't produce the same quality foam as dedicated milk frothers. You also need to heat the milk beforehand, which some frothers can do for you. If you want an appliance for lattes and cappuccinos, some immersion blenders come with specialized accessories for frothing milk.
How do you clean immersion blenders?
Immersion blenders are usually pretty easy to clean. You don't need to deal with blades fixed to the bottom of a jar, which is the most common design for full-size blenders. The blending arm is almost always detachable, so you can easily rinse it in the sink.
All Reviews
Our recommendations above are what we think are currently the best hand blenders for most people. We factor in price, visitor feedback, and availability.
If you'd like to choose for yourself, here's the list of all our immersion blender reviews. Be careful not to get too caught up in the details. While no blender is perfect for every use, most are good enough to please almost everyone, and the differences are often not noticeable unless you really look for them.