Immersion/Stick Blenders

[alanamoana]

although they do have bigger and more powerful stick blenders out there...none of them are as good as a regular blender for ice/smoothies and the like. but that doesn't mean a stick blender (burr mixer) doesn't have its advantages! i love mine and we use the same model at work in the restaurant (most restaurants that i have worked in use them). it is the cheapest model braun and costs around $25US. from what i can tell, they got rid of the $19 model altogether. the next one up comes with a little chopper attachment also which looks great for nuts, etc.

my advice for the "too little sauce in the pan" dilemma is: save your plastic quart containers from things like yogurt or take-out...they are tall and narrow and you won't feel bad if you ruin one with hot tomato sauce or something like that because it didn't cost you anything. saves you the mess...and if you're like me and save everything, you can just throw the container away when you're done to make room in your cabinets!

[elion_84]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I suspected that my problem was that the sauce is too shallow. I wanted to avoid using yet another container, alas it seems that it's not possible.

My stick blender (Braun) came with a tall measuring cup-like thing. I'll try using that next time to puree the sauce.

[ellencho]

If you absolutely must make the sauce in the pans you're currently using, try Alton Brown's trick of taking a frisbee, cutting halfway into the center and cutting out a small hole for your immersion blender and use that as a splatter guard.

[Tracy K.]

When I'm pureeing a small amount with the stick blender (mine is a Braun that's about 15 years old--still going strong), I try to pulse the hand switch very briefly using a light touch and keeping the blade guard (for want of a better term) flat against the bottom of the pan or bowl--picking it up and placing it in another part of the sauce when necessary. Now, the newer models may not do this (pulse easily), but it has worked for me. Also, in terms of cleaning, I make certain that I run it under hot water as soon as I am finished...pulsing it in a bowl of soapy water also helps get stuff out of the little nooks on the underside of the thing...okay, so sometimes I have to resort to a toothpick....sheesh!

[winesonoma]

Any thoughts on the Kitchenaid one?

[Richard Kilgore]

I don't know about the KA, but there is a post above that indicates the BAMIX is $200. I looked into this a while ago, and there are several versions of the Bamix, starting at about $120. The one with the very long shaft was about $180, as I recall.

[Marlene]

I don't know about the KA, but there is a post above that indicates the BAMIX is $200. I looked into this a while ago, and there are several versions of the Bamix, starting at about $120. The one with the very long shaft was about $180, as I recall.

Richard, that's probably $200 Cdn which makes is about $120 US Mine was in that range, but I don't regret the cost at all.

[Richard Kilgore]

Marlene, is the immersible section long enough for use in a 12 qt stock pot? If not, what is the largest it will work in?

[robyn]

What would the holidays be without a new kitchen toy or two? Bought an immersion blender. I know the obvious things I can do with it (like puree a soup) - but what about the things I'd never think of? Robyn

[Marlene]

ceasar salad dressing. Mine has an attachment so I can mince garlic and onions, and nuts.

Milkshakes.

I adore my immersion blender

[Gifted Gourmet]

For making mayonnaise and smoothies ...vinaigrettes as well ...

[andiesenji]

bread crumbs!

[Tonyy13]

Well, I love to use it to froth a cream soup right before I serve it, or to froth a warmed pot of milk to which I have added a little bit of gelatin, then mix it with a thick sauce for an El Bulli like kind of foam. Works great, make sure that your milk is warm though, or you will be trying ot get cold gelatin to stabalize tiny bubbles.

[bleachboy]

I have a Bamix that my wonderful wife bought me last year. I use it frequently, and so does she. Any kind of emulsified sauce (mayo, hollandaise, vinaigrette, etc) is a breeze and during the colder months I use it a LOT for pureeing soups. It's great because if you are making a bean soup or something where you want it mostly pureed but you still want a few chunks, you just pulse it until it's just how you want it, and you can do it all in the original pot.

My wife recently also used it to grind spices (to make spice blends) and reported good results. That requires a little spice grinder attachment thing, which was included with my Bamix.

And the best part is... they are REALLY easy to clean. Clean it right after use, and it takes about 8 seconds.

Enjoy your new toy! I'm sure you'll love it!

[snowangel]

Fifi, our hypnotist, must be lurking, because I do need an immersion blender, and now.

[bloviatrix]

In preparing dinner for 8 last week I used my immersion blender to puree soup, emulsify the marinade, and break down the grapes which were used to make sorbet (less messy than the food processor). I love mine so much that I bought a back-up for "just in case."

[lovebenton0]

Wonderful for all the above. I use mine all the time, blending in cooking pot is a dream! Soup weather right now -- I used it last night for creamed cauliflower soup and tonight for tortilla soup. It's one of the early Brauns with an attachment for grinding nuts and spices. The tall cup mine came with is ideal for whipping (very cold) cream or milk.

Dips, dressings, sauces, glazes, gravy . . .

Hot cocoa!

Fifi, our hypnotist, must be lurking, because I do need an immersion blender, and now.

Susan, get thee to thy local mart and get one today!

[jackal10]

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

Mash potatoes, if you fix the starch first

Instant sorbets, from frozen fruit and sugar

[Marco_Polo]

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

Can you explain how to do this, please, Jack.

[fifi]

Fifi, our hypnotist, must be lurking, because I do need an immersion blender, and now.

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Nope... Not me... Not this time.

I actually don't have one now. When the son moved out, he took it with him. He is a buttless string bean and we got the thing for him to make these disgusting protein shakes. Of course, I appropriated it for soups and such. I miss it. That is where the true magic is and I would buy one just for that. You have great control over texture, all in the same pot, and no hot soup geyser blenders. I will probably need a new toy under the tree.

[jackal10]

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

Can you explain how to do this, please, Jack.

←

We had a discussion on this some time ago.

Here we go:

Take some carrot (here 60 gm) of prettty rough old carrot, but that was all there was in the vegetable basket and 100 ml of water

Put in food processor. I guess you could chop the carrot and use the stick blender

and whizz

Strain out the solids

Then fillter some more (this is though a bit of kitchen towel)]

You might want to correct seasonings at this point.

Have at it with a stick blender, holding the blender just at the surface so lots of air is incorperated.

Skim the foam off as it forms.

Carrot Air!

Since the foaming is quite a tedious process and must be done a la minute, I find it easier to do it before hand as a mise, and freeze the product. As a solid frozen foam it is much more stable.

[Marco_Polo]

Very cool. Thank you very much.

[Wine_Dad]

I was going to describe my "roasted red pepper sauce" but after seeing the "Carrot Air" it seems pointless.

Anyway!

Take three roasted red peppers, 2-3 cloves of crushed garlic, splash of lime juice, and hot peppers of your choice (I use chipotle) and grind them into a sauce. You can add (or not) oil to get the perfect consistency. Depending on our respective girth at the time dictates how much oil we add.

Carrot air - I'm going to town with that one.

[marie-louise]

Fifi, our hypnotist, must be lurking, because I do need an immersion blender, and now.

←

Nope... Not me... Not this time.

I actually don't have one now. When the son moved out, he took it with him. He is a buttless string bean and we got the thing for him to make these disgusting protein shakes. Of course, I appropriated it for soups and such. I miss it. That is where the true magic is and I would buy one just for that. You have great control over texture, all in the same pot, and no hot soup geyser blenders. I will probably need a new toy under the tree.

←

I'll step in for Fifi (we're a team here at eGullet, right?)

I just use mine for soups, but I agree, it is so much easier than repeatedly spooning small amounts in a blender, FP, or food mill that it's worth owning this tool if you ever want to make pureed soups. At someone's suggestion here, I recently bought the made-by-Bamix Williams-Sonoma version to replace my old Braun that either sprayed me or stuck to the bottom w/ suction. Wow-what a difference. It works much better. It costs about $100. but I bet it goes on sale now and again. I highly recommend it. I think the real Bamix is about $150.

Edited to say that the real Bamix is $125 at Sur La Table but

ta-da...

Williams Sonoma has the one I like on sale for $69.99 (regularly $99) http://ww1.williams-sonoma.com/cat/pip.cfm...95164&cmsrc=sch

You need one.

Edited November 23, 2004 by marie-louise (log)

[marie-louise]

The Williams-Sonoma ad also shows a picture of one of those Batter Pitchers, and mentions other uses for the blender: vinaigrettes & batters. I have the older version of that pitcher-mine doesn't have measuring lines-but that would be a real fast way to make pancakes, popovers, and more.

Damn-now I want I new Batter Pitcher. Don't 'ya just hate when they improve things like that?

Anyway, the rest of you should buy both with the $$$ you saved by buying it on sale.