What Exactly Is an Immersion Blender and What Can I Do With It?

What exactly is an Immersion Blender?

Also referred to as stick or wand blenders, immersion blenders are appreciated for their versatility and effortless clean up. They perform much of the work of three kitchen appliances: a regular counter-top blender, a food processor, and a hand mixer. Compact and easy to use, they will puree, mix, emulsify, liquidate, aerate, mince, whip, chop and grind. They are produced by well-known corporations such as Cuisinart, KitchenAid, Bosch, DeLonghi, Dualit, Waring and many others.

What can I do with it?

If you are exploring the web for this gadget, you probably already have a good idea of your purpose for buying an immersion blender. Most cooks use them to puree soups because of the mess and difficulty involved in ladling or pouring the hot soup from the pot into the blender. Another trendy use is blending protein shakes or smoothies. There are so many other great uses for this clever kitchen tool, such as:

• Puree your own baby food

• Blend salsa, gravy, puddings, and salad dressings

• Make mayonnaise, hummus, or even peanut butter

• Make applesauce

• Puree cauliflower as a substitute for mashed potatoes

• Milk frothing

• Make your own tomato sauce

• And many more!

The most common accolade of these gadgets is that they are quick and easy to use and clean-up is a snap. Many immersion blender owners feel that they now cook recipes that they didn't in the past for two reasons:

1.) Before, they didn't have all of the needed tools and the immersion blender now provides them with sort of a three- in-one

Or

2.) Because it is so much easier to use and clean, if they had to use a regular blender, food processor or hand mixer they would have chosen to cook something else that would not require making such a mess.

These kitchen tools come in a variety of colors, with the brushed chrome or stainless steel look being the trendiest. Some are cordless, but most have to be plugged in, both of which have their pros and cons. Some come with measuring/mixing beakers and attachments such as whisks and choppers. Some are multiple speed and others are one speed only. Immersion blenders focused on the needs of the home cook range in price from around $30 to $130 depending on the brand, features, and attachments. There are plenty out there to choose from, and are as simple or as complicated as the cook requires.