Stick Mixers

A Stick Mixer, also known as a Stick Blender, Hand Blender or Immersion Blender, is a space saving and easy to use Kitchen Appliance to make light of everyday tasks. Stick Mixers are wand shaped and designed to be gripped and held at the top where the motor and controls are located, featuring a rotating blade at the opposite end. The stick is designed to be immersed in thick liquids and food solids, where the blades can be directed and moved around for finely chopping, puréeing, mixing, liquefying and blending.

Since they can be used in any bowl, saucepan or pot Stick Mixers are a great way to cut down on cleanup after cooking, especially seeing you don’t need to transfer food for blending so fewer dishes get dirtied. Most Stick Mixer models have a detachable blade for easy cleaning, and include a wide range of accessories that could even possibly replace a Food Processor for smaller kitchen jobs.

Stick Blenders can be used for emulsifying homemade mayonnaise, blending nutritious baby food, whipping up batter, blending smoothies, making homemade sauces and creating smooth, creamy soups inside the pot.

Although they have similar names and can be used for some of the same tasks, Hand Mixers and Stick Mixers are quite different appliances.

A Stick Mixer functions like a Blender using fast rotating blades to cut and pulverise foods and liquids, while a Hand Mixer can be viewed more like a less expensive Stand Mixer. Stick and Hand Mixers are operated by hand while Stand Mixers carry the food themselves. The body of a Hand Mixer houses the engine and two beater attachments which spin at variable speeds when a trigger or button is pushed. Two metal beaters move past each other as they spin churning through the ingredients in the bowl.

Because the two beaters of the Hand Mixer are blunt and the blades of the Stick Mixer are sharp, they produce quite different results for different types of foods or ingredients. Hand Mixers are generally favoured by bakers who use them for tasks like mixing batters and whipping egg whites. Stick Mixers are better suited for chopping and liquifying and some can be used to whisk with the right attachment.

The wattage of a Stick Mixer and all Mixers & Food Processors largely determines how powerful the motor inside is. Whilst raw power is certainly something to look at particularly for blending things that are thicker, heavier or harder, it's not the only factor at play when it comes to performance.

Primarily blending soft foods or preparing simple smoothies doesn't require a lot of grunt so a Stick Blender around 250 watts is sufficient to handle that, while some models can go up to around 1000 watts for heavier tasks like mashing or kneading.

For optimal performance and longevity, look for efficient designs and good build quality. For more intensive tasks what matters most is how the power is being utilised rather than the outright power rating. The design of the motor determines how efficient the Mixer is at producing speed, but the blade designs and the guard that surrounds them can also have a huge impact on the efficiency of the Mixer.

This depends on how the Stick Mixer will be used and how often. Seek a model that’s comfortable to grip for you and easy to manoeuvre with one hand. Thankfully, many models come with either rubber grips or ergonomic handles to help with this and buttons rather than dials for easy control. You can also find cordless models today like some KitchenAid or Cuisinart models.

A Stick Blender should have low and high speed settings at a minimum. A pulse function is great for short, controlled bursts when a completely smooth texture isn't wanted. Keep an eye out for included accessories: many come with a food chopper, a jug and even a masher tool for effortlessly creamy mashed potato like some Kenwood Stick Mixers. Some models come with whipping and beating attachments, however if the focus is on those tasks, we suggest considering a Hand or Stand Mixer.

If both style and performance matters, seek out Smeg Stick Mixers in their popular 1950s retro aesthetic.