Our recommendations are made independently through Research & Testing. We may receive commissions from purchases made via our links.

BELLA 10-Speed vs Cuisinart CSB-175 Side-by-Side Comparison

Tina Pham
Reviewer
Nguyen Ntk
Visual Specialist
Updated
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Apr 4, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Apr 3, 2023
The BELLA immersion blender standing on the gray table with its accessories, including a user manual, plastic beaker, whisk attachment, food processor located above a paper carton box.
Unboxing the Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender; from left to right: an owner's manual, paper carton box, blending wand with a motor body attached, and a plastic beaker.
Blenders type
immersion
immersion

Our Verdict

7.1
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    7.4/10
  • Design (20%)
    7.5/10
  • Usability (30%)
    6.3/10
7.7
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    7.4/10
  • Design (20%)
    8.5/10
  • Usability (30%)
    7.8/10

While the BELLA 10-Speed shares a lot of characteristics with its higher-priced counterpart, including mid-range power and a stainless steel blending shaft, we don’t think their efficiency is equal.

Of all the blenders we tested, the Cuisinart CSB-175 is one of the most capable and desirable machines within its price range. Even with only two speed options, we could still get adequate control over the texture’s consistency. 

That said, don’t expect this blender to be user-friendly. Its locking button makes blending much more complicated, and you absolutely must consult the user manual prior to use to figure out how it works. 

However, given its shaky motor, the BELLA 10-Speed is still the most difficult-to-use immersion blender that we have experienced.

Competitive Overall Efficiency

BELLA 10-Speed Hand Blender Performance

Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender Performance: Pretty Good
7.4
Performance Scores
  • Hot Soup Purée (35%)7.5/10
  • Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)9.3/10
  • Mayonnaise (15%)9.0/10
  • Almond Milk (5%)6.0/10
  • Whipped Egg-Whites (5%)6.0/10
7.4
Performance Scores
  • Hot Soup Purée (35%)7.0/10
  • Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)7.5/10
  • Mayonnaise (15%)9.3/10
  • Almond Milk (15%)9.0/10
  • Whipped Egg-Whites (5%)0/10
7.5

Hot Soup Purée

7.0
Scooping a spoon of pureéd soup made by the BELLA hand blender from a plastic beaker standing next to a smartphone displaying the total pureéing time (33 seconds).
Scooping a spoon of pureéd soup made by the BELLA hand blender from a plastic beaker standing next to a smartphone displaying the total pureéing time (33 seconds).
BELLA 10-Speed Soup
A batch of soup pureéd by the BELLA immersion blender is checked for smoothness by being drained through a stainless steel mesh strainer.
  • Pureeing Time: 30 seconds
  • Result: Chunky
  • Suction: Tightly

The BELLA is moderately capable at pureeing soup. In our test, it took around 30 seconds to blend and combine all the ingredients. However, we still found lots of tiny chunks when we ran the soup through a strainer. On the whole, blending didn’t go smoothly since the blender itself created a bit too much suction. At the highest speed settings, it vacuumed itself solidly to the beaker’s bottom, making it very difficult for us to make any movements. For a better performer overall, we recommend the Vitamix 5-speed or the KitchenAid cordless hand blender.

Scooping a spoon of pureéd soup made by the  Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender from a plastic beaker.
Scooping a spoon of pureéd soup made by the  Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender from a plastic beaker.
Cuisinart CSB-175BKQVC Hot Soup Test
A batch of soup pureéd by the Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender is checked for smoothness by being drained through a stainless steel mesh strainer.
  • Pureeing Time: 30 seconds
  • Result: Silky chunky
  • Suction: Slightly

Despite being among the least expensive mid-range blenders on our testing list, this Cuisinart is plenty quick, taking only 30 seconds to give us a pot of soup. Still, we were just moderately satisfied with its performance. The soup was not well pureed enough to look entirely smooth. After we drained it through a strainer, we noticed many foods still remained unprocessed. For the best pureés maker, we recommend the Vitamix 5-speed.

9.3

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

7.5
The BELLA 10-Speed Smoothie Testing, from left to right: the BELLA motor body, a batch of green smoothie in a white bowl with parts of it being scooped with a spoon, and a smartphone displaying the total blending time (58 seconds).
The BELLA 10-Speed Smoothie Testing, from left to right: the BELLA motor body, a batch of green smoothie in a white bowl with parts of it being scooped with a spoon, and a smartphone displaying the total blending time (58 seconds).
Bella 10 Speed Smoothe
After finishing blending, the green smoothie was spread evenly throughout a white paper to check for solid chunks.
  • Blending Time: 58 secs
  • Result: Slightly Coarse
  • Suction: Slightly

Our BELLA transformed all the ingredients into a drinkable texture in approximately one minute, from start to finish. It didn’t have too much difficulty powering through frozen fruit or kale. The resulting smoothie was acceptable with very few unprocessed chunks.

A plastic beaker containing a batch of green smoothie whose parts are scooped with a stainless steel spoon is between the Cuisinart’s motor body and a smartphone displaying the total blending time (1 minute and 21 seconds).
A plastic beaker containing a batch of green smoothie whose parts are scooped with a stainless steel spoon is between the Cuisinart’s motor body and a smartphone displaying the total blending time (1 minute and 21 seconds).
Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick Smoothie
After finishing blending, the green smoothie made by the Cuisinart Smart Stick was spread evenly throughout a white paper to check for solid chunks.
  • Blending Time: 1 min 20 secs
  • Result: Slightly Coarse
  • Suction: Slightly

Although the Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick could pass this test in 1 minute and 20 seconds, it had a very hard time grinding frozen fruits. By comparison, its counterparts — the Vitamix 5-speed and the Braun MultiQuick-5 — could turn all the ingredients into a green silky smoothie without a struggle. 

The Cuisinart’s smoothie was acceptable but didn’t have the smoothest texture. It came out rather lumpy due to kale chunks. Our straw got clogged now and then with bits that were still too big.

9.0

Mayonnaise

9.3
A little bit of mayonnaise sticking in the whisk attachment of the BELLA hand blender when it is removed from the full batch emulsified in a plastic beaker standing between the BELLA motor body and a smartphone displaying the total emulsion time (1 minute and 24 seconds).
A little bit of mayonnaise sticking in the whisk attachment of the BELLA hand blender when it is removed from the full batch emulsified in a plastic beaker standing between the BELLA motor body and a smartphone displaying the total emulsion time (1 minute and 24 seconds).
BELLA 10-Speed Mayonnaise
  • Emulsifying Time: 1 min 25 secs
  • Result: Smooth
  • Suction: Yes

Making mayonnaise was easy with this blender. Of all the blenders we tested, it was among the fastest, beating our favorite blender — the Braun MultiQuick-5 by up to 30 seconds. That said, its mayonnaise didn’t come out very smooth and creamy. Still, for such a low-priced hand blender, this result is worthy of praise.

Scooping a spoon of mayonnaise from a full batch emulsified in a white bowl by the Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender.
Scooping a spoon of mayonnaise from a full batch emulsified in a white bowl by the Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender.
Cuisinart CSB-175BKQVC Smart Stick Mayonnaise
  • Emulsifying Time: 1 min 10 secs
  • Result: Smooth
  • Suction: Yes

Coming off the other tests, we didn’t expect much out of our Cuisinart when it came to making mayonnaise. For the most part, we agreed that a whisk attachment would emulsify sauce far better than any ordinary blending shaft. But as it turned out, of all the blenders we tested, the Cuisinart was the fastest to yield a creamy, mouthwatering sauce. It even beat the Braun’s whisk attachment by about 30 seconds, though in both cases, the mayonnaise’s texture was essentially the same.

Still, there was a minor drawback. When the mayonnaise began to thicken, our blender suctioned itself tightly to the beaker’s bottom, making it a bit trickier for us to move the blending wand around. Nevertheless, given this blender’s outstanding performance, this issue wasn’t a true dealbreaker and should be tolerated.

6.0

Almond Milk

9.0
  • Grinding Time: 1 min 15 secs
  • Result: Coarse
  • Suction: Tightly

Our non-dairy milk required nearly a minute and a half of blending, but it still didn’t come out as smooth and creamy as it should. And not only couldn’t the machine blend uniformly, but it also created bad suction, causing a mess when we struggled to lift it upward.

  • Grinding Time: 40 secs
  • Result: Fine
  • Suction: Tightly

This Cuisinart performed fairly well in this test. Besides being the fastest contender, it also blended quite uniformly. While it did create suction and cause a humble mess when we lifted the blending wand upward, it sustained a nice vortex, so our liquid didn’t overflow. In contrast, some models, such as the Hamilton Beach 2-speed and the Mueller Ultra-Stick couldn’t produce the consistent vortex. This caused the liquid to overflow excessively when we turned them up to higher speeds.

6.0

Whipped Egg-Whites

0.0
The 24-oz plastic beaker containing testing beaten egg-white is put upside down on the gray table with a BELLA motor body and a smartphone displaying the total whipping time (3 minutes) by its sides.
The 24-oz plastic beaker containing testing beaten egg-white is put upside down on the gray table with a BELLA motor body and a smartphone displaying the total whipping time (3 minutes) by its sides.
BELLA 10-Speed Whipped Egg-Whites
  • Beating Time: 3 minutes
  • Result: Stiff
  • Suction: No

The BELLA’s whisk attachment drew enough air into the egg whites to create stiff peaks in our test, but its prolonged beating operation left us with exhausted hands and extreme discomfort. So, even though this add-on can do the trick, we don’t think it’s a good alternative to a hand mixer when it comes to preparing emulsified sauces or meringue. There are other immersion blenders that can ensure smoother operations, such as the KOIOS 4-in-1 and the Breville Control Grip.

The blending wand of the Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick  is immersed in a plastic beaker on a white table containing its failed beaten egg-white with a smartphone next to it.
  • Beating Time: N/A
  • Result: N/A
  • Suction: N/A

Of all the blenders we tested, only machines with whisk attachments could draw enough air into the egg-whites to create a stiff peak. The Cuisinart's ordinary blending shaft, on the other hand, just gave us a cloudy liquid made of two layers: bubbly film and eggy water. We awarded this blender no points for this test.

Not Really Stand-Out

BELLA 10-Speed Immersion Blender Design

Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed Design: Thoughtful-Crafted for the Price
7.5
design Scores
  • Blending Shaft (30%)7.5/10
  • Build Quality (60%)7.0/10
  • Power Cord (5%)10/10
  • Beaker (5%)10/10
8.5
design Scores
  • Blending Shaft (30%)8.0/10
  • Build Quality (60%)8.5/10
  • Power Cord (5%)10/10
  • Beaker (5%)10/10

In the Box of the BELLA 10-Speed Hand Blender

In the Box Cuisinart Smart Stick
The BELLA Stick Blender is shipped with a paper carton box, an immersion blending wand, a motor body, a plastic beaker, a whisk attachment, a food processor, and a user manual.
  • Motor body 
  • Blending shaft 
  • Whisk attachment
  • Food processor
  • Beaker   
  • User manual

Our set includes six pieces which are all free of harmful chemicals. All parts except the motor section are top-rack dishwasher safe.

Owner’s manuals, blending wand, motor body, plastic beaker, paper carton box being side by side.
  • Motor body 
  • Blending shaft 
  • 24-oz beaker 
  • User manual

The Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick set includes 4 items: a blender motor body, a blending shaft, a 20-ounce beaker, and a user manual. Before using your blender for the first time, make sure to clean it thoroughly following the user manual’s instructions. For safe operations, you should also comply with all the basic safety precautions issued by the Cuisinart manufacturers.

Dimensions

The BELLA Immersion Blender standing on top of its blending shaft on a gray table, with the length of the blending shaft being noted to the side as 8.3 inches, and the total length of the unit as 15.2 inches.
  • Height:
    15.2" (38.6 cm)
  • Width:
    2.3" (5.8 cm)
  • Weight:
    2.0 lbs (0.9 kg)
  • Shaft Length:
    8.3" (21.1 cm)

So far, we haven’t encountered any challenges caused by this blender’s size. The machine itself is compact enough to store in a drawer, and it isn’t overly heavy. Weight isn’t a hindrance to the machine’s usability.

The Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-speed hand blender standing on top of its blending shaft on a gray table, with the length of the blending shaft being noted to the side as 8.4 inches, and the total length of the unit as 15.6 inches.
  • Height:
    15.6" (39.6 cm)
  • Width:
    2.3" (5.8 cm)
  • Weight:
    1.6 lbs (0.7 kg)
  • Shaft Length:
    8.4" (21.3 cm)

Stylish and portable, the Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick offers a delicate balance of weight, size, and aesthetics. With a reasonably sized blending shaft, it doesn’t have any difficulty operating even in deep pots. Plus, it is compact enough that it fits easily into a drawer for storage.

7.0

Build Quality

8.5
The whisk attachment, motor body, and blending shaft of the BELLA stick blender lie flat on a gray table.

The BELLA can be purchased for less than $30, but that low price tag is a clue as to its quality. The machine itself feels relatively solid, but it doesn’t look as sleek as the mid-range ones. With the exception of the blending shaft, all the parts are made of medium-grade plastic which may deteriorate and collect scratches over the years. 

Not only that, but several Amazon users have complained about the inner components. Some claim that the plastic core that connects the blending wand to the main body somehow got shredded, rendering the blender useless. Others were frustrated when the tabs that connect to attachments broke. 

All things considered, we don’t think the BELLA is a reliable performer, even though it’s backed by an impressive warranty (two years).

The motor body and blending wand of the Cuisinart Smart Stick two-speed hand blender lying flat on a yellow table.

Although this blender is mostly made of plastic, its motor body looks and feels as solid as the stainless steel wand component. Even so, it may become discolored with use.

The stainless steel blending wand is built well enough to endure regular use. So far, our blades have shown no signs of rusting or dulling, but we have found a user’s complaint about her blade that snapped in half after just two months of use. 

The controls are of decent quality. They are easier to press than those of the Braun MultiQuick-5 and seem to be much more durable than the Mueller Ultra-Stick. Other than an awkward power button (to be discussed later) we were quite pleased with this unique design.

Speed and Controls of the BELLA 10-Speed Immersion Blender

Speed and Controls of the Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed
A close-up of the two speed control buttons of the BELLA immersion blender.
  • Control Type:
    Press-button & speed dial
  • Min Speed:
    14,730 RPM
  • Max Speed:
    16,000 RPM
  • Presets:
    No
  • Noise Level:
    84 dB
  • Digital Display:
    No
  • Pulse Mode:
    Yes

On paper, the BELLA allows the users to easily switch between 10 speed options using the two front buttons and a top dial. Our real-world experience, though, indicates that while they get the job done, it takes a lot of force to press the buttons.

Likewise, the speed dial isn’t really essential. It’s hard to use because both hands are engaged while blending — one hand to maneuver the blender and the other to keep the beaker from jumping around the countertop with the motor’s violent vibration.

A close-up of two speed controlling buttons and a speed dial on top of the Cuisinart’s motor body.
  • Control Type:
    Press
  • Min Speed:
    11,670 RPM
  • Max Speed:
    12,660 RPM
  • Presets:
    No
  • Noise Level:
    80 dB
  • Digital Display:
    No
  • Pulse Mode:
    No

At first sight, we thought this blender would be very easy to use since its two-button interface looks really intuitive.

Unexpectedly enough, we couldn’t figure out how to activate the device until we consulted the user manual. Not only that, but we also needed quite a lot of practice to operate it smoothly. Unlike others, this blender has an additional locking button which acts as a safety mechanism. 

The locking button must be held down along with the operational button. That paired-button operation forced us to use two hands in some cases — certainly not what we’d call user-friendly.

The Cuisinart Smart Stick also allows us to switch between the two speed options (Low and High) with the slide control. We’d prefer more than two settings since multiple speeds give us more control over the food’s texture. 

That being said, the slider also makes this blender more complicated to use, especially when the dial’s location is entirely separated from the On/Off button. It’s tough for one person to use the blender, adjust its speed, and hold the beaker at the same time, so we had to stop blending to speed up or slow down.

7.5

Blending Shaft

8.0
A close-up of the BELLA’s blending wand with 4 sharp stainless steel prongs.
A close-up of the BELLA’s blending wand with 4 sharp stainless steel prongs.
A close-up of the BELLA’s blending wand with 4 sharp stainless steel prongs from the side-viewing angle.
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Type:
    Sharp Blade
  • Guard Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Blade Count:
    4
  • Removable:
    Yes
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The blade has 4 prongs made of medium-quality stainless steel. It comes relatively sharp, but looks a bit fragile. If you use this blender for grinding tough ingredients, the blade assembly may get damaged.    

We appreciate that the blade guard was designed to prevent splattering, but don't think that it works as intended. It creates a lot of suction at the bottom of our beaker. And since it’s made of metal with harsh edges, the blade guard can leave marks on your non-stick cookware unless you blend very carefully.

A close-up of the Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick Stainless Steel Blade
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Type:
    Sharp Blade
  • Guard Material:
    Metal
  • Blade Count:
    2
  • Removable:
    No
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    No

The Cuisinart’s blade has two prongs: one sharp and the other blunt. Although it isn’t as high quality as the Vitamix, it can withstand consistent use. It even defeated its higher-priced counterpart in our mayonnaise test despite being the underdog. 

A metal housing partially covers the fixed stainless steel blade to keep splashing to a minimum. This blade guard, however, left much to be desired in our test due to its awkward design. Rather than being a solid piece like others, it has several small holes which significantly degrade the shielding’s effectiveness. 

Not only that, but the metal blade guard also caused scratches on the blender’s original beaker in its smoothie task. This is too awful even to be imagined.

10

Beaker

10
A 30-oz plastic beaker of the BELLA Immersion Blending standing on a gray table.
  • Material:
    Plastic
  • Capacity:
    30 oz
  • Measurements:
    Yes
  • Weight:
    0.29 lb
  • Height:
    7.2" (18.3 cm)
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes
  • Tamper Included:
    No

The BELLA blender comes with a large beaker that shows measurements in both milliliters and fluid ounces. It’s a simple affair with an easy-pour spout and a flared base for stability.

A 24-oz plastic beaker of the Cuisinart Smart stick standing on a yellow table.
  • Material:
    Plastic
  • Capacity:
    NaN fl oz (NaN ml)
  • Measurements:
    Yes
  • Weight:
    0.2 oz (7 g)
  • Height:
    6.5" (16.5 cm)
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes
  • Tamper Included:
    No

Made of eco-friendly food-grade plastic, the beaker is entirely safe for use with any ingredients. It’s top-rack dishwasher-safe but doesn’t resist shattering, so we still recommend washing it manually to avoid any possible damage. Since it isn’t designed to withstand high temperatures, you also shouldn’t use it to blend hot liquid.

Besides the measurement marks, a wide pour spout is also a nice feature of Cuisinart’s beaker. When we used it to pour out the smoothie, we experienced less spillage than with other blender jars.

10

Power Cord

10
The BELLA 10-Speed  Immersion Blender on a gray table with its power cord rolled up next to it.
  • Cord Length:
    5.1 ft (1.6 m)
  • Type:
    2-prong plug
  • Detachable:
    No

The power cord is long enough to reach your nearby outlets. As a nice bonus, it has a small loop that allows you to hang the whole blender on a hook for easy storage.

The Cuisinart Smart Stick Immersion Blender on a gray table with its power cord rolled up next to it.
  • Cord Length:
    6.0 ft (1.8 m)
  • Type:
    2-prong plug
  • Detachable:
    No

The power cord has a reasonable length. Its plug is polarized so it will only be inserted one way into your outlet. For ultimate cable management, Cuisinart also included a nylon zip tie.

BELLA Immersion Blender with a Whisk Attachment

Extra Accessories

Not Included
A whisk attachment of the BELLA hand-held blender lying flat on a gray table.
  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes
  • Removable:
    Yes

With the whisk attachment, your blender can act as a hand mixer for certain tasks such as whipping cream, beating egg whites, and emulsifying sauces. That said, it’s rather poorly built, so it may not survive long.

  • Material:
    N/A
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    N/A
  • Removable:
    N/A

The Cuisinart doesn’t come with any accessories other than the 24-oz pitcher.

Food Processor

Extra Accessories

A food processor attachment of the BELLA hand blender standing on a gray table.
  • Material:
    Plastic and Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes
  • Removable:
    Yes

We haven’t tested this attachment, but the stainless steel S-blade can probably chop, mix, and shred certain foods just like any other low-grade food processor.

A little Bit Disappointing

BELLA Hand Blender Usability Review

Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender Usability: Fine and Not Really Impressive
6.3
usability Scores
  • Ease of Use (60%)6.0/10
  • Blade Assembly (10%)7.5/10
  • Handling (20%)6.0/10
  • Cleanability (10%)7.5/10
7.8
usability Scores
  • Ease Of Use (60%)7.6/10
  • Blade Assembly (10%)9.0/10
  • Handling (20%)8.0/10
  • Cleanability (10%)7.5/10
6.0

Ease of Use

Ease Of Use

The controls are easy to understand, but we never got comfortable actually operating it. While its interface is very intuitive with only two buttons and a speed selection dial, the motor’s vibration made our hands entirely numb. Moreover, the buttons are too stiff and unresponsive, so our fingers got tired in a hurry. In some cases our fingers slipped right off the trigger button, causing unplanned interruptions to our testing process. 

The low rating of this blender’s usability isn’t all due to its controls, though. Throughout most of the tests, the blending shaft stuck itself so tightly to the container’s bottom that we couldn’t lift it up unless we shut off the motor. That’s quite unacceptable, in our opinion.

At first sight, we thought this blender would be very easy to use due to its simple-designed interface.Unexpectedly enough, however, we couldn’t figure out how to activate the device until we consulted the user manual. Not only that, but we also needed quite a lot of practice to operate it smoothly.

Unlike others, this blender has an additional locking button which acts as a safety mechanism. The locking button must be held down along with the operational button. That paired-button operation forced us to use two hands in some cases — certainly not what we’d call user-friendly.

Given that the dial’s location is entirely separated from the On/Off button, it’s also quite tough for use to use the blender, adjust its speed, and hold the beaker at the same time. More often than not, we felt very annoyed when having to stop blending if we wanted to speed up or slow down.  

Another drawback was that all sorts of our blending motions, from stirring to drawing up, weren’t performed with ease. In particular, when the mayonnaise began to thicken, the blender suctioned itself tightly to the beaker’s bottom, making it a bit trickier for us to move its blending wand around. 

Likewise, in the hot soup test, the suction force created by the blender was so excessive that it entirely threw off our momentum when we were struggling to pull it out. Together with the absurdly-designed blade guard, this caused us lots of splatter every single time we moved our hand. Indeed, no other blenders we tested created as much mess as the Cuisinart.

There was also a problem in the smoothie test. At some points, this blender demanded we temporarily stop to dislodge the food trapped in its blade guard’s holes. And since blending frozen fruit was a prolonged procedure, it took a toll on the motor. Therefore, we had to let it rest every 60 seconds, and this was so inconvenient.

7.5

Blade Assembly

9.0

To blend, attach the blending wand or any mixing accessories to the main body by turning it in a counter-clockwise direction until tightened.

To set up our blender, we attached the blending wand to the motor body until they clicked. When blending was complete, we removed the wand by pressing the release button and pulling it out. The pulling force is relatively large compared to other blenders we’ve had our hands on, so this one was tough to disassemble when our hands were oily.

6.0

Handling

8.0
Someone uses two hands to control the BELLA immersion blender: one for holding the handle and pressing the power button at the same time, the other for rotating the speed dial.

Designed with an ergonomic handle, this blender is meant to be comfortable to grip, reducing hand and wrist pain. Due to its violent vibration and stiff buttons, however, our hands got tired anyway.

Someone uses two hands to control the Cuisinart Smart Stick immersion blender: one for holding the handle and pressing the controlling buttons at the same time, the other for rotating the speed dial.

The Cuisinart’s handle has nothing particularly special. It doesn’t have a rubber layer (like the Vitamix or the Braun MultiQuick-5) to help you maintain a grip. On the bright side, it is ergonomically designed to protect your hand from fatigue.

7.5

Cleanability

7.5

All the included accessories are top-rack dishwasher-safe and easy to clean manually. The main difficulties are in a few hard-to-reach spots such as the backsides of the blades. We had to use a bit of elbow grease on the food tailings.

Since the blending wand isn’t dishwasher-safe, it demands manual scrubbing after use.

Following each test, most of the food residue rinsed off effortlessly under our running tap. We removed more stubborn remnants using a soapy sponge. Along the way, we didn’t have as much difficulty scrubbing the backs of the blades as we experienced with the Vitamix.