When it comes to time-saving kitchen tools, an immersion blender is a speedy superstar. Also called a hand blender, it does much of the same work as a full-sized appliance—blending, emulsifying, whipping, and pureeing—without the limitations of a fixed blade. Instead, you can make soups directly in the pot, dips in your serving bowl, and smoothies in a travel-friendly tumbler. (That means less mess to clean up, too.)

Just as immersion blenders are incredibly versatile, there is an abundance of options to consider before adding the appliance to your kitchen. To find the best immersion blender, we put 15 top-rated models through a series of tests to measure everything from sound to feel to functionality. Our favorite overall is the Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender for its power and precision, as well as the Nutribullet Immersion Hand Blender as an affordable pick. Read on for more of the best options according to our findings.

Also available at Williams Sonoma.

Pros: An exceptional blender that passed with flying colors across all of our tests and was the only one strong enough to break down chia seeds when making smoothies. Cons: It was one of the louder blenders we tested, likely due to its powerful motor.

When it comes to impressive immersion blenders, this is it. Breville's powerful appliance came out on top of all our tests with minimal splatter or suction, flawlessly pureeing velvety smooth soup, blending smoothies in record time, and easily emulsifying mayo. We were particularly impressed with its smoothie performance, where it crushed ice in 40 seconds and chia seeds after just two minutes. 

Importantly, the Breville has several design features that make it intuitive and enjoyable to use. Its textured trigger grip and variable speed dial were comfortable to hold and operate, and it didn't feel too heavy, even after a full minute of use. The trigger also made it easier to pulse, which was helpful in the emulsion test. Its 8-inch stainless steel shaft easily reached the bottom of deep containers and also featured a rubbered base to prevent damage to nonstick cookware. Also, its head is shallower than other models we tested, which minimized  suction and prevent food getting stuck, so it was easier to clean. 

The Breville's 15-speed dial is at the top of the blender, which means you need to use two hands to adjust between slow and fast blending. We also noticed that the highest speed setting was a bit loud during the soup test, 90 decibels, about the same level as a lawn mower. But since this blender proved to be the most powerful one we tested, we felt the benefits of speedy blending outweighed the noise.

Weight: 3.8 pounds Number of speeds: 15; variable Pulse/Turbo option: Yes Dishwasher-safe wand: Yes Accessories: Whisk attachment, 2.5-ounce chopping bowl, 42-ounce blending container

Pros: This blender performed just as well or better than options that were five times the price, effortlessly pureeing creamy soups and smoothies, and has an easy-to-clean design. Cons: Its plastic body doesn't feel as substantial as ones made with stainless steel, and it didn't stand out in the emulsion test.

Nutribullet made its name with its small-but-mighty personal blender that's excellent for single-servings and mini meals. We tried out the brand's immersion blender and were equally impressed with its power and performance when processing tough ingredients. 

In the soup test, it pureed the broccoli, onions, and celery in just 35 seconds and reached a velvety texture after a minute. Likewise, it had one of the fastest results in the smoothie test, fully blending ingredients in 40 seconds, and didn't splatter or overheat like similarly priced competitors. While it was very much middle of the pack in the mayo test, we did appreciate that its dual speed dial and button design helped when transitioning between pulsing and blending.

Lightweight and designed with rubberized buttons, the Nutribullet was easy to maneuver and operate and took just seconds to put together. Its plastic body felt a little flimsy compared to stainless steel options, but that didn't seem to stop it from outpowering them. We also noticed that the base didn't have holes for blended food to flow through; it made it easier to clean, but also seemed to increase the amount of suction in the soup test.

Weight: 2 pounds Number of speeds: 8; variable Pulse/Turbo option: Yes Dishwasher-safe wand: Yes Accessories: Whisk attachment

Pros: This blender offers an excellent performance with the added convenience of its maneuverability. Cons: Because it's powered by a battery, remembering to fully charge the device before you need it is key.

For home cooks who don't want to be limited by power outlets, KitchenAid's immersion blender can handle a range of blending tasks without the hassle of a cord. It's designed with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which is ready to use after a 10 minute charge (although it needs two hours to fully juice up if it's empty) and easily lasted through our tests. 

The cordless KitchenAid gave a solid performance across all three tests. It blended soup in just 35 seconds, a smoothie in 40, and whipped up mayo with four pulses and 52 seconds of blending. We noticed minimal splashing, suction, and noise and loved the freedom of maneuvering it around the container. KitchenAid also includes a removable cover for the blender head to protect nonstick cookware from scratches, which we thought was a nice touch.

The blender's variable speeds were controlled by a trigger: the harder you push, the greater the speed. That made it easy to pulse ingredients, but did present a challenge in keeping a consistent speed throughout blending. It felt comfortable to hold and had an easy-to-use safety switch, which is important since it doesn't have the barrier of plugging it in to turn it on.

Weight: 3 pounds Number of speeds: Seven; variable Pulse/Turbo option: Yes Dishwasher-safe wand: Yes Accessories: Blending container, pan guard, battery charger

Pros: The fastest blender in our soup test and has thoughtful features like blade guards to prevent scratches and a long shaft for deep containers. Cons: It's one of the more expensive options and was unable to emulsify mayo because of its domed head design and higher blade.

Out of all the immersion blenders we tried in the soup test, the Vitamix was the speediest. Equipped with a 625-watt motor and four-pronged blade, it pureed our mixture in just 20 seconds and was the creamiest texture we tasted, to boot. Because of this power, the Vitamix seems especially handy for large batches of soup. Also, its 9-inch blending shaft is longer than most of its competitors, which keeps hands safe from hot liquids, and the hard plastic bottom prevents scratches when blending in stock pots and Dutch ovens.

The Vitamix is designed for one-handed use, with a power button to turn the machine on and another to control its five speeds. We did notice a significant amount of suction when blending both the soup and smoothie, and it was a bit loud as well at 89 decibels. 

The unique design of the Vitamix head also presented some challenges. It's domed, with a four-point blade set deeply inside. That extra space between the bottom of the container and the blades made it impossible to emulsify in our mayo test, despite repeated tries. For that reason, we don't recommend this blender for smaller servings. Additionally, the Vitamix design made it a bit harder to wash by hand, although it is dishwasher-safe.

Weight: 2.9 pounds Number of speeds: Five; variable Pulse/Turbo option: Yes Dishwasher-safe wand: No Accessories: None

Pros: We were impressed by how quickly and quietly the KitchenAid blended ice, chia seeds, and kale in the smoothie test, making the drink in just 40 seconds. Cons: The corded KitchenAid hand blender was middle of the pack in the soup and mayonnaise tests and its trigger control made it a bit difficult to maintain a consistent speed.

Not every immersion blender can tackle ice and frozen foods, but the KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender delivers. Its 4-point stainless steel blade easily blended the kale, chia seeds, and other fruits into a creamy consistency and actually broke down ice in just 30 seconds. 

We also appreciated that it didn't splatter or suction to the bottom of the blending container, as well as how simple it was to clean. The soup and mayonnaise we made with this KitchenAid were also good, but it did take a bit longer to prepare—about 50 seconds of blending for soup and over a minute for mayo. 

Like the cordless version we tested, this KitchenAid hand blender is a variable-speed model controlled by a trigger, which can be challenging to keep at a consistent pace. It also features an 8-inch removable blender arm that is dishwasher-safe and a clever pan-guard that fits on its base. And while the blender's plastic body feels a little flimsier than fully stainless steel models, it comes in a variety of KitchenAid's signature colors, including pistachio and aqua sky.

Weight: 1.75 pounds Number of speeds: Variable Pulse/Turbo option: Yes Dishwasher-safe wand: Yes Accessories: Blending container, pan guard, battery charger

Pros: Incredibly powerful and very easy to operate, this blender created some of the smoothest textures we tested and was the fastest to emulsify mayonnaise. Cons: It could be too powerful—we noticed it splattered a bit in the soup test, exhibited some significant suction, and got pretty loud at 89 decibels.

All-Clad is known for its impeccably constructed stainless steel cookware, but the Pennsylvania-based brand also makes stand-out appliances. This immersion blender features its signature sturdy stainless steel build as well as a durable 600-watt motor and extra-long 9.25-inch blending arm. It's a bit heavy, 2.8 pounds, but feels as substantial and long-lasting as All-Clad's famous pots and pans.

The All-Clad made a perfect mayonnaise in record time—just four pulses and 12 seconds of blending. While some blenders would incorporate the oil and egg too quickly, breaking the mixture, the All-Clad's large blending head seemed ideal for a thick and creamy emulsion. The device has two buttons—one to turn the machine on and another turbo option for pulsing—and is controlled by a speed dial at the top of the blender. It also has a textured rubber handle for comfortable gripping (even with wet hands).

We were impressed by how smooth the All-Clad's results were in all three tests, but also noticed significant suction that made it challenging to move the blender up and down the container. The All-Clad was also pretty loud compared to other blenders and was challenging to handwash because of small holes in its blending head that caught bits of food. It's not dishwasher-safe, either, so this felt especially notable. 

Weight: 2.8 pounds Number of speeds: Variable Pulse/Turbo option: Yes Dishwasher-safe wand: No Accessories: None

For a top-notch immersion blender that can quickly and thoroughly blend tough ingredients, the Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender does it all with minimal splatter or suction. If you're looking for a more affordable option, the Nutribullet Immersion Hand Blender offers incredible power and precision without some of the Breville's bells and whistles.

Smooth, creamy soups are likely the first thing you associate with an immersion blender, and, while it's certainly an important function, it's capable of so much more. You can also use the appliance to emulsify sauces like mayo, whip up fluffy cream, or crush ice for frozen cocktails. You need a blender with a strong enough motor to power through tough ingredients, as well as sharp blades to create creamy consistencies. It's also helpful to have multiple speed options to adjust for softer and harder ingredients. To test functionality, we ran the blenders through a series of three culinary tests designed to evaluate their abilities to puree, emulsify, and crush ice. 

An immersion blender is undeniably easier to maneuver than its full-sized counterpart, but some are less difficult to hold and use than others. During our tests, we took weight, ease of speed control, and design into consideration. We assessed how heavy each felt during both short and long blending tasks. Was it comfortable to hold for one minute, but not two? We also took into account design features. Was the grip ergonomic, even when wet? Is the blending wand long enough to use in deep containers? 

The blenders we tested ranged from simple two-speed options to high-power variable-speed devices. We noted how it felt to pulse ingredients, as well as how it felt to operate blenders at full speed. Was it necessary to hold with two hands? Was the safety lock helpful or hindering? How easy was it to change speeds? And because blenders of all shapes and sizes have a reputation of being loud, we used a frequency spectrum analyzer to measure the decibels of the products while blending soup.

To test durability, we pitted the blenders against a tough ingredient: ice. The best options easily worked through ice cubes in our smoothie test, while several less-powerful machines struggled. 

How easy is it to clean an immersion blender? Well, having a detachable blending wand helps. That way there's less of a chance of getting the motor wet. And though many in our product group were dishwasher-safe, our testers washed the blenders by hand after every test to see whether food got stuck in nooks or crannies. To wash the blenders, we first pulsed the blending shaft in a container of soapy water, then used a sponge to clean around and under blades.

Performance and design are important considerations when buying an immersion blender; however, it would be silly not to consider cost, too. Higher prices might buy you higher quality materials (although we found that wasn't always the case), but it's important to balance bells and whistles with affordability. In addition to our tests, we judged how each blender stacked up for its price point.

The first step in our test was picking which immersion blenders to try. We researched the top-rated options from a variety of tested reviews, including ones from Good Housekeeping and the Wirecutter, as well as best-sellers from retailers like Amazon. Additionally, we asked our editors to share what immersion blenders they had in their kitchens and whether they'd recommend them. We narrowed it down to 15 blenders for our product set, including models from Breville, KitchenAid, Cuisinart, and Vitamix. 

To test the functionality, feel, and durability of our blenders, we used three recipes. For pureeing, we made cream of broccoli soup, timing how long it took to reach a smooth, velvety consistency and noting suction and splatter. For ice crushing, we timed how long it took to blend a very fibrous green smoothie filled with kale, chia seeds, and, well, ice. We also noted whether the appliance would overheat if it struggled to process the ingredients. Finally, we made an immersion blender mayonnaise to test emulsification, judging how long each took to blend the ingredients and continuing to note suction. Additionally, we also took note of how easy (or hard) the appliances were to control and clean, as well as their volumes at full speed.

Though surprisingly fast, the Bella immersion blender wasn't able to achieve the same smooth consistency as higher-end blenders, particularly in the pureeing test. It only offers two speeds, so you lose some blending control nuance, and our testers found it challenging to clean its domed blending head. It is an inexpensive blender, but the Nutribullet model offers a better performance at the same price point. 

Braun's immersion blender features a flexible shaft that helps reach the bottom of the container, an innovative design we didn't see on any other models. However, it didn't really stand out from the crowd during our tests—it made decent soup, smoothies, and mayo, but wasn't nearly as fast as our top picks. And while it comes with a plethora of accessories, including a whisk and puree masher, it was one of the most expensive options we tried.

In general, we weren't particularly impressed by two-speed immersion blenders, which don't offer as much flexibility as variable counterparts. While the Cuisinart Smart Stick Two-Speed Hand Blender created velvety smooth soups and a speedy mayo, it came up short in the smoothie test. It took over a minute to break down the ice and didn't reach the smooth consistency we were looking for. Its plastic body also felt pretty flimsy, although it was lightweight for easy maneuvering.

Cuisinart's variable speed option was a step up from the two-speed. It's made with a stainless steel body that feels solid as well as a strong 200-watt motor; we found it excelled in the emulsion test and did pretty well in ice crushing, too. Controlled by power and lock buttons on the front, as well as a speed dial on the top of the device, it was a bit challenging to turn the device on and change speeds while blending.

Our testers were underwhelmed by this Hamilton Beach blender, which strained when pureeing soup and blending smoothies. Its plastic body was somewhat heavy to hold, overheated while blending, and remained warm even minutes after we powered it down. In fact, after the smoothie test, it started making a high-pitched whine during operation.

With nine speeds and a comfortable handle, Hamilton Beach's variable-speed blender was easy to hold and operate. It has a trigger speed control and LED display that our testers found straightforward to read and control one-handed. We were impressed with its speed and velvety results when making smoothies and soup, but noticed a fair amount of suction that made it challenging to move the device up and down the container. 

While KitchenAid made several other top-pick blenders, this 2-speed version was less remarkable. It struggled to break down ice and puree vegetables and didn't reach a velvety texture in either tests, although it was speedy in the emulsification test. We also noticed that the blender's simple control button was hard to press down and seemed as if it might break over a long period of use.

By far the most expensive blender in our test, we had high expectations for this option from Waring. Powered by a lithium battery, the brand claims it lasts for up to 25 minutes of use after an hour and a half of charging. Our testers found the charger a bit complicated to set up, which resulted in the blender's battery dying during the smoothie test. They also found the blender awkward to hold and turn on because of its safety button and heavy motor. While this blender performed very well in the emulsion test, it overall doesn't feel like it justifies the high price tag.

The Waring Light-Duty Quick Stick had several design features that put it at the bottom of our list. It was the only device we tested with a blending arm that was attached to the motor, which made it incredibly cumbersome to clean and maneuver. Additionally, its head is designed with large notches and deep-set blades, which made it impossible to break down chia seeds in the smoothie or to emulsify the oil and egg yolk without breaking the mixture. Lastly, the blending shaft is just 5 inches long (excluding the head), which meant our hands were closer to the liquids.

Katie Macdonald is a food writer and editor on Dotdash Meredith's commerce team, covering everything from chefs' must-have classics to the latest and greatest kitchen deals since 2017. For this story, she researched competitor-tested guides and performed in-depth tests on 15 immersion blenders, making dozens of batches of soup, smoothies, and mayonnaise. In addition to Food & Wine, you can find her work on Allrecipes, Cooking Light, and Food52.