Best Immersion Blenders (5 Picks for Soup, Sauces and Smoothies)

An immersion blender does one job no countertop blender can. It blends hot soup right in the pot, with nothing to pour and nothing to spill.

That makes it one of the most useful small appliances for a small kitchen. It stores in a drawer and cleans under the tap in seconds.

The short version: The Braun MultiQuick 7 MQ7035X is the best immersion blender for most people. It has smooth variable speed, a 500-watt motor, and a whisk, chopper and beaker in the box, all for $79.95. When you compare models, look at the blade guard as closely as the wattage. A good guard pulls food in without sucking onto the pot.

Our Picks at a Glance

• Best overall: Braun MultiQuick 7 MQ7035XJump to review ↓
• Most powerful: Vitamix 5-Speed Immersion BlenderJump to review ↓
• Best all-in-one kit: Breville BSB510XL Control GripJump to review ↓
• Best warranty for the money: Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart StickJump to review ↓
• Best budget: Mueller Multi-Stick 5-in-1Jump to review ↓

Each pick was listed as in stock on its maker’s own site when we checked. Prices are the makers’ own and change often.

Blender	Power	Speeds	What’s Included	Warranty	Maker’s Price
Braun MultiQuick 7	500W	Variable	Whisk, chopper, beaker	Full manufacturer’s	$79.95
Vitamix 5-Speed	625W	5	Wand only	3 years	$169.95
Breville Control Grip	280W (retailer listing)	15 (retailer listing)	42 oz jug, chopper, whisk	See Breville	$149.95
Cuisinart Smart Stick	300W	Variable slide	Chopper, whisk, 2-cup cup	3 years limited	$79.95
Mueller Multi-Stick	800W (per Mueller)	12 plus turbo	Whisk, frother, chopper, beaker	Contact Mueller	$49.99

1. Braun MultiQuick 7 MQ7035X: Best Overall

Braun’s MultiQuick 7 is the blender we would hand to most cooks. It is strong enough for thick soups and smooth enough for mayonnaise, and it costs under $80.

The speed control is the standout. You squeeze harder to go faster, the same way a car’s accelerator works. That makes it easy to start slow when the blade first goes into hot soup, then speed up once it is under the surface.

Braun calls its blade system ActiveBlade with a PowerBell Plus guard. The bell-shaped guard keeps the blade off the bottom of the pot and helps pull food into the blade.

Braun listed it at $79.95, down from $109.95, with “Add to cart” live. The chopper is small at 500 ml. It handles a handful of herbs or nuts, not a full batch of salsa.

Who should buy it: Most home cooks who want one tool for soups, sauces, whipped cream and small chopping jobs.

2. Vitamix 5-Speed Immersion Blender: Most Powerful

This is the heavy-duty pick. At 625 watts it has the most power here, and Vitamix backs it with a full three-year warranty that covers shipping both ways.

Vitamix designed the bell guard to cut down on suction. Suction is the most common annoyance with stick blenders. The guard grips the pot bottom, food stops moving, and you have to wiggle the blender free. A better guard keeps food flowing through the blade instead.

The 5-foot cord is long enough to reach a back burner. Vitamix listed it at $169.95 with “Add to Cart” and free shipping.

The trade is simplicity. The base model comes with just the wand and blade base, with no chopper or whisk. Vitamix sells a bundle if you want extras. It is also the most expensive blender here.

Who should buy it: Anyone who makes big pots of soup, nut milks or thick purees often, and wants a blender built to last.

3. Breville BSB510XL Control Grip: Best All-in-One Kit

Breville built this blender around the grip. The trigger sits where your fingers naturally rest, so you do not have to press a button with your thumb for minutes at a time. That helps on a long batch of soup.

The bell base has ribs inside it. Breville says the shape and ribbing reduce suction. Eight inches of shaft also means it reaches the bottom of a tall stockpot. Our picks for the best stockpot with a lid cover pots in that size.

The kit is the most complete here. You get a large 42 oz jug with a lid that doubles as storage, a chopping bowl and a whisk. Breville listed it at $149.95 with “Add to cart.”

The power figure is modest at 280 watts. For most soups and sauces that is plenty. For frozen fruit, a stronger model will push through faster.

Who should buy it: Cooks who want a blender, chopper and whisk in one box, with a jug big enough for family smoothies.

4. Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick: Best Warranty for the Money

The Smart Stick gives you a three-year warranty at the same $79.95 price as the Braun. Cuisinart listed it with “Add to Cart.”

The speed slider sets the speed before you blend. Then you hold the button for continuous blending or tap it to pulse. Pulsing is useful for chunky soups where you want some texture left.

The 3-cup chopper is larger than the Braun’s. It handles a small batch of pesto, salsa or chopped nuts. The 8-inch stainless shaft reaches into most pots.

At 300 watts it is less powerful than the Braun. For smooth soups, sauces and dressings, that is enough. For thick hummus or frozen fruit, you will need to work in smaller batches.

Who should buy it: Anyone who wants a solid blender with a bigger chopper and a long warranty, at a mid-range price.

5. Mueller Multi-Stick 5-in-1: Best Budget

Mueller packs the most attachments into the lowest price. For $49.99 you get a whisk, a milk frother, a chopper and a beaker.

The frother is a nice extra. It foams milk for a latte in seconds. If you make coffee drinks at home, our guide to making bulletproof coffee without a blender shows other quick ways to froth.

Mueller lists the motor at 800 watts. Take that as a peak figure rather than a promise of better blending. As the wattage section below explains, power alone does not predict results.

Stock varies by colour. When we checked, Mueller’s own store showed gray, white and red available, while black and sage green were out.

Who should buy it: Students, first kitchens and anyone who wants a full kit for as little as possible. It fits well with our list of small kitchen gadgets worth buying when you cook for one.

How an Immersion Blender Works

An immersion blender is a motor in a handle, a long shaft, and a small blade at the end. A guard shaped like a bell surrounds the blade.

When the blade spins, it throws food outward. That creates low pressure under the bell, which pulls more food in from below. The food circulates up, out and back in. That loop is what makes soup smooth.

The same low pressure causes the problem everyone hates: suction. If the bell sits flat on the pot bottom, it seals like a suction cup. Makers fight this with bell shapes, vents and internal ribs. That is why the guard design matters as much as the motor.

Does Wattage Matter?

Only up to a point.

Wattage measures the power the motor draws. It does not measure how well the blender blends. A strong motor behind a poorly shaped guard can still leave lumps. A modest motor with a good guard can puree soup smoothly.

Task	What Matters Most	Power Needed
Pureeing cooked soup	Guard design, shaft length	Low to medium
Mayonnaise and dressings	Narrow cup, slow start	Low
Whipped cream	Whisk attachment	Low
Smoothies with soft fruit	Speed control	Medium
Frozen fruit or ice	Motor strength, small batches	High
Hummus and thick dips	Motor strength, pulse	High

For thick or frozen blends, more power helps. For everyday soups, pick based on grip, guard and attachments.

Immersion Blender vs Countertop Blender vs Food Processor

Each tool wins at different jobs.

An immersion blender is best for soups, sauces and small batches. It blends in the pot and cleans in seconds. A countertop blender is better for big batches, ice and very smooth smoothies. A food processor chops, slices and shreds, which neither blender does well.

Our guide to the difference between a food processor and a blender explains the split in more detail. If smoothies are your main goal, see our picks for the best blenders for smoothies and the best blender for protein shakes. For chopping, our best food processor under $100 guide is the next stop.

How to Use an Immersion Blender Without the Mess

Most splatter comes from lifting the blade while it is still running.

1. Submerge the blade before you switch it on. The whole bell guard should sit under the liquid.
2. Start on low. Speed up once the food is moving.
3. Tilt the pot or cup slightly. That deepens the liquid where you are blending.
4. Move slowly up and down. Let the food flow into the blade.
5. Switch off before lifting. Wait for the blade to stop, then lift it out.

For small batches, use a tall, narrow container. A wide bowl leaves the guard half exposed. Our full guide on how to use an immersion blender without the splatter walks through soups, mayo and smoothies step by step.

Hot soup needs one extra rule. Take the pot off the heat first. Boiling liquid splashes, and a steady pot is safer to blend in.

Corded or Cordless?

Every pick here is corded, and that is deliberate for soup. A corded blender never runs out of power halfway through a thick batch.

Cordless models are handy for quick jobs away from an outlet, like a smoothie on the far side of the counter. The trade-off is a heavier handle, because the battery lives in it, and limited run time. If you do choose cordless, check how long the battery lasts on one charge.

Power use is small either way. An immersion blender runs for a minute or two, which is tiny next to an oven. Our guide to the most energy-efficient small kitchen appliances shows how it compares, and our tips on reducing kitchen energy use in a small apartment cover the bigger savings.

Cooking for one or two? A smaller pot makes blending easier, because the liquid stays deep enough to cover the guard. Our cookware sizes for cooking for one guide lists the right pot sizes.

Blending in Nonstick Pots

You can blend in a nonstick pot, but go easy.

A metal guard can scratch the coating if you press it against the bottom. Keep the blender slightly raised and tilted as you move. If your pots are coated, see our guide on what nonstick cookware is for how coatings wear. Our picks for the best nonstick pans cover more durable options.

Stainless pots are the easiest to blend in. They shrug off contact with a metal guard. Our best sauté pan picks include stainless options that suit sauces.

Cleaning and Storing an Immersion Blender

The quickest clean takes ten seconds. Fill a tall cup with warm, soapy water. Run the blender in it for a few seconds, then rinse.

• Unplug before touching the blade. It is sharp and can catch a sponge.
• Never submerge the motor handle. Only the shaft and attachments go in water.
• Check what is dishwasher safe. Many shafts and attachments are, but check your manual.
• Dry the shaft fully before storing, so water does not sit inside the bell.

Storage is where an immersion blender beats a countertop model. It fits in a drawer. Our guide to organizing kitchen drawers in a small kitchen shows how to keep attachments together. You can also hang it, as our vertical storage ideas for small kitchens suggest.

What to Make With an Immersion Blender

Soup is the classic, but the list is long.

• Creamy soups. Blend roasted vegetables and stock right in the pot. To thicken one without flour, see what to use instead of cornstarch.
• Mayonnaise and aioli. A tall cup and a slow start make it almost foolproof.
• Whipped cream. Use the whisk attachment.
• Single smoothies. Blend right in the cup you drink from.
• Baby food and purees. Small batches are easy to make fresh.
• Pancake batter. Smooth out lumps in seconds.

Batch soups freeze well too. Our picks for the best airtight food storage containers cover freezer-safe options. For planning ahead, try our easy meal prep ideas for one person.

Which Immersion Blender Should You Buy?

Buy the Braun MultiQuick 7 if you want one well-rounded blender with a full kit at a fair price.

Pick the Vitamix 5-Speed if you want the most power and a three-year warranty that covers shipping.

Choose the Breville Control Grip if a comfortable grip and a large jug matter most.

Go with the Cuisinart Smart Stick if you want a bigger chopper and a long warranty for under $80.

Get the Mueller Multi-Stick if you want the most attachments for the least money.

Related Guides

• How to Use an Immersion Blender
• NutriBullet vs Ninja Blender
• Best Hand Mixers
• Best Juicers
• Best Small Kitchen Appliances for Cooking for One
• Countertop Organization Ideas for a Small Kitchen
• Best Coconut Milk Substitute

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best immersion blender?

For most kitchens, the Braun MultiQuick 7 MQ7035X is the best immersion blender. It has variable speed, a 500-watt motor, and comes with a whisk, a chopper and a beaker. Braun listed it at $79.95. If you want the most power and a longer warranty, the Vitamix 5-Speed at 625 watts is the step up. On a tight budget, the Mueller Multi-Stick is about $50.

Can an immersion blender replace a regular blender?

For soups, sauces, dressings, mayonnaise and single smoothies, yes. An immersion blender blends right in the pot or cup, so there is less to wash. It cannot crush a big batch of ice or make nut butter the way a countertop blender can. If you make frozen smoothies for a family every morning, a full-size blender still does that job better.

Is higher wattage better in an immersion blender?

Not always. Wattage tells you how much power the motor draws, not how well it blends. The shape of the blade guard matters as much. A well-designed guard pulls food into the blade without sucking onto the pot bottom. A 300-watt blender with a good guard can puree soup as smoothly as a stronger one with a poor design.

Can you use an immersion blender in a nonstick pot?

Yes, with care. Keep the blade guard off the bottom of the pan and tilt the blender slightly as you move it. Some models add a pan guard to protect coatings. If you often blend in nonstick, look for a plastic or rubber-rimmed guard, or blend in a separate container instead of the pan.

How do you stop an immersion blender from splattering?

Put the blender into the food before you turn it on, and turn it off before you lift it out. Keep the blade guard fully submerged, and start on a low speed. Use a tall, narrow container for small batches so the liquid covers the guard. Tilting the pot slightly also helps, because it deepens the liquid where you blend.