Commercial Immersion Blender Buying Guide

Efficiency and putting out the best quality product is at the top of any restaurant’s priority list, so any and every method to help reach those goals is always welcomed. 

There are a number of ways to whip up soups, sauces, and foams, or even puree vegetables for your guests to enjoy. But as your restaurant grows — and the volume picks up — you need to ensure consistency and increase your output — and a commercial immersion blender is just the thing you need. 

Our buying guide below to show you exactly what you need (and why) to maximize your kitchen’s blending capabilities. 

Benefits of using an immersion blender 

1. Precision

Immersion blenders range in size and power, have multiple speed settings and utilize multiple attachments, giving you an enhanced ability to achieve your desired texture for whatever you’re making. 

2. Capacity

When using a countertop commercial blender, you need to put all your items in a specific jar, then transfer it to another container. With an immersion blender (also known as a stick blender) you can insert it right into the pot you were originally cooking food in, meaning you can work with up to 100 litres of liquid at once! 

3. Efficiency

Using a stand-up blender also requires transferring your food back-and-forth between containers, which dirties multiple containers and decreases yield. An immersion blender allows you to keep food in the same pot it was cooked in — and blend hot items right as they cook! 

4. Noise

By virtue of having slightly less powerful motors than a countertop blender, and being completely submerged into your food, immersion blenders are generally much quieter to use than their counterparts (pun intended). 

5. Storage/Cleanup

Most immersion blenders are easy to clean, many are dishwasher-safe (that have removable shafts) and they take up minimal storage space, being very narrow and long. 

Features of Commercial Immersion Blenders to Consider

Handle/Grip 

Because you’ll be holding an immersion blender above a pot full of, well, something, you need to feel comfortable! 

Look for a handle or handles depending on how large the immersion blend is, that are easy to grip. Buttons are preferred to dials for the ability to adjust with just the one hand. 

Ensure the on/off button and speed buttons are close to your fingers and feel natural to press. Try not to get a handle that is too large or makes the blender feel heavy, as you can get tired pretty quickly — especially if blending for an extended period of time.  Understand the capabilities of your staff.

Many manufacturers have ergonomic, non-slip grips to reduce fatigue and increase safety.

Non-slip rubber handles tend to be most popular, as well as grips that have buttons which don’t require too much force to activate. 

Immersion Blender Power 

Commercial immersion blenders generally fall into three categories: light, standard, and heavy-duty: 

Light-duty: ~200-350 watts, 0.5 horsepower motor

Standard-duty: 200-600 watts, 1-2 horsepower motor

Heavy-duty: Up to 1,500 watts, 2-3.5 horsepower motor 

Immersion blenders can range from 7500 RPM up to 18,000 RPM with on/off, two speeds and variable speed options. Beware of maximum run times - how long the immersion blender can be used at a constant rate - as it depends on the manufacturer and model.

Electrical requirements 

Most commercial immersion blenders run on a single-phase power supply, traditionally 120-230 Volts, 6.25 Amps and 50-60 Hz. Immersion blenders are mainly hard-wired, but some can come with both a removable cord and rechargeable battery packs — but that comes at the cost of a little added weight and a little less wattage. 

Shaft features 

Immersion blenders come in all different lengths, with the shaft or blending arm ranging from 7” up to 29” long. 

While the body of an immersion blender ranges in material construction from plastic to metal, the shafts are almost always made of stainless steel. This allows you to use the blender in very hot or very cold food, without risk of the shaft melting, warping or tainting your food. Stainless steel is also quick and easy to clean and the shaft is usually detachable, making washing it simple and pain-free. 

You can also get other shaft attachments like splash guards, which attach to the blending arm and help limit any splashback from the pot you’re blending food in. 

Some manufacturers have designed their immersion blender motors to fit multiple sizes of blending arms - simply swap out to the right size for the job at hand.

Blending Capacity 

Immersion blenders have a varying range in the capacity of liquid it can alter, with small, light-duty blenders topping out at as little as 500 ml of liquid, while top-of-the-line heavy-duty blenders can operate in 200 litres of soup, sauce or whatever you’re prepping! 

For best results, think about how many different things you’ll need to use your blender for and how much of each item you’ll be preparing on a daily basis. A blender with a capacity well above what you need may be cumbersome or mean sacrificing other features unnecessarily, while a blender with too low of a capacity will leave you without a viable option to maximize your menu ideation. 

Additional Immersion Blender Features and Accessories 

There are a number of additional features and accessories that can accompany an immersion blender, which can expand the food processing capabilities of your unit. 

Blade guard

The stainless steel cup that covers your blades, these can range in width and vent size. Wider, shallower blade guards with larger vents are often more effective at circulating the food and creating a stronger vortex, which draws in your food and more thoroughly blends it. 

They are also easier to clean with more space between the blades and the guard. This does, however, leave the blades more exposed so extra care is needed when handling around the blade area. 

Whisk attachment

Best for whisking various batters and recipes involving eggs, as well as making whipped cream or whipping other creamy substances. 

Clamps or additional grips

Sometimes holding an immersion blender with one hand — especially heavy-duty blenders, which can weigh up to 15 lb — will be an issue. Whether it’s the fact that there’s too much power, it’s too heavy, or you’re wary of holding it above a pot of piping hot food, there are secondary shaft attachments that can also be used to increase your leverage and control of the machine. 

Additional grips can range from a side loop (think of it like holding a weed whacker), an overhead handle (like a bail on a bucket), or a post on the side (like a jackhammer). 

Utilize clamps to lock your immersion blend to your container, bowl, pot or pan, increasing ease of use and improving efficiency. There are also sliding frames available that you to move your blender along the diameter of your pot or /bowl. 

 

Wall racks/hangers

Provide a safe and organized way to hang and store your immersion blender (or if you have multiple… blenders). 

By adding a commercial immersion blender, you not only will add a device that improves your blending capabilities, but with some added attachments can replace other less-efficient tools that eat up valuable space in your kitchen. 

Improve efficiency, remove clutter and open up a new range of culinary combinations, for quiet, quaint cafes to demanding high-volume restaurants alike. 

Written by Jared Hochman

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