How to Use an Immersion Blender

Convenience: Immersion blenders fit in the palm of your hand, with simple controls operated by the press of a button. Jar-less, they’re also easy to clean compared with other blender types.

Portability: Handheld blenders travel well. If you hit the road for Thanksgiving, you can pack an immersion blender to help whip up the gravy at dinnertime.

Easy storage: Their small size makes immersion blenders easy to stash in a kitchen cabinet or drawer.

Stovetop use: Blending directly in a stock pot eliminates the need to transfer hot liquids, like soup, to a countertop blender.

“An immersion blender is efficient for big batches of sauces, hummus, vinaigrettes, and some soups,” says Jose Luis Falcon, executive chef at Elia Mediterranean Restaurant in East Rutherford, N.J., where he makes up to 20 liters of sauce at a time. “For example, we use the stick blender for aioli, a garlic mayonnaise emulsion that we infuse with roasted pepper and herbs for more flavor.”

But Falcon says immersion blenders aren’t the best choice for superfine purées, so he uses a full-sized Vitamix blender for soup bases and a mixer for mashed potatoes. “For mashed and sweet potatoes, you want to whip them up so they’re not mushy,” he says. “We also use a Vitamix blender for smooth and creamy soups. But if you want it chunky, you can use an immersion blender.”