The 7 Very Best Immersion Blenders

Speeds: 15 speeds | Extras: Whisk, chopping bowl with blades, storage jar with lid

When I tested the Breville Control Grip, I found it to be very powerful — but the main reason I awarded it best in class is that it allows for subtle changes between 15 speeds (the most of any on this list). That variance came in handy when blending liquids I didn’t want to splatter everywhere, like hot soup and heavy cream; I was able to start low and gradually move up. The distinction also means it’s very easy to control. With variable speed, it can be harder to land exactly where you want to — but this one allows for subtle-but-clear differences when making mixtures like salsas, where you don’t want to overblend, or immersions like aioli (too fast and the mixture would become undesirably thick as you slowly stream in olive oil). I also found the handle to be very comfortable. It’s made of silicone and designed so that you can get your fingers fully around the neck while still operating the buttons.

The majority of the experts I spoke to also said that this Breville model was their favorite. Matt Rodbard, food writer, editor, and cookbook author, has had his for over five years. “For me, it’s just really brought a lot of utility when making soups and sauces,” he says. “Plus I love the way it feels in my hand.” Posie Brien, recipe developer and writer of the food site 600 Acres, has had hers for even longer — over a decade. “I love it,” she says. “It’s so easy to use, and so easy to clean. It’s sturdy and substantial and the motor is great. I really think everyone should be using an immersion blender more. It’s good for eggs — like if you blend your scrambled eggs with one they’ll be so much creamier and better. It’s good for smoothies. It’s good for sauces of any kind, really.” And no matter what you’re doing, it shouldn’t damage the bottom of any pots or pans or bowls. “It has a rubberized lip so that it doesn’t scratch,” food writer and editor Alyse Whitney says.

Plus, there are all the attachments. “You can use the blender function to purée pumpkin or smooth out a custard for a cream pie, then swap it out for the whisk attachment to whip up some cream to top it with,” says Petra Paredez, owner of and baker at Petee’s Pie Company in Brooklyn and author of Pie for Everyone. “It has a cup attachment that lets you use it as a regular blender, too, so it can replace multiple tools that would otherwise take a lot of space.”

Speeds: Low to high variable | Extras: Whisk, chopper, measuring cup

The Cuisinart Smart Stick’s standout feature is an incredibly smooth variable speed dial that takes the machine from low to high. In my own testing, I was able to shift seamlessly between the high and low points. Making subtle adjustments in either direction when necessary isn’t quite as easy as it is with the more expensive Breville above — but it’s certainly doable. I managed to never slip too far in either direction, which is especially important when blending hot soup or whisking something like heavy cream, where increasing speed gradually prevents splatter. Chef and author Virginia Willis, who had an older-model Cuisinart immersion blender for 15 years and replaced it with this one a few years ago, can attest to that, too. “If you’re making something like refried beans, it’s easy to control going part-way blended instead of full,” she says. And Strategist senior editor Simone Kitchens says even the lowest speed was enough to purée vegetables for her baby, either fully or with some texture depending on how long she let the motor run.

The Smart Stick is intuitive to set up: The blending blade, whisk, and chopper bowl lock securely into the motor with a simple twist and unlock at the press of a button. The chopper function works just as well as my beloved mini food processor, also from Cuisinart. Though the bowl fits only two cups instead of three (which means I won’t use it to make foods that take up more space, like pesto), I do find it easier to clean because of fewer nooks and crannies — reason enough to make it my go-to tool for smaller-volume sauces. Christensen, who has owned the blender for six years, and Kitchens both say it’s exceptionally easy to clean with a simple rinse.

Speeds: Two | Extras: Blending jar

The Braun only has two speeds. Cookbook author Julia Turshen uses hers primarily for two tasks: making salad dressing directly inside of a deli container (so she can store it in the fridge without dirtying two bowls) and blending soups, especially when she’s looking to purée just some to thicken the body. She appreciates the simplicity, which works perfectly for her needs without giving her too many choices. And she doesn’t “find the cord impacts my usage at all since nothing in my kitchen is terribly far from an outlet,” she says. “Most kitchens can probably say the same.” For several years, this straightforward model has held up great, Turshen says.

Speeds: Two | Extras: Whisk and blending jar

The GE Immersion Blender holds up in a professional kitchen — meaning it’s bound to last even longer at home. Richard Rea, executive chef at the Butcher’s Daughter has been using one in his own kitchen and at his restaurant for several years. In the latter, he says he probably uses it even more than the commercial model they also have on hand, pulling it out for creamy soups, cashew ricotta, hummus, and all types of salsa. “It’s very strong,” he says. “It breaks through nuts — even some big, bulky blenders don’t do that. It has a powerful motor and very sharp blades. And it’s super lightweight and doesn’t make much noise (a little hum, but that’s it).”

Speeds: Low to high variable | Extras: Blending jar with lid, pan guard

In testing this KitchenAid model, I found it performed well. Like Turshen, I used it for salad dressings (especially bigger-batch ones I intended to keep around for a week or so, since it emulsifies a large amount so quickly) and soup. In the latter case, I was especially appreciative of the pan guard, which fits snugly around the appliance’s sharp metal cage, but still allows the blades to whir freely. When I accidentally touched the bottom of my beloved Dutch oven, it didn’t leave a scrape. I will note that when I blended a sauce with lots of herbs using the highest setting, there were still very tiny pieces speckling the liquid, unlike the fully emulsified, uniformly colored mixture I get when I use the Cuisinart Smart Stick. This didn’t so much affect the texture, however, which still felt overall really smooth. A final note: Though I have the black, KitchenAid sells theirs in nine different colors, if aesthetics are important to you.

Speeds: Low to high variable | Extras: Blending jar with lid, pan guard

This KitchenAid runs similarly to the All-Clad above — but is less expensive. Whitney owns it in addition to her Breville, saying, “it’s helpful to not have a cord when I’m blending soup in particular. You just charge it up like you would anything. And the charge lasts for a really long time — 25 uses, according to the website. I definitely don’t charge it very often.” Instead of a dial, this one has a variable speed button, which Whitney says is very straightforward. Laura Wright, creator of The First Mess and an avid smoothie maker, is also a fan — “mostly because it’s cordless,” she says. “It performs just like any other but not having the cord to deal with when I’m blending hot liquid on the stovetop is great.”