How to choose a blender: everything you need to know before buying

Which is better: hand blender or stationary

It all depends on your tasks.

Hand blender

Suitable for most household tasks.
Advantages: compactness, you can grind small portions in any containers, many attachments.
Disadvantages: you need to hold the blender in your hands, if you use it carelessly, you can spray food.

Such a blender is bought and used most often, because it is a real replacement for a food processor. Chopper, blender, whisk, puree attachment, vacuum pump allow you to make minced meat and dough, mashed potatoes and smoothies, grind coffee, crush ice and do a bunch of other things. The device can be conveniently stored in a small kitchen and transported from place to place.

Where to get it

Blender BOSCH MSM87140, 4 420 rubles →
Blender BOSCH MSM66110, 1 920 rubles →
Blender MOULINEX DD650832, 2 990 rubles →
Blender POLARIS PHB 0508, 900 rubles →
Blender BOSCH MSM87130, 4 020 rubles →

Stationary blender

Suitable for preparation of liquids, but can cope with other tasks.
Advantages: does not require your direct participation, products do not splash.
Disadvantages: takes up more space, only large portions can be cooked.

This blender is ideal for lovers of smoothies, cocktails and mashed soups, because, unlike a submersible, it does not splatter liquids. It is convenient to use the device frequently, day in, day out, as it does not need to be held in hand when chopping food.

Where to get it

Blender KITFORT KT-1301, 6 190 rubles →
Blender KITFORT KT-1307, 2 490 rubles →
Blender MOULINEX LM233A32, 5 490 rubles →
Blender BOSCH MMB43G2B, 6 400 rubles →
Blender SCARLETT SC-JB146P10, 2 840 rubles →

How to choose a hand blender

1. Power

This is the main criterion. The power of the devices varies from 140 to 2,000 watts. The more powerful the hand blender, the faster it processes food and the less heating it gets. With a powerful blender, you can easily chop ice and make minced meat.

How to choose a blender: To chop ice and nuts, a blender with a capacity of 600-800 watts is suitable

If you are going to grind mostly soft foods, power up to 450 watts is enough. If you need a blender for most household tasks, use more watts.

If you often need to use a blender as a meat grinder, chop ice, nuts or grind frozen vegetables, it is better to choose the 600-800 W model.

A power of 1,000 W and above indicates that the blender is most likely professional and can handle all products. But such a device costs several times more.

2. Material of the body and elements

How to choose a blender: The main attachment can be plastic or metal

First of all, look at the material from which the main nozzle is made. Better if it is metallic. This will allow you to process even very hot foods and liquids, not to be afraid for the safety of the blender if accidentally dropped and to avoid frequent breakdowns. The metal nozzle is easier to care for, as it does not absorb odors and does not stain (for example, when grinding pumpkin).

The blender body and other attachments may be plastic. This will not affect the functionality of the device. It is convenient if there are rubberized inserts on the plastic. This will prevent the blender from slipping out of your hands.

3. Speeds and modes

How to choose a blender: Usually only a few speeds are used, so there is no point in overpaying

The hand blender can be set from 1 to 30 speeds. The more speeds, the more precisely you can adjust the speed of rotation of the knife in order to avoid splashing, achieve the desired degree of chopping and beat the mass to a certain consistency.

If you want to get a reliable and simple device, it is better to opt for a blender with 1-2 speeds. It will handle most tasks. If flexible speed setting is important to you, choose a device with 5-8 speeds - they are quite enough.

Hand blenders have two other useful modes. Turbo mode allows you to rotate the knives at maximum speed. It can be turned on, for example, at the end of the processing of food, in order to achieve uniformity.

Pulse mode prevents the appliance from overheating when processing solid foods such as ice. In this mode, the knives rotate faster than usual, but with short breaks. In this case, the speed is regulated by the force of pressing the button.

4. Nozzles

How to choose a blender: Basic attachments and hand blender bowl

Typically, a hand blender has three main attachments: the actual blender, the whisk, and the chopper. The main attachment can be used to puree products in various containers, whisk whisk the whites and knead the dough, and cook the minced meat in the grinder.

For most people, three standard attachments are enough.

Using the puree attachment, you can rub the potatoes at a low speed instead of whipping, making the mashed potatoes airy, not sticky.

Another useful attachment is the vacuum pump. It allows air to be evacuated from bags and plastic containers for longer shelf life.

5. Power type

Most hand blenders are mains powered and have a cord length of up to 1.5 m. This is a proven and reliable option.

If you have a large kitchen and multiple work surfaces, you will be more comfortable with a cordless blender. The device with a battery is also useful in the country when you cook in a summer kitchen where there are no outlets.

The disadvantage of a blender with a battery is short operating time: about 20-30 minutes.

How to choose a stationary blender

1. Power

How to choose a blender: You don't need a blender too powerful to make smoothies and soups

The power of stationary blenders varies from 250 to 1,500 watts.

If you cook mainly soups and smoothies, 300-500 watts is enough for you. 600W is sufficient for most tasks.

If you need to chop nuts, frozen berries and ice frequently, choose a 750-900 W blender. To knead the dough, a device with a power of at least 1,000 watts is useful.

2. Speeds and modes

Stationary blenders usually have 1 to 20 speeds. The presence of different speed modes is convenient. At low speed, you can get large pieces, and at high speed, you can achieve a puree consistency. However, there is no need to overpay for many speeds.

The stationary blender with 2-4 speeds will handle most everyday tasks.

If you often use a blender and grind different products, you will also find other modes useful: turbo and pulse. With the first, you will get the maximum speed, and with the second, you will avoid overheating the device.

3. Type and material of knives

How to choose a blender: A straight knife (left) chops food worse than a curved knife (right)

A stationary blender can have one or two knives. The more knives, the faster you will be able to chop the food.

Knives are straight and curved in shape. The latter mix the products more thoroughly. So choose them if you often need a homogeneous mass.

Stainless steel knives are not afraid of corrosion and will last for more than one year.

4. Volume and material of the bowl

The larger the bowl, the more food can be chopped at one time. When choosing, it should be borne in mind that the useful volume is less than the nominal by about 200-300 ml.

In a bowl with a volume of 1.5–2 liters, it is convenient to prepare soups and drinks for several people. One liter bowl is enough for preparing baby food.

Choose a bowl with a wide base. It is more convenient to wash it.

The bowl can be plastic, glass, or metal.

Plastic bowls are lightweight and convenient, and blenders with them are usually cheaper than others. If you do not need to grind hot food often, you can choose such a jug.

The glass bowl is more wear-resistant, won't scratch, and allows you to handle hot ingredients. However, such a jug is easy to break.

The metal bowl does not break, does not scratch and allows you to grind hot, but it is more expensive than the previous ones. Another disadvantage is opacity, which makes it difficult to observe the grinding process.

5. Body material

Plastic body lighter

Metal - more reliable

The body is made of plastic or metal. A plastic blender is cheaper and lighter, but cannot withstand heavy knocks. A blender in a metal case is more reliable, but more expensive.

Buyer's checklist

It is impossible to say unequivocally which blender is better - submersible or stationary - it is impossible. Choose the one that suits your needs.
A stationary blender is more convenient for preparing large volumes of liquids, but it takes up a lot of space during storage.
The hand blender is more compact and will cope with most household tasks, as it allows you to use a variety of attachments.
The more powerful the device, the more complex tasks it can perform.
High-speed modes allow you to adjust the speed of rotation of the knives and achieve uniformity of the mass.
The material of the case is not as important as the material of the elements. When choosing a hand blender, pay attention to the main attachment, and when choosing a stationary blender, pay attention to the bowl.