Appliances & Heat

Immersion Blender

Stick blender that purées soups right in the pot

A handheld stick you lower straight into the pot to purée soups and sauces without transferring hot liquid to a jar. Keep the head fully submerged before you trigger it to avoid splatter. Perfect for blending small amounts.

An immersion blender — also called a stick or hand blender — is a slim wand with a small blade guard at the tip that you lower straight into the pot, jug, or jar to blend in place. Its great virtue is convenience and reach: instead of ladling hot soup into a jar blender in batches and back again, you purée it right in the pot, with nothing to transfer and far less to wash. It's ideal for soups, sauces, smoothies, baby food, mayonnaise, and small amounts where hauling out a full blender is overkill.

It won't blend quite as glass-smooth as a powerful countertop blender, but for most everyday tasks it's faster and tidier, and it shines at jobs the big jar can't easily do — like emulsifying a single egg into mayonnaise in a tall cup in seconds, or blending half a pot of soup to thicken it while leaving some texture. The one rule that saves you a kitchen wall covered in soup: keep the blade head fully submerged before you trigger it, and stop before you lift it out.

Types & varieties

Corded stick blender

Plugs in for steady, unlimited power. The reliable everyday choice for blending soups and sauces in the pot.

Cordless / rechargeable

Battery-powered for freedom of movement and no cord near the stove. Convenient, with a limit on runtime and power.

With attachments

Kits add a whisk for cream and eggs and a mini food-processor bowl for chopping — a small, versatile system.

Blade-guard shapes

Bell-shaped guards reduce suction and splatter; some have multiple speeds or a turbo button for tougher purées.

How to use it

Submerge first, move it gently, and use a deep, narrow vessel. Most messes and most poor results come from lifting it too high or rushing.

Fully submerge the blade head before switching on, and stop the motor before lifting it out
Use a tall, narrow container (or tilt the pot) so the blade stays covered and creates a vortex
Move it slowly up, down, and around to pull all the food through the blades
For mayonnaise, hold it on the bottom of a tall cup over the egg and oil, then draw up slowly to emulsify

Safety and care

The exposed-when-detached blade is sharp, and it's used in hot liquid. Handle and clean with care.

Unplug before attaching, detaching, or cleaning the blade — it's small and sharp
Use it in a deep pot off the direct flame to avoid scalding splatter, and don't overheat the motor with long continuous runs
Detach the blending shaft to wash; many are dishwasher-safe, but never immerse the motor body
Keep your hand and the cord clear of the blade and the burner

Common uses

Puréeing soups directly in the potSmoothing sauces and graviesMaking mayonnaise and aioliBlending smoothies and shakesPuréeing baby foodEmulsifying dressings and vinaigrettesWhipping cream and eggs (with whisk attachment)Small-batch purées and pestos

Tips & pitfalls

Keep it submerged before you turn it on — a head lifted above the surface sprays soup everywhere.
It makes foolproof mayonnaise: egg, oil, mustard, and lemon in a tall cup, blend from the bottom up in seconds.
Use a deep, narrow container so the blade stays covered and the food circulates rather than splashes.
It won't get as silky as a jar blender; for truly smooth velouté, finish in the countertop blender.
Tip the pot toward the blender and work in the deepest part to blend the last of a shallow soup.