Available from:īusy kitchen? Big space? Then you’d appreciate a blender that isn't tied to a plug socket, so you’re not constrained by the length of its cable. We liked the simple black casing of this model, which was easy to clean and didn’t require too much effort to remove the end pieces as we moved from recipe to recipe. There’s also a deluxe stand with those all-important cubby holes for the attachments if you’d like to upgrade. There are lots of extra accessories available to buy for your Bamix, like mincer blades, shredders, jugs and beakers and a processor for grinding spices. These small additions could be easy to mislay in the kitchen drawer though, and although this set comes with a basic stand for the main unit, it could do with somewhere to stash those precious blades. Instead of the usual balloon whisk, we made whipped cream using the flat whisk ‘disc’ with perfect results. The Classic model comes with the basic stainless-steel attachments but with interesting designs. No fancy bells and whistles here, just a sturdy hand unit with three stainless-steel discs to chop, whisk or blend. This is a design classic that’s been around, pretty much unchanged, since 1954. There was no splashing while using thanks to the deep bell-shaped head on the blender, which helped to keep mess to a minimum. The control on top of the main unit was easy to operate while holding down the rubber ‘on’ button, so it was possible to wheel our way through 21 speeds to get exactly the right blend for each dish.

The rubber ring on the base meant the unit held firmly in place on the work surface as we whizzed up a batch of chopped onion portions for the freezer.

The main blending stick twisted tightly onto the food processor unit, whereas some lesser models just hover. Once unpacked, everything felt well-constructed and of good quality when it clicked together. We have to give minus points for the fact this model came packed in non-biodegradable polystyrene. The 600ml beaker was one of the most generous we tested and it meant there was more than enough smoothie for a couple of generous breakfast servings, and lashings of silky gravy for all the family’s roast. Star rating: 4/5 This is a great choice if you’re dealing with larger capacities. No lid or non-slip rubber bottom for the beaker.Just slot all the components on there to keep everything in one place. And when it’s stashed away in a cupboard, the different components won’t go missing as a handy plastic stand can be placed on top of the mixing beaker to keep everything together. However, if a hand blender only gets occasional light use in your kitchen, then this budget choice may just fit the bill. The plastic also means it was louder in use than other models tested, especially on the faster speed setting. This blender’s motor parts are plastic and we think these might wear down faster than the other, more robust models we looked at. There were no lumps in our smoothies and nothing got caught up in the wide mouth of the blender attachment, but we had less success with the small chopping bowl accessory. We found this model more than capable when making smoothies and mayonnaise, but we’re not sure how long it would last with constant use. With only two speed settings – 'on' and ‘turbo’ – there’s not a lot of choice in terms of control with this model, but you do get attachments to blend, chop and whisk, with the addition of a lidded chopping bowl. Cheaper plastic parts may not stand the test of time.In a light, bright white and grey colour, this is a great addition to any worktop and a good all-rounder you can rely on to get the job done quickly with its super-sharp, quadruple-pronged blades. It took a few attempts to get right, but mayonnaise was a splash-free experience, with the deep 800ml (and BPA-free) beaker a generous size for a family portion. The mini chopper attachment was successful at chopping onions and blending spice mixes, but we’d have liked the main body of the chopper to lock into place securely over the bowl. With four blades, the Tefal made light work of even the toughest chunks of veg, smoothies with oatmeal and even pulses. Some people may need to use both hands but in tests, we were able to hold the 'on' button with one finger while rotating the control with another. It was easy to manage the speed as the dial for changing the strength of the chop is right on top of the main blender. We liked the feel of this chunky Tefal blender, which has a soft grip and controls that kept slippy fingers on the button. Blender doesn’t feel securely locked to mini chopper bowl.

Hand blender