Immersion/Stick Blenders

[hathor]

Make foams and "airs" - try carrot air from fresh carrot.

You might want to correct seasonings at this point.

Very cool. But what kind of seasonings are you talking about here? All I saw was carrot and water.

thanks!

Edited December 1, 2004 by hathor (log)

[RETREVR]

You just need a "real" immersion blender

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=mo...cmd=si&img=5588

I have the 20 inch model.  I freqeuntly use it to make large batches of Tomato sauce.  I don't cut anything up to speak of and then hit it for a few seconds with the blender.

I also have a kitchen aid for small batches, but don't use it often.

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http://www.jbprince.com/index.asp?PageActi...ROD&ProdID=1490

The place I used to work had one of these. It was the size of a jack-hammer.

Ten gallons of creme of asperagras soup in seconds.

The sous had it get away from him once and dumped a pot of soup into an ice bath at about ten minutes till the lunch bell.

You could use this thing to put holes in drywall.

[flacoman]

I make a pineapple - shallot sauce with mine . works well with seafood.

1 Shallot diced

5 oz pineapple

6 oz unsweetened pineapple juice

2 Tsb cream

Sweat off the shallots in your preferred fat, drop in the pineapple and blast it a wee bit .

Pour in the juice and reduce by half . Once reduced , blast with the stick blender . Stir in the cream and season with salt & pepper

My 2c

Jorge

[HKDave]

Our Phillips food processor just died, so I need a replacement. But I'm thinking... I used it mainly for two specific tasks: pureeing soups, and making hummous. And I have a storage-challenged life. Could I get by with an immersion blender (hereinafter refered to as an IB)?

I've heard that IBs won't get a puree as smooth as a processor - true or not? I know neither will get it as smooth as a blender, I can live with that.

And I've never heard of anyone using an IB for hummous. Anyone do this?

[M.X.Hassett]

Never used an IB for hummous but it is my go to tool for soups and purees. One of the nicest features of an IB is that you can use it directly in the cooking vessal. As for a storage challenged life just take some of the nicer looking underused gadgets and put them on shelves in the bedroom. I guaranty you will have food filled dreams.

[Richard Kilgore]

Yes, I have recently used my Bamix to make hummus with good results. I made it in the glass jar I then stored it in. How simple.

[mrsadm]

I posted a similar question recently:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...78544&hl=mrsadm

Further research on egullet lead me to purchase a bamix immersion blender for pureeing soups. I will be trying it later this week and report back on the results.

[tan319]

I use my Braun IB for virually everything.

Hardly ever use a food processor or blender, and this is mainly in a work situation.

I'm sure a Bamix would do the rick.

Just make sure is you get a more "household" ish applaince tha you get the power needed.

Best I've used is the Braun.

Good Luck!

[BarbaraY]

I have a Hamilton Beach IB. I didn't buy it so I have no idea what it cost but it does all that I ask of it which is usually to puree soups but it's great for smoothing out lumpy gravy, etc.

Have never tried it for hummus because I make that in the Cuisinart.

[srhcb]

I bought an IB after seeing them used all the time on Food Network, but I've never used it.

It just doesn't feel right. Like maybe the proportions are wrong for what it does?

SB (but, that's just me)

[joiei]

I have a Braun and use it all the time.

[Wendy DeBord]

Add one more person who owns the Braun and loves it.

I went to buy a second one where I originally purchased my first and they told me it's discontinued (Bed, Bath & Beyond). I did manage to track one down. The IB I'm referrring to has two speeds and way more power then similar IB's sold retail I've looked at.

[I_call_the_duck]

Make it three for the Braun. I've had it for many years and love it. It has four speeds (though I generally use only two), comes apart, and came with a small chopping bowl. I tried to make pesto in it (since I didn't have a food processor at the time), and it worked, but was a major pain. But it works beautifully for soups, sauces, and purees and probably other things that I have yet to discover.

Edited December 28, 2005 by I_call_the_duck (log)

[rancho_gordo]

I had a sad old Braun that was hard to clean and low on power. I replaced it with a Kitchen Aid and it's amazing. I'm sure the newer Brauns are fine but I'm actually in love with my KA. 10 speeds, power to spare and the end comes off and can go in the dishwasher if needed.

[FoodMan]

I got a Braun for Xmas a few days ago and so far I love it . I used it so far to make a smoothy and to make an amzingly frothy hot chocolate. I will be using it for all kinds of other stuff, like purreing soups, suces and vinaigrettes it is pretty powerful. I like the idea of using it for Hummous and I will try that for sure.

To answer the original question, I would say if these are the only uses you need it for then, YES.

Although I do not quiet understand this

I bought an IB after seeing them used all the time on Food Network, but I've never used it.

It just doesn't feel right. Like maybe the proportions are wrong for what it does?

SB (but, that's just me)

What do you mean?

[srhcb]

Although I do not quiet understand this

I bought an IB after seeing them used all the time on Food Network, but I've never used it.

It just doesn't feel right. Like maybe the proportions are wrong for what it does?

SB (but, that's just me)

What do you mean?

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I'm not sure. I was hoping someone would share my feeling and explain it better.

It was just that storing the IB, along with all its attachments, taking it out, using it, washing it, and putting it away again seemed like a lot of bother to perform tasks I used to do otherwise with less fuss, even if not as quickly or completely.

And although I'm not small by any means, (5'11' 175 lbs), it seemed large and awkward to use. I had the same problem with my electric knife, which I really only used to cut fresh bread. My new one was only slightly bigger than the one I replaced, but I didn't like the feel of it, so I put the motor and handle part away and just use the blades alone like a regular bread knife.

SB (Maybe being left-handed has something to do with it?)

[chardgirl]

I had a sad old Braun that was hard to clean and low on power. I replaced it with a Kitchen Aid and it's amazing. I'm sure the newer Brauns are fine but I'm actually in love with my KA. 10 speeds, power to spare and the end comes off and can go in the dishwasher if needed.

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I also had another model that finally died, then got a red Kitchen Aid and use it at least a couple times a week. Ditto everything RG says above. I use it mostly for soup, so easy to use and clean. (I'm more challenged for time than space.) I've never used it for hummus, I prefer the food processor for that: just say no to chunky hummus!

cg

[FoodMan]

Although I do not quiet understand this

I bought an IB after seeing them used all the time on Food Network, but I've never used it.

It just doesn't feel right. Like maybe the proportions are wrong for what it does?

SB (but, that's just me)

What do you mean?

←

I'm not sure. I was hoping someone would share my feeling and explain it better.

It was just that storing the IB, along with all its attachments, taking it out, using it, washing it, and putting it away again seemed like a lot of bother to perform tasks I used to do otherwise with less fuss, even if not as quickly or completely.

And although I'm not small by any means, (5'11' 175 lbs), it seemed large and awkward to use. I had the same problem with my electric knife, which I really only used to cut fresh bread. My new one was only slightly bigger than the one I replaced, but I didn't like the feel of it, so I put the motor and handle part away and just use the blades alone like a regular bread knife.

SB (Maybe being left-handed has something to do with it?)

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I am pretty sure I will not be using the crappy attachments that came with mine, so these will be put away. The IB itself is as easy to store as a bottle of olive oil. A big advantage to it is not having to pour hot soup from the pot to the blender in batches. Just puree in the pot. Cleanup is a big plus over a blender or a food processor as well, just immerse the dirty end in soapy water and “blend”. It comes out squeaky clean. Store it back next to the bottle of olive oil .

The Braun is no more than 12 -16 inches long, is that how big your IB is? Maybe you got one of those restaurant issue ones.

I don’t mean to sound like an infomercial, but I really cannot understand the problem you are having with it.

[bleachboy]

I have a Bamix and I love it to death. It's the kind of kitchen tool you sort of have to train yourself to use, though -- when I first got it, I used it maybe once in the first year, then started to remember to use it and now I use it constantly.

I do still use my Cuisinart, and if you can possibly spare the space I'd recommend keeping both around, but my IB has been used for much more than pureeing soups and the like -- I use it every time I make an emulsion sauce. I use it for chopping and grinding (there's a little attachment included for this) and it works like a dream.

Buy one, you'll be glad you did. I love the Bamix, but the Braun (get the $60 one, not the $25 one) gets rave reviews as well -- just gave one to my sister for Christmas, in fact, purchased from amazon.com.

[srhcb]

The Braun is no more than 12 -16 inches long, is that how big your IB is? Maybe you got one of those restaurant issue ones.

I don’t mean to sound like an infomercial, but I really cannot understand the problem you are having with it.

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No. I don't have an industrial sized blender like I saw Emeril use one night! What bothered me wasn't so much a matter of ergonomics as a more subltle sense. Maybe it was tactility? Like having one-too-many labor saving appliances.

Perhaps it's an innate practicality inherited from my Scotch/English and Serbian grandmothers, either of whom could cook far better than I ever will using a lot less equipment. (Although I'm sure they had nothing against the idea of "labor saving"!)

Or perhaps I just don't puree enough to appreciate it?

SB

[HKDave]

Thanks to all for the responses. Sounds like an IB will do the job... now I'm off to the shops to see which models are available here in HK. Prices here are usually more than in the US.

I've already fired an e-mail off to Bamix asking if they have a local agent...

[Chris Amirault]

I got a Philips HR1358 IB second-hand, and it was a vast improvement on our old Braun IB. Click here for the Target.com link, where it's not available, but you'll get a sense of the design. The little chopping bowl is very handy, and the IB itself is excellent. Only four speeds, but I puree a lot and find it's perfect. One caveat: the frame for the base of the blender attachment (the part that will hit the bottom of your bowl or pot) is made of stainless steel, so you wouldn't want to use this one with anything non-stick.

[Daniel]

Our Phillips food processor just died, so I need a replacement.  But I'm thinking... I used it mainly for two specific tasks: pureeing soups, and making hummous.  And I have a storage-challenged life.  Could I get by with an immersion blender (hereinafter refered to as an IB)?

I've heard that IBs won't get a puree as smooth as a processor - true or not?  I know neither will get it as smooth as a blender, I can live with that.

And I've never heard of anyone using an IB for hummous.  Anyone do this?

←

Last night I was just using my IB for mixing drinks.. I put a can of pears with some ice and vodka.. It worked just fine.. And the best part was, no cleaning up the blender!

[k43]

The corded Cuisineart SmartStick got a rave in one of the papers -- I don't remember where. Cook's Illustrated gave the Braun PowerMax MX2050 a top rating.

Any experience with the Cuisineart or the particular Braun model?

[Jaymes]

I just got a cheap one....can't remember the brand (and I'm not home to check), but it was about $25 at WalMart. Wanted to see if I'd even use the thing before I popped for a good, expensive one. This one has only one speed, and no attachments.

Well, I use it all the time; most recently, two nights ago when I heated up a saucepan of leftover beans, and when it was really hot and I was about to spoon it into the bowls, decided it'd probably make a great pureed soup. Would have been quite the pain to pour that boiling hot pot of stuff into a blender or food processor. But with the IB, no prob. Stuck it into the pot, pushed the button, and that little beauty just whirled the beans (pork and bacon and all) right into a delicious brew. Ladled them into individual soup bowls, topped with a blob of sour cream and a pretty sprinkle of cilantro leaves, and there you go.