by Sara Schewe

Created on: September 18, 2009

A handheld blender (also called an immersion blender) makes easy work of pureeing soups, mashing potatoes, emulsifying sauces, and blending smoothies. Handheld blenders are a favorite in the kitchen as they can save valuable time and effort, not to mention extra dishes. Gone are the days of pureeing a soup in batches and having to wash an unwieldy blender; simply "blend" a bowl of hot soapy water to clean the handheld blender.

But how does the KitchenAid KHB100OB handheld blender stack up against the competition? This handheld mixer is both powerful and quiet, allowing the user to enjoy its capabilities at any time of day (or night). With nine speeds, beginning users should be careful not to underestimate the power of this blender and should start with the lowest speed and work their way up if additional power is necessary. For most uses, the lower speeds on this blender will suffice.

This blender possesses comfortable ergonomics, allowing it to be held for greater lengths of time to process larger batches of food. Though handheld blenders are not recommended to be turned on for more than a minute at a time, this blender is so effective that it will puree most foods well before the sixty second mark has been reached.

At lower speeds, this blender can make quick work of tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers, cilantro, and lime juice, easily turning these ingredients into salsa. A quick rinse or whir in soapy water will allow the user to next tackle homemade mayonnaise or tapenade.

Perhaps the true test of handheld blenders is pesto. The KitchenAid KHB100OB makes easy work of chopping the pine nuts, whole garlic cloves, basil, and combining them with grated parmesan and olive oil. It's even better than a traditional blender or food processor, because it gives you more ability to control the amount of oil used, allowing greater range of texture not usually seen outside the use of a mortar and pestle. An inferior immersion blender would struggle with the nuts and garlic, but the Kitchenaid handles them with ease.

This handheld mixer has the power to grind almonds or hazelnuts into flour, yet gives the user the control needed to prevent the flour from becoming nut butter. It turns crusty bread into bread crumbs in short order, with very little clean up.

The KitchenAid KHB100OB provides a lot of bang for the buck. Its ability to power through many kitchen tasks without creating much noise makes it essential in any kitchen.

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