Question about hand-held blenders

[naturelover]

I'm thinking of buying one for soups (getting my Kenwood Chef blender attachment out is a faff each time).

Would I be able to use one for making things like hummus or bean-pate style things? My current blender is rubbish for things like that as they aren't runny enough and just stick to the sides and don't get blended.

Hope I'm making sense!

Also, any recommendations of brands for the hand-held? I see they start at under 20 quid but go up to 100!

Thanks!

I use mine for soup and also pasta sauces.

Thats about it, I'm afraid. So I have a cheap one.

I use mine for things like hoummous and bean pate type stuff. You do have to kind of scrape it down quite a lot, but it's generally pretty effective.

Buy a cheap one. Don't bother with the posher versions.

I use mine for

• mixing cakes when I can't be bothered to get the Magi or Kenwood out
• making batter
• blending soups
• with the little chopper bowl, doing small amounts of breadcrumbs
• also with the bowl, chopping large amounts of herbs

and I'm sure there are other things I use it for, but can't think for now

ooooooooooh breadcrumbs - I hadn't thought of that. Very useful!
Thanks everyone.

I do hummus, breadcrumbs,blitz pasta sauces and soups.Also use it for curry, thai pastes etc - fantastic. I too cannot be faffed getting out a food processor/blender and all the washing. You only need rinse the handblender under the tap and dry.

You can buy them with a sort of scaled down food mixer accessory. I use this to do stuff like hummus.

Like this for example

Don't make it too thick, tho. I burnt out the motor in mine making bean pate....

I bought a cheap Braun hand blender when weaning DD, as I couldn't see the point of a big processor for such small amounts.
It's still going strong and she's 23 now

I've got a Braun which is similar to the Kenwood that franke linked, but it has stainless steel rather than plastic.

I use it loads, for 'grating' carrot to go into bolognese and other things with soffito. Breadcrumbs, soup, whipping cream, making small quantities of pancake batter rather than getting my whole Kenwood Chef out.

Hummus, chopping onions really finely to go in burgers.

I've got a food processor attachment for my Kenwood which I use when I'm doing bigger quantities, but for day to day bits and pieces the Braun is great and saves me loads of time.

Have Bamix from Lakeland

I have this one and honestly couldn't live without it.

Thanks everyone, I can't quite believe I've not had a hand blender yet, they look so useful. I'm lucky to have a Kenwood Chef but it IS a faff getting out the blender and then washing it all afterwards, for soup. And I make soup at least twice a week, you'd think I'd have made my life easier by now!

I have used my Braun hand held (bought at the weaning stage) endlessly. I do find it too small for things like hummus and have to do batches of things.
Slightly bigger one would be better.

Get one with the bowl.
I didn't and ended up buying a mini chopper too for dryer/harder stuff.
I use it for soups that I don't mind being a bit rougher, if I want really smooth I get the Kenwood out.