You don’t want to confuse a hand mixer with a hand blender. They are two different appliances and are both useful but also they do perform different tasks. So hand mixer vs hand blender – which should you choose? Hand mixers are more suitable for casual baking but a hand blender can be used by casual and serious bakers alike.
Hand Mixers
Hand mixers are made with two beaters. It can be used to prepare dough and to make cake batters. You can sometimes use a hand mixer like a hand blender but a mixer can be useful in ways that a blender cannot.
You can purchase several attachments to use with your hand mixer depending on the brand that you choose. With these attachments you can expand the capabilities of your mixer to make it more versatile than a blender can be. Read our article about the best hand held food mixer with reviews on each product.
Mixers are used mainly for baking tasks. They can be used to whip egg whites, cream or pudding and can be used to mix dough.
Hand Blenders
Hand blenders are cylindrical and long and made with multiple steel blades. Because of their long body they can be immersed into a pot or other bowl to puree the contents directly where they will be cooked or served in. For this reason these blenders are usually called immersion blenders. They make it possible for you to create your own mayonnaise, make smoothies and puree your soups right in the pot.
With a powerful motor and blades that rotate these are great items for kitchens to have. They have different speeds at which they can operate depending on what you are mixing or blending. For smoother mixtures all you have to do is run the unit for a longer time or choose a faster speed – sometimes even both.
Hand blenders can be taken apart easily so that they can be cleaned easily as well. Some hand blenders offer you the opportunity to chop garlic, nuts and herbs with attachments. There are also some that allow you to whip up egg whites, cream and pudding.
Any kitchen can benefit from having both a hand mixer and a hand blender. They tend to be on the small side and so won’t take up too much space in your kitchen. Since the two appliances typically perform different tasks then you will find that which one you choose whether the hand mixer vs hand blender is all dependent on the primary use of the item.
You have to pay careful attention to the specs of any device you are interested in purchasing to ensure that it offers the features and has the capabilities that you need it to have.
Differences between a Hand Mixer and a Hand Blender
We have established the fact that the hand mixer and the hand blender are different appliances with different capabilities even though there are some tasks that you can use either appliance to accomplish.
Whether it is handheld or not there are fundamental differences between any type of blender and any type of mixer. A blender is more of a liquidizer as they mainly work to turn things into a liquid form. This means they are great for making smoothies, milkshake and can even turn your cooked apples into applesauce. If you are looking more for creating liquid treats then it is a blender that you will need to purchase.
A mixer does not work to liquidize anything, it only works to combine ingredients. Mixers are great for doughs and batters and so they are great for bakers and an essential for them as well.
Being handheld these will have the advantage of being lightweight but this will mean that they are going to be less powerful than their other counterparts. They are however more versatile and more portable.
With your hand blender you don’t have to worry about having a blender with a heat resistant jar and you don’t have to worry about pouring hot soup from a pot which could cause burns and accidents in the kitchen. With a handheld blender you can turn your chunky soup into a smooth one right there in the pot.
Your handheld blender however will not be able to make you a nice lemonade out of just ice and lemons. So before you go out purchasing a hand blender you want to look at the different recipes for which you can use it for. Your handheld blender is most suitable to be used for salad dressings, soups and salsas or any recipe that calls for cooked peas and beans.
Your hand mixer on the other hand will be more suitable for beating egg whites and making a variety of egg dishes, cookies, pancake batter and waffle batter. They are also useful for creaming ingredients and whipping cream.
Common Tasks for Both Hand Mixers and Blenders
Though these two kitchen gadgets are designed for distinctly different purposes there are some tasks that they can handle well. Both a hand mixer and a hand blender can be used to scramble eggs to make omelets and they can both whip up some egg whites as well.
After reading through the above you may find that you may not need either a hand mixer or a hand blender. If you want more than what is mentioned here then you could consider a food processor. These appliances can do so much more than whip and mix and liquidize.
They can slice, shred, chop and so much more. They are true power houses in the kitchen and can even knead bread. They are very much multipurpose items and if you want to have one machine instead of 3 or 4 this is a great place to start.
The bottom line when it comes down to a hand mixer vs hand blender is that you need to know what you want out of your kitchen gadgets and appliances. When you can identify your needs then you can identify the type of features and specifications you need. Then will you be able to decide what type of gadget or appliance will offer you the best value for money.