Immersion Blender vs. Blender: What’s the Difference?

Shopping for a new blender? Don’t rush to buy a traditional blender right away. First, compare a countertop blender with an immersion blender to see if a smaller model will suit your needs.

Read on for the difference between types of blenders and our recommendations for the best blenders.

What is a countertop blender?

When you think of a blender, your mind probably goes to a countertop model. That is, a lidded pitcher mounted on a motorized base that makes the blades spin inside the pitcher.

These larger blenders—like those made by Vitamix—often have many settings, including puree, blend, chop and even crush ice for frozen drinks. Features like these make countertop blenders the go-to tool for making homemade smoothies, purees and smooth soups.

Contrary to popular belief, cleaning a blender is easy, so don’t hesitate to plug yours in whenever it’s needed.

Pros

• Powerful
• Versatile, thanks to multiple speeds and features
• Splash-free blending
• Super smooth results

Cons

• Takes up valuable kitchen space
• Pricey

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Best Overall

Ninja Detect Duo

$179.99 at Ninja

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179.996% OFF$169.99 at Amazon

What is an immersion blender?

Buying an immersion blender—also known as a stick or hand blender—is another option. These gadgets are smaller than their countertop counterparts. They consist of a motorized handle with an easy-to-clean, detachable blending mechanism. Some models include extra attachments like whisks or even small food processors.

Immersion blenders are suited to a wider variety of tasks than traditional blenders. Because they’re compact, they’re ideal for making small-batch recipes like vinaigrettes and other homemade salad dressings.

Stick blenders also work well to smooth out sauces and soups. With this gadget, there’s no need to transfer the recipe to a pitcher or bowl; you can blend it right in your Dutch oven. In general, handheld blenders work best with softer ingredients, so don’t try to crush ice with one of these!

Pros

• Affordable
• Compact and easy to store
• Easy to clean
• Ideal for small jobs
• Can blend right in your cooking vessel—no need to transfer to a pitcher

Cons

• Can’t chop, crush, etc.
• Not as powerful as countertop models

Best Overall

Ninja Foodi Power Mix System

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$116.18 at Amazon

Which type of blender is best?

To choose between an immersion blender and a traditional blender, consider your needs. If you make lots of smoothies, baby food, frozen drinks or big batches of soup, we recommend a powerful countertop model.

If you don’t reach for a blender very often, pick up a less expensive immersion blender. You can still blend ingredients in soups and sauces, but you won’t need to sacrifice a ton of storage space.

This being said, the right solution for you might be to have one of each type. Both are incredibly useful gadgets that can be awfully fun to use!