Can I make mayonnaise with an immersion blender?

Yes — immersion blenders are the best tool for emulsification-based sauces including mayonnaise, aioli, and hollandaise. The standard method: add egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice, and salt to a tall narrow cup; add oil on top; submerge the immersion blender to the bottom of the cup and run at high speed without moving for 20 to 30 seconds. The blade emulsifies the egg yolks with the oil at the bottom, creating mayonnaise from the bottom up. As it thickens, slowly raise the blender while running to incorporate the remaining oil. Total time: 60 seconds. The narrow tall cup is essential — the emulsification technique does not work in a wide bowl.

Is a $30 immersion blender good enough for regular soup making?

Yes. The Cuisinart CSB-75BC at $30 to $45 pureees butternut squash soup, tomato soup, potato leek soup, and standard cooked vegetable soups smoothly and consistently. Weekly soup making for a household of 2 to 4 people is well within the motor's design range — typically 2 to 3 minutes of blending per batch. The motor runs warm after 3 continuous minutes at maximum speed — which is longer than most single soup portions require. For soup as the primary or only use: $30 is sufficient.

What size beaker should an immersion blender come with?

A 16-oz to 24-oz beaker (tall narrow cup) is the standard included accessory. It serves as: a container for single-serve smoothies, a mixing vessel for dressings and sauces, and a measuring cup (marked in milliliters and ounces). The tall narrow shape is important for two reasons: it fits the immersion blender shaft correctly for efficient blending, and it prevents splashing better than a wide bowl. For smoothies specifically: a 24-oz beaker (approximately 700ml) is the right size for a single serving. If your blender comes with a smaller beaker: a 32-oz mason jar also works well as an immersion blender vessel.

How to Choose an Immersion Blender: 5 Questions That Find the Right Model

Learning how to choose an immersion blender gets simpler once you answer five questions in order, starting with what you actually blend most: cooked soups and sauces need only 200 watts, which is exactly why the Cuisinart Smart Stick at $30 to $45 remains adequate for weekly use, while frozen smoothies push you toward 400 to 500 watts and models like the Braun MQ505. From there, decide whether you'll blend directly in a hot pot (favoring a stainless steel, heat-rated shaft), whether cordless convenience matters in your kitchen layout, whether a whisk attachment would replace your hand mixer, and finally what your budget allows for how often you cook. A household blending soup once a month has different needs than one running the blender three times a week, and the Breville BSB510XL ($70 to $100) only earns its price at that higher frequency. Work through these five questions in sequence and most of the market falls away, leaving one or two models that actually fit your kitchen.

The One-Question Shortcut

How often do you make soup from scratch?

Occasionally (once a month): Cuisinart Smart Stick ($30 to $45) — handles all standard soups at the lowest reasonable price.

Weekly: Braun MQ505 or Mueller Ultra-Stick ($35 to $55) — more power and speed for varied batches.

Multiple times per week, quality matters: Breville BSB510XL ($70 to $100) — splash-reducing bell guard and variable speed for serious soup makers.

Decision Matrix

Cook Profile	Recommendation
Weekly soups, soup only	Cuisinart Smart Stick ($30 to $45)
Weekly soups + smoothies	Mueller Ultra-Stick ($35 to $45)
Wants whisk attachment	Breville BSB510XL or KOIOS kit
Wants cordless	Vitamix cordless ($150 to $200) or KitchenAid cordless
Serious soup maker, premium	Vitamix corded ($100 to $140)
Budget, infrequent use	Hamilton Beach 59765 ($15 to $25)

The One-Question Shortcut

Decision Matrix

See Also