For ease of use, cooking power and generally getting the job done with little fuss, my Braun Multiquik 5 immersion hand blender scores top marks. So much so that I would recommend it to home cooks of any experience level looking for a timesaving tool -- at any price. But since this stick blending-whisking-chopping tool happens to be $79, or $20 (and about 20%) off ahead of Amazon's October Prime Day sales, there's no reason not to take the plunge. In fact, it was two years ago that I upgraded to this version from an earlier model, and I couldn't be happier with the more powerful motor and higher-quality construction on the blender wand.Â
While Braun also makes an immersion hand blender with nine tools (it includes an "ice crush knife," among the more common attachments), it's also more expensive -- $145 with Prime and no sale at the time of publishing. Besides, the five-piece hand blender I have feels like enough tool for most people's needs. (By the way, here are other great Prime Day kitchen deals and steals, too.)
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So what does this on-sale Braun hand blender come with and how do I use it? Glad you asked. The short answer is that the main component is a sturdy stick blender with a stainless steel blade. And yes, you can easily use it with one hand. There are three power settings that are super-easy to control with a big, comfy button on the main immersion wand. You click the corded wand (which houses the motor) into place with various attachments, including the main blender tool, a whisk attachment or a vegetable chopper, which acts like a mini food processor.
The bundle also comes with a tall, narrow plastic beaker that helps contain anything you want to zhuzh, like the really nice herb-oil-lemon-chile sauce I made over the weekend.Â
All the Braun handheld blender attachments clean well, pack up easily in the box, and live comfortably on top of the fridge or, in my case, a standalone pantry unit in the kitchen.Â
Here are some ways I've cooked with the Braun Multiquick 5 immersion blender:
- Whiz up soups and sauces directly in the pot on the cooktop (I've never scratched the bottom).
- Blend marinades, custard bases, small salsa batches and more sauces in the included canister, which also has graded measurement markers on the side.
- Quickly whisk egg whites for baking and cooking, especially smaller quantities where I don't have to break out the dedicated beaters or wrestle the stand mixer onto the countertop.
- Chop or pulverize onions, garlic and herbs in the 1.5-cup vegetable chopper attachment before adding it to the main recipe. This is another good option for making my favorite summer condiments like chimichurri or otherwise breaking down ingredients in smaller quantities than warranted by my heavy duty (and just plain heavy!) full-size food processor.
If you wind up with this immersion blender or similar, I hope yours gives you as much satisfaction as mine does. For even more kitchen buys worth your money, here's a rubber mallet that's surprisingly versatile in the kitchen and a Ninja Foodi Grill with a big price drop ahead of October Prime Day.
