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Cuisinart Smart Stick vs. All-Clad Corded Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
- Performance (50%)7.4/10
- Design (20%)8.5/10
- Usability (30%)7.8/10
- Performance (50%)6.0/10
- Design (20%)9.1/10
- Usability (30%)8.0/10
The All-Clad is a solid premium immersion blender, but we found its performance to fall short of the best in the segment. It doesn’t even match the Cuisinart Smart Stick—a mid-range model that lives up to the hype at a considerably lower price.
Out of the five tests, our All-Clad could only pass three tasks, and its end products were mostly not as smooth as those produced by the Cuisinart despite the higher-powered motor. We can’t say for sure why it was incapable of making mayonnaise since this is uncommon for such a type of blender. While the Cuisinart could reach the emulsion stage easily, this was the only hand blender in the class that wasn’t up to this test. Both the blending wands were unable to beat egg-whites.
Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender Performance
- 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
- Hot Soup Purée (35%)6.5/10
- Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)8.3/10
- Mayonnaise (15%)0/10
- Almond Milk (15%)8.0/10
- Whipped Egg-Whites (5%)0/10
Hot Soup Purée
- 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.
- Pureeing Time: 30 seconds
- Result: Slightly Chunky
- Suction: Slight
The All-Clad’s strong motor pulverized carrots and pumpkins easily, but it fell short in handling leafy veggies. After 30 seconds of blending time, several chunks of celery remained quite intact because they got lodged in the blade guard’s holes. The blender somehow couldn't draw them toward the blades. Ultimately, the soup failed to reach the perfect texture. At this price point, we expected a restaurant-quality soup rather than this grainy one.
Frozen Fruit Smoothie
- 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.
- Blending Time: 1 min 13 secs
- Result: Smooth
- Suction: Slight
In this test, the All-Clad 10942212300 blended the thick mixture without struggle. It completed its task in about one minute, which was much faster than average. All the frozen fruits were broken down into the finest of bits. There were a smattering of kale flakes in the final smoothie, but that didn’t affect our taste buds.
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.
- Emulsifying Time: N/A
- Result: N/A
- Suction: N/A
For this test, we tried to whisk together three egg yolks and 240ml oil using the blending wand. To avoid broken mayonnaise, we ran mostly at medium speeds and only sped up once the oil started emulsifying. Each blender is put through the same testing procedure. However, this was the only hand blender that couldn’t reach the emulsion stage. After about 2 minutes of operating, all we got was a jumbled mixture that looked more like broken eggs than an emulsion.
Technically, it’s hard to conclude whether or not the All-Clad can make mayonnaise in the real kitchen since there are many external factors that prevent the emulsion from forming. This also means that the emulsifying capability of this blender is still an open question.
Almond Milk
- 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.
- Grinding Time: 1 min
- Result: Fine
- Suction: Tight
Considering how evenly and easily it blended frozen fruits, we weren’t surprised that the All-Clad had no trouble pulverizing raw nuts. After the mixture reached our preferred consistency, we extracted the liquid using a nut milk bag. The pulp was finely ground, so the final drink looked creamy and very milk-like. It tasted rich and almondy, exactly as it should. The whole procedure lasted one minute, which was 50 seconds faster than the worst one, the Chefman 6-in-1.
Whipped Egg-Whites
- 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.
- Beating Time: N/A
- Result: N/A
- Suction: N/A
Any whipping task will likely exceed your All-Clad’s capability, but that’s mainly because it doesn't include a whisk attachment. We haven’t tried a single hand blender that could whip egg whites using just the blending wand. More often than not, the whites never even reach the soft-peak stage. In the end, we were left with a cloudy liquid composed of two separate layers of bubble film and eggy water.
Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed Design
- Blending Shaft (30%)8.0/10
- Build Quality (60%)8.5/10
- Power Cord (5%)10/10
- Beaker (5%)10/10
- Blending Shaft (30%)9.5/10
- Build Quality (60%)9.5/10
- Power cord (5%)10/10
- Beaker (5%)0/10
Speed and Controls of the Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed
- 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.
- Control Type:Press-button & speed knob
- Min Speed:7,776 RPM
- Max Speed:12,768 RPM
- Presets:No
- Noise Level:67 dB
- Digital Display:No
- Pulse Mode:Yes
Controls used for this blender’s operation include two press-buttons and a speed selection knob. The “TURBO” button will give you a quick burst of power. For more controlled acceleration or deceleration, use the power button and the knob. It may feel like you need an extra hand, though, if you’re constantly stabilizing the blending beaker on the table. Adjusting the All-Clad’s speed can take some practice.
Blending Shaft
- 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.
- Material:Stainless steel
- Type:Sharp Blade
- Guard Material:Stainless steel
- Blade Count:2
- Removable:Yes
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
Constructed of hardened stainless steel, the 2-prong blade is super sharp and sturdy. Around it is a metal guard designed to minimize food splatter and head suction, but we don’t think this part is up to the task. Not to mention the fact that it will scratch the interior surfaces of your cookware if you don’t blend very carefully.
In the Box Cuisinart Smart Stick
- 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.
- Motor body
- Blending shaft
- User manual
In the package, you will find a handheld motor section, blending wand, and owner’s manual.
Dimensions
- 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.
- Height:17.5" (44.5 cm)
- Width:2.8" (7.1 cm)
- Weight:2.9 lbs (1.3 kg)
- Shaft Length:9.4" (23.9 cm)
With dimensions of 17.5 inches tall by 2.8 inches wide, this blender stands taller than most. At 2.9 pounds, it feels pretty heavy in the hand as well — quite the opposite of many other models. The hefty weight is a consequence of its all-stainless-steel construction that is meant to ensure optimal longevity, but we found several competitors, such as the KitchenAid, could be just as durable without the added heft.
Build Quality
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.
On the whole, the All-Clad 10942212300 is well-engineered. Its interior is quite refined while the exterior uses high-quality stainless steel. Hard plastics are still present in a few areas, but they look stately and are meant as highlights.
Beaker
- 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.
- Material:N/A
- Capacity:NaN fl oz (NaN ml)
- Measurements:N/A
- Weight:NaN oz (NaN g)
- Height:NaN" (NaN cm)
- Dishwasher Safe:N/A
- Tamper Included:N/A
This All-Clad doesn’t come with a blending container, but you can easily use any one you find that’s the right size.
Power Cord
- 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.
- Cord Length:5.1 ft (1.6 m)
- Type:2-prong plug
- Detachable:No
The power cord is long enough to reach any nearby outlet. It has a polarized plug, so it will only fit into the socket in one direction.
Extra Accessories
- Material:N/A
- Dishwasher Safe:N/A
- Removable:N/A
The Cuisinart doesn’t come with any accessories other than the 24-oz pitcher.
- Material:N/A
- Dishwasher Safe:N/A
- Removable:N/A
No additional attachments are included. If you want to use aftermarket attachments other than the standard blending shaft, make sure they’re purpose-built by All-Clad.
Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender Usability
- Ease Of Use (60%)7.6/10
- Blade Assembly (10%)9.0/10
- Handling (20%)8.0/10
- Cleanability (10%)7.5/10
- Ease of Use (60%)7.8/10
- Blade Assembly (10%)8.0/10
- Handling (20%)8.5/10
- Cleanability (10%)8.0/10
Ease Of Use
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.
During our hands-on testing, we noticed this blender didn’t deliver its power as cleanly as we would prefer. The motor did not accelerate smoothly, causing hand fatigue and making our blending motion more difficult. Plus, the blades splashed food everywhere.
Due to its heavy weight, the All-Clad 10942212300 is a bit fatiguing to use for extended periods. It’s also quite cumbersome to maneuver, especially when you change speeds, since the blender suctions itself very tightly to the beaker. There may be a way to beat the suction without creating a mess, but we haven’t found it.
The other inconvenience is that food gets lodged in the blade guard’s holes. You may need to pause repeatedly during the blending process to clear them.
Blade Assembly
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.
A simple twist will connect the main body to the blending shaft. But, again, the weight may make that job tricky if your hands are small or greasy.
Handling
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.
The handle is ergonomically designed to provide a comfortable grip. Not only that, but it also has a rubber grip which is particularly handy when you have sweaty or slippery hands.
Cleanability
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.
Cleaning this All-Clad is less of a hassle than most. You can wash it by hand easily or put the blending shaft in the dishwasher. The only things to be careful of are the blade’s backsides — it’s hard to reach under the blade, so a cleaning bottle brush is practically a necessity. As with any blender, the motor section cannot be immersed in water and should only be wiped down with a damp cloth.