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Jan 11, 2024

Best hand blender 2023: Our favourite stick blenders from Braun, KitchenAid, Kenwood and more

Getting yourself a good hand blender means the days of making lump-free soups,

Getting yourself a good hand blender means the days of making lump-free soups, sauces, dips and smoothies with a manual whisk or wooden spoon are long gone. In fact, the very best hand blenders will transform your meal prepping, making it much faster and easier, with no need to even bother moving your ingredients out of your saucepan or bowl. Many stick blenders do come with their own beaker, though, so you do at least have the option.

It doesn't stop there, though. Many hand blenders do much more than just blending thanks to their rich array of attachments that whisk, beat, slice, dice, mash and more. These multitasking machines take up less space in your kitchen and require much less washing-up than the likes of a jug blender or food processor.

With handheld stick blenders ranging anywhere from £10 to £300, how much do you really need to spend on one? Do you always get bang for your buck? Which features are genuinely useful and which models would we recommend?Our buying guide below will answer those questions for you and as for the best models, well all you need to do is scroll down to find our round-up of recommendations for every budget.

If you pay less than around £30, you shouldn't expect a whole host of attachments. But if you buy the right one, you should still wind up with a whizzy machine that makes rich and creamy soups and sauces (the most common uses for hand blenders). Spending more money than that will get you either some useful attachments – generally for chopping and whisking – or a machine that works more quickly, quietly or with more precision.

Alternatively, your dosh may be going on a stick blender that isn't prone to overheating mixtures such as mayonnaise or one that is really lightweight. But what splashing the cash won't automatically do is get you a better hand blender, with many low-cost machines outperforming higher-cost ones at the basics.

At the very least, you should expect your hand blender to be comfortable to hold, easy to assemble and use and a good performer at the tasks you need it for, while also being easy to clean afterwards. Beyond that, features are nice-to-haves and you will need to tick these off against your top personal preferences.

Don't assume the higher the wattage, the more powerful the blendre. Some lower-wattage stick blenders (100 watts) are better at the so-called commercial models (750 watts). That's because the strong motor has to be coupled with a good design for the food to circulate easily in and out of the cutting zone. And don't assume the more speeds, the better, either – more than two or three can be overkill in some cases.

Blenders come in a range of materials, but mainly with plastic or metal shafts. Metal shafts are preferable as they are less likely to stain than those with plastic. This is because the blending shaft is the part that gets dirtiest, and if you are blending lots of soup for instance, you might find a metal shaft remains in better condition over time. What accessories are available?

Here are some of the accessories most commonly available. Remember that while they might look tempting, they won't cover the heavy-duty jobs – you will need a more expensive food processor for that. In fact, don't be put off if the attachments are only available at an additional cost. We actually think that can be a good thing, as it means you don't wind up with extras you don't need. Also: remember that you can also get corded or cordless models – the latter is great if you’re limited with plug sockets.

READ NEXT: The best hand mixers to buy right now

Price: £25 | Check price at Currys

You will need to move it around a bit while it's going to make sure everything is fully blended and the jug that it comes with isn't really useful for much. However, you can use it with other jugs and bowls, so that shouldn't be a problem if you're not doing any hardcore blending.

Key specs – Power: 450W; Speed settings: 1; Accessories: 600ml beaker; Warranty: 2 years

Check price at Currys

Price: £97 | Check price at Amazon

We were impressed at how lightweight this blender was, especially considering how cumbersome some cordless kitchen gadgets can be. It also comes with a mini processor, jug and whisk attachment included in the box, making the price tag a little more palatable. It's expensive, but you are paying for cordless convenience.

We made an array of soups and sauces (including a chimichurri) with relative ease, but it should be noted it's not suited to tough, fibrous veg or ultra-thick dips due to its low motor wattage. It's still a kitchen must-have if you’re fed up of being held back by wires, though, and with up to 30 minutes continuous charge, you don't have to worry about running out of juice mid-blend.

Key specs – Power: 10W; Speed settings: 5; Accessories: Blending jug, whisk, mini chopper; Warranty: 2 years

Price: £32 | Check price at Amazon

It's fairly quiet, with a great grip and the instructions are easy to follow. While it's not the smartest-looking blender we tested, it makes up for this with its attractive price and efficiency.

Key specs – Power: 650W; Speed settings: 5 speeds (and turbo boost); Accessories: Whisk, mini chopper, beaker; Warranty: 2 years

Price: £138 | Check price at Amazon

That's a lot of attachment for your money and each one performed highly at their respective jobs. The only one niggle we had was with the whisk attachment, which we feel could be a little more robust for the price. A thin neck and body meant that we had a hard time controlling it, although it still did a fine job of whipping up our double cream.

Key specs – Power: 700W; Speed settings: Variable speed control (and turbo boost) Accessories: Whisk, potato masher, mini chopper, beaker Warranty: 2 years

Price: £215 | Check price at John Lewis

It's virtually indestructible (many hand blenders aren't) but you do need to take the time to watch the YouTube videos to get the most out of it and we found it works best with smaller quantities. For anyone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen, this is not a purchase you’re likely to regret.

Key specs – Power: 200W; Speed settings: Two (and turbo boost); Accessories: Whisk, beater blades, beaker, dry processor attachment, storage stand; Warranty: 3 years

Price: £189 | Check price at AO

In testing, the blender, as well as most of the attachments worked like a dream. We were able to julienne and finely slice vegetables in seconds, and the powerful blender produced creamy dips, sauces and soups, even when using tough ingredients. The only real downside was the French fry blade, which didn't produce the result expected, even when carefully following instructions.

This certainly isn't a budget hand blender and much of the price comes from those additional accessories. If you’re looking to spend a little less and don't mind having fewer attachments, the MultiQuick 9 also comes has cheaper models including the MQ9135XI and the MQ9138XI.

Read our full Braun MultiQuick 9 review

Key specs – Power: 1,200W; Speed settings: Variable; Accessories: Whisk, puree attachment, 6 slicing blades, 2 food processor bowls, ice crushing knife, kneading tool, beaker; Warranty: 1 year

Price: £129 | Check price at John Lewis

You don't need to worry about constant recharging either. We got plenty of use from one charge and there's even a 20 minute, quick-charge feature if you get caught out and need to blend a bowl or two of soup in a hurry.

Key specs – Power: 16W; Speed settings: Variable; Accessories: Pan guard, blending jar; Warranty: 2 years (5 when extended)