r/Cooking • u/Glittering-West-6347 • 20h ago

Looking into Immersion Blender attachments

Hi, I'm planning to get an immersion blender and I had a few questions:

  1. Is the whip function useful at all? What do you all use it for?

(I already have an electric mixer and a stand mixer for baking)

  1. Is the food processor that comes with the KitchenAid/Braun models worth it? Can I use it to make humus or dips? Or would it be better to get a dedicated food processor?

(I have a Magic Bullet that I use for grinding spices and making pastes)

1 Upvotes

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22 comments sorted by

2

u/Dramatic-Set8761 20h ago

I've had two separate braun blenders with whisk and never used the whisk once. Manufacturer says that the whisk is only for whipping cream.

Food processor is good for ginger garlic and sauces such as chimichurri.

2

u/phishtrader 20h ago

  1. The whip attachment is good for making a giant mess if you aren't careful. It's a lot more awkward to use than a regular whip and doesn't really work any better.

  2. Not really. The motor on immersion blenders is usually a little underpowered, so giving it an even large blade and more stuff to chop doesn't really work well.

Immersion blenders are good at two things. Blending hot things in the pot they're already in. And blending very small amounts of things while pouring something else in.

2

u/virtualchoirboy 20h ago

Immersion blenders are a tool. Whether or not it's good depends on the cook. Some love them and are regularly making dishes where they're useful. Others see them as near useless because it's simply not a tool that's useful for the dishes they are making. Same goes for the whip/whisk attachment.

For me, I use the blender when I'm making blended things but don't want to move the ingredients from the bowl or pot they're in over to where I could use a mixer. A great example is when I make butternut squash soup. I roast the squash myself and add it to the base of my soup then get out the immersion blender to blend it smooth. I also find it incredibly useful for making a quick hollandaise and other similar blended emulsified sauces. For the whisk attachment, it's great for introducing air to something to make it lighter but also to re-blend a sauce that has separated.

Could I live without it? Probably. Fortunately, I have an out of the way spot I can store it when not in use that's really not good for anything else, so I keep one around.

1

u/Glittering-West-6347 19h ago

I also make butternut squash soup the same way. Re blending sauce is a great example!

1

u/virtualchoirboy 18h ago

I’m going to be whisking a marinade for colossal shrimp for the grill tonight too. Need the speed of the hand blender to make it work.

2

u/Slight-Hedgehog259 19h ago

I use mine all the time for smaller stuff, like when I just need a couple cups of whipped cream, or when I make some mayo, for chopping herbs for chimichuri or aji verde etc. So basically evweything that doesnt warrant pulling oit the stand mixer or food processor.

2

u/captaindomer 20h ago

Immersion blenders are great. Very good at performing the task for which they were designed, but not for what they offer these "attachnents". Too fast for a whisk and not powerful enough to be a food processor. They are purpose built and I would look up reviews on YouTube. Prudent Reviews does an excellent job

1

u/Sanpaku 19h ago

Variable speed immersion blenders exist.

1

u/captaindomer 19h ago

My point still stands. Immersion blenders are good for immersion blending and not much else

0

u/TurbulentSource8837 20h ago

Thank you for your service today.

Spot on.

1

u/LazyCrocheter 20h ago

I love my immersion blender and replaced it earlier this year. I like what I got, but I wouldn't recommend it because for one thing, I'm not sure this model is being made anymore. I found that out when I dropped the tall plastic mixing cup, causing a large crack, and went to see about a replacement (I was willing to pay; dropping it was on me, after all) and the company wouldn't do it, because they don't make the model anymore.

I'm guessing they basically got rid of extra inventory on Amazon?

Anyway, aside from that, the actual blender works very well and has an adjustable speed. I haven't really used the whisk, but I do use the chopper bowl attachment almost as much as the blender. Unfortunately that bowl also has a crack, but isn't broken.

The brand is Abuler, and while I think the brand is fine, I'd recommend checking into what might happen if something breaks, etc.

1

u/Logical_Warthog5212 20h ago

The whipping attachment does work. But I honestly haven’t used it since I first got my Braun 20 years ago when I tried it for the novelty. On the other hand, I do use the mini food processor attachment often. It’s easier to assemble, use, and clean for small quantities. I do have a large KA mixer, KA food processor, and Vitamix blender. But there’s a time and place for an immersion blender. I know my daughter used it often when that whole dalgona coffee trend was happening.

1

u/ishootthedead 20h ago

I recently got my first immersion blender and have been using it for everything. Tomato sauce, pumpkin puree, making roast veggies into a gravy ..

The wisk is great for whipping cream. And on low speed, mixing for cakes and muffins.

The food processor doesn't really seem to work well for anything. I'm considering removing it from the kitchen.

1

u/musiciandoingIT 20h ago

I own the Braun MultiQuick 9-piece set. Although the immersion blender works great, to be honest I have used the two food processors MUCH more often. They are fantastic. The smaller one is great for grating hard cheeses and other small batch processing jobs. The larger one is just as big and powerful as my full-sized food processor, and much easier (lighter) to maintain. Also, the variable speed is something that my heavy processor does not have. Highly recommend!

1

u/Sanpaku 19h ago

I've found the whip function invaluable for stirring up the 2 lb jars of tahini I buy from the Lebanese grocer. They tend to settle out, with oil floating above solids.

1

u/Sudden-Grocery-6598 18h ago

the whisk attachement is only good for small quick jobs like whipping a cup of heavy cream scrambling eggs without having to pull out the hand mixer if you have both a hand andstand mixer you won't use it

1

u/weedywet 17h ago

I have the Vitamix immersion blender with its attachments and the mini food processor jar and it’s amongst the most useful gadgets in my kitchen.

1

u/JohnnyC300 13h ago

I make whip cream without tiring my arm out with the whip attachment. Doesn't seem particularly useful for anything else tbh.

1

u/SVAuspicious 2h ago

I have a KitchenAid immersion blender that came with a whip, a mini processor, and a beaker. The blender itself as a broader range of speed control than any current models as of my last look. I absolutely like the blender.

I used the whip once and did not find it helpful at all. My experience may not be very useful as in general I don't like whips or whisks and prefer a fork. I once was banned from a Babish (Andrew Rae) fan sub for posting a picture of a dinner fork and a salad fork as my "big whisk" and "tiny whisk."

I've used the processor/chopper a few times to chop nuts. It works fine and is much easier to clean than a food processor. I usually forget I have it until too late. I use a knife, box grater, or microplane. I have two food processors (my wife and I each brought one when we combined households) plus the immersion blender attachment. I still make tapenade with a knife. My SIL thinks I'm crazy. We once had a race. To make half a cup and including clean up time I was faster. *grin* She still thinks I'm crazy but she doesn't talk about food processors anymore. My wife is not as fast with a knife as I am so she just uses me.

In theory a food processor gives options like dicing and grating that the blender attachment does not. My experience is that everything ends up over processed, thus my return to hand tools.

The beaker has turned out to be great. The diameter is just a bit more than the blending head which is perfect for blending emulsions like mayonnaise.

The immersion blender is one of a very small number of small electric appliances I actually use on a regular basis. Recommended.

1

u/unremarkedupon 20h ago

I'll be the contrarian here, I guess.

I use the whip attachment all the time to whip cream for dessert. I have a Kitchenaid mixer, but I'm not getting the monster out just to whip cream for dessert. If I use the deep bucket it came with, it doesn't really make a mess. (I hold my hand over the top and I don't fill it too full.)

I also use the mini-food processor reasonably often. I have a full size Cuisinart, but again, not getting the monster out for a small job, like making a small amount of marinade for dinner.

I'm on my second immersion blender, the first one died after many, many years when I tried to do too much with the whip attachment against my better judgment..

I recently replaced it again. I got whatever bundle they had at Costco. I gave my existing one to my son to take to college so he could meal prep, (to make the marinade for the chicken he likes in the food processor attachment). But it was still going strong, I just wanted him to be able to make his chicken (of course I doubt he is using it, but that's another discussion).

1

u/Glittering-West-6347 19h ago

I get not taking out the bigger equipment. I guess I'll get the model with all options and see how it plays out.

1

u/lareinemauve 9h ago

Also agree with this user, the small food processor attachment is very useful for small amounts of sauces or dips, or to roughly mince large quantities of garlic, etc.