Want a blender, but don't want to waste all that space in your kitchen or cabinet? There are smaller blenders you could look at, but a hand blender is probably perfect for you. If you're looking at hand blenders, you might have come across the KitchenAid KHBBV53BM Hand Blender and are wondering if it's the right product for you. We're here to help you find out.
In this article, we review the KitchenAid KHBBV53BM Hand Blender and compare it to hand blenders from the other leading brands. so you can know what the right purchase is for you.
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What’s So Good about the KitchenAid Hand Blender?
KitchenAid put out a hand blender that's affordable, small, and completely portable. Above all else, it actually blends well. This hand blender - also known as an immersion blender - is a great template for what a solid hand immersion blender should look like. There are a few main selling points you want to look at to know what you're getting out of KitchenAid's hand blender.
Important Feature #1: The Rechargeable Battery
We obviously want our hand blender to be portable, but a lot of immersion blenders on the market "cheap out" hereby giving us plug-in hand blenders. They're small, so it's nice that you'll still save room, but you can't really use them on the go. However, KitchenAid's hand blender delivers with a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that gives you a completely portable experience.
On a full charge, this battery can give you up to 25 blends of soup, and probably even more than that if you're performing a quicker blending task. Its battery charges completely in about 2 hours, but if you're having a culinary emergency, a 20-minute charge will be enough to squeeze in a quick blend. This battery makes the KitchenAid hand mixer perfect for picnics or hikes or a great purchase if you just like to sneak a smoothie into your lunch break at work.
Important Feature #2: The Blades and Blending Arm
We can't talk about an immersion blender without talking about how well it blends. The KitchenAid immersion blender boasts an 8-inch blending arm that has four stainless-steel blades at the end. A lot of immersion blenders only have two or three blades, so KitchenAid stepped it up a bit here, which you'll see in your smooth blends.
The arm is also long enough that you won't have to get your hands dirty at all. The KitchenAid boasts that its blades efficiently blend smoothies, milkshakes, soups, hummus, and more. Reviewers have specifically pointed out that this blender is great for soups. On top of this, the blender arm is removable, making the machine even more portable, and it's dishwasher-safe.
Important Feature #3: The Different Speeds
Here KitchenAid finds another way to separate itself from the pack. Most hand-held blenders are limited to just one default speed, but by giving you the ability to select from different speeds, KitchenAid makes this hand mixer as versatile as a standard countertop blender.
There's more to a blending than just blending fast, and sometimes you'll want a more delicate touch. You'll want a different speed for making a hummus than you would for blending a smoothie. No matter what you're making, this blender will let you make it at the ideal speed.
The Pros and the Cons
We've laid out the main selling points of this KitchenAid product, but I don't get a commission from Kitchenaid, and we're not here to pretend that it's a perfect product. We've laid out the good and the bad below, so you can get a quick recap of the pros (I know the above might have been a lot at once) and learn about the cons.
The Pros
- A long-lasting battery that also charges quickly
- The removable blending arm that's dishwasher safe
- Completely adjustable speeds that give you a lot of versatility
The Cons
- On the expensive side for hand blenders
- A battery that makes the blender a bit heavy
How Do You Use It?
You might have never used an immersion blender before, but it couldn't be easier. As the name implies, just immerse the blender in your mixture and turn it on. Since the blades are smaller and the motor is weaker, you won't have to worry too much about everything spraying all over the place. You can also use an immersion blender as an automatic stirrer for potted recipes like soups.
What Do the Reviews Say?
Reviewers were very high on KitchenAid's hand blender. Users pointed out how convenient the battery is, and that even though this machine is cordless, it's the same size as most corded hand mixers.
One user did point out that the battery makes this blender a tad bit heavier than the competition, which shouldn't be a huge issue, but maybe a little annoying. While the blades can blend solid food, users agreed that this machine is best for soups, thinner smoothies, or anything that's completely liquid.
How Does It Compare?
Okay, we know that the KitchenAid KHBBV53BM Hand Blender gets the job done, but we still want to see how it stacks up against the rest of the competition and other KitchenAid products. It wouldn't be prudent to make your purchase without doing the proper research. Below, we've compared the KitchenAid KHBBV53BM Hand Blender to the top hand blenders on the market, including other hand blenders from KitchenAid and hand blenders from competing brands.
vs Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Hand Blender
The Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Hand Blender costs almost twice as much as our hand blender from KitchenAid, so it's fighting a tough, uphill battle to prove its worth. It does manage to do this though, as - just like KitchenAid - this Smart Stick blender has variable speed control, and it operates with a push-button that allows for pulse or continuous blending. Where it really separates itself from the KitchenAid is in the fact that it comes with a food processor bowl attachment as well as a whisk attachment for the blending arm. This almost qualifies it as a legitimate blender food processor combo (though we won't push the comparison too far).
While reviewers were happy overall with the Smart Stick, there were more complaints and negative reviews than the KitchenAid had, with users saying that it didn't perform as advertised and that the lock function was faulty and unsafe. Another big blow for the Cuisinart Smart Stick is that it's not battery-powered, so you'll be limited to the outlets in your kitchen.
Overall, this comes down to what you value, but if you know what you're looking for, decide which blender to go with should be an easy decision. If you want the food processor bowl and the whisk attachment, then you should buy the Smart Stick. If you want to save money, want the portable experience you can only get with a battery, or were a little put off by the negative reviews of the Smart Stick, the KitchenAid is a better choice.
vs Hamilton Beach Hand Blender with Attachments & Bowl
Hamilton Beach is known for having some of the cheapest products out there, and their hand blender is no exception. This two-speed hand blender costs much less than the KitchenAid product, but - as I just mentioned - it is less versatile with its limited speeds.
It boasts an easy-grip design and nonslip speed control and even comes with a food processor bowl and whisk that attaches to the blender hand, without being as expensive as the Cuisinart item. As with the Cuisinart, this two-speed blender falls behind KitchenAid by being plug-in and not battery-powered, though its chord is five feet long, so you won't feel too restricted.
Again, depending on what you value, the choice is pretty clear, as long as you have the right information. If you want to save money and still get those attachments, you should buy the Hamilton Beach item. If you like the portability and the freedom of a battery-powered device and don't mind paying a little more, you should stick with KitchenAid.
vs All-Clad Cordless Rechargeable Stainless Steel Immersion Multi-Functional Hand Blender
This comparison is a little more interesting, as, for the first time, both products are completely battery-powered and portable. The All-Clad Cordless Immersion Blender boasts a battery that lasts nine minutes, and it recharges by being plugged into its base, so it'll look a little neater than the KHBBV53BM if you find the perfect spot for it.
As is becoming standard among immersion blenders, the arm is removable and dishwasher-safe. The All-Clad Cordless also has 5 speeds, so you'll get the same versatility you have with the KHBBV53BM.
Here's the rub. The All-Clad Cordless Immersion Blender is expensive. Like, really expensive. At the end of the day, the two blenders are pretty much equal in terms of actual performance, so at that point, you're paying for a prettier blender with the convenient charging station, which quite frankly doesn't seem worth it to me.
If you have some extra money lying around, you may decide it's worth it, but I personally wouldn't recommend the All-Clad mixer. It's essentially the same product as the KitchenAid but for double the price. You have to ask yourself: Why spend more money for no reason?
Why Buy a Hand Blender?
You might be wondering why you would elect to buy an immersion blender instead of a countertop blender. We're here to lay out all the information you need to decide between a hand mixer or a countertop option.
The handheld items are of course cheaper, with even the more expensive brands having an affordable option. And besides that, you might find that you prefer one. Because of their size, they're easier to store, and they don't make a lot of noise. They can also double as an automatic stir machine, though you can't exactly stick a countertop blender into a pot of soup. And if you're able to find a battery-powered item, hand blenders help make for amazing picnics.
That being said, there are tradeoffs to opting for a portable item. They're weaker than their countertop counterparts, so you might find that there's some solid food in your smoothies, or that it takes longer to get the perfect blend. If you're really picky about your blending, you will probably want to stick with a countertop item. But if you want portability and convenience, there's nothing better than a good immersion blender.
Verdict
There you have it. We've laid out all the information on all the brands and products so that you know everything you need to decide if the KitchenAid KHBBV53BM Hand Blender is the product you're looking for.
For a quick summary, if you want the utmost in convenience and a lot of versatility at an affordable price, you can't go wrong with the battery-powered KHBBV53BM and its variable speed settings.
If you need affordability over everything else, then the Hamilton Beach hand mixer is what you're looking for, and you'll even get a food processing bowl and a whisk attachment included. While you'll have a 5-foot cord, you will be limited to an outlet.
Or if you're willing to break the bank, you may want to look at the Cuisinart CSB-179 Smart Stick Hand Blender, which also comes with a food processor and whisk, but is more versatile than the 2-speed Hamilton Beach product. You may want to take it even further and splurge for the All-Clad Cordless Rechargeable Stainless Steel Immersion Blender with its sleek design, multiple speeds, and convenient charging base.
You have all the information, now it's up to you to decide which product you want. Do you want to stick with the KitchenAid or one of the other items on our list? Maybe you've decided to go with something else altogether. We hope our article made that choice easier.
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