Immersion Blenders

[Marlene]

In my never ending quest for kitchen equipment, I'm now on the hunt for an immersion blender. I've never owned one before, but now that I'm making a lot more salad dressings, whipping cream, mayonnaise etc, I'd like to have one rather than dragging out my big blender all the time.

This tool is strictly for home use to make the above sorts of things. Recommendations anyone?

[Ruth]

I own a Cuisinart and a Braun. Both are good and come with little chopper attachments. The top of the line Braun is a little more powerful than the Cuisinart but the chopper attachment works better on the Cuisinart. I use an immersion blender almost daily and rarely use a regular blender any more

[Hub-UK2]

I was at the BBC Good Food Show last November and watched a demonstration of the Bamix. I was impressed and just had to have one. It takes seconds to make mayonnaise and stick it in a saucepan with all your soup ingredients and woosh, no more lumps.

Makes great milk shakes and is easy to clean.

There is one draw back - it is expensive but then I suppose you get what you pay for.

This is the web site:

http://www.bamix.com/

I think mine is the Bamix Swiss Line. Apparently Chef Gordon Ramsay uses one but then he was probably paid to!

[slkinsey]

In my never ending quest for kitchen equipment, I'm now on the hunt for an immersion blender.  I've never owned one before, but now that I'm making a lot more salad dressings, whipping cream, mayonnaise etc, I'd like to have one rather than dragging out my big blender all the time.

This tool is strictly for home use to make the above sorts of things. Recommendations anyone?

I have an immersion blender and I have to say that I don't use it nearly as much as I thought I would. It's just not convenient for very many things I do. I suppose I'd use it more often if I made a lot of chunky-textured semi-pureed soups and the like... but even then I find that immersion blenders don't work so well if you're trying to blend up something with a significant amount of leafy green or fibrous vegetable matter.

Anyway, my personal experience is that you'll have a much easier time doing the things you propose with appliances you already own -- and actually I'm not sure that an immersion blender would work very well for those things at all. Whipping cream is best and easiest to do with a electric hand beater, and I always do mayonnaise and emulsified salad dressings in the small bowl of my KitchenAid food processor. If you don't already have a small-bowl food processor, I think you'd get a lot more use out of one of those for the tasks you describe than an immersion blender.

YMMV, of course. Some people use their immersion blenders all the time.

[inventolux]

The immersion blender has thousands of uses, one might use it to make mayonnaise or some other form of emulsified product, certain froths, foams, emulsions and any other sauces that fall into what I call a more 3 dimensional preparation. However I would definitely stay away from trying to create smooth pastes, soups and sauces due to the low level of watts hand blenders usually carry. Stick with using a cup blender, food mill or a juice extractor for these heavily fabricated jobs.

Edited June 9, 2003 by inventolux (log)

[rickster]

I'd agree with the above. The immersion blender is probably the least used piece of equipment in my kitchen. Having said that, I seem to remember the Bamix being highly recommended vs. the Krups/Braun type of blender in some older threads here.

[Hub-UK2]

Anyway, my personal experience is that you'll have a much easier time doing the things you propose with appliances you already own -- and actually I'm not sure that an immersion blender would work very well for those things at all.  Whipping cream is best and easiest to do with a electric hand beater, and I always do mayonnaise and emulsified salad dressings in the small bowl of my KitchenAid food processor.  If you don't already have a small-bowl food processor, I think you'd get a lot more use out of one of those for the tasks you describe than an immersion blender.

YMMV, of course.  Some people use their immersion blenders all the time.

I'm not saying you may not be right for you but all these things can be done with the Bamix. It is very powerful. Keep it on your worktop, fit the right attachment which just pushes on, do the job and rinse under the tap.

They supplied a video with mine so you might be able to either see the video or a demo in one of the shops. Still say it is well worth the look.

It is the only machine I really use in the kitchen. My main food processor stays in the cupboard most of the time because it is easier to do things by hand rather than get it out, assemble it and then clean it afterwards. My kitchen space is very limited so the Bamix is ideal.

http://www.bamix.com/english/index.htm

. . . I should add that I do not work for the company and nor do I receive commission.

[Jonathan Day]

I have the Bamix "Gastro 200", the professional model. It's great, but it is designed for larger quantities and doesn't work in many applications where you have a small amount of liquid to be whipped or blended or frothed. The blending head is too large.

I keep it right by the stove where it can be used without removing pots from burners.

As other posters have noted, it doesn't really substitute for a cup blender, especially where foods are fibrous. But for most soups and sauces it works beautifully, and it's easy and fast to clean.

[klc14]

This seems to be turning into the Bamix thread...I will just add that the woman who does cooking chats for the Washington Post online has one and uses it all the time. I don't remember which brand she said she had...

I've used one (Braun) that a friend had...when using it in the the pot the suction created when I got near the bottom of the pot was quite strong. Had to turn it off to pull it out of the soup. But it does work very nicely for pureeing soups. I just haven't bought one because I JUST bought a glass-jarred one. One toy at a time, one toy at a time!

There's one advertised on infomercials on US cable channels---was it called Thunderstick or some (possibly odder than they know) thing like that. It's about $60, looks comparable to the Braun. I might, MIGHT order that someday. If it's 3 AM, I'm bored, can't sleep, my credit card is too available

[Jonathan Day]

There's something of a gap between most home stick blenders (Braun, etc.) and the true professional models, which weigh a tonne and have huge motors. These will mix cement or purée nails into soup. But they are only suitable if you are doing several litres of whatever at a time. Hence the interest in the Bamix, which seems to sit between home and professional machines. I chatted briefly with Gordon Ramsay at a book launch; he said he used the Bamix constantly.

[Hub-UK2]

Hence the interest in the Bamix, which seems to sit between home and professional machines. I chatted briefly with Gordon Ramsay at a book launch; he said he used the Bamix constantly.

So that confirms that Gordon Ramsay actually uses it and it isn't just publicity blurb!

[Marlene]

Once again, I'm not at all sure I can get the Bamix in Canada, and it may be overkill for what I need it for. Dressings and mayonnaise mostly, mousses possibly.

[MatthewB]

Marlene, do you have a food processor?

[Marlene]

Yeah I have one, but I hate dragging it out and assembling it then dissambling it and cleaning it

[MatthewB]

Yeah I have one, but I hate dragging it out and assembling it then dissambling it and cleaning it

So you're willing to spend the money on an immersion blender to avoid messing with the processor?

[Marlene]

Yeah I have one, but I hate dragging it out and assembling it then dissambling it and cleaning it

So you're willing to spend the money on an immersion blender to avoid messing with the processor?

More or less

[MatthewB]

Just checking on the above.

If you don't want the Bamix, sounds like you're down to Braun & Cusinart.

I picked up the top-end Braun at Bed Bath Beyond for about $70 (used a discount coupon).

I haven't used it yet though.

[Marlene]

Just checking on the above.

If you don't want the Bamix, sounds like you're down to Braun & Cusinart.

I picked up the top-end Braun at Bed Bath Beyond for about $70 (used a discount coupon).

I haven't used it yet though.

I don't think I can get the Bamix here. so yes I'm trying to decide between the Cuisnart and the Braun. Send me yours, I'll try it out for you

[MatthewB]

I don't think I can get the  Bamix here. so yes I'm trying to decide between the Cuisnart and the Braun.  Send me yours, I'll try it out for you

I would but I know I'll try it out as soon as it warms up.

Crushed ice drinks!

[tan319]

I own a Cuisinart and a Braun. Both are good and come with little chopper attachments. The top of the line Braun is a little more powerful than the Cuisinart but the chopper attachment works better on the Cuisinart. I use an immersion blender almost daily and rarely use a regular blender any more

My vote is for the Braun one that comes with a whisk attachment and a food processor cup. I think I paid 39.95 at a Bed, Bath, and Beyond.

It breaks down, which is a big plus when you are working on stuff and don't want to unplug the whole thing. It rocks!

[nightscotsman]

Once again, I'm not at all sure I can get the Bamix in Canada, and it may be overkill for what I need it for.  Dressings and mayonnaise mostly, mousses possibly.

You can get the Bamix in Canada from Golda's Kitchen. They are a lot more expensive than the Brauns and Cuininarts, but the Bamix really is in a different league. I had the Braun for years and there is no comparison. The big differences are the Bamix has way more power, you can change the working blade quickly and easily for different uses (yes, you can create foams), and the way the working end is designed (metal, not plastic) allows for more flow-through of whatever you're blending, so it works a lot like a conventional cup blender. I use mine all the time.

You might also be interested in a previous discussions here and here.

[MatthewB]

. . . and the way the [bamix] working end is designed (metal, not plastic) . . .

FWIW, the new top-end Braun has a metal working end.

[JSD]

I've had a Braun for 4 or 5 years. I used it for blending soups, and sometimes making smoothies. It's fun. The bottom is plastic, and has an O ring or something around the where the blade connects, and part of it sort of crumbled and fell off. I guess we ate it! Since I noticed that, I stopped using it, and started using my regular blender. I don't even know if it can be fixed, but I don't want to eat any more O ring.

[Marlene]

Once again, I'm not at all sure I can get the Bamix in Canada, and it may be overkill for what I need it for.  Dressings and mayonnaise mostly, mousses possibly.

You can get the Bamix in Canada from Golda's Kitchen. They are a lot more expensive than the Brauns and Cuininarts, but the Bamix really is in a different league. I had the Braun for years and there is no comparison. The big differences are the Bamix has way more power, you can change the working blade quickly and easily for different uses (yes, you can create foams), and the way the working end is designed (metal, not plastic) allows for more flow-through of whatever you're blending, so it works a lot like a conventional cup blender. I use mine all the time.

You might also be interested in a previous discussions here and here.

I ordered it today. It should be here tomorrow. Gotta love Golda's

[Marlene]

It arrived today! What a beaut. Ceasar salad dressing coming up