
photos and pricing courtesy Amazon.com
Few electric kitchen gizmos are as essential to me as the immersion blender (also known as a stick blender). It's a great tool for creating soups and sauces, as well as the occasional smoothie-by-the-glass.
There are a few key benefits to the immersion blender opposed to a regular blender:
For one, you can stick it right into the pot to puree hot foods without waiting for them to cool, or worrying about steam and puréeing in batches. For anyone who has tried to purée a hot soup in a regular blender, you know what a challenge it can be as the steam builds up and threatens to pop the lid right off.
Two, they are generally small, and can easily be stored in a cupboard or drawer rather than taking up valuable counter space.
And lastly, they are generally quieter and easier to clean than their bigger cousins.