It doesn’t stop there, though. Many hand blenders do much more than just blending thanks to their rich array of attachments that whisk, beat, slice, dice, mash and more. These multitasking machines take up less space in your kitchen and require much less washing-up than the likes of a jug blender or food processor. For making soups, you’re unlikely to need as many attachments, but if you’ll be using your blender to prepare lots of vegetables then a chopping tool will be a godsend. Also, is the beaker or bowl included – and how big is it? If it doesn’t fit your size requirements then you may need to look elsewhere. How much power do I need? If you’re tired of the all-or-nothing performance of the average hand blender, you might want to consider the Morphy Richards Total Control. It’s equipped with the company’s Smart Response Technology, which builds up speed gradually so blitzing food comes without the usual jerks and splatters. If you need to make a flour dough or mix dense batters, simply detach the whisker hook and attach the stainless steel kneader hook instead The Dualit DHB2 Hand Blender is an excellent choice for any discerning chef. Its 700W motor, upgraded from 500W of its predecessor, means it handles foods better and it comes with all the necessary accessories. There’s also a turbo mode for dealing with super-tough blends.

For those with additional extras, we test the ability to knead dough, julienne vegetables and chop and dice.This Morphy Richards Hand Mixer- HM02 Hand Blender cum mixer is sure to surprise you with its performance and versatility. A detachable dough hook gracefully kneads your dough uniformly and firmly without forming any lumps. Now making chapattis or homemade pizza bread becomes child’s play without you breaking into a sweat. As separate whisker attachment not just whisks eggs, but also works beautifully on dense batters, creaming them into a smooth paste. Use it also to blend and make a satisfying glass of lassi or buttermilk at home. With 300 watts of power and 5 speed settings, enjoy power and versatility in your hands. This hand mixer cum blender fits comfortably in the grip of your hands allowing you a wide range of movement almost effortlessly. In testing, the blender, as well as most of the attachments worked like a dream. We were able to julienne and finely slice vegetables in seconds, and the powerful blender produced creamy dips, sauces and soups, even when using tough ingredients. The only real downside was the French fry blade, which didn’t produce the result expected, even when carefully following instructions. We were impressed at how lightweight this blender was, especially considering how cumbersome some cordless kitchen gadgets can be. It also comes with a mini processor, jug and whisk attachment included in the box, making the price tag a little more palatable. It’s expensive, but you are paying for cordless convenience.

The Tefal Infiny Force is a hand blender with larger ambitions. It comes with three handy attachments to make it a foodie’s friend in the kitchen, including a sauce foot for making your own mayonnaise, if you’ve ever fancied it. Use the stainless steel whisker attachment for beating eggs, whipping besan, making fluffy batters, and churning curd for making lassi or buttermilk Blenders come in a range of materials, but mainly with plastic or metal shafts. Metal shafts are preferable as they are less likely to stain than those with plastic. This is because the blending shaft is the part that gets dirtiest, and if you are blending lots of soup for instance, you might find a metal shaft remains in better condition over time. What accessories are available? For those that have a whisk attachment, we test using cream or egg whites, whipping until we get firm peaks. One final annoying flaw is that the whisk attachment can be quite difficult to clean where it plugs into the handle. VerdictSimply choose one of its eight speeds, squeeze the control button and let the blades – which stay sharp for 12 times longer than standard blades, apparently – do their work. They slow down steadily once you release it. We also test each model for ease of cleaning, noting which models are easy to clean up and have dishwasher-safe parts and those that don’t.