Checklist

If you're thinking about buying a hand-held blender, here's what to consider.

Features

All stick blenders can blend or puree soft foods. Pricier models have extra features:

• Whisk – for whipping cream and beating eggs.
• Chopper – good for chopping raw vegetables or grinding nuts (but only small amounts at a time). It's a separate unit similar to a small food processor. A rubber base on the chopper attachment will provide stability while you're using it.
• Pulse – useful for small quantities of dry food. Activating the pulse button gives you short bursts of power that help to distribute the load and ensure the food is uniformly chopped.
• Wall mount – for easy and accessible storage.

What to look for

Comfort
The blender should be easy to hold – so try out the grip to make sure it fits your hand. A non-slip grip makes it less likely the blender will slip from your grasp.

Ease of use
Controls should be large, easy to operate and clearly labelled. The on/off button should be within easy reach. The blender shouldn't be too heavy.

Ease of cleaning
The motor unit mustn't be placed in water – so look for a blender with a detachable blade or shaft. Dishwasher-safe attachments make cleaning even easier.

Safety
The blender should have a stop-release mechanism so that it will stop whenever you take your finger off the control button. All the models we tested had this.

Blade guard
There should also be a guard around the blade to prevent accidental contact. All the blenders in our test had one.