--- title: "Best immersion blender: which hand blender to buy for soups" description: "Braun MultiQuick 7, Cuisinart Smart Stick or Breville Control Grip? How to choose an immersion blender for soups, sauces and chopping." url: https://picksdesk.com/en/home-kitchen/immersion-blender-which-to-buy language: en category: "Home & Kitchen" kind: guide byline: "Emily Carter" editor: "Andrea Bertolotti" publisher: "PicksDesk" published: 2026-10-22 updated: 2026-10-22 tags: ["immersion blender", "hand blender", "stick blender", "pureed soups", "small kitchen appliances", "blender attachments"] products: ["Braun MultiQuick 7 MQ7035X 3-in-1 Immersion Blender (Braun)", "Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Variable Speed Hand Blender (Cuisinart)", "Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender (Breville)"] --- # Best immersion blender: which hand blender to buy for soups > Three immersion blenders picked for soups, sauces and chopping: the Braun MultiQuick 7 for most kitchens, the Cuisinart Smart Stick on a budget, the Breville for big pots. Category: Home & Kitchen · Byline: [Emily Carter](https://picksdesk.com/en/team/emily-carter) · Published: 2026-10-22 · Updated: 2026-10-22 · Web version: https://picksdesk.com/en/home-kitchen/immersion-blender-which-to-buy The immersion blender we recommend for most kitchens is the **Braun MultiQuick 7 MQ7035X**: smooth soups with very little splatter, speed you control with one finger and a 2-cup chopper in the box. If you just want to purée soup, the **Cuisinart Smart Stick CSB-179** costs about half as much; for tall stockpots, look at the **Breville Control Grip**. ### At a glance - **Braun MultiQuick 7 MQ7035X 3-in-1 Immersion Blender** · For most home cooks · $90–120 - **Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Variable Speed Hand Blender** · For soups and smoothies on a budget · $40–60 - **Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender** · For big pots and batch cooking · $100–140 ## How we chose We don't physically test the products we recommend. We compared manufacturer specs, long-term verified buyer reviews and published testing from outlets such as RTINGS, Good Housekeeping and Food Network, then dropped models with hard-to-find replacement parts or recurring complaints about shafts that loosen over time. Our criteria, in order: how smooth a pureed soup comes out, how much it splatters, how easy it is to change speed one-handed, what comes in the box, and how sturdy the weak spot of every stick blender is, the joint between motor and shaft. Wattage came last, and we explain why further down. If you're refreshing your small appliances and already own an [air fryer](https://picksdesk.com/en/home-kitchen/air-fryer-buying-guide), a stick blender is the natural companion: it lives in a drawer, not on the countertop. ## Braun MultiQuick 7: the best all-rounder **Product: Braun MultiQuick 7 MQ7035X 3-in-1 Immersion Blender** (Braun) · Best for: For most home cooks - Price band: Premium - Specs: Power 500 W (120 V); Controls Pressure button; Speed settings Variable; Technology ActiveBlade, SplashControl; Included accessories 2-cup chopper, whisk; Capacity 20 oz beaker - Key points: ActiveBlade shaft that also moves up and down; Easy SmartSpeed: squeeze harder for more speed; SplashControl bell; 2-cup chopper, whisk and 20 oz beaker What sets the MultiQuick 7 apart is control. There are no fixed speed settings: squeeze the button lightly for a coarse chop, harder for a silky purée, and you can adjust without stopping. The ActiveBlade shaft lets the blade shift up and down, which helps it reach chunks sitting at the bottom of the pot, and the SplashControl guard is shaped to keep hot soup in the pot instead of on your shirt. In the box you get a 2-cup chopper, a whisk and a 20 oz beaker; attachments click on and off with two side buttons. The US model is rated at 500 watts on 120 V, half the European figure; that does not make it a weaker blender in practice. **Pro** - Pressure-sensitive speed control that's easy to fine-tune - Low splatter, even in shallow pots - Replacement shafts and attachments are sold separately **Da sapere / Caveats** - The chopper's gearbox is plastic; some long-term reviews say it's the first part to wear out with hard ingredients - The cord is on the short side if your outlet isn't next to the stove - Mid-range price, roughly double the Cuisinart **Who it's for:** anyone who makes soup every week, chops herbs and nuts, and wants one tool for all of it. ## Cuisinart Smart Stick CSB-179: the budget pick that does the basics **Product: Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Variable Speed Hand Blender** (Cuisinart) · Best for: For soups and smoothies on a budget - Price band: Budget pick - Specs: Power 300 W; Controls Slide plus push button; Speed settings Variable; Technology 8-inch stainless shaft; Included accessories 3-cup chopper, whisk; Capacity 2-cup cup - Key points: 300-watt motor; Variable speed slide plus push button; 8-inch stainless steel shaft; 3-cup chopper, whisk and 2-cup cup The Smart Stick is the stick blender plenty of American kitchens already own, and the variable-speed CSB-179 version is still one of the safest budget buys. A slide sets the speed and a push button runs it, the 8-inch stainless shaft reaches the bottom of most saucepans, and you get a 3-cup chopper, a whisk and a 2-cup mixing cup. RTINGS lists it as its budget pick and notes it blends fibrous greens like kale more smoothly than some rivals in its class. **Pro** - Budget price with a full set of attachments - Long 8-inch shaft for its class - 3-year limited warranty **Da sapere / Caveats** - You set the speed first and then press, which is less fluid than Braun's squeeze control - 300-watt motor slows down with hard ingredients in the chopper - More splatter if you lift the shaft while running **Who it's for:** anyone who mostly purées soups, makes smoothies and sauces, and wants to spend as little as possible. ## Breville Control Grip: for stockpots and big batches **Product: Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender** (Breville) · Best for: For big pots and batch cooking - Price band: Premium - Specs: Power 280 W; Controls Trigger; Speed settings 15; Technology Anti-suction bell, 8-inch depth; Included accessories 25 oz chopper, whisk; Capacity 42 oz jug - Key points: Trigger grip for a natural hand position; 15 speeds; Anti-suction bell with non-scratch base; 42 oz jug, 25 oz chopping bowl and whisk Breville built the Control Grip around two ideas. First, a trigger switch that keeps your wrist in a natural position, which matters when you're blending a full stockpot of chili or butternut squash soup. Second, a bell-shaped base with internal ribs that cuts suction, so the blender doesn't latch onto the bottom of the pot. The 8-inch immersion depth and a non-scratch base make it the friendliest of the three for tall and nonstick pots. It comes with 15 speeds, a 42 oz jug with a storage lid, a 25 oz chopping bowl and a whisk. **Pro** - Trigger grip is comfortable for long blending sessions - Anti-suction base and non-scratch guard - Biggest jug of the three, and the chopper stores inside it **Da sapere / Caveats** - Heavier and louder than the Braun, per RTINGS - Only a 1-year warranty, against 3 years for Braun and Cuisinart - Upper-mid price **Who it's for:** batch cooks, big families and anyone who blends in tall stockpots or nonstick Dutch ovens. ### Comparison | | Braun MultiQuick 7 MQ7035X 3-in-1 Immersion Blender | Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Variable Speed Hand Blender | Breville BSB510XL Control Grip Immersion Blender | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Best for | For most home cooks | For soups and smoothies on a budget | For big pots and batch cooking | | Power | 500 W (120 V) | 300 W | 280 W | | Controls | Pressure button | Slide plus push button | Trigger | | Speed settings | Variable | Variable | 15 | | Technology | ActiveBlade, SplashControl | 8-inch stainless shaft | Anti-suction bell, 8-inch depth | | Included accessories | 2-cup chopper, whisk | 3-cup chopper, whisk | 25 oz chopper, whisk | | Capacity | 20 oz beaker | 2-cup cup | 42 oz jug | | Price band | Premium | Budget pick | Premium | ## Wattage, blades and guards: what actually matters Our three picks are rated anywhere from 280 to 500 watts in the US, and the lowest-rated one is the most expensive. That's not a contradiction. For soup, blade shape and the guard decide how smooth the result is and whether the blender suctions to the pot. Power helps with nuts, hard cheese and chopping, but even there the attachment design counts for more. Look at three things instead. The guard: wide, with side openings, it blends better and splatters less. The control: continuous, pressure-based speed beats a dial because you can adjust while you blend. The shaft: metal and detachable, so it goes in the dishwasher and can be replaced. *Photo: For a silky soup, the blade guard and speed control matter more than the wattage.* ## Chopper, whisk and beaker: do you need them? Of all the attachments, the chopper is the one that justifies paying more, if you'll use it. It handles parsley, walnuts, Parmesan and the onion-carrot-celery base for soups in seconds, and it's quicker to wash than a food processor. The whisk, on the other hand, often stays in the box: it whips cream fine, but a hand mixer does egg whites better. A tall, narrow beaker is more useful than it looks. Mayonnaise and dressings emulsify without splashing out, and it's the right shape for a single smoothie. For two or more, Breville's 42 oz jug is the roomiest. *Photo: A chopper attachment earns its keep if you make pesto, nut toppings or mirepoix.* ## Cleaning, spare parts and lifespan Rinsed right away, the shaft cleans in seconds: warm water and a drop of dish soap in the beaker, a short run, then rinse. Wait until the evening and you'll be scraping dried soup from under the guard, where a sponge can't reach. Most makers list the shaft and beaker as dishwasher safe (check your manual); the motor body never is, so wipe it with a damp cloth. Lifespan comes down mostly to the coupling. Every time the motor starts under load, the joint between body and shaft takes the jolt, and that's where cheap stick blenders with flimsy plastic couplings give up first. Spare parts are the other half of the story: Braun sells shafts, choppers and whisks separately, so a broken piece doesn't mean a new blender. Before you pick an unknown brand, check that you can at least buy a replacement shaft. Warranty is a fair tiebreaker too, and here Braun and Cuisinart beat Breville by two years. ## Baby food, mayo and sauces: the less obvious uses New parents tend to discover that an immersion blender is the quickest way to make baby food: you blend straight in a small saucepan or the beaker, in quantities too small for a countertop blender to handle. A blender with fine speed control, like the Braun, makes it easy to leave a little texture when your pediatrician suggests it. Homemade mayonnaise is the other classic: a whole egg, oil and lemon juice in the narrow beaker, the guard resting on the bottom, and you lift slowly only once the emulsion has started. It works with all three models. The same move gives you smooth tomato sauce, quick pesto and creamy bean soups without a food mill. ## Common mistakes with hot soup The first one is switching on with the guard lifted: rest it on the bottom at a slight angle and only lift it once the motor has stopped. The second is blending over a lit burner, where bubbling soup pops back at you. The third is running a metal guard in a delicate nonstick pot; if you care about the coating, transfer the soup or choose the Breville. A quieter mistake is running the motor for too long without a break. Stick blenders are designed for short bursts; the manual tells you the limit, and respecting it is what keeps the shaft joint healthy. It's the same advice we give in our guide to the [variable temperature kettle](https://picksdesk.com/en/home-kitchen/electric-kettle-which-to-buy): read the instructions once, before the first use. ## When to buy, and when to skip it Hand blenders show up often in fall sales events. If you can wait, our page on [what to expect on Black Friday](https://picksdesk.com/en/deals/black-friday) explains how to spot a real price drop. Skip it altogether if you already use a countertop blender with a soup program: for purées it does the same job. And don't buy a model loaded with attachments if you cook twice a week; the Cuisinart covers that. ## Our verdict **If you cook often and want one tool:** Braun MultiQuick 7 MQ7035X, for its speed control and low splatter. **If you mostly purée soups and want to spend less:** Cuisinart Smart Stick CSB-179, simple and covered by a 3-year warranty. **If you blend in big stockpots:** Breville Control Grip, with its trigger grip and anti-suction base. ## FAQ **Immersion blender, hand blender, stick blender: are they the same thing?** Yes. All three names describe the same tool: a motor body with a detachable blending shaft that you put straight into the pot, bowl or beaker. **Can I use an immersion blender in a hot pot of soup?** That is what it is built for. Turn off the burner, let the boil settle, rest the blade guard on the bottom before you switch it on and keep it submerged until it stops. On nonstick pans a metal guard can scratch the coating; the Breville has a non-scratch base for that reason. **Can an immersion blender crush ice or make smoothies?** Smoothies with soft or thawed fruit, yes, in the included beaker or jug. Ice and frozen fruit are another story: only use them if the manual says the blade can handle it, otherwise a countertop blender is the better tool. **How long can I run an immersion blender without a break?** Check the manual, because limits vary by model. These motors are designed for short bursts with pauses; a pot of soup usually takes a few passes, while hard ingredients in the chopper work the motor hardest. **Does the European 1000-watt Braun blend better than the US 500-watt version?** Not in any way you would notice at home. Wattage ratings are measured differently by region and brand; blade design, the guard and speed control decide how smooth the soup gets. *Note: PicksDesk takes part in the Amazon Associates programme; prices are indicative market ranges to be checked on Amazon. The editorial team does not physically test products: assessments rely on official specs, verified reviews and specialist press.*