[shokkyy]

My last stick blender, a Swan, has just died rather alarmingly. It was only just over a year old and when I started blending soup with it, it first went super slow, then suddenly started to smell of burning electrics and smoke started pouring out. I'm not very impressed with that kind of meltdown in something that by definition you're holding in your hand.

But I'm now shopping for a new stick blender. I don't really use them for anything else but soup. I'd like it to have a choice of speeds and for the working end to be detachable for cleaning. Other than that, I guess it's really just about reliability, robustness and power for blending soup.

Anyone have any models/makes they'd recommend I go for or avoid?

[snowdrops]

Son bought partner a kenw@@d one for Christmas with loads of attachments,even mashed/ riced potatoes,that we're very nice on Christmas day

[Yorkie]

I've got an ancient braun which I'm more than happy with.  Two speeds and the bottom half comes off for washing - though I've never submersed it in water (running under the tap immediately afterwards seems to do the trick ... )

[shokkyy]

Course, in a perfect world I'd like it to sieve the soup as well to get rid of any fibrous bits, but can't have everything

[Steveharford]

I also have a kenwood. 700w and comes with a tater masher which is really good. Two speeds. Normal and turbo. Does everything I would want and expect it too. Like most it has a detachable business end which you can just chuck in with the rest of the washing up. Wouldn't be without it.

[shokkyy]

I've just looked at the Kenwood range and they look very good. It hadn't occurred to me to use one for mashing but I kind of like that idea, not so much for spuds as the stuff that's a bit harder like carrots and swedes. They also have a bigfoot gadget for blending soup in a saucepan, and that looks useful. Annoyingly, the basic range comes either with the mashing attachment or with the bigfoot, but no model has both. The only model with both is HB724, which also has whisk and chopping attachments. I already have an electric whisk and mini chopper so I don't need that stuff, but maybe not a bad thing to replace the three electric gadgets I have with a single gadget that does all of it without taking up the space of a food processor.

Is the HB724 the same model you have, Steveharford? And is that whisk attachment man enough to cope with something like mixing a cake?

[Steveharford]

No Shokky I just have the standard one with the extra masher.

[shokkyy]

Looks like you can buy both the masher and bigfoot attachments separately, but buying the basic blender plus the extra attachment is almost the same price as buying the model with all the attachments, so that one seems the better buy. I did have a look for Brauns but there aren't that many around and they do tend to be more expensive, so I think I'll give that Kenwood a try. Thanks everyone.

[compostqueen]

I had a T*sco one which cost under £5. I had it for years and it was fine but it died just before Christmas. Well the motor was fine but it was the blade that fell to bits. I can't complain though as it did stirling service

My husband bought me the Kenwood with all the spares. The veg chopper I got with it is pants but the stick blender is fine.  It drains washing up water out of it for hours though 

[shokkyy]

I normally only use my mini chopper for fine chopping onions (can't do it by hand, makes my eyes sore for hours), dried herbs and breadcrumbs, so I wouldn't be asking a lot of it. If it can just do those jobs that would replace my mini chopper (which is a Kenwood).

I don't know if it's always been the case, but the current T*sco budget stick blender is actually made by Kenwood exclusively for them. If it has always been the case and yours lasted for years, that should hopefully mean their build quality is decent on their other models too.

[shokkyy]

Thank you so much for that recommend. I bought the Kenwood HB724 and I luv it to bits. The chopping bowl is bigger than my mini chopper and does a better job, and the stick blender, with or without bigfoot attachment, does a quieter and better job with soup than my old stick blender. For small quantities of smoothies and stuff like that the jug replaces my old jug blender, which is broken and needs chucking. It's dead easy to clean too. It's the best kitchen gadget I've bought for ages, and much better value for money than the assortment of small kitchen gadgets it replaces. The whisk isn't man enough for making things like cake mixes but is fine for lightweight stuff like eggs and cream. Really pleased with it

[Yorkie]

Glad you're pleased