There are so many reasons to love a stick blender. It won’t entirely replace a food processor as you need that for slightly different purposes – for bigger-batch in-bowl blending, for example. And a good processor comes with a bunch of cutting and grating discs which can be incredibly fast and useful when you need them. But for processing small quantities of something like pesto, or for when you want the convenience of shoving a stick blender straight into a pot of soup to puree without having to transfer, a so-called ‘immersion’ blender is hard to go past. Here’s why we are big fans of this appliance.

Versatility
You might think a stick blender is just for blending soups, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll realise just how off-the-charts versatile it is. From making silky-smooth purées and whipping up sauces, to emulsifying dressings, blitzing smoothies, or even making nut butters, it can handle a surprising variety of jobs. It can even re-emulsify ‘split’ (curdled) dressings and sauces. 

Making soup is, of course, the obvious use. Instead of transferring hot liquid from a saucepan to a blender in small, messy, and potentially dangerous batches, you just blend right in the pan. No scalding steam, no awkward pouring, no spillage.

Then there’s mayonnaise. Making an emulsion with a stick blender is a breeze – gone are the days of whisking furiously by hand, hoping your oil and egg yolk don’t split. With the stick blender, you get thick, glossy mayo in under a minute – that tall canister-like container most stick blenders blender come with is perfect for mayo. You do get a ‘gummier’ result than with a hand-whisked version, but you can easily correct the consistency by mixing in a little warm water until the texture loosens to how you want it. When your stick blender has a whisk attachment, it’s handy for whipping cream and egg whites. Using the bowl attachment, a stick blender is killer for making spice pastes when you can’t be bothered with a mortar and pestle. Some models can even crush ice and grind coffee beans and spices!

Small Batch Champion
One of the areas where the stick blender really shines is in small-batch prepping. If you’ve ever tried making a small quantity of something like pesto or chimichurri in a food processor, you’ll know the struggle is real. The stick blender, with its compact size and powerful motor, is perfect for small amounts of food – it tackles teeny tasks without leaving half the ingredients flung annoyingly around the bowl, eliminating the need to keeps stopping and scraping them down.

Powerful Performance
Despite its smaller size, many stick blenders come with motors that are surprisingly strong – often more powerful than your average food processor. In fact, the compact design directs the force right where it’s needed, making it incredibly efficient. The motor strength allows it to tackle tough ingredients like nuts and fibrous veggies with ease, blending them without the need for multiple passes.

Precision and Control
Another advantage is the level of control you have, especially when emulsifying sauces or making something requiring a chunkier texture, like salsa or guacamole. You can pulse it just enough to break things down without going overboard. This kind of tactile control is something you just don’t get with a larger food processor, where the blade can quickly turn your salsa into a purée if you’re not watchful or correctly using the pulse button.

Compact and Convenient
When it comes to convenience, the stick blender is unbeatable. It doesn’t take up much counter or storage space, making it easy to grab when you need it without bending and breaking your back. Plus, cleaning is mostly a breeze without a massive bowl and lid to clean(with all those tricky crevices!), although getting all the food out of the business end of the stick part can sometimes be tricky.

A Quiet Workhorse
Finally, one of the most under-appreciated benefits: a stick blender is relatively quiet. Food processors are so loud they can sound like a literal concrete mixer, depending what you have in it. But a stick blender lets you whip up a sauce, pancake batter, dip or smoothie without scaring the pets or waking the dead. Although obviously, if you want to chop nuts, these are going to make an unholy racket no matter what you use.