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Cuisinart Smart Stick vs. Chefman Vegetable Slicer 6-in-1 Side-by-Side Comparison
Our Verdict
- Performance (50%)7.4/10
- Design (20%)8.5/10
- Usability (30%)7.8/10
- Performance (50%)5.8/10
- Design (20%)6.8/10
- Usability (30%)7.8/10
Unless you want extra blending attachments for a wider range of tasks, the Cuisinart Smart Stick is our recommendation.
In our hands-on testing, this blender was among the best at preparing smoothies, mayonnaise, pureéd soup, and almond milk. Even when it couldn’t pass the test of beating egg whites, it still placed high in our rankings.
The Chefman 5-in-1, on the other hand, is built for smooth and powerful blending, but in that respect, it does not hit the mark. While it performed slightly above average in every test, the results were somewhat mediocre for the segment. On the bright side, it comes with plenty of extra accessories, which you won’t find in the Cuisinart Smart Stick.
In terms of build, the Cuisinart’s design has nothing preeminent, if not a little bit fussy with an unnecessary locking mechanism. Compared with the Chefman 5-in-1, however, it uses higher-quality materials in some areas so it feels and looks more expensive.
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%)5.0/10
- Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)5.0/10
- Mayonnaise (15%)9.0/10
- Almond Milk (15%)5.0/10
- Whipped Egg-Whites (5%)10/10
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: Slightly
We allowed the Chefman 6-in-1 30 seconds worth of runtime for this test and found that it worked just slightly above average for making a purée of root veggies. Our pumpkins and carrots were blended evenly so the soup came out creamy enough to satisfy us. That said, a smattering of celery fibers still remained unprocessed, making the soup coarser than a restaurant-style dish. It might create a smoother texture with more blending time, so this blender is not a bad choice overall.
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: 2 mins 30 secs
- Result: Smooth
- Suction: Slightly
We were skeptical whether this blender had enough power to churn through solid ingredients like frozen fruits. In the end, however, it did surprisingly well. It was hard not to notice tiny flakes of kale in the final result, but most of us agree that they didn’t harm the smoothie’s texture.
The trade off was blending time. While sporting the same motor power as its counterparts, such as the Braun MutiQuick-5 or the BELLA 10-Speed, the Chefman 6-in-1 somehow took a full minute more to create equivalent results. Blenders that work faster create a creamier texture because the icy fruit doesn’t have a chance to thaw. The Chefman’s smoothie tasted more diluted.
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: 1 min 30 secs
- Result: Smooth
- Suction: Yes
For this test, we combined three egg yolks with 240 ml canola oil. This blender took a minute and a half to turn it into pleasant yellowish mayo which had a creamy, fluffy texture that would work well in a variety of dishes. All in all, using the Chefman 6-in-1 to make mayonnaise is a quick-and-easy process, and the same should be true for any other emulsified sauces.
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 50 secs
- Result: Coarse
- Suction: Tightly
The Chefman 6-in-1 created a serving of non-dairy milk in nearly two minutes. It didn’t blend as finely as some other blenders, such as the Chefman Cordless, so the drink it produced was neither the creamiest nor the richest in almond flavor. Nevertheless, this blender can still get the job done and help you skip store-bought versions. It’s always nice to set yourself up for fresher alternatives right at home.
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: 1 min 30 secs
- Result: Stiff
- Suction: No
Our eggs turned into an airy, fluffy foam that was stiff enough to stick to the bowl’s sides. Even when we turned the foam upside down, it didn’t fall out. Indeed, this blender’s whisk attachment made meringue a simple and fun exercise.
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%)7.0/10
- Build Quality (60%)7.0/10
- 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
- Min Speed:10,479 RPM
- Max Speed:13,211 RPM
- Presets:No
- Noise Level:72 dB
- Digital Display:No
- Pulse Mode:Yes
This blender runs at two different speeds. The two buttons on the front allow you to shift between speed options. Both are quite responsive and the motor accelerates seamlessly. We noticed a clear change in the blade’s rotation speed, but it wasn’t jarring.
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:No
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
The blending shaft is sensibly built with a two-prong blade assembly. The blades look sturdy, but their metal housing somehow wound up with several black dots after our rigorous testing procedure. The blade housing is meant to keep splashing to a minimum, but it has room for improvement. It still allowed some liquid to squirt through the openings on the sides.
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
- Whisk attachment
- Three spiralizing blades
- Spiralizer
- Food processor
- User 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:14.6" (37.1 cm)
- Width:2.5" (6.4 cm)
- Weight:1.5 lbs (0.7 kg)
- Shaft Length:7.9" (20.1 cm)
This Chefman device is the same size as most hand blenders, so it should be comfortable for most people to use, even for extended periods. So far, we haven’t encountered any challenges caused by its length or weight.
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.
The Chefman 6-in-1’s medium-grade construction may not impress you, but we assure it is durable enough for regular use. The blending attachments all attach securely to the motor body, so they’re unlikely to separate while in operation. Like us, you may not like the metal blade housing which will easily scratch your cookware’s surface. For better or worse, though, it's a common feature to help avoid food splatter.
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
The Chefman 6-in-1 doesn’t come with a blending beaker.
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:5.3 ft (1.6 m)
- Type:2-prong plug
- Detachable:No
The power cord has a reasonable length so you can easily plug it into any nearby outlet. We like its small loop as this add-on allows us to hang the whole blender on a hook for easy storage.
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:Stainless steel
- Dishwasher Safe:Yes
- Removable:Yes
The whisk attachment will turn your blender into a hand mixer for light whipping tasks like beating egg whites, whipping cream, and emulsifying sauces.
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%)7.6/10
- Blade Assembly (10%)9.0/10
- Handling (20%)7.5/10
- Cleanability (10%)8.5/10
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.
This Chefman is perfectly comfortable to use one-handed. The buttons are relatively stiff, but they’re responsive and do give us a good sense of control.
In our tests, this blender acted like a vacuum at the bottom of the beaker, so we got some splatter whenever we moved it around. If the container’s sides were tall enough, though, our blending experience would have been notably better.
Food tends to cling to the blade guard’s holes. As a result, you’ll probably need to use a food scraper to clean it up every now and then.
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.
The Chefman 6-in-1 features a simple locking mechanism so blending attachments are very easy to attach or remove. To connect them, you simply insert the motor body into the attachment, then twist until the two units click together.
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 doesn’t have a grippy silicon layer like some, but it is ergonomically designed to ensure a comfortable grip, which eases hand fatigue while you’re blending. We can’t call this Chefman the most practical blender out there, but it shouldn’t cause problems.
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.
All the pieces are safe to put in the dishwasher except for the motor body. Unless you’re short on time, however, you’ll want to wash them manually — they’ll last longer that way.
We cleaned the blending wand and the whisk attachment by hand and appreciated how easily food tailings wiped away. The only inconveniences were the blades’ backsides which we found quite difficult to get our hands into; you will need a bottle brush to simplify cleanup.