Need Immersion Blender Suggestions

[lawchick04]

Yesterday my immersion blender stopped working, right in the middle of whipping up my morning smoothie. I felt totally helpless.

It wasn't the best blender in the world, so now I'm in the hunt for an upgrade that won't kill my thumb while I'm pressing the button down. I'm not wanting to spend more than, say, $80 (US). I'm considering the Wolfgang Puck immersion blender they sell at HSN...it says it has 500 watts of power, which makes me think it could even whip lowfat milk (would would be fab!).

Any thoughts? Does anyone one the Wolfgang blender or have another recommendation?

 

[Gretchen]

If you use it a lot, pay more. My cheapo has 350 watts (maybe $15) and does the jobs I need it for. DS has a Cuisinart.

 

[kitchenelf]

Lawchick - I don't know about the Wolfgang Puck blender but I'm sure it would be fine - what I wanted to say is if you don't want to use your thumb turn the handle 180 degrees and use a couple fingers to hold the button in.

 

[Andy M.]

For most jobs, anything over 150 watts is a waste. You're just blending liquids and soft solids.

I have a 200 watt Braun I bought for $20 with attachments from Costco and it does everything I ask with ease. You can spend more and get something more powerful but you may not need to.

 

[Corinne]

I asked this same question several months ago:
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f84/stick-blender-recommendations-20956.html

I ended up buying a Braun & I love the thing!

Corinne

 

[lawchick04]

I asked this same question several months ago:
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f84/stick-blender-recommendations-20956.html

I ended up buying a Braun & I love the thing!

Corinne

Thanks for the link, Corinne. I ran a search before posting but I used "immersion blender" as the search term and it didn't bring me what I was looking for.

 

[FraidKnot]

I bought an immersion (stick) blender at (of all places) Walgreens Drug store for $10. It works just fine and came with several different attachments. My brother (who is soooooo into fru-fru gadgets and cookware) spent $50+ on a Braun for me for Christmas one year and it never worked. Waste of $$ and I couldn't return it because I didn't have the receipt.

Fraidy

 

[Corey123]

I bought an immersion (stick) blender at (of all places) Walgreens Drug store for $10. It works just fine and came with several different attachments. My brother (who is soooooo into fru-fru gadgets and cookware) spent $50+ on a Braun for me for Christmas one year and it never worked. Waste of $$ and I couldn't return it because I didn't have the receipt.

Fraidy

I wouldn't put too much trust in small appliances from Walgreens either because they are all of the no-name brand.


~Corey123.

 

[FraidKnot]

I don't care about name brands. I wasn't sure I'd even get much use from an immersion blender so I didn't want to spend a lot of $$. I was wrong about not using it much; I use the heck out of it. It's still going strong after 2 years.

 

[shpj4]

Whatever you buy pay good money for it. I believe you get what you pay for.

HSN and QVC sell a lot of cookware and everything that I have got from them in the last 15 years was truly great.

 

[Alix]

I couldn't return it because I didn't have the receipt.

Fraidy

Next time take it to Costco. If they carry it they will return it for you. They are wonderful about gifts.

 

[FraidKnot]

Next time take it to Costco. If they carry it they will return it for you. They are wonderful about gifts.

This was before there was a Costco in town, several years ago. Besides, that would be kind of like the woman who bought jeans and Sears taking them to JCPenney to return them, wouldn't it? He didn't buy the Braun at Costco so why should they have to handle the return and give me my money back?

 

[Corey123]

If you find it a real fuss and bother using the food processor to puree stuff, this neat little appliance comes in handy for pureeing soft veggies right in the pot for soups and gravies!

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

Here is what I use...

http://www.surlatable.com/common/products/product_details.cfm?PRRFNBR=16524

It's made by Cuisinart. It's very easy to clean as it's almost all stainless. The whisk attachment is pretty much useless, but the blender and processor attachments see regular use in my kitchen. $50 isn't a bad price either.

I don't even own a large food processor. I use the little mini processor attachment for almost everything, from making bread crumbs to emulsifying dressings.

 

[Corey123]

I own an older Cuisinart stick blender.

It still works, so no need to replace it.

 

[Shunka]

Based on this thread and the one earlier on stick blenders; I ordered a Braun from Amazon on Saturday and got it in the mail today!!! Thank you to all with your suggestions and experiences; it really helped me make up my mind to get one. Now, to plan on what to make so that I can play with my new kitchen toy!!!!!

 

[Chopstix]

It's hard to find Cusinart, my preferred brand, in this part of the world. Can't buy it in the U.S. either because of the 220 volt requirement in most of Asia (as opposed to the 110v of the U.S.).

So I make do with what's available. My slightly used Moulinex immersion blender started hiccuping on me so I got the Braun 600 watt professional immersion blender with multiple attachments. Even came with an ice crusher and a mini-blender for very small jobs. It's the most frequently used gadget in my kitchen.

 

[Corey123]

Cuisinart has gone by the way of cheap flimsily-made products and poor customer service.

Conair (a hair dryer co.) bought them out. The make their food processors with smaller feed tubes and wimpy motors, which is why I switched to the K'Aid Pearl Metallic Food Processor.