The best hand blenders
Soup straight in the pan, smoothies in the jug: the stick blenders that earn their drawer space.
A hand blender does most of what a jug blender does with a fraction of the washing up: blend soup in the pan, whizz a smoothie in the glass, and, with the attachments, chop onions and whisk cream.
It's a Swiss invention: Roger Perrinjaquet came up with the first in 1950 and called it 'bamix', from the French 'battre et mixer' (beat and mix). Around 600W is plenty for soups; 1,000W handles harder foods.
What matters
- Power: 600W for soups, 1,000W for tougher jobs.
- A metal blending shaft, which lasts longer and won't stain.
- Attachments: a chopper and whisk add a lot.
- Variable speed to control splashes.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Braun MultiQuick 5 Pro Hand Blender with Chopper and Whisk (MQ55236M)
£89.99 RRP
A 1,000W motor with a speed wheel (25 speeds plus turbo) you work with one hand, Braun's bell-shaped blade that pulls food in and keeps splashes down, and a chopper and whisk that click on in one move.
What owners say: Owners rate it excellent quality, powerful and smooth, versatile and easy to use, and well worth the money.
A closer look: Start slow and speed up with the wheel as the food breaks down, which keeps soups off the walls. The chopper does onions, herbs and breadcrumbs in seconds.
- 1,000W, 25 speeds plus turbo
- PowerBell Plus blade, SplashControl
- 500ml chopper and metal whisk
- 600ml beaker
- EasyClick Plus attachments
Best for: Doing everything
- Power
- 1,000W
- Speeds
- 25 + turbo
- Attachments
- Chopper, whisk, beaker
- Blending shaft
- Stainless steel
#2 of 5
Best simple blender
Bosch CleverMixx Hand Blender with Beaker (MSM2610BGB)
£36.99 RRP
No fuss: a 600W motor, a detachable stainless blending foot with Bosch's four-point QuattroBlade and anti-suction design to keep splashes down, and a measuring beaker.
What owners say: Owners call it first-class for soups and sauces, simple to use and clean, and good value, though a few had it fail early.
A closer look: Blend soup straight in the pan off the heat, keeping the blade under the surface. The foot detaches for washing; the motor wipes clean.
- 600W
- Detachable stainless blending foot
- 4-blade QuattroBlade, anti-suction
- Measuring beaker
- 0.9kg
Best for: Soups and sauces
- Power
- 600W
- Speeds
- 1
- Attachments
- Beaker
- Blending shaft
- Stainless steel
#3 of 5
Most versatile
Tefal Optichef 3-in-1 Hand Blender (HB643842)
£30–£50 Price range
1,000W, 20 speeds and Tefal's Powelix blades, plus a 500ml chopper, a whisk and an anti-splash guard, with spare parts promised for 15 years so it can be repaired rather than binned.
What owners say: Owners are impressed by its power and speed for soups, smoothies and sauces, and find it easy to clean, though build quality divides opinion.
A closer look: Use the anti-splash guard for smoothies in a tall jug. Tefal's 15-year repair promise makes it a good one for anyone trying to buy less.
- 1,000W, 20 speeds plus turbo
- Powelix blade
- 500ml chopper, whisk, beaker
- Anti-splash guard
- Repairable for 15 years
Best for: Chopping and whisking too
- Power
- 1,000W
- Speeds
- 20 + turbo
- Attachments
- Chopper, whisk, beaker
- Blending shaft
- Stainless steel
#4 of 5
Bonsenkitchen 1,000W 4-in-1 Hand Blender Set
£20–£30 Price range
A lot of kit for the money: a 1,000W stick blender with 20 speeds and turbo, a whisk, a 500ml chopper and a 700ml beaker, with a safety button lock.
What owners say: Owners find it easy to use, durable and good value with lots of attachments, though a few say it lost power over time.
A closer look: Pulse with turbo for nuts and harder foods rather than running it flat out. Don't put the motor unit in water: wipe it with a damp cloth.
- 1,000W, 20 speeds plus turbo
- 4-blade stainless steel
- Whisk, 500ml chopper, 700ml beaker
- Button lock
- 1.4kg set
Best for: A full set on a budget
- Power
- 1,000W
- Speeds
- 20 + turbo
- Attachments
- Chopper, whisk, beaker
- Blending shaft
- Stainless steel
#5 of 5
Best budget
Russell Hobbs Food Collection Hand Blender (22241)
£18.49 RRP
A light, cheap 200W blender with two speeds and a detachable leg: all most people need for soups and baby food.
What owners say: Owners find it does the job well, good value and easy to use and clean, though some had it break within months.
Heads up: At 200W it's for soft foods: it will struggle with ice, nuts or frozen fruit.
A closer look: Ideal for puréeing baby food in small batches. The plastic leg can stain with tomato or turmeric, so rinse it straight away.
- 200W, 2 speeds
- Stainless steel blades
- Detachable plastic blending leg
- Ergonomic grip
- White
Best for: Soups and baby food
- Power
- 200W
- Speeds
- 2
- Attachments
- None
- Blending shaft
- Plastic
How they compare
| Feature | #1Braun MultiQuick 5 Pro | #2Bosch CleverMixx | #3Tefal Optichef | #4Bonsenkitchen 4-in-1 | #5Russell Hobbs 22241 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Best simple blender | Most versatile | Best budget | ||
| Picked Rating | 9.4 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 8.8 |
| Price | £89.99 RRP | £36.99 RRP | £30–£50 Price range | £20–£30 Price range | £18.49 RRP |
| Power | 1,000W | 600W | 1,000W | 1,000W | 200W |
| Speeds | 25 + turbo | 1 | 20 + turbo | 20 + turbo | 2 |
| Attachments | Chopper, whisk, beaker | Beaker | Chopper, whisk, beaker | Chopper, whisk, beaker | None |
| Blending shaft | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Stainless steel | Plastic |
| Best for | Doing everything | Soups and sauces | Chopping and whisking too | A full set on a budget | Soups and baby food |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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