picture of a smoothie made using a hand blender
Blender Tips

Can I Use A Hand Blender To Make A Smoothie?

Short answer – Yes, you can use a hand blender to make a smoothie. In making a smoothie, you don’t need to bring out your Vitamix or giant blenders to make one, a hand blender can do the job. Hand blenders can pulverize frozen fruits to make creamy smoothies.can immersion blender be used for making smoothies

Smoothie drink is made by pureeing raw fruits or vegetables. It is often made with liquid. The liquid can be water, fruit juice, or dairy products like milk, yogurt, etc.

Smoothies are thicker than fruit juice and look more like a milkshake.

A smoothie drink is commonly named by its major component and the composition is made from an individual’s preference. There are different types of smoothies – Banana smoothie, Strawberry smoothie, Mango smoothie, etc.

Another benefit of smoothie is that it can also be a healthy drink. You can make a healthy smoothie, for instance, green smoothies are made from vegetables and the composition of the smoothie can be fitted to suit your diet.

How To Make A Smoothie?

It is typical to make a smoothie using countertop blenders as fruits need to be pulverized or vegetables pureed. After the swooshing and whooshing from the blender, the messy containers need to be washed and leaves you wondering if you can use your hand blender to make a smoothie.

Here is a video showing how to make Smoothie using countertop blenders –


You are not alone on this, a lot of people also ask if they can make a smoothie with a hand blender.

Can A Hand Blender Be Used To Make A Smoothie?

Hand blenders are one of the beautiful gifts technology offers, they are simple handheld devices that can be used for blending. A hand blender is different from a conventional tabletop blender in shape and size.

Hand blender has a range of functionality, and it is beautiful to know that your hand blender can make your favorite fruit or vegetable smoothie. This device can do more than just sitting in your drawer. The blades of a hand blender are powerful enough to pulverize fruits to make the smoothies of your choice.

With hand blenders, you have less messy dishes and containers to deal with, you can enjoy your yummy and delicious smoothie without the thoughts of washing up various containers with the simple use of hand blenders.

This video shows a smoothie being prepared using a hand blender –

How Do You Make A Smoothie With A Hand Blender?

You might be curious about how a simple handheld device like the hand blender takes up the role of the powerful countertop blender.

Hand blenders are usually long stick-like devices with blades at the lower part, away from the handle that houses the control.

Making smoothies using a hand blender is quite easy and requires simple steps:

  • Cut the fruits or vegetables into the blender’s beaker or a jar, add all your ingredients.
  • It is best to choose ripe and soft fruits for easier blending.
  • Smoothies are always liquid-based, it is important to add liquid such as water, fruit juice, or dairy products.
  • Make sure the liquid covers all the solid substance. Also, ensure the whole content doesn’t get filled more than two-thirds full of the container as the whipping needs space to expand or you will have to deal with splatter over your counter, and body.
  • Immerse the blender head into the beaker or jar at an angle off the bottom of the container.
  • If the hand blender isn’t battery-powered, it should be properly connected to the socket.
  • Blend the mixture until your desired smoothness is achieved.
  • If any of the smoothie ingredients get entangled with the blade of the hand blender, unplug from the socket before untangling it.

Are Hand Blenders And Immersion Blenders The Same?

Mueller Austria Ultra-Stick 500 Watt 9-Speed Immersion Multi-Purpose Hand Blender Heavy Duty Copper Motor Brushed 304 Stainless Steel With Whisk, Milk Frother Attachments

There is always confusion about hand blenders and immersion blenders if they mean the same thing. Quite a number of people also believe that the hand blender is different from the immersion blender.

A hand blender means the same thing as an immersion blender, and they can also both be referred to as a stick blender. The names can be used interchangeably as they mean the same.

A hand blender is a hand-held device, portable, and looks like a long stick that has blades attached to its end which is used for blending. The handle which is held during blending has the control buttons.

Just like the normal tabletop blender, hand blender or immersion blender comes in different shapes and sizes. They can also be cordless and powered by a battery or electricity that needs to be plugged into a wall socket during usage.

The hand blender or immersion blender is capable of various tasks, the blades are sharp enough to blend quite a number of things.

Can You Blend Ice With An Immersion Blender?

Immersion blenders are quite powerful and can blend quite a number of substances.

However, whenever you feel some substances are too big for the hand or immersion blender, you can cut them into bits before adding them to your blending beaker or jar.

The capability of immersion blenders depends on the type and power rating. Not all immersion blenders have the power to blend large chunks of ice, and you might need to break them up into bits before blending. Ice might be too strong, depending on the type of hand blender used, and should be broken into bits when blending to make smoothies.

Smoothies are usually preferred chilled, and as a result, ice might be added to the mixture before blending. Ensure to have the ice broken into bits before the entire mixture is blended.

Related Post: Immersion Blender For Soap Making

Can A Hand Blender Replace A Blender?

A hand blender is also a type of blender, yeah? So can a hand blender replace a tabletop blender, or carry out all the functions of a countertop blender?

Not exactly. The hand blender can have numerous functions it carries out efficiently, but it may not completely replace a tabletop blender. The tabletop blender is usually made up of a base, a large container/mixer, and lid, while a hand blender is just a stick-like blender with a little blending beaker.

Tabletop blender has various components different from the hand blender. A tabletop blender is more suitable for large volume blending and can break a larger substance or ingredient.

The tabletop blender is capable of a large volume of blending due to the size of the container. Also, the speed regulator is more efficient in ensuring all the particles are well broken down into smooth consistency.

Hand blenders are useful in carrying out quick and easy blending, require less stress and technicalities but the purpose and importance of a countertop blender cannot be completely disregarded.

Related Post: Blender vs Immersion Blender

Can You Make Smoothies Without A Blender?

Imagine trying to get a chilled smoothie after a long run. The assembling and disassembling of the countertop blender can kill the vibe of making your favorite smoothie. Why go through the stress of setting up and cleaning a big blender mixer to make one glass of smoothie?

You can consider using very ripe and soft fruits that can be easily mashed, the choice of composition can be soft fruits like banana, mango, pears, and berries. When mixed with dairy products, it can be easily mixed to make a smoothie or also with the aid of an immersion blender, and voila!!! You have your smoothie in a minute.

What Other Uses Does A Hand Blender Have?

Like most household appliances, you don’t just buy a hand blender or immersion blender to make smoothies. The hand blender or immersion blender carries out other functions apart from making smoothies.

Some of the functions of the hand blender are –

  • Soup and curry
  • Salad dressing
  • Baby food
  • Homemade ice cream

This makes the hand blender an indispensable household appliance to have in any kitchen.

Here is a detailed post on my blog on how to use an immersion blender.

How Do You Clean A Hand Blender?

Unlike the tabletop blender that requires washing of the mixing container, the hand blender only needs the blade area cleaned.

The hand blender can be cleaned using the dishwasher, although using the dishwasher can dull the blades. Rather, make a mixture of soap and water, and then rinse and allow it to air dry.

What Are Some Good Cheap Hand Blenders To Make Smoothies?

In choosing a hand blender, there are lots of factors to consider totally dependent on an individual’s need and preference.

There are lots of hand blenders in the market that vary in cost and efficiency. It is important to consider these factors when making a choice.

Here is a list of some of the affordable and efficient hand blenders, with excellent reviews from Amazon –

Conclusion

Smoothie is a drink a lot of people enjoy having. However, it can become a task when there is a need to use a big countertop blender. Smoothies can be made from fruits or vegetables, they are usually liquid-based, using either water, juice, or dairy products.

A hand blender which is the same as an immersion blender can be used in making a smoothie. The hand blender is stick-like and has its blade at one end, while the handle is on the other end. The handle also holds the button. A hand blender can either be battery-powered or electric.

Hand blenders can be used in making smoothies. Although the blades of hand blenders are efficient, it is easier when the fruits are ripe and soft. Ice needs to be broken into bits before blending. Also, a sufficient amount of liquid should be added to the fruits or vegetables.

Although hand or immersion blenders can perform a lot of tasks, it cannot completely replace the countertop blender in size, smoother consistency, and blending of harder substances. However, hand or immersion blenders still remain an indispensable tool in the kitchen.

It is easy to clean a hand blender by simply rinsing the blades in a mixture of soap and water. There are various options of hand or immersion blenders to choose from when buying. Some of the highly recommended ones are Breville control grip, Braun Multiquick, and KOIOS 800W 4-in-1 Multifunctional Hand Immersion Blender. There are several other products that can be purchased depending on affordability and need.

You can drop your questions if you need further clarification on the post.

AboutKelly A Hartigan

Kelly A Hartigan has been an avid consumer of blenders for years. She is passionate about helping others find the best blender for their needs and has tried different brands on her quest to find the perfect match.

She loves to blend fruit and vegetables into juices, which she drinks throughout the day for good health.

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