KitchenAid KHB300ER Hand Blender, Empire Red

The chopper is worth the upgrade from the stick alone as it will do everything the old counter-top hogging food processors ever dreamed of doing, but with half the clean up time. It also makes it easy for chopping just enough for one or two servings without breaking out the heavy hardware.

Unless you use a mixer for tons of cookie dough or to knead bread (in which case you want the biggest and toughest counter-top kitchenAid stand mixer you can afford...) then this is the best I've seen. Stick this blender down into a bubbling hot soup pot full of veggies, beans and meat -- it will puree the whole pot into a smoothe and beautiful soup in a matter of 2-3 minutes.

A great product (and a great gift.)


Not as tough as my $20 Braun...   July 7, 2005
Caroline Zwischenfach (Washington, DC, USA)
59 out of 71 found this review helpful

For seven years, I was using a Braun Multiquick that I got at Costco for $20. That little machine would whip up anything from cream to margaritas with barely a peep. Seven years of abuse took their toll and my trusty Braun died.

I thougt it would be worth upgrading, and the KitchenAid seemed like a good bet: apparently strong motor, the usual attachments, and a nice bright red. I'm a sucker for color.

I managed to go through three of these hand blenders in a year. One of my main uses for a wand-style blender is frozen fruit smoothies. The real test is frozen strawberries, but the first one I killed choked on frozen mango chunks, about four weeks into owning it. The motor jammed up and overheated, eventually shorting out and dying.

I have to commend both Amazon and KitchenAid for their customer service. They obliged me with prompt replacements, and finally, after the demise of the THIRD KHB300ER, KA reimbursed me. However, I have to say that there are other wand-style blenders out there that can do the job better, for much less money.


The right tool for the job   February 16, 2007
Timothy J. Drozinski (Florida, USA)
15 out of 15 found this review helpful

I'm at a point in my life where I am developing a taste for quality, and can finally afford the kind of quality I desire. I like to dabble in the kitchen, so I've been building my arsenal of kitchenware recently. I've invested in some high-quality cookware and utensils, and started working on some appliances. I've got an 11-cup Cuisinart food processor, but that tends to be overkill for a lot of smaller jobs - I hate all the cleanup involved with making a cup of guacamole dip, for instance. I like to use peeled whole tomatoes to make tomato sauce for pasta dishes, but my wife doesn't care for chunks of tomato in the finished sauce. No problem... I just dunk the stick blender right into the can of tomatoes and out comes a nice thick puree with all the rich flavor that pre-made sauces seem to lack.

This stick blender came highly recommended by an acquaintance, and it doesn't disappoint. With its high-power motor, variable speed settings and versatile accessories, this is a compact and high-impact kitchen tool. Easy to clean, too. I would urge caution if you've never used one of these before, especially when working with very watery liquids as they can end up getting blown right out of your container if you're not careful.


Make your own baby food!   October 10, 2005
jacquelinemary (Moon, PA)
11 out of 11 found this review helpful

I bought this because I didn't want my little precious eating preservatives or additives or any of that junk. This works like a charm making mush out of squash, making pancakes, smoothies, everything i have tried so far it works like a champ. Cleanup is rinsing it under the sink. I love this thing!


Something for Everyone   March 30, 2007
JR (NY)
10 out of 10 found this review helpful

There are many rave reviews here, so I won't bore you more than necesssary. They're all true.

I use the chopper all the time. We never ate so much guacamole. That's my favorite part.

My husband uses the blender daily for his protein shakes.

My sister the chef, and my dear friend, use the whisk attachment all the time. Omelets, cream, etc.

You can't lose with this set.