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Vitamix 5-Speed vs Braun MultiQuick 5 Side-by-Side Comparison

Tina Pham
Tina Pham
Reviewer
Nguyen Ntk
Nguyen Ntk
Visual Specialist
Updated
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 17, 2023
Tested Using Methodology v1.0
Updated Mar 17, 2023
Unboxing the Vitamix immersion blender, from left to right: an owner’s manual, a recipes booklet, a red receipt, the Vitamix 5-speed with a stainless steel motor body and an immersion blending wand, and a paper carton box.
Unboxing the The Braun MultiQuick-5 hand blender, from left to right: user manuals, plastic beaker, the Braun MultiQuick-5 with its motor body and blending shaft attached, whisk attachment, and a paper carton box.
Blenders type
immersion
immersion

Our Verdict

8.6
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    8.6/10
  • Design (20%)
    9.1/10
  • Usability (30%)
    8.2/10
8.6
Overall Score
  • Performance (50%)
    8.8/10
  • Design (20%)
    8.1/10
  • Usability (30%)
    8.7/10

If you are after a well-rounded machine, don’t mind some extra heft, and can afford the high price, the Vitamix is the best one to buy.

Otherwise, you should consider other, more affordable options like the Braun MultiQuick 5. Although this blender isn’t as powerful, it gave us consistent blends and was more versatile thanks to the included whisk attachment.

In terms of overall build quality, the Vitamix is impressive, given its sleek and durable stainless steel finish. The Braun, on the other hand, doesn’t look as fancy or innovative, with its main body mostly made of plastic. But that doesn’t mean it’s ugly or less durable. And to be honest, it isn’t fair to put these two blenders into a design comparison. The Braun is a budget-focused midrange blender, so it’s meant to be of average quality.

Performance

Braun MultiQuick-5 Hand Blender More Than a Little Surprised
8.6
Performance Scores
  • Hot Soup Purée (35%)9.5/10
  • Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)8.8/10
  • Mayonnaise (15%)8.3/10
  • Almond Milk (15%)9.3/10
  • Whipped Egg-Whites (5%)0/10
8.8
Performance Scores
  • Hot Soup Purée (35%)8.5/10
  • Frozen Fruit Smoothie (30%)8.8/10
  • Mayonnaise (15%)8.3/10
  • Almond Milk (15%)9.3/10
  • Whipped Egg-Whites (5%)10/10
9.5

Hot Soup Purée

8.5
  • Pureeing Time: 30 seconds
  • Result: Exceptionally smooth
  • Suction: No

Pureeing hot soup wasn't challenging the Vitamix thanks to its powerful motor and razor-sharp blades. Although it wasn’t any faster than its counterparts in pureeing time, it warranted the higher cost by providing us with a nutrient-dense purée of silky smooth texture. It also stood out from the rest with a non-suction performance that helped keep splashing to minimal.  

Indeed, the Vitamix is the most suitable hand blender for preparing restaurant-quality soup at home. It’s a great bargain for any recipes that involve fibrous food, too. If you’re now looking for a tool that can consistently ensure the smoothest blends, we particularly love and recommend this blender.

  • Pureeing Time: 30 seconds
  • Result: Smooth
  • Suction: No

The quality of blade’s material is impressively sturdy for the price, and that combined with a heavy-duty motor give the Braun MultiQuick-5 a great pureéing capability. As hard-to-blend as it was, our hearty soup wasn’t a challenge for this blender. In the span of 30 seconds, a two-serving pot of chunky soup became soft and creamy. For most people, this result might be fine enough, but draining it was still necessary to separate the remaining solids if you want the most silky, restaurant-quality soup.

8.8

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

8.8
  • Blending Time: 1 min 5 secs
  • Result: Smooth
  • Suction: No

The Vitamix took only 1 minute and 5 seconds to complete this test. By comparison, its counterparts such as the UTALENT 5-in-1 and the Hamilton Beach 2-speed required nearly double the time. 

Regarding the smoothie’s texture, of all the blenders we tested, only the Vitamix could churn out a thick, creamy smoothie with almost no solids left behind. Plus, despite being longer and heavier, it operated well in our 24-oz blending jar while the BPA-free plastic bell guard helped prevent scratches on the jar’s surfaces.

  • Blending Time: 1 min
  • Result: Smooth
  • Suction: No

The Braun’s 13,700 RPM motor did a fine job at this test. It even worked as fast as higher-priced models, namely the Vitamix 5-speed, Breville Control Grip, and the All-Clad, churning out a serving of icy smoothie in only one minute. 

Most importantly, of all the blenders we tested, this blender is the only one that blended without too much trouble. With the remaining blenders, some had a hard time blending through the frozen fruits, while others created tight suction that made it pretty difficult for us to lift the blending shaft. The texture and consistency of its smoothie was also better than most. It was nearly as silky as the Vitamix—our best value immersion blender, with just a couple tiny chunks of unprocessed mango.

8.3

Mayonnaise

8.3
  • Emulsifying Time: 1 mins 40 secs
  • Result: Quite Thick
  • Suction: No

In this test, most of the blenders produced acceptable outcomes and only our culinary expert could tell the differences between them. However, the Vitamix didn’t have the fastest performance, requiring about one minute and forty seconds to incorporate all the ingredients. This was around 30 seconds slower than the winners, including the Cuisinart Smart Stick, KOIOS 4-in-1, BELL 10-speed, and Chefman cordless

This is because when the mayonnaise emulsified and started to thicken, the blending wand generated a suction force, pulling itself against the container’s bottom. That made movement more difficult and slowed the whole process down. We don’t necessarily consider the time to be a deal-breaker. Since the blender itself is quite heavy, though, the longer the process takes, the more it will fatigue your hands. 

In conclusion, despite this drawback, the Vitamix is an acceptable alternative to a hand mixer for preparing mayonnaise or other emulsified sauces. Still, it is not the best hand blender for this job and ideal results may require extra effort.

  • Emulsifying Time: 1 mins 54 secs
  • Result: Smooth
  • Suction: No

The Braun’s manual instructs that its whisk attachment should only be used for whipping cream, beating egg whites, making sponge cakes, and ready-mix desserts. This is certainly an unusual specification, as whisks are commonly used for other purposes - such as making mayonnaise.

Regardless, we stuck to our plan and used the whisk to make mayonnaise. As it turned out, it performed about as well as its competitors’ blending shafts in terms of emulsifying time and texture. 

Most importantly, our mayonnaise was rich and very creamy. It was a great example of how this blender can be an alternative to a hand mixer to top off your favorite meals with inspired sauces.

9.3

Almond Milk

9.3
  • Grinding Time: 40 secs
  • Result: Fine
  • Suction: Slightly

The Vitamix took just 40 seconds to yield one serving of drinkable almond milk.  

That said, from start to finish, its crushing process didn’t go very well. The almond skins, along with peeled chunks, became lodged in the blade guard. We had to stop the blender temporarily and use a spatula to dislodge the food, which we didn’t have to do with other models, such as the Braun MultiQuick-5.

That said, from start to finish, its crushing process didn’t go very well. The almond skins, along with peeled chunks, became lodged in the blade guard. We had to stop the blender temporarily and use a spatula to dislodge the food, which we didn’t have to do with other models.

Not only that, but because the Vitamix couldn’t create a consistent vortex, everything got close to overflowing when we increased the speed. 

Suction was a problem again as well. As a result, we got some almond spatter when we tried to lift up the wand. Most of the splatter-related issues could probably be avoided, though, if we blended it in a taller or larger jar.

  • Grinding Time: 45 secs
  • Result: Fine
  • Suction: Tightly

In this test, the Braun MultiQuick -5 took just 47 seconds to produce one serving of almond milk. It grinded relatively evenly to dissolve the nuts’ sugars and proteins into the water. Thanks to that, even when our recipe is sugar free, we got a drink with a mildly sweet and creamy taste. Suffice to say, this blender will have you ditching store-bought plant-based milk without reluctance.

0.0

Whipped Egg-Whites

10
  • Beating Time: N/A
  • Result: N/A
  • Suction: N/A

The Vitamix could be a great all-around blender if it included a whisk attachment. This is because, in our test, there was no way the immersion blender could beat egg-white with its ordinary blending shaft. Unlike a whisk attachment, the blending shaft can’t force air into the egg whites, which is the way to create an even, bubbly foam. Consequently, the result was a cloudy liquid with two separate layers of bubble film and eggy water. We awarded it no points for this test.

  • Beating Time: 1 mins 56 secs
  • Result: Stiff
  • Suction: No

Of all the blenders we tested, the Braun is among a few ones that passed this test, as it included whisk attachments ideal for beating egg whites. Using the ordinary blending wand, the remaining blenders couldn’t draw enough air into the egg-whites, which prevented the egg-protein from forming a stable foam. 

Compared to the rivals, our Braun MultiQuick-5 was 30 seconds faster at creating an airy, fluffy egg foam. Although there was barely any difference between their outcomes, the speedy whisking process of the Braun MultiQuick-5 did help it avoid overheating, which should make it more reliable.

Design

Braun Handheld Blender Fine for the Price
9.1
design Scores
  • Blending Shaft (30%)9.5/10
  • Build Quality (60%)9.5/10
  • Power Cord (5%)10/10
  • Beaker (5%)0/10
8.1
design Scores
  • Blending Shaft (30%)7.5/10
  • Build Quality (60%)8.0/10
  • Power Cord (5%)10/10
  • Beaker (5%)10/10

Dimensions

  • Height:
    17.5" (44.5 cm)
  • Width:
    3.0" (7.6 cm)
  • Weight:
    3.2 lbs (1.4 kg)
  • Shaft Length:
    9.2" (23.4 cm)

Compared with others, this blender is quite tall, measuring about 17.5 inches tall, 3 inches wide, and 3 inches deep. That length may allow it to reach the bottom of deep pots more easily. At 3.2 pounds, it is also heavier than most — we were pretty shocked by its weight at first.

  • Height:
    15.0" (38.1 cm)
  • Width:
    2.2" (5.6 cm)
  • Weight:
    1.6 lbs (0.7 kg)
  • Shaft Length:
    6.7" (17.0 cm)

At 1.59 lbs, the Braun is nearly a pound lighter than the Vitamix 5-speed — we tested recently, which felt quite heavy in the hand by comparison. Compact and portable, it has a footprint of 15 by 2.2 inches, and it looks identical to the promotional images.

9.5

Blending Shaft

7.5
  • Material:
    Stainless Steel
  • Type:
    Sharp Blade
  • Guard Material:
    BPA-free plastic
  • Blade Count:
    4
  • Removable:
    No
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    No

The Vitamix’s blade is constructed of hardened stainless steel. Featuring 4 prongs, this is a unique blade assembly found exclusively in Vitamix-brand hand blenders. There is also a permanent bell-shaped guard at the end of the blending wand. As advertised by its manufacturer, this blade guard can efficiently reduce suction. Made of BPA-free plastic, the bell’s rim should help protect the interior surfaces of your cookware or blending containers.

  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Type:
    Sharp Blade
  • Guard Material:
    Stainless Steel
  • Blade Count:
    2
  • Removable:
    No
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes

The 2-pronged blade that sits permanently at the bottom of the metal blending shaft is powered by a 300-watt motor. Made of standard stainless steel, it is sturdy and can withstand regular use without compromising on efficiency.

9.5

Build Quality

8.0

The Vitamix 5-speed is a simple, high-end blender. Mostly made of stainless steel, it is sturdy and appeals to us aesthetically as well. We’re confident when we say it’s among the few hand blenders on the market that provide the right balance of performance, quality, and value. Better built than most, we also believed its exterior is less likely to be damaged or succumb to basic wear and tear over time.

The Braun MultiQuick-5 makes a strong visual impression out of the box. As a mid-range blender, it’s only about half the price of the premium ones. Despite that modest price point, it is made of quality materials and seems built to last.

It also feels good to hold regardless of hand size, thanks to its ergonomically-designed handle and BPA-free silicone coating that’s meant to ensure a slip-proof grip.

The interface is very intuitive with only two buttons so we even could figure out how they worked before reading the user manual. As a handy add-on, this blender also features Easy-Click release buttons, which allow for effortless accessories removal.

10

Power Cord

10
  • Cord Length:
    4.9 ft (1.5 m)
  • Type:
    No
  • Detachable:
    2-prong plug

The Vitamix features a polarized power cord whose one pin is slightly wider than the other. As a safety feature, you can only insert its plug into a polarized electrical outlet in one direction. Should the plug doesn’t fit in your receptacle, make sure you will not force it or try to trim down the pins. Instead, you should contact a qualified electrician for a proper solution.

  • Cord Length:
    4.9 ft (1.5 m)
  • Type:
    2-prong plug
  • Detachable:
    No

The Braun MultiQuick-5 has a 2-prong, 4.9 feet (1.5 m) power cord that plugs into any standard power supply rated to 120V AC.

Not Included

Beaker

10
  • 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

As mentioned above, the Vitamix immersion blender doesn’t come with a particular blending container, but we ensure you can easily buy an optional one of any brand on the market.

  • Material:
    Plastic
  • Capacity:
    NaN fl oz (NaN ml)
  • Measurements:
    Yes
  • Weight:
    0.2 oz (6 g)
  • Height:
    6.5" (16.5 cm)
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes
  • Tamper Included:
    No

Included as an additional accessory, the beaker is free of harmful chemicals. On the side, there are measurements clearly marked in milliliters and ounces. Due to its small size, this add-on is not suitably used for making hot-liquid-based foods since splattering will possibly occur, causing severe scalding and burns. Instead, you can use it to quickly prepare small batches of soups, sauces, smoothies, and dressings. 

Regarding its durability, since we don’t have any chance to hands-on our beaker, it’s hard to tell at the moment. This accessory had been broken when we took it out of the box, resulting from the long shipping distance.

Not Included

Extra Accessories

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

There is no additional attachment included. If you want to use blending attachments other than the stainless steel shaft provided with this appliance, make sure they’re recommended or offered separately from the Vitamix’s manufacturers.

  • Material:
    Stainless steel
  • Dishwasher Safe:
    Yes
  • Removable:
    Yes

The Braun MultiQuick-5 is among a few hand blenders on the market that are shipped with a whisk attachment. This special add-on means to promote greater versatility, saving you from buying a hand mixer for beating egg-whites and emulsifying sauces.

In the Box of the Vitamix Immersion Blender

In the Box of the Braun Immersion Blender
  • Motor body 
  • Blending shaft 
  • User manual

In the package, you will find a handheld motor section, blending wand, and owner’s manual. The lack of additional accessories like a blending jar or a whisk attachment did make us hesitant about the high price. Nevertheless, as soon as we had a hands-on go at this blender, its solid construction proved that it was worth the money.

  • Motor body 
  • Blending shaft 
  • Whisk attachment
  • 20-oz beaker 
  • User manual

The Braun MultiQuick-5 set includes 4 pieces: a blender motor body, a blending wand, a whisk attachment, and a 20-ounce beaker. Given more accessories than most other brands do, we supposed Braun is attempting to go head-to-head with its rivals, not just in blending performance, but with the overall versatility.

Speed and Controls of the Vitamix Hand Blender

Speed and Controls of the Braun MultiQuick 5
  • Control Type:
    Press
  • Min Speed:
    8,600 RPM
  • Max Speed:
    15,700 RPM
  • Presets:
    No
  • Noise Level:
    85 dB
  • Digital Display:
    Yes
  • Pulse Mode:
    No

We particularly like this blender’s intuitive interface. You can get five different speeds out of it but there are only two buttons on the front. You won’t need much practice to operate them smoothly; we figured out how they worked before reading the user manual. As a visual aid, this blender also has an LED display on top indicating the speed.

The Vitamix is also different from others in terms of its acceleration. Its speed steps up gradually rather than the violent torques others create. That went a long way toward preventing messes and should also prolong the motor’s lifespan.

  • Control Type:
    Press
  • Min Speed:
    12,200 RPM
  • Max Speed:
    13,700 RPM
  • Presets:
    No
  • Noise Level:
    65 dB
  • Digital Display:
    No
  • Pulse Mode:
    Yes

The Braun MultiQuick-5 offers only two speed options: Low and Turbo. This means you have less fine control than with multi-speed blenders, but it’s easier to switch between modes.

To blend, just press and hold the appropriate speed button until the perfect texture is achieved. That said, both the buttons demand a relatively high pressing pressure to activate, which may be trickier for those with weaker hands or long nails.

Usability

Braun Hand Blender Not Perfect but Great Enough
8.2
usability Scores
  • Ease of Use (60%)8.4/10
  • Blade Assembly (10%)8.0/10
  • Handling (20%)8.5/10
  • Cleanability (10%)7.0/10
8.7
usability Scores
  • Ease of Use (60%)8.6/10
  • Blade Assembly (10%)9.5/10
  • Handling (20%)8.5/10
  • Cleanability (10%)9.0/10
8.4

Ease of Use

8.6

Despite the relatively heavy-weight, The Vitamix is comfortable to hold. It even allows for one-handed operation since there are only two control buttons. Not only that, but this blender is also different from others in terms of its acceleration. Its speed steps up gradually rather than the violent torques others create. That went a long way toward preventing messes and should also prolong the motor’s lifespan.

That being said, we noticed that this blender can cause spattering when operating at the highest speed setting if the container’s sides are not tall enough. This isn’t the case with all immersion blenders (for example, the Braun MultiQuick 5 — a mid-range blender — allowed us to start low and increase as we went without any risk of spattering). 

On the bright side, the Vitamix doesn’t create as much of a mess as the Cuisinart Smart or the cordless KitchenAid. With the bell guard, it doesn’t suction to the pot’s bottom as much as its counterparts, either. As such, you won’t have to simultaneously lift and stir the wand around. Overall, that meant faster blending times and fewer food splatters.

The Braun MultiQuick-5 may not be any better than certain other models in terms of efficiency and durability, but it could be the easiest to use if its buttons are improved to give a greater sense of control. 

It didn’t take long for us to figure out how the blender worked due to its straightforward construction. Speeding up also wasn’t as complicated as we experienced with the Cuisinart Smart and Muller Ultra-Stick. 

The only drawback is that both the buttons demand a relatively high pressing pressure to activate, which may be trickier for those with weaker hands or long nails. 

Regarding our own using experience, this blender didn’t create suction or cause splattering throughout the soup-making procedure, even at the highest speed setting. As such, it enabled us to start low and smoothly increase the speed as we went instead of being distracted by the spatters. 

However, it somehow suctioned tightly to the vessel’s bottom, causing excessive splatter when we struggled to move it around for an even milk blend. Furthermore, since this blender couldn’t sustain a good vortex, the liquid overflowed violently when we increased it to a higher speed. If you’re going to use this blender to make nut milk, we would recommend a taller beaker than the one it comes with.

We also very appreciate the blender’s blade housing. It’s specially designed to prevent fruits clinging to the blade backsides. Thanks to that, we didn’t have to use a food scraper when making smoothies.

8.5

Handling

8.5

We’re really impressed with the Vitamix’s ergonomically designed handle. It’s not just about modern looks; this handle is coated with a rubber layer to ensure a comfortable grip, which makes it practical for processing large batches of soup. It’s nice to have that comfort, especially given how heavy the motor is.

This coating is also very handy when you have sweaty or slippery hands. You can focus on your prep work instead of your grip.

We especially like the silicone layer coating the main body, which offers a comfortable grip, reducing hand tension and slippage. So far, we haven’t haven’t found much to complain about with this design.

8.0

Blade Assembly

9.5

Like most immersion blenders, the Vitamix breaks down into two parts that connect with a simple twist. Given how heavy the thing is, though, it may be tougher to get the job done if your hands are greasy.

The Braun MultiQuick 5 has accessory ejection buttons on the motor body — a handy function that even higher-priced models lack. These buttons are very clicky with great sensitivity; as soon as you press them, your blender shaft or whisk attachment will effortlessly push itself out from the motor body. 

It’s very easy to attach the accessories as well, as long as your hands are dry. Simply align the main body with the attachment until they click together.

7.0

Cleanability

9.0

The removable blending wand is not dishwasher-safe, so after each test, we had to clean it by blending water with dish soap and letting the blades clean themselves. Along the way, we noticed a few extra differences between the Vitamix and its competitors which mainly stem from the blending wand design. 

Although both the soup and smoothie tailings rinsed off easily under the tap, the Vitamix was the most difficult to clean after making mayonnaise. As an oil-based substance that is both sticky and insoluble in water, we couldn’t remove mayonnaise by blending in warm soapy water alone. A lot of gunk remained until we resorted to a bottle-cleaning brush and specialized cleanser.

But the real problem was cleaning the blades. It was a real challenge to scrub the backsides of those blades. And since the 4-pronged blade assembly is razor-sharp, we had to clean it with extreme caution. What a time-consuming and frustrating process that was!

Although all the removable accessories are dishwasher-safe, we cleaned them manually to prevent discoloration caused by abrasive dishwasher detergents. 

By just holding the blending wand under the running tap, both the soup and smoothie remnants were quickly removed, though we still wiped down the blending wand with dish soap to avoid cross-contamination. Thankfully, it wasn’t so difficult to scrub the backs of the blades. 

Cleaning the whisk attachment was nearly as simple. We had little difficulty wedging soapy sponges between the loops to wipe off the residue.