Help! Difference between stick blender and food blender?

[BuckingFrolics]

If a recipe says to "mix xyz and blend to a paste" what should I buy - I'm a rubbish novice cook.

If both types would do the job, which is the most versatile to get if I only want one blender type thing in my house?

I find a stick blender gets more use.

But I am not making gallons of smoothies. It blends soup in a pan or I mix smal lamounts in the jug it cAME WITH.

A stick blender is easy to store.
I use mine more than my food processor.
I have a mini processor too which is amazing, but won't do soup.
If you don't want to use it to grate etc, I'd buy a stick blender with a whisk attachment. Also a little pot that you can blend small amounts

If it's small quantities for a curry paste then the mini ninja processor is my recommendation

Brilliant thanks!! I'm off to get a stick blender as I must have soup!

Cue kitchen havoc in around 40 minutes ...

I mean a small processor will do soup, but only a bit at a time. Just be careful not to scratch pan if non stick.

Have three, stick, mini and full blender. Deffo. stick for soups.