The Immersion Blender: An Indispensible Kitchen Gadget

I love to cook and love kitchen gadgets. The problem is that so many gadgets end up unused and taking up space in my small kitchen. One item I use frequently and could not cook without is my immersion blender (sometimes known as a hand blender). An immersion blender (known as a boat motor, by Emeril Lagassi) is a portable blender. The difference is that you put the blender in the food, not the food in the blender.

Why do I prefer an immersion blender to the more traditional standing blender? Immersion blenders are easier to clean than traditional blenders. A quick rinse under warm running water is oftentimes all that is necessary to clean them. They also take up a lot less space than a traditional blender and are easier to store. Using an immersion blender saves time by eliminating the problem of having to stop the blender to push food down toward the blades.

Some of my favorite things to make using my immersion blender are fruit smoothies. Simply fill a large tumbler with fruit (anything goes!), some fruit juice, a dollop of vanilla yogurt and an ice cube or two. If you freeze the fruit before using it, you can omit the ice cubes. I sometimes add wheat germ or flax seed oil to increase the nutritional value.

If you make soups, having an immersion blender is critical. Many recipes call for removing half of the soup, putting it in a blender, then adding the pureed soup back into the pot. You can save time and effort by simply placing an immersion blender in the soup pot and pulsing it until some of the soup is pureed. This thickens the soups and makes them heartier. It is also safer than pouring scalding hot soup from a large pot into a blender.

Making homemade salad dressings is easy using an immersion blender. Add equal parts of oil and vinegar along with a couple tablespoons of fruit jelly and a squeeze of lime juice into a tumbler and blend. The blender creates an emulsion of the oil and vinegar and yields a fresh creamy dressing that you can tweak to suit your taste.

The immersion blender I own is made by Braun. It cost less than $30 and I have found it to be adequate for my needs. Other models have bigger motors and some have attachments that include whisks and choppers. I have no experience with these, but tend to think that may over-gadgetize a gadget that is perfect alone.

There are several gadgets in my kitchen I could do without. I never use my tuna fish can drainer or my orange juicer and very rarely drag out my pasta maker. My immersion blender is indispensable to me. If you are looking for a terrific gift idea for your favorite cook, or a great addition to your kitchen, consider an immersion blender.