We Tested the Best Immersion Blenders Under $100—These Are Our Favorites

Best Overall: Nutribullet Immersion Blender

Why It's Great

• Strong motor easily blends tough ingredients
• Easy to clean
• Rubberized, slip-free grip

Grain of Salt

• Requires two hands to switch between speeds

This slim immersion blender comes with both a blending arm and whisk attachment to tackle a variety of different tasks. The easy-to-grip handle is equipped with a high and low speed function, and a variable speed dial lets you easily toggle between the two, which provides maximum power control.

Overall, our product tester, Katie Macdonald, was most impressed by the quality, functionality, and versatility of this blender and thus found it to be an incredible value for the price. It has a strong motor, a sharp blade, and a rubber body for slip-free gripping. Thanks to a shallow head, the blender is easy to clean by hand. This product excelled in our soup and smoothie test and quickly broke down ice and chia seeds. We were pleased to see that nothing got stuck in the motorhead, and it didn't splatter or overheat. Though it's not dishwasher safe, this blender is very easy to clean by hand. Keep in mind that though we found it easy to hold and maneuver, it does require two hands to change between speeds, which could affect efficiency when working on longer projects that require multiple different speeds.

"This is an excellent value between cost and power, and it really surprised me with how well it blended tough ingredients, as well as how easy it was to clean." - Katie Macdonald, Ecommerce Food Editor

The Details: Utilizes variable speed; weighs 2 pounds; is not dishwasher-safe

Best Value: Bella Immersion Hand Blender

Why It's Great

• Surprisingly fast
• Easy to use
• Comes with whisk attachment, chopper bowl, and beaker

Grain of Salt

• Didn't blend tough ingredients as consistently

If you're looking for the best bang for your buck, this is a great option. The two-speed blender comes with a 6-inch, stainless steel blending shaft and whisk attachment as well as a chopper bowl and beaker with spout for easy pouring. A 6-foot cord adds convenience, and lets you keep blending on the stove, in the sink, or at the countertop, regardless of where your power source is.

It performed surprisingly well when crushing ice, which we learned was one of the most difficult tasks for all of the blenders. Our tester was surprised at how speedy this machine is, as it quickly blended the kale smoothie with ease. Despite the speed, we found that this blender didn't produce the consistent creaminess we hoped for when pureeing. The domed head created suction, which made it difficult to achieve a velvety soup. Though challenging to clean by hand because of the shape of the blade, the stainless steel attachments are dishwasher safe for easier cleaning. We like that the speed buttons are easy to reach with one hand and are slightly textured for easy gripping.

The Details: Has 2 speeds; weighs 3 pounds; is dishwasher-safe.

Best Multi-Speed: KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender

Why It's Great

• Fast and efficient
• Speed switch offers more control
• Comes in variety of colors
• Included pan guard protects cookware

Grain of Salt

• Less convenient than the cordless version

KitchenAid is known for making stylish kitchen gadgets in an array of appealing colors, and this hand blender does not disappoint. Instead of specific speeds, the 8-inch blending stick is controlled by a variable speed switch that allows you to toggle in between high and low speeds, which gives complete control over the amount of power you aim to use. This blender comes with a 3-cup, BPA-free blending bowl so you can mix ingredients right in your pots and pans or in a dedicated blender cup.

We love that this blender comes with a pan guard attachment to protect nonstick cookware from scratches when blending directly in a pot. We found it to be very quick when blending and pureeing and easily broke down ingredients in both tests. This option was strong enough to break down ice and kale, and the variable speed switch helped Katie easily control speed and power. It's relatively easy to clean with attachments that are dishwasher safe. Though this is a sturdy and reliable hand blender, our tester preferred the cordless option that's only $30 more.

The Details: Utilizes variable speed; weighs 3 pounds; is dishwasher-safe

Related: Leaning Toward a Traditional Blender? Here Are Our Tried-and-True Favorites

Best Cordless: KitchenAid Cordless Variable Speed Hand Blender

Why It's Great

• Offers the same features as the corded version
• Runs on battery power for added convenience

Grain of Salt

• Requires charging fully between each use

One of the biggest benefits of using a hand blender instead of a tabletop blender is convenience, and nothing is more convenient than taking an already efficient gadget and making it cordless. This option from KitchenAid uses a variable speed trigger switch and a removable 8-inch arm that's long enough to reach into deep pots of soup. Thanks to the cordless versatility of this immersion blender, Katie loved how easy it was to maneuver. It performed very well in all three tests and managed to blend, puree, and emulsify with minimal suction and no splattering or splashing. It didn't feel too heavy during any of the blending tasks, and we found the grip to be comfortable and easy to hold.

Like the corded option, it comes with a pan guard that's helpful in protecting nonstick cookware from scratches. It also comes with a blending jar and lid, both of which are dishwasher-safe. Overall, this is a fantastic option for home cooks looking for the convenience of a cordless hand blender. Make sure to charge it before each use.

The Details: Utilizes variable speed; weighs 3 pounds; is dishwasher-safe

Related: The 10 Best Blenders for Every Home Cook, Tested By AllRecipes

Our Takeaway

After putting each hand mixer through our rigorous testing process, the Nutribullet Immersion Blender stood above the rest for its unmatched power and functionality. It easily passed all of our tests while being comfortable to hold and easy to clean. Our product tester also found the KitchenAid Cordless Variable Speed Hand Blender to be particularly convenient thanks to its powerful motor, long blending shaft, and cordless design.

How to Pick the Right Immersion Blender

Though some immersion blenders boast additional features, at the minimum, every hand blender should be convenient, portable, and easy to use. They should be equipped with a strong motor and sharp blade that can effectively puree, blend, and emulsify a variety of different ingredients, no matter the texture. Most of all, immersion blenders should be an easier alternative to traditional blenders.

Before selecting an immersion blender, it's important to assess what type of tasks you hope to tackle, how often you plan to use and clean it. Some hand blenders come with additional attachments, while some are simple and streamlined. In our tests, we made sure that each product was easy to put together, take apart, and clean. After assessing the basic functionality of each, we also considered any additional features or special qualities.

About Our Tests

When testing the capabilities of each blender, we considered these metrics:

• Overall feel: How heavy is the immersion blender? Is it easy to hold? How powerful is it? Are there any safety features?
• Durability: Is it well-constructed?
• Cleanup: Is it easy to clean?
• Overall value: Does it come with accessories? Most importantly, is it worth the price point?

Immersion blenders are meant to be a more portable and convenient version of traditional blenders, so we started our assessment by evaluating how each machine looked, how comfortable it felt to hold, and how easy the controls were to maneuver. Immersion blenders should be easy to operate with one hand, so we made sure to note if the controls were easily accessible, or if we had to stop and adjust our grip every time we needed to adjust speed or power. In doing so, we considered the grip on each product and noted if the tools felt slippery when in use. Overall, we assessed each blender by how heavy it felt and how weight could affect long-term use.

We made cream of broccoli soup and timed how long it took each blender to achieve a creamy consistency. We considered how suction affected the pureeing process and how thoroughly the ingredients were incorporated. To test blending capabilities, we made green smoothies using chunky kale, chia seeds, and ice. Using thick, fibrous vegetables gave us a good idea of how powerful the motors were and how sharp the blades of each machine were. This test also helped us determine how strong and durable the motors were and how easily they overheated. To test emulsification capabilities, we made classic mayonnaise.

Lastly, we aimed to assess the durability of each product and how difficult it is to clean and care for. Is the blender dishwasher safe? If so, does dishwashing have any effect on the sharpness of the blade? When blending through tougher vegetables, could the motor stand up to the task, or did it sputter and snag?

The Leftovers: Other Immersion Blenders We Tested

Hamilton Beach Variable Speed Hand Blender

Our tester liked that this blender is equipped with nine speeds, which offers flexibility and better control over the amount of power you want to use. During our tests, we found that it was easy to hold and maneuver, and it performed well in both the pureeing and blending tests. However, we did notice a bit of suction that made it difficult to blend thoroughly. Suction can also make for messy splatters and a challenging blending experience. The stainless steel attachments are dishwasher safe for easy cleanup.

Cuisinart Smart Stick Two-Speed Hand Blender

This blender was super easy to put together, hold, and maneuver. It's a fantastic option for pureeing soups and whipping up emulsions, but we found that it wasn't as proficient at blending up tougher ingredients for smoothies. Because the machine only has two speeds, we found it difficult to achieve precise textures. Overall, this is a durable blender with simple functionality at a reasonable price.

Cuisinart Smart Stick Variable Speed Hand Blender

This immersion blender is comfortable to hold, easy to grip, and simple to clean. We found that it made easy work of pureeing and excelled in emulsifying, but some of the chunkier ingredients got stuck in the motorhead while blending. Though it's easy to maneuver, the variable dial made changing speeds slightly difficult while blending.

View at Amazon ($68)

Hamilton Beach 2-Speed Hand Blender

Overall, Katie found this blender to be difficult to control and a challenge to maneuver. The body of the device got hot when blending, and we found that it stayed hot even after being turned off for multiple minutes. Though the motor is heavy to hold, the blending functionality felt weak. This blender failed both of our blending tests and was a challenge to clean.

Waring Light-Duty Quick Stick Immersion Blender

This blender comes with a narrow grip that's easy to hold, but the blending stick itself is shorter than others, making it difficult to maneuver and messy when blending directly in tall pots. We found that this blender had trouble breaking down chunky ingredients and did not pass our blending or emulsifying test. Because the unit comes in one piece, it's difficult to clean thoroughly.