Even though making baby food involves extra work, it is much cheaper than buying baby food. It also means that the parents or caretakers are determining what the baby eats, instead of a factory. A baby’s first taste of a new food is exhilarating. While making baby food takes a little extra effort, using a hand blender makes it easier. Preparing baby food with a hand blender is surprisingly simple. Hand blenders also limit the amount of wasted counter space as well as reduce the amount of dishes to be washed.
What exactly is a hand blender and how does it work? They consist of a handle that houses a motor that snaps onto a long piece that ends in blender blades. To blend, the bladed end is immersed in the food. The blades puree the food. Depending on the consistency desired, the user can alternate speeds and even activate “turbo” mode on some models. Many need to be used in 15-20 second pulses to avoid burning the motor up. However, the end result can be either an ultra creamy or chunky puree. When the desired consistency is achieved, the handle is unsnapped from the blender end. The blender end can then often be cleaned in the dishwasher, making cleanup decadently easy.
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Immersion blenders usually work best with daily or weekly use when preparing smaller batches of baby food. They are still able to make larger batches of baby food, but the motors often need time to cool down. Because of their smaller countertop footprint and how easy they are to clean, hand blenders are a reliable alternative to bigger pureeing appliances.
Bigger appliances like food processors and blenders can also make baby food. However, they are permanently tethered to outlets and can be a pain to clean. Some hand blenders are battery powered, so can be moved anywhere the food is. Most hand blenders are dishwasher safe, making the cleanup as easy as popping the business end out, and placing it in the dishwasher. For busy caretakers, the dishwasher safe function can save a great deal of time.
One of the other amazing things about hand blenders is that they are versatile, and can be used in ways other than making baby food. Some examples are smoothies, soups, pesto, nut butters, and even to froth milk for fancy coffee beverages. Because a baby needs food pureed less than a year, examining each characteristics of these hand blenders is important. They are versatile enough to be used after the baby is eating chunkier, unblended foods.
The accessories are not the focus of this list, but many hand blenders come with accessories. Some of these include whisks and bowls in which to blend. The whisks can be used to make whipped cream or to whip egg whites. As these accessories are not directly used when making baby food, they are not mentioned. However, to use a hand blender beyond the baby food, these accessories are useful.
Like any baby product, there is no one best hand blender for baby food. Different lifestyles have different needs, which require different products. Here are some questions to ask to figure out what features are most important for each individual and each lifestyle.
- Does baby food need to be smoother or chunkier?
- Is this hand blender corded or battery-operated?
- If the hand blender is corded, how long is the cord?
- Can this hand blender be operated one-handed?
- What safety features are included?
- Will this hand blender splatter food on the counter?
- Is this hand blender dishwasher safe?
- How heavy is this hand blender that the cook will need to hold up?
- Is this hand blender easy to store?
There is a list of the ten best hand mixers for baby food below. While there is no one “best,” there are a variety of options for different lifestyles. Overall, these handheld blenders offer a good fit for many different lifestyles. Each of them is quality in a different way, and would do a fantastic job pureeing food until the baby is ready to eat on his or her own. These handheld blenders are ready to help on the solid food adventure.
The Breville can handle large capacities of baby food preparation without breaking a sweat. Specially designed to avoid scratching pots, this Breville can be used to make baby food directly in the pot. It is a little bulky, so those with smaller hands may fight it challenging to use one-handed. For those with larger hands, it is possible to operate one-handed as all the buttons are within easy reach. While this model is not battery operated, it does include a six foot power cord, giving it a wide range of motion. This may not be the best choice for compact kitchens, as it is large and bulky to store. The Breville is one of the most versatile hand blenders, and will be able to be used after the baby food stage. Some users complain of the motor burning out after a few years of heavy use, so there is a possibility it might not last that long. Another downside is that it is too large to fit into a wide-mouth mason jar. Everything except the motor, chopper lid, and whisk gear box are top-rack dishwasher-safe, so this one gets the easy cleanup stamp of approval.
German engineering makes the Braun hand blender a good tool to use when making baby food. When it is immersed, it is designed to avoid splashing food around and onto the counter. This is especially helpful when making baby food for younger babies because it has a higher liquid-to-solid ratio. Fewer splatter messes are always good news. In addition, a 58 inch power cord ensures an unconfined cooking experience. This unit will scratch nonstick pots, so food will need to be transferred to a different container before it can be pureed. Many users experienced a motor failure while using this immersion blender. To preserve the motor, care should be taken to follow the instructions and use in 15 second bursts. To get the most out of those bursts, there is a turbo button. This hand blender is dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning up that much less stressful. This is also a very quiet immersion blender, so there is no need to worry that it will wake a sleeping baby. When searching for the best hand blender for baby food, this model is definitely a contender.
Notes: cordless rechargeable batteries — 20 mins, power lock/unlock feature 2 hand start, heavy, store in 2 pieces,
The Cuisinart offers a cordless hand blender experience. The battery life lasts about 20 minutes, and there is a battery indicator light that shows green, yellow, or red. While the batteries bulk the handle up some, there are no cords that can knock countertop items off the countertop. There is also a safety power lock feature that requires two hands to start the motor. This feature means it cannot be used one-handed. However, this also means that small children would not be able to turn the blender on, which is a potential safety issue. Most users recommended storing it in two parts because it is simply too large to store in one part. It is constructed from stainless steel, which matches a great deal of modern appliances. One issue with this blender is that it often splatters the soup onto the counter or tabletop. Of course, this could be mitigated by adjusting the liquid-to-solid ratio, but this will result in a less creamy puree.
Even with an affordable price, this hand blender is Austrian-made. It is corded, and the buttons glow when the unit is powered. As a safety feature, the blend button must be depressed at all times. While that is helpful for safety, it can also lead to finger fatigue. Besides the button, the handle is very ergonomic. This unit emits a high-pitched whine, making it unsuitable for use when a baby is napping. One of the good features is that the mixing implements are dishwasher safe. However, this hand blender is very powerful, and often sends food splattering across the counter. When there are motor problems or other problems for this hand blender, the company reaches out to make the problem right. Of the other contenders for best hand blender for baby food, Mueller has the best customer service. For a powerful and affordable hand blender, the Mueller is a solid selection.
Coming in seven delightful colors, this handheld mixer offers the ability to color-coordinate with the kitchen. For safety, there is a lock/unlock button that must be disengaged before the handheld blender can operate. While the color does not add to the baby food, it can help improve some users’ mental health. It is battery-operated with the ability to work twenty minutes during every charge. It does take two hours to charge to make that 20 minutes happen, so this handheld blender does require a little more planning. The blender pieces are dishwasher safe, so cleanup is easy on this model as well. It is possible to use one-handed, but a little awkward to do so. This immersion blender also includes a plastic guard for the metal end to prevent scratching pans. If making larger amounts of baby food to be frozen later, this is a good choice because it means the food can be pureed right there in the pot.
6. All-Clad Cordless Hand Blender
There is no doubt that this cordless rechargeable immersion multi-functional hand blender from All-Clad is one of the best blenders we have around today.
If you are looking for a powerful immersion blender, the All-Clad immersion blender might be the perfect fit for you thanks to its powerful motor.
Its cordless operation allows you to prepare your meals while you move around your kitchen without the risk of tripping over a wire, while its rechargeable battery offers you a run time of up to 15 minutes while at high speed.
At present, one of the main problems you are most likely to face with immersion blenders is the shortness of the wand for some bowls and pots. Luckily, this immersion blender features an extra-long 9-inch wand that quickly reaches the jars and bowls’ deepest points.
The wand is dishwasher safe and detachable; hence cleaning is a walk in the park.
Another exciting feature of the All-Clad immersion blender is its bell-shaped blending head that helps keep smoothies in the bowl and not all over your clothes.
Also, to help reduce splatter and wastage, the All-Clad immersion blender features a variable-speed control dialup, turbo modes, and routine. These features also offer better control of your foods, such as soups, refried beans, or pureed vegetables.
Running on a powerful 600-watt motor, the All-Clad immersion blender is ideal for making large soup batches. This is not to say you cannot prepare other food applications like pureeing baby food and smoothies.
While the All-Clad immersion blender only comes with one attachment, you can buy a whisk and a mini chopper separately.
The All-Clad immersion blender is ideal for anyone looking for a high-quality, long-lasting blender; it is also a flexible model. This is one of the major things we loved about this immersion blender.
Key Features
- 600-watt motor
- Accessories sold separately
- Dishwasher safe shaft
- Cordless
- Easy to clean as it is dishwasher safe
- Easy, one-handed use
- Has a robust operation and strong construction
- It is ergonomic and compact
- A bit heavy
- Does not come with accessories
7. Waring WSB33X 7-inch Immersion Blender
High-quality tools are a must for those who understand the secret of taking their cooking skills to the next level. Luckily, Warring has an excellent immersion blender, the Waring WSB33X, that promises to turn regular cooks into kitchen professionals.
Designed for commercial kitchen use but sold in the price range of home-use immersion blenders, the Waring WSB33Z has the power to blend 3 gallons of soup.
While it might be marketed as a light-duty immersion blender, the Waring WSB33Z is built for light duties in a commercial kitchen environment. Therefore, it is going to be more than enough for your home kitchen needs.
The Waring WSB33X 7-inch is lighter in weight than other commercial models, making it easy to hold and operate. It comes with 2 speeds for you to control and determine your meal’s final texture, performed with a simple button.
It is newly built with modern designs and has an all-purpose stainless blade. Its 2-speed motor makes this immersion blender ideal for all lightweight commercial food preparations.
According to one customer we interviewed, the Waring WSB33X 7-inch immersion blender is a robust kitchen appliance for home duty, perfect for making everything from mayonnaise to soup.
Also, it is well designed since it has a reasonably tight rubber lining around the drive post. This allows the bar not to store a whole bunch of bacteria-laden substances like other domestic blenders.
Even a commercial cook with many years of experience agree the Waring WSB33X 7-inch immersion blender is an ideal tool for making home meals such as soup, sauce, malts, dressing, among many others.
There is no need to panic if you have never used this appliance before, as it is easy to use and operate. All the controls are placed at the top of the shaft. Additionally, its lightweight design helps to make this blender easy to operate.
You can regulate the speed and operate the blender with just one hand.
The Waring WSB33X 7-inch immersion blender avails 100 Watts of power. Although this power might not be enough to perform heavier kitchen duties such as crushing ice cubes, it is powerful enough to cater to most kitchen duties.
Key Features
- Voltage: 120 Volts
- Shaft length: 7-inches
- Height: 16-inches
- Depth: 4 ½ Inches
- Width: 4 ½ Inches
- High-efficiency motor
- Easy to operate stainless steel shaft
- Excellent for large batches of soup
- Comfortable price range
- Reliable performance and outstanding flexibility
- A bit difficult to clean
8. Utalent 5-in-1 8-Speed Stick Blender
When we first heard of the Utalent 5-in-1 8-Speed Stick Immersion Blender, we were not overly keen on it. A renowned kitchen brand does not design it, and its price seemed to be too good to be true.
However, after interacting with it a couple of times, everything added up as we found out that this immersion blender is a versatile and powerful tool.
For starters, the sheer blender efficiency is one thing that immediately stands out when interacting with the Utalent 5-in-1 8-Speed Stick Blender.
Unlike most immersion blenders making rounds on the market today, the Utalent 5-in-1 8-Speed Stick Blender uses a 4-blade system to get the job done. This is the reason why this cordless immersion blender outperforms most blenders in the market today.
The Utalent 5-in-1 8-Speed Stick Blender has additional stainless-steel blades that enable it to mix different ingredients and foodstuffs with ease on its mixing wand. After mixing, what you get is a much smoother, full-flavored, and more evenly distributed solution.
Definitely, apart from its 4-blade system, its powerful 250-Watt motor stands to be another advantage for the Utalent 5-in-1 8-Speed Stick Blender. The motor lends the blender the additional power it needs to tackle most kitchen tasks on a versatile level.
You can use this immersion blender to do several kitchen tasks, from whisking eggs and chopping ingredients to frothing milk and mixing sauces.
With that said, despite Utalent 5-in-1 8-Speed Stick Blender’s use of a high-powered motor, it is surprisingly quiet and stable, maintaining a quiet mode when in use.
Additionally, it is remarkably stable as you can barely feel it vibrate even as you mix the thickest of mixtures.
What about its cleaning process? You will be happy to know that cleaning this kitchenware is a simple and straightforward process as it can get. Ultimately, nobody prefers putting in extra effort after completing the tough task of mixing and preparing meals.
Fortunately, Utalent designed this immersion blender with such people in mind as the 5-in-1 8-Speed Stick Blender comes with detachable attachments that are easy to clean and dishwasher safe.
If you are impressed with this immersion blender and you think it can serve you in your home, then be sure to give it a try.
Key Features
- Designed with unique materials that are FDA and ETL approved
- Top-quality motor
- 8 different speed modes
- Features 4 blades
- Silent operation
- Versatile
- Dishwasher-safe
- ETL-free and BPA-free
- Accelerated blending
- Easy to break when used on hard foodstuffs
9. Megawise 800 Watt 12-Speed Hand Blender
According to our research, the MEGAWISE Powerful 800 Watt 12-Speed Stick Blender processes smoothies and sauces to an even texture at a record time.
We also found it easy and straightforward to use than most hand blenders, meaning it is a perfect candidate for regular play in the kitchen.
Its ergonomic handle and a power button that is pressed like a trigger make this hand blender to be one of the most comfortable blenders to use among all the units we tested. The MEGAWISE Powerful 800 Watt 12-Speed Stick Blender does not splatter or suction during mixing.
Its large bowl has almost twice the size of the bowls we interacted with from other blenders we tested. The bowl is enough for 2 smoothies while its useful attachments and wide range of speeds make it stand out above its competition.
The MEGAWISE Powerful 800 Watt 12-Speed Stick Blender comes with a beaker, whisk, chopper, and milk frother attachments that are BPA free and dishwasher safe. Using this hand blender would assist you to prepare meals with ease.
It comes with an 800 Watts motor that helps make your meal preparation process a lot easier. The blender is perfect for harder kitchen operations such as mashing potatoes and cutting nuts.
With the blades reinforced with titanium cross blades, this unit is going to serve you for a long time as it is durable and the blades are hard to break. Its 12-speed setting allows it to mix just about anything while its reliable power gives it the ultimate chop to deal with anything.
It is available in different color schemes which gives it a unique look in the kitchen making it very hard to lose in your kitchen.
The MEGAWISE Powerful 800 Watt 12-Speed Stick Blender has an impressive lifetime warranty, in case you have any challenges with any part of this hand blender.
Key Features
- Powerful motor
- Designed following BPA and ETL standards
- Titanium reinforced cross blades
- Lifetime warranty
- Turbo boost
- Durable thanks to its Titanium cross blades
- Offers up to 800 Watts of power
- Has a cool color scheme
- Features a 12-speed stick blender
- Simple and easy to use
- Box damaged during delivery
10. Allkeys 500W Immersion Hand Blender
This immersion hand blender by Allkeys is fitted with a powerful high-speed 500-Watt motor that is forged from high-quality copper. Its available power allows it to seamlessly and quickly mix ingredients and foodstuffs in the kitchen with little or no effort.
You can mix everything ranging from marinades, soups, sauces, and cakes to healthy smoothies and baby food. Its smart speed technology allows you to operate it without the need to put in a lot of effort while its compact size allows you to use it with one hand.
The ALLKEYS 500W Immersion Hand Blender has 4 titanium blades that are robust enough to crush and mix the hardest food ingredients with ease. You do not have to worry about rust or corrosion as the blades are corrosion-resistant and anti-rust.
The ALLKEYS 500W Immersion Hand Blender also comes with a blade guard that prevents the mixture from splashing out of the container.
As valuable kitchenware, the ALLKEYS 500W Immersion Hand Blender also comes with various blender attachments such as the 600 ml mixing breaker and a milk frother.
Key Features
- Offers lifetime support
- Provides 500-Watt of power
- Stainless steel material
- Red in color
- Easy installation
- Easy to operate and clean
- Titanium blades ensure durability
- Features smart speed technology for enhanced convenience
- Anti-splash construction
- A bit shaky
Preparing Baby Food with a Blender
Most babies are ready to start experimenting with solid food when they reach 6 months of age. At this stage, baby food needs to be very smooth with almost imperceptible particles. Anything larger can pose a choking hazard. As a baby gets older, those food particles can get larger and more solid. As a parent or caretaker, this is a very fun time to observe reactions to new flavors and textures. It is also an important time to introduce different tastes and flavors. There is a school of thought that the more a baby experiences a taste, the more likely he or she will like that taste as an adult. This will also prepare the baby to eat the diet he or she will eat as he or she grows older.
Because the person making baby food is the person determining what the baby is eating, meals for the baby can reflect each person’s lifestyle. Those who live the 100% certified organic lifestyle can know that the food their baby is consuming meets their standards. In the same way, those who are concerned about the more potent pesticides approved for certified organic use can rest easy by making their own baby food for their baby using local or conventionally produced food.
Making baby food with a hand blender is simple. For younger babies, steaming the desired baby food is often necessary to achieve a smoother texture. This is true when making baby food with other appliances as well. When the food is steamed, the hand blender is immersed in the food (for younger babies, some of the cooking liquid is often added). The hand blender purees the food, and the baby can eat! From there, the immersion portion of the hand blender is popped out (similar to popping a hand mixer’s beaters out), and that portion only is cleaned. Many hand blenders are dishwasher safe, making the cleanup easy.
As the baby gets older, he or she can begin eating foods that are not pureed as finely. Most immersion blenders are able to blend meats in addition to steamed vegetables. Babies will be able to enjoy an entire meal with a significantly reduced risk of choking. While it is important to introduce only one new food at a time (to help identify food allergies, if there are any), immersion blenders mean that the meal the rest of the family is eating will be enjoyed by the baby as well as well as his or her family. This also reduces the need for parents and caretakers to cook two meals: one for the baby and a separate meal from the family. When everyone eats the same meal, time in the kitchen gets a great deal simpler.
