Best Immersion Blender For Soap Making? 122 Most Correct Answers

This blog post was originally written in 2011. I am updating it to reflect my preferences which may have changed in the last 10 years.

Also, for your information, I do not profit from recommending any of these products. These are my personal experiences and opinions. I hope they save you time and effort.

Every soap maker I know has their own favorite tools and paraphernalia.

I would say my favorite soap making gadget is the hand blender / immersion blender / wand blender. I will use these terms interchangeably as they all mean the same thing.

For me, this is essential from all other tools.

“Trace” is one of those words that soap makers throw around that means something different to each person. Trace is the point at which the soap has thickened and mixed sufficiently to form a stable emulsion. It is a “point of no return” where the oils and caustic are no longer in danger of separating.

After this “point of no return” there are many variables.

There are soap makers that pour at “very light gauge”, which may only require a few quick taps of the hand blender to achieve. The soap will still be watery and unable to support that telltale traditional “drip” of soap on the mix, but it will still be mixed well enough not to separate. At the other end of the spectrum, there are soap makers who prefer to pour (or scoop) “heavy tracks” that are thick and custard-like.

Both mixes are fine, and one could have said that both hit the mark.

But what about the time it takes to reach the track? Whether you’re pouring on an easy or heavy lane, sometimes it takes a while to get there and other times it’s real quick. What is causing this?

Factors affecting Soap expiration time

Kevin Dunn says in his wonderful book Scientific Soapmaking that the amount of direct mixing is the main determinant of the time it takes soap to reach marks. That’s why using an immersion blender is so much quicker than just stirring with a spoon. But beyond mixing, he says, three factors can affect the time it takes for soap to reach traces: water content, temperature, and catalysts.

How much water you use in the recipe will affect traces. More water means a slower trail. If you have a recipe that calls for four ounces of lye and you use eight ounces of water, all other things being equal, it will trace faster than using 10 or 12 ounces. If you have a recipe that’s being followed up too quickly, you can add more water to slow things down.

The higher the temperature, the faster your soap will reach marks. Even the difference of just 10 degrees, lathering at 100F instead of 90F can make a difference. If you have a recipe that’s moving too fast, lower the soap-making temperatures. Aside from the oils starting to solidify, you don’t run the risk of the lye and oils getting “too cold”. You can make room temperature whipped soap or even chilled oils and lye.

Catalysts are one of the biggest variables on the track. Most soap makers have had a seizure when you make soap from scratch and it goes from liquid to thick in just a few seconds. We’re not quite talking about confiscation, though. Other ingredients will speed things up a notch, as will lowering your water or raising your temperature. Some oils are slower or quicker to follow than others. But not as much as some specific ingredients for soap recipes.

Ingredients to speed up trace time

Ingredients that can expedite (speed up) tracking include spice essential oils – especially clove, fragrance oils with clove oil or clove oil ingredients, some floral fragrance oils, and honey, beer, and other sugary liquids

Every single factor – the water, the temperature, the ingredients – can affect the speed of the trail. So each recipe will be just a little bit different.

Whether you pour your soap on light or heavy lanes, soap is still being made. As long as you get to the point of no return where the oils and lye don’t separate, you’re fine. But if you’re using intricate shapes, or especially if you’re trying to create swirls of color in your soaps, you probably want your soap to reach a trail as slowly as possible.

Cold process soap requires patience. It takes several days to harden in the mold. Then it needs to cure for 4-6 weeks to allow excess water to evaporate. Curing creates a firmer bar that lasts longer in the shower. All that waiting can be the hardest part of cold process soap making! But what if your soap takes longer than usual to harden? If your soap still feels soft after a week or two, something might be wrong.

Depending on a variety of factors, soap can take anywhere from 1 to 15 days to set in the mold. Two to three days in the form is average. There are several factors that determine how long soap takes to harden. The first is the type of oils in your recipe. The more soft oils (e.g. olive, almond, rice bran, canola, etc.) the soap contains, the softer the bars will be. Curing in the mold may take longer. The more hard oils the formula contains (e.g. palm, coconut, cocoa butter, beeswax, etc.), the faster the soap will harden. For example, if the soap is made from 100% olive oil, it can take up to two weeks to demould. But if the soap is 60% hard oils, it could be demolded the next day.

Using firmer oils and butters in your recipe will result in a firmer bar.

Another factor is the excess fat of the recipe. Oil that doesn’t turn into soap from the caustic soda is called “super fat.” An average excess fat is between about 1 and 7%. The higher the overfat value, the more “free floating” oils in the soap. The terms “super fat” and “lye discount” may be used interchangeably. This is because you use less lye in the recipe to create a super fat. Additional oil creates a softer bar, but can also soften the bar. If you’ve used a lot of excess fat (generally 7% or more) and the bar feels soft after a few weeks, the excess fat may be the culprit. I personally use 5% overfat in most of my cold process recipes. I’ve found this to be a good balance of a firm bar that’s also gentle on the skin.

Speaking of “extra stuff” in your soap, let’s talk about additives. Dyes and fragrance oils are the most common “additives” and can soften soap if too much is added. Dispersing powdered coloring in light liquid oil is a great way to avoid chunking and streaking of color in the finished bar. However, adding too much dispersed dye can soften the bar since you’re also adding more oil. In fact, you are technically increasing the super fat! For example, if you calculate your recipe with 7% superfat and add a lot of dispersed color, you might end up with a soft bar. Typically, colorants are dispersed at a level of 1 teaspoon colorant to 1 tablespoon light liquid oil. If you want to add a lot of dye, you should reduce the amount of oil in your dispersion.

Adding too much extra oil (as with dispersed dyes) can result in a soft bar.

Also, adding too much fragrance oil can result in a soft bar of soap. This is where the scent calculator comes in! Simply enter which fragrance oil you use, what you make and how much. The calculator indicates the amount of fragrance oil that is safe for the skin. The amount given by the calculator will not result in a soft bar of soap. This is one of the reasons measuring your fragrance oil by weight is so important; It gives you the most accurate amount of fragrance oil for your project. Adding more fragrance than recommended could result in a soft bar.

Soap can become soft if too much liquid is used. The Bramble Berry Lye Calculator creates recipes with 22% distilled water in the overall recipe. Other lye calculators may have a slightly lower or higher percentage. That’s because the amount of water in your recipe can vary and still be perfectly fine. Using less water in your recipe is called a water discount.

The water discount has several benefits, including reducing the likelihood of glycerin flows and creating a bar that demoulds more quickly. Learn more about water reducing soap here. On the other hand, if you use more water than recommended, the soap will take longer to set. This also applies to adding other liquid additives such as milk or puree to your recipe. Too much extra liquid (milk, puree, etc.) on top of the water in the suds solution will result in the soap not setting properly.

Water reducing soap reduces the likelihood of glycerin flows as shown above. It also creates a stick that hardens faster.

The type of mold also affects how quickly soap hardens. In general, cold process soaps made in silicone and plastic molds take longer to cure and form. This is because silicone and plastic molds create an airtight seal that doesn’t allow air to get to the soap. The more airflow, the faster the soap will harden. Soap made in freezer paper-lined wooden molds has a little more airflow, which makes the soap dissolve faster. Also, wooden molds tend to promote the gel phase. As soap goes through the gel phase, it hardens faster.

If you’re using a silicone or plastic cold soap mold, use sodium lactate. Actually, I recommend using sodium lactate on all your batches! It is a liquid salt that can be added to chilled lye water at a rate of 1 teaspoon per pound of oil in cold process soap. It’s optional, but I use it in 99.9% of my recipes. It makes soap easier to harden, makes reshaping faster and lasts longer in the shower. For example, in the photo below, the soap on the left contains sodium lactate, but the bar on the right does not. The bar without sodium lactate was softer and did not demould as cleanly. Click here to learn more about sodium lactate.

The bar on the left contained sodium lactate, but the bar on the right did not.

So what can you do about a soft bar of soap? The good thing about soft soap is that it is very seldom lye-heavy! Lye soap usually has the opposite problem; it is extremely hard, brittle and friable. If your soap is too soft, you’ve probably added too much of something…but not lye. It’s usually too much oil, fragrance, liquid, or other additives. The bad news about soap that’s too soft? It’s a little tricky to fix. The only real option is to re-dose the soap. To make it more solid, you can add scraps of a solid bar. That helps with balancing. Learn more about soap rebatching here.

What can you do if you want to make sure your soap will demould in about 2-3 days? Check out my tips below.

Use at least 40% hard oils in your recipe. These include coconut oil, palm oil, cocoa butter, etc. This post provides a list of common soap oils with generally recommended usage rates to help formulate your recipes.

Stearic acid at 0.5% of your oils can be used as a hardener in cold process soap. It speeds up tracking, so keep that in mind!

Sodium lactate is your friend! Since I like to demould my soap in about 2 days, I use sodium lactate for all my batches. It is a liquid salt that is added to chilled lye water. It helps the soap harden faster, which helps it pop out of the mold cleanly. When I use sodium lactate I can sometimes demold my soap the next day.

Water discount on your soap between 5 and 20%. Remember, the more you water your recipe, the faster your soap will speed up. I generally don’t cast more than 15% off unless I’m in a real hurry to demould. If you’re adding ingredients like purees, I recommend a water discount to account for the extra water in the puree. See this post for more information.

Reduce the excess fat. The more oil you have in your soap, the softer it will be. I have found that 5% is a good balance between firmness and a skin friendly bar.

Promotion of the gel phase. When soap goes through the gel phase, it speeds up the saponification process. This will make the bar tighter faster.

Thicken the trail of your soap. Soap poured into the mold with a thin line takes more time in the mold than soap with a thick line.

Using an accelerating fragrance oil will help your soap set faster in the mold.

How long do you usually wait before demolding your soap? In general, I always recommend 2-3 days, but sometimes you can get away with demoulding the next day if you use some of the tips above!

Handmade soap can take weeks and even months to set in some cases.

What exactly happens while my soap is setting? Can I use it before it’s fully cured? What happens if I don’t let my soap set?

This post came after a long conversation with my very science oriented 16 year old son who, after trying to make the subject easy for me, said, “I don’t think you can make it easy or everyone would have one degree in chemistry.”

I’m not one to give up, so here you go.

How is soap made and what happens when it hardens?

When you mix butter and oils, also known as triglycerides, with sodium hydroxide, they break down into their core components, which are glycerol and fatty acids. Depending on your choice of butters and oils, some will be short-chain fatty acids and others longer-chain fatty acids—more on that in a moment.

The chemical formula of sodium hydroxide is NaOH. Na is sodium and hydroxide is OH. Stick to the OH bit.

I’ll try to keep this simple….

The fatty acids combine with the OH (hydroxide) to form sodium salts, also known as soap, but the process is not complete at this point. The sodium salts must further align into complex structures called soap crystals.

While your soapy batter is still runny, short-chain fatty acids form together with some of the longer-chain fatty acids to form salt crystals. The saponification is complete in about 48 hours, meaning all the hydroxide has been converted to sodium salts, but during the further hardening time the longer chain fatty acids are still busy rearranging themselves into soap crystals and this will help your soap become tougher over time not only the evaporation of water, which usually occurs within the first 2 weeks.

If you use your soap before it has fully set, it will dissolve faster, not only because it has a higher water content, but because not all of the longer chain fatty acids have formed soap crystals at this point and this is the crystalline component of the soap which is predominantly made up made from longer-chain soaps that add hardness and durability.

So what about hot process soap? Well, you’re actually forcing your soap through saponification, and soap crystals form much faster – actually you’re accelerating the movement of the queue for the fatty acids to rearrange into soap crystals. Although your hot process soap is safe to use once it has cooled, there will still be a ‘queue’ and therefore it still benefits from some time on the curing shelf.

Being a bit impatient, I’ve always used my hot process soap much quicker than the cold process soap, but I recommend a “curing time” of at least a few weeks if you can, and that really helps me understand why it’s so important .

This is a very simplified version of the science behind the soap. I would like to thank Scott Grainger of www.cosmeticsafetyassessment.com. This blog was created and paraphrased with his permission from information he has provided to the soap making community.

Sharing is caring!

Learning to use an immersion blender is not difficult. But like so many things in life, it’s not as obvious as you might think.

I love my hand blender. For those looking for a kitchen-focused Christmas or birthday gift, a hand blender is a great choice. It is practical, inexpensive and easy to store. The hand blender is versatile. I find more uses almost every week, especially when I’m feeling lazy.

Whether it’s beating a few eggs or turning cooked pinto beans into refrit, the hand blender is a big help.

Of course, it’s not a substitute for a stand mixer. You can’t mix batter in an immersion blender, and you can’t use it to cream large amounts of butter and sugar.

However, if you don’t have a lot of space, an immersion blender can be a perfectly acceptable substitute for a “regular” blender.

You can use the hand blender without the tall cup that comes with the hand blender. But the cup is pretty useful because it helps contain whatever you’re trying to mix. My hand blender came with a plastic cup that I’ve washed in the dishwasher too many times and it cracked. In the search for a replacement, I came across a much better alternative. Instead of a plastic cup, I bought a stainless steel one. It’s tough, dishwasher safe, and overall better than the plastic it replaced.

My friend Shay just made soup with her hand blender. When she was done, Shay found that the instructions that came with the blender hadn’t been of much help. The soup she made was too bulky.

For Shay and anyone else who (like me) finds that manufacturers’ manuals and instructions sometimes don’t provide useful help, here’s my take on what you need to know before using an immersion blender.

I hope it helps.

Hand Blender vs Hand Blender: Which to Choose? Updated July 13, 2022 by Jessica Parker

When it comes to beginners in the kitchen, there are often disagreements between the immersion blender and the hand mixer. Both devices can blend and blend all types of food, but each has certain limitations. An immersion blender is suitable for purees and soups, while a hand mixer is required for dry ingredients.

It’s difficult to choose the right kitchen tool from the multitude of ones available today. Many devices can perform multiple functions, making it difficult to choose one that suits your needs. As a result, it becomes difficult to buy a device for one type of kitchen task. Because of this, hand blenders vs. hand mixers are a common topic of discussion.

What is a hand blender?

An immersion blender is shaped like a stick and is equipped with a motor and a rotating cleaver. The cleavers are designed to cut or puree solid foods into liquids, creating an even, smooth and desired texture of the ingredients.

You can place the blender directly into the bowl or other container filled with food to blend it. For this reason it is called a hand blender. It works differently than the regular blender, where you put ingredients in the blender and then start running the machine.

Worried that placing an immersion blender in an empty container of liquid food and then turning on the blender might create a mess in your cooking area? This isn’t the case, as the hand blender’s powerful blades are designed to significantly limit splattering.

The blades of an immersion blender are fully protected and durable enough to blend solid food into a liquid of even consistency.

This portable hand blender gives you a comfortable grip and better control over the tool to ensure it stays in place while blending.

Hand blender used:

Hand blenders are ideal for preparing sauces, soups and smoothies.

Immersion blenders are also great for whipping cream or egg whites.

You can use your hand blender to prepare baby food.

Immersion blenders are useful for chopping vegetables and various other foods.

They can also be used as a whisk attachment on the stand mixer.

How do you use a hand blender?

Assemble the motor body, the heaviest part of the blender, with a blender attachment. Fasten these parts together securely.

Place the hand blender in the bowl/container filled with ingredients.

Gently squeeze the trigger and hold the blender until you get the desired consistency.

Keep moving the bowl or hand blender to make sure your hand blender is blending everything.

What is a hand mixer?

A hand mixer is also a handheld device that has whiskers attached for mixing ingredients. Hand blenders produce different types of ingredient consistencies based on the ingredients you put in the jar.

You don’t have to worry about whether your hand mixer is powerful enough, as most hand mixers are rated at at least 250 watts, which is plenty for baking needs.

Hand mixers use a technique called “direct drive” because they use the friction of two different surfaces.

The friction is caused by an arm that is geared directly to an electric motor that is designed to increase torque even at lower speeds.

Hand mixer used:

A hand mixer is a perfect gadget for anyone who enjoys baking and cooking.

It can also be used to make batter for your favorite cookies.

Hand mixers are great for people with limited mobility or arthritis because they require less muscle power than some other devices, such as a hand mixer. B. the blender.

How do you use a hand mixer without making a mess?

Make sure the bowl or container you use should be deep or narrow as this allows for deep and even mixing without the mixture splattering all over the surface.

To add rigidity and stability to your hand mixer, place your bowl or container on a soft line before mixing. You can use a thick kitchen towel for this.

When mixing, always start at the lowest speed. Starting to mix at a higher speed increases the likelihood that the mix will splatter all over the place.

To ensure even blending, keep moving your blender in the same direction (clockwise or counterclockwise) in a circular motion. The unmixed ingredients will stick to the side of your bowl/container. Use a spatula to scrape the unmixed parts into the bowl to ensure the consistency of the mixture.

You need to be very careful when removing the battery from the blender and to do this you need to remove the blender from the bowl. However, keep the mixer just below the rim of the bowl, but it should no longer be touching the ingredients in the bowl. Turn on the hand mixer for a few seconds to allow the batter to transfer from your hand mixer base to the bowl.

When should you use a hand blender?

Cut

Using an immersion blender to chop vegetables is a quick way to get even chunks of vegetables. This creates a fine texture that is easy to incorporate into dishes such as a casserole. The food will even cook quickly.

puree

A hand blender has a blade that will blend a whole batch of vegetables at once. This happens as soon as you lower the hand blender into the pot you want to puree in. A hand blender contains more air than a traditional blender. This helps create frothy foam on creamy soups.

Mix up a soup

A hand blender will help grind the veggies into a semi-thick liquid texture. Pulsing the device harder will result in a thick and textured soup. We also have a hand blender blog that will help you choose the best hand blender for your kitchen.

When should you use a hand mixer?

combine ingredients

Hand mixers contain a series of blades that spin evenly and steadily during the blending process. Electric hand mixers are available with a variety of mixing speeds that help mix and combine tough ingredients like dough.

Used for cake batter

Hand mixers reduce the density of the dough in cake batter. A hand mixer makes the batter light and fluffy, allowing the cake to rise perfectly.

Turn everything into liquid

The speed of a blender is not high to create the same consistency as an immersion blender. The hand blender can shred anything and turn it into a semi-liquid mush, but the blades aren’t close enough to achieve a fully liquid effect.

Choosing between Breville Vs Kitchenaid stand mixers can be confusing. Check out our blog to make an informed purchase.

make icing

You can use a hand mixer such as the Müller Austria Blender for glazing. The blades of a hand mixer and a powerful motor can punch and add significant icing to cakes. Always opt for hand mixers with a powerful motor for the best results. For more clarity, you can also read reviews of Mueller Austria Hand Blendersion Hand Blender.

Hand blender vs hand blender: the differences

The metal parts of the hand blender are usually sharp, while the beaters on the hand blender are usually blunt. A hand mixer is therefore more suitable for liquefying and chopping than for mixing.

A hand mixer has two beaters. This means that the overall speed of the racquets may not need to be set at a high level as the extent of hitting is higher due to the racquet’s larger surface area within the mix.

In contrast, hand blenders generally only include an inch or two of blade length when built. This means they may need to move more frequently or rotate at a faster rate to get the same or better work output.

In contrast, hand blenders generally only include an inch or two of blade length when built. This means they may need to move more frequently or rotate at a faster rate to get the same or better work output. Hand mixer beaters are easy to swap out. The whisk-like beaters on certain hand mixers can be replaced with dough hooks, but they are not interchangeable between brands.

Hand mixers tend to be more adaptable as they can be used for many different purposes. However, the immersion blender blade usually comes with the blade that you will be using for the rest of your life.

Hand Blender vs Hand Blender: Do You Need Both?

The answer depends on your need and kitchen requirements. People who have been working with mixers for a long time prefer to do all their tasks with them. Hand blenders are ideal for preparing baby food and sauces. To shred your chicken or whip your cream, use a hand mixer. It makes your task easier to manage as the blades are sharper than a hand blender.

The motor of a hand mixer is more robust compared to a hand blender and can easily chop tough foods. If you understand how your device is used, you will find a suitable device and your food quality will gradually improve.

Can the hand blender replace the hand blender?

no A hand blender cannot replace the hand blender. Powdered ingredients or coarsely chopped ingredients work best in a hand blender. Blending ingredients is not ideal with hand mixers, but hand blenders are fine.

Buy the Best Hand Blender Vs Hand Mixer

MegaWise 5-in-1 Immersion Hand Blender

MegaWise customer reviews show that it’s one of the easiest devices to use to blend, blend and chop your favorite foods. The powerful 800 watt motor and stainless steel blades quickly crush the hardest ice cubes into a smooth consistency. This model has a fixed rotating core design with 12 speeds and a turbo setting. It is dishwasher safe and its blades can be removed for easier cleaning.

KOIOS blender

The KOIOS hand blender is a multifunctional blender. You can use it to make purees and juices, blend baby food, cut vegetables, etc. This product has a powerful 800W motor that delivers high torque. The blender has a compact and lightweight body and takes up less space than a hand blender. It also comes with a spacious 600ml mixing cup. You can easily clean it thanks to the detachable accessories that are dishwasher safe.

Breville hand mixer

The Breville hand mixer has 9 speed settings to meet different needs. It is easy to use and can quickly prepare the dishes for you. It comes with an ergonomic handle that offers a comfortable grip. This model recognizes the type of attachments being used and automatically recalibrates itself to the perfect speed.

KitchenAid Digital Hand Mixer

KitchenAid digital hand mixer reviews show it’s the smartest hand mixer. It has 9 speed adjustment and quick cooling body design. You can easily eject the food accessory with the help of a one-press eject button. It has a soft start feature that prevents ingredients from splashing. The lockable swivel cable allows the cable to be snapped onto either the left or right side of the mixer.

LILPARTNER electric hand mixer

The LILPARTNER Electric Hand Blender comes with a bowl-shaped storage bowl. This prevents spilling and spoiling of the ingredients. The powerful 450W motor offers 5 different settings and an additional turbo option for fast blending. It comes with easily removable accessories that make cleaning and maintenance of the blender easier.

Hand Blender Vs Hand Blender: Final Verdict

A hand blender is more versatile than an immersion blender because you can mix and semi-blend ingredients efficiently. Don’t forget to turn your cooking program into an enjoyable experience with the right appliance and accessories.

It’s important to know the difference between air fryers and microwaves in order to choose the right cooking appliance for your kitchen. We also encourage you to read personal blender reviews to make an informed purchase.

BestViewsReviews recommends and ranks the best stand mixers and premium hand mixers based on their build, mechanism, noise and mixing performance.

< Previous post Next post >

A regular old blender is standard equipment in most homes, and if yours is any good, it should be able to handle the full range of essential blending tasks — pureeing fibrous veggies and crushing ice with the same ease and doing the least a credible job at emulsifying sauces like homemade mayonnaise. Why bother cluttering up your precious kitchen workspace by throwing an immersion blender into the mix?

The answer is usually convenience. A hand blender, also known as a hand blender or hand blender, is small enough to store in a spacious drawer and light enough to be pulled out with one hand. The simple construction and the ability to mix right in a pot, measuring cup or jar make cleanup that much easier.

Buy All-Clad Blender on Amazon

Buy the Hamilton Beach Immersion Blender from Amazon

For those who already have a stand mixer but aren’t looking forward to lugging it out or washing the jar afterwards — especially for small, quick blending tasks — an immersion blender is a handy alternative. If you don’t own a stand mixer and want a tool that can perform 90% of the same functions with less mess and fuss and wasted space, an immersion blender is what you need. What can’t it do? We’ll discuss that further down the page – feel free to skip ahead – but first we’ll lay out the pro-immersion mixer argument.

What are hand blenders good for?

Creamy soups made easier

Photo: Vicky Wasik

If you and your family love a velvety smooth soup, like comforting tomato or butternut squash soup, there’s absolutely no easier way to achieve that luxuriously creamy texture than with an immersion blender. Many of our soup recipes call for the flavors to be sautéed in one pot, then the main ingredients and the broth or other liquid added to the same pot and simmered before blending. With an immersion blender, you can puree the soup directly in the saucepan by dipping the stick with the blade directly into the soup mixture (get it?). Contrast that to a countertop model where you have to scoop the contents of the pot into the jar and risk splashing yourself in the process.

Also, to prevent steam blowing off the lid directly, we recommend that those using a benchtop blender to puree hot food fill the jar no more than half full (and cover the jar with a kitchen towel instead of a lid to seal it). let off steam). Escape route). While there’s nothing wrong with this approach at all, it means you may have to mix batches depending on the yield of the recipe, making the process more time-consuming. Meanwhile, by design, a hand blender is used in an open container, so no precautions against vapor build-up need to be taken.

Need more mixed soup recipes to get that shiny new hand blender up and running? Try our quick mushroom soup, which is great for consuming mushrooms that are past their prime; a colourful, hearty pumpkin soup with miso and dashi; a rich but balanced broccoli cheese soup; or a spring-like asparagus tarragon velouté.

Homemade mayonnaise without breaking a sweat

Photo: J. Kenji López-Alt

Mayonnaise can be made in a variety of ways – in a stand mixer, in a food processor, or even by hand with a whisk, a method Daniel especially loves.

But these approaches have significant disadvantages. The larger machines don’t work well unless you’re making a fairly large batch of mayonnaise; A smaller amount of ingredients are unlikely to come in direct contact with the blades, causing your egg yolk and lemon juice to fly up and splatter against the walls of the jar or bowl, rather than staying close to the blades where they are have to be. Whipping by hand, while it can create a more desirable texture, is tiring for those of us who aren’t Daniel, who, let us remember, also finds joy in dicing a butternut squash into tiny cubes. And all of the above methods depend on adding the oil in a slow, steady trickle, which takes a lot of patience and control.

An immersion blender, on the other hand, feels not only capable, but ready to get the job done, making creamy, tender mayonnaise in record time—as little or as much as you like. Instead of adding the oil in a slow-motion drizzle, you can just add it to the blender jar along with the rest of the ingredients. However, the size of this cup will be crucial: it only needs to be slightly larger than the head of the blender stick, which needs to be seated firmly on the bottom of the cup, allowing the blades to pull the layer of oil down into a whirlpool and perform the tricky task careful to distribute it evenly among the water-based ingredients.

Check out Kenji’s article on making mayonnaise with an immersion blender for more instructions. Once you’ve mastered his original recipe, try adding flavors like herbs or harissa paste and play around with some of our variations, including vegan mayo with silken tofu or aquafaba and Stella’s Egg White Mayonnaise. Or, building on the same technique, check out our foolproof Hollandaise and Béarnaise sauce recipes.

Smoothies right in the cup

Photo: Autumn Giles

Looking to eliminate a step and dish from your morning smoothie routine? Toss frozen fruit, yogurt, spinach, ginger, and anything else that makes you bright and virtuous in the morning straight into a glass or mug wide enough to fit on the head of your hand blender. Lower the blender into the cup. Turn on. Mixture. Drink. No glass to clean or interlocking blades to dissect; Simply detach the wand when you’re done and quickly (gently) wash it by hand or, if the manufacturer allows, in the dishwasher.

Batch smoothies are no less easy as all you have to do is increase the size of the jar and the amount of ingredients accordingly. Would you like to win the Breakfast Host of the Year award by creating custom smoothie mixes for a group of guests? Now, that might sound like you might be trying a little too hard, but with a hand blender, that accolade can be yours if you give the stick a quick rinse between cups.

If you like your smoothies frosty-cold, note that some hand blenders aren’t as effective at crushing ice, although the top picks from our hand blender test did the job.

Whipped cream without a mixer

Photo: Emily Dryden

Stella doesn’t mince words on this subject: Cream can’t really become whipped cream unless you add air to it with a whisk, whether it’s a whisk in your hand or the whisk attachment of a handheld or stand mixer. The result of processing cream with the flat blades of a mixer is more of a softened butter, not a whipped cream at all.

Still, it can be a delicious soft butter, and there are some advantages over the much denser and less fluffy cream topping that comes out of a blender or food processor. (For example, Stella’s Fruity Whipped Cream, which is made by combining freeze-dried fruit, sugar, and heavy cream in a food processor, is far more stable than the real deal, which empties if not used immediately.) Furthermore, we’ll admit that the speed and ease of this mixer-style whipped cream make it an appealing option.

If you go down this route, once again, sticking an immersion blender in a cup with a few ounces of heavy cream is neater and quicker than pulling out a stand mixer. Some hand blender models, including the All-Clad and Hamilton Beach models we recommend, can also be fitted with a whisk attachment for whipping cream or egg whites, either as part of their standard accessory kit or at an additional cost. We haven’t thoroughly tested these attachments, and they’re not really a stand-up substitute for a whisk in a stand mixer, but they do successfully whip cream faster than you could by hand.

Small jobs and on-the-fly jobs

Small mixing tasks are not only more convenient with a blender; They are also made better. A hand blender performs best when you only need a little puree, making it our top choice for low-volume tasks. This includes making a slurry of water and just a few ounces of oatmeal for Stella’s Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies, mixing together half a can of tomatoes and some ginger for Kenji’s Chickpea and Spinach Stew, and pureeing a basket of fresh blackberries for Stella’s Blackberry Pie.

That being said, although it still needs to be plugged in, the portability of a hand blender means it’s better suited to being lugged around the kitchen and whipped out ad hoc. Whether you just need to touch up a creamy soup that didn’t turn out quite creamy enough, or you need to quickly mash up a few chunks of sweet potato for baby’s dinner, an immersion blender makes any small or last-minute blending task smaller, making it smaller and more manageable.

The Disadvantages of a Hand Blender / What It Can’t Do

Photo: Emily Dryden

No matter how dedicated you are as a chef, no one has unlimited money or space to purchase every single potentially useful kitchen gadget out there. A question we’ve often seen from readers in the past is how to assess whether a given tool provides a benefit unique enough to justify the investment, or whether its features differ slightly from those of another, more versatile device. Hand blenders are a common topic of such conversations.

But it’s hard for us to answer that question without knowing the specifics of each chef’s situation — like how often you bake, or how often you prepare food for a large group, or whether you have a dishwasher. The best we can do is describe some of the areas where an immersion blender falls short or where another tool can’t replace, and allow you to figure out if any of those areas are a deal-breaker for you personally .

Namely:

Reduced performance. This is a significant downside and shouldn’t come as a surprise – smaller, lighter hand blenders don’t have the same power and are therefore less reliable than good stand mixers at handling demanding tasks. (But good is a keyword here: a really good hand blender will almost certainly outperform a bad blender.)

For example, grinding nuts into smooth nut butter is beyond the capabilities of most hand blenders, as is thoroughly crushing ice. Other tasks, like making a thick bean puree for hummus or making a large batch of soup, can be done with a good hand blender but can take a lot longer. That could negate the other benefits of such a blender depending on your needs and cooking style.

Most hand blender manufacturers emphasize that their products cannot be used continuously for more than one minute to avoid overheating the motor. That means you can’t use them to “cook” a soup using just the heat of the blender, as in Kenji’s No-Cook Blender Tomato Soup, which relies on the raw power of a high-speed blender like a Vitamix. (On the other hand, a standard countertop blender isn’t powerful enough to do the job either.)

Limited hacking ability. A hand blender’s much smaller blade and tightly-enclosed head make it less suitable for chopping dry ingredients like carrots and celery used in a mirepoix. If you’re hoping to come by without a food processor and use an immersion blender for tasks like this, you’re out of luck. However, some models come with a mini food processor that attaches to the wand’s motor portion. They’re not very powerful, but some of our editors have used them successfully to chop up a smaller amount of ingredients in a pinch.

You must choose your ship wisely. The big advantage of a hand blender: You can choose which container you want to mix in! The downside: you have to choose the vessel you’re mixing in, and this can definitely affect your results. Don’t try to use an immersion blender in a pot that’s only a few inches full; You will end up banging the blade into the pot, splattering the contents over the sides and not effectively blending what you are trying to blend. And as mentioned above, our homemade mayo recipes only work if you use a jar that’s barely wider than the head of the blender.

Reduced stability. Quite obviously, a blender that stays stationary on a countertop offers a level of stability you don’t get from an immersion blender. For best results, purchase an immersion blender that is comfortable to hold. (Both top picks from our hand blender test scored well on handle comfort.)

Possible security risks. Hand blenders have gained a reputation in some quarters for being more dangerous than other bladed kitchen tools. As this New York Times article from a few years ago describes (warning: gory details in it!), users who forget to turn off their hand blender before attempting to clean it put themselves at great risk for razor sharp products serious injuries from blades and very sensitive power switches. Don’t become one of those people. Of course, the blades for traditional blenders and food processors are also sharp and should be handled with care, but because they’re embedded in a work bowl or jar while the tool is in use, they’re less accessible to the distracted fingers than dipping blender blades.

Which hand blender should you buy?

There are tons of hand blender models on the market, but only a few of them are worth considering. Luckily, we’ve already got them sorted for you: check out our hand blender review for our picks, as well as details on our testing process and clues about the competitors that didn’t make it.

Each editorial product is independently selected, although we may receive compensation or receive an affiliate commission if you purchase something through our links. Ratings and prices are correct and items are in stock at the time of publication.

Would you like to add a new kitchen appliance to your list? Immersion Mixer vs Mixer might be the matchup you’re thinking of. Find out which model you prefer based on your cooking style.

via dealer (2)

Looking for a new blender? Don’t rush to traditional blender models. Instead, find out about all the options available. You may just find that a smaller model suits your needs better.

Learn the difference between the types of blenders and when to use which.

Sydney Watson/Taste of Home

What is a stand mixer?

When you think of a blender, you probably think of a classic countertop model. This is a lidded jar that is mounted on a motorized base, which causes the blades to rotate inside the jar.

These larger blenders often have many settings including pureeing, blending, chopping, and even crushing ice for frozen drinks. Features like these make stand mixers the ideal tool for making homemade smoothies, purees, and smooth soups.

Contrary to popular belief, cleaning a blender is easy, so don’t hesitate to plug in yours when needed.

advantages

Powerful

Versatile thanks to multiple speeds and functions

Splash-free mixing

Super smooth results

Disadvantages

Take up valuable space in the kitchen

Expensive

What is a blender?

Buying an immersion blender — also called a hand blender or hand blender — is another option. These gadgets are much smaller than their countertop counterparts. They consist of a motorized handle with an easy-to-clean, detachable blending mechanism. Some models include additional attachments such as whisks or even small food processors.

Hand blenders are better suited for various tasks than traditional blenders. Being compact, they are ideal for preparing small batch recipes such as vinaigrettes and homemade whipped cream.

Hand blenders are also good for smoothing sauces and soups. With this gadget, you don’t need to decant the recipe into a pitcher or bowl; You can mix right in your pot. In general, hand mixers work best with softer ingredients (don’t try to crush ice with one of these!).

advantages

Payable

Compact and easy to store

Easy to clean

Ideal for small jobs

Can be mixed right in your cooking vessel – no need to transfer to a pitcher

Disadvantages

Cannot chop, crush, etc.

Not as powerful as countertop models

Check out the best hand blenders in our test kitchen.

Which type of blender is right for you?

Consider your cooking habits. If you prepare a lot of smoothies, baby food, frozen drinks or large portions of soup, we recommend a powerful tabletop model.

If you don’t use a blender often, we recommend using a cheaper immersion blender. You can still puree ingredients in soups and sauces without sacrificing much storage space.

That being said, the right solution for you might be to have one of each type! Both are incredibly useful gadgets – not to mention that they can be incredibly fun to use.

A hand blender (also called a hand blender or hand blender) isn’t as powerful as a stand mixer, but it can be more convenient. You can use it to puree a soup right in the pot, or you can make a quick and easy mayonnaise and end up tossing it in a drawer. We’ve blended gallons of soups, smoothies, and sauces with more than a dozen hand blenders since 2013, and the Breville Control Grip has always stood out. It produces smoother textures, has a more comfortable design, and comes with whipping and chopping attachments that actually work.

The Breville Control Grip hand blender thoroughly purees even fibrous soups and can blend ice and frozen berry smoothies into thick, frosty blends. It has a rubber grip and an on/off button that you press naturally when you grab it, making it comfortable to hold even for long blending times. The blender does not splatter when pureeing. We also appreciate the extra-large 42-ounce blender jar, which has a handle, clearly marked measurements, and a rubber grip to keep it firmly in place while blending. The Breville comes with both a whisk and a chopper attachment, and while it’s one of the more expensive hand blenders on the market, we think it’s far less likely to languish in a junk drawer than other, inconvenient offerings.

advertisement

The Braun MultiQuick 5 hand blender MQ505 competes with more expensive models when it comes to thoroughly pureeing soups and smoothies. It has a soft feel, but we found pressing the small button for the entire blending time quickly became tiring. In addition to a blender jar, the MQ505 comes with a whisk but no chopper. While cheaper options are available, we think it’s worth paying a little more than rock-bottom to get a model that doesn’t splash. The other lower-priced models in our tests were harder to use and splashed us with hot liquid that wasn’t fun or easy to clean. The Braun MQ505 was also able to pulverize ice and frozen fruit without any problems compared to the competition.

If you prefer to use a variable speed blender, where you can regulate the speed simply by pressing the control button more or less firmly, the Braun MultiQuick 7 hand blender MQ7035 is a good choice. Unlike other mixers that require two hands to change speed, the MultiQuick 7 lets you operate it with one hand. This blender outperformed more expensive Braun models in our testing, giving us more control over blending soups and smoothies. It’s similar in design to the Braun MultiQuick 5, our budget choice, with a rubberized handle that’s easy to hold and a domed cover over the blade to prevent spatter.

As a home chef and the occasional lazy home cook, believe me, an immersion blender is an essential, affordable kitchen tool that will take your home cooking to the next level with minimal fuss.

The humble hand blender is an often-overlooked but remarkably functional kitchen tool. This is a staple in professional kitchens that’s inexpensive, accessible, and just as useful for home cooks. It’s a great way to perfect everything from creamy soups to emulsified salad dressings to weeknight fondue. And the best? No extra dishes or mess.

My favorite is the KitchenAid Cordless Hand Blender because of its low price, reliability, and effectiveness.

But we’ll get to that later. First, let’s answer the obvious question:

What is a hand blender?

An immersion blender, also known as a hand blender or hand blender, is a hand-held stick-shaped machine with small blades at the end.

When you push the button, the blades whizz around like a regular blender, and you can dip the blades into a hot pot of soup or a small jar of pesto and blend.

Hand blender vs regular blender

Can you replace (or skip entirely) a stand mixer with an immersion blender? For most households, the answer is yes.

A hand blender is not only easier to store than a bulky stand mixer, but it can also perform almost all of the same tasks. These include fruity smoothies and frosty drinks made from frozen fruit or ice cream, creamy pesto and even whipped cream.

Hand blenders are also easier to clean than regular blenders. While many stand mixers need to be hand washed or take up a lot of space in the dishwasher, the lightweight hand blender fits easily in the top basket.

Hand blenders can also cook both small and large batches. If you’ve ever tried making a small amount of sauce or dressing in a large stand mixer, you’ve probably gotten frustrated when the blades just can’t reach the contents.

Either you keep stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender, or things just never come together smoothly. However, you can use a hand blender to blend in a smaller container to ensure everything is thoroughly blended.

Likewise, the hand blender can eat up a whole pot of butternut squash soup or tomato sauce. You can ensure an even, creamy texture by moving the stick around the pot as needed until you reach your desired consistency.

5 unique ways to use an immersion blender

Wondering how to use a new hand blender? Here are some of the best ways to make the most of this useful gadget:

Emulsify the salad dressing

Whether you’re mixing up a vinaigrette or preparing a rich tahini-based sauce to drizzle on your signature Kale Caesar Salad, use a blender to ensure your dressing is fully emulsified and stays that way. For the best (and fastest) results, use a narrow blender jug ​​(like the one that comes with our favorite blender).

Puree soups and sauces

This is where your hand blender will help you save on dishes and tidy up. After cooking a vegetable soup, a rich pasta sauce or melting down queso, you can insert the immersion blender directly into the saucepan for pureeing. No need for the guaranteed mess of transferring hot and tangy red sauce from the pot to your blender and back again. You can also mix at any temperature. Stand mixers tend to explode if the contents are too hot, which is certainly a situation best avoided.

mix dough

Streamline your Saturday morning pancakes or kick things up a notch with French-style crepes. A hand blender whips up a smooth, lump-free batter in seconds, so you can focus on making premium toppings and fillings.

whipped cream

Speaking of pancake toppings, while your batter is resting, complete an elegant breakfast spread with fluffy and ethereal whipped cream. With a blender you can save yourself the shoulder training of a whisk.

scrambled eggs

Whether it’s a breakfast omelette, a fluffy light soufflé or a beautifully layered quiche, a hand blender is all you need to beat eggs or egg whites until smooth.

Make smoothies

If you’re a daily smoothie drinker who starts each day by waking the house up by crushing ice in a noisy blender, a much quieter hand blender might be just what you need to achieve household peace. A powerful hand blender is powerful enough to crush frozen fruit, vegetables, and even ice.

Which hand blender is the best?

My favorite hand blender is the KitchenAid Cordless Hand Blender. Because this model is battery operated, you can mix anywhere and not be tied to an outlet. It fully charges in just 20 minutes and can blend 25 portions of soup per charge, which is more than enough for most homes.

Plus, this sleek blender is available in seven glossy colors, from Passion Red to Blue Velvet. It complements any kitchen color scheme, which is important as you can expect this tool to be on display more than most appliances.

That is… when you’re not busy cooking something delicious with it.

As a home chef and the occasional lazy home cook, believe me, an immersion blender is an essential, affordable kitchen tool that will take your home cooking to the next level with minimal fuss.

The humble hand blender is an often-overlooked but remarkably functional kitchen tool. This is a staple in professional kitchens that’s inexpensive, accessible, and just as useful for home cooks. It’s a great way to perfect everything from creamy soups to emulsified salad dressings to weeknight fondue. And the best? No extra dishes or mess.

My favorite is the KitchenAid Cordless Hand Blender because of its low price, reliability, and effectiveness.

But we’ll get to that later. First, let’s answer the obvious question:

What is a hand blender?

An immersion blender, also known as a hand blender or hand blender, is a hand-held stick-shaped machine with small blades at the end.

When you push the button, the blades whizz around like a regular blender, and you can dip the blades into a hot pot of soup or a small jar of pesto and blend.

Hand blender vs regular blender

Can you replace (or skip entirely) a stand mixer with an immersion blender? For most households, the answer is yes.

A hand blender is not only easier to store than a bulky stand mixer, but it can also perform almost all of the same tasks. These include fruity smoothies and frosty drinks made from frozen fruit or ice cream, creamy pesto and even whipped cream.

Hand blenders are also easier to clean than regular blenders. While many stand mixers need to be hand washed or take up a lot of space in the dishwasher, the lightweight hand blender fits easily in the top basket.

Hand blenders can also cook both small and large batches. If you’ve ever tried making a small amount of sauce or dressing in a large stand mixer, you’ve probably gotten frustrated when the blades just can’t reach the contents.

Either you keep stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender, or things just never come together smoothly. However, you can use a hand blender to blend in a smaller container to ensure everything is thoroughly blended.

Likewise, the hand blender can eat up a whole pot of butternut squash soup or tomato sauce. You can ensure an even, creamy texture by moving the stick around the pot as needed until you reach your desired consistency.

5 unique ways to use an immersion blender

Wondering how to use a new hand blender? Here are some of the best ways to make the most of this useful gadget:

Emulsify the salad dressing

Whether you’re mixing up a vinaigrette or preparing a rich tahini-based sauce to drizzle on your signature Kale Caesar Salad, use a blender to ensure your dressing is fully emulsified and stays that way. For the best (and fastest) results, use a narrow blender jug ​​(like the one that comes with our favorite blender).

Puree soups and sauces

This is where your hand blender will help you save on dishes and tidy up. After cooking a vegetable soup, a rich pasta sauce or melting down queso, you can insert the immersion blender directly into the saucepan for pureeing. No need for the guaranteed mess of transferring hot and tangy red sauce from the pot to your blender and back again. You can also mix at any temperature. Stand mixers tend to explode if the contents are too hot, which is certainly a situation best avoided.

mix dough

Streamline your Saturday morning pancakes or kick things up a notch with French-style crepes. A hand blender whips up a smooth, lump-free batter in seconds, so you can focus on making premium toppings and fillings.

whipped cream

Speaking of pancake toppings, while your batter is resting, complete an elegant breakfast spread with fluffy and ethereal whipped cream. With a blender you can save yourself the shoulder training of a whisk.

scrambled eggs

Whether it’s a breakfast omelette, a fluffy light soufflé or a beautifully layered quiche, a hand blender is all you need to beat eggs or egg whites until smooth.

Make smoothies

If you’re a daily smoothie drinker who starts each day by waking the house up by crushing ice in a noisy blender, a much quieter hand blender might be just what you need to achieve household peace. A powerful hand blender is powerful enough to crush frozen fruit, vegetables, and even ice.

Which hand blender is the best?

My favorite hand blender is the KitchenAid Cordless Hand Blender. Because this model is battery operated, you can mix anywhere and not be tied to an outlet. It fully charges in just 20 minutes and can blend 25 portions of soup per charge, which is more than enough for most homes.

Plus, this sleek blender is available in seven glossy colors, from Passion Red to Blue Velvet. It complements any kitchen color scheme, which is important as you can expect this tool to be on display more than most appliances.

That is… when you’re not busy cooking something delicious with it.

You know the old saying – oil and water don’t mix? Well, they’re wrong. This silky smooth lotion is a combination of moisturizing oils, gentle floral hydrolates and a touch of beeswax.

This versatile recipe is perfect for your face, body, or anywhere you need extra hydration. It’s so easy, you’ll wonder why you didn’t always do it yourself. Oh, and did I mention you can make lotion right in your blender or food processor — or even with an immersion blender?

Tips on making your own lotion

Cold weather and hand washing take their toll on hands during the fall and winter months. So now is the perfect time to switch your hand soap to something gentler. And then it’s lotion, lotion, lotion.

This lotion works well on my face (it’s a great face cream), legs, elbows and anything else that feels dry. But don’t stop there. You can unleash your creativity and use it on dry cuticles to seal frizzy hair or soothe chapped lips. Trust me when I say it’s so gentle you can use it for just about anything.

Choose a carrier oil.

First select your carrier oil. Light oils like sunflower, grapeseed, or sweet almond work best. And if your hands need serious grooming, infuse the oil with Calendula and/or Lavender essential oils first. Lavender reduces redness and inflammation [source] while calendula promotes healing [source].

Choose a liquid.

Next, decide which liquid you want to use. I used lavender hydrolat because it smells fabulous. Also, I like to apply lotion right before bed and its scent is soothing and relaxing.

If you don’t have a hydrosol, distilled water works well. You can also combine different hydrosols (like rose or chamomile) or use half hydrosol and half water.

Just keep your amounts at a 1:1 ratio of oil to water.

Select your add-ins.

If you suffer from skin issues, things like shea butter, aloe vera, raw honey, vitamin E oil, and essential oils can do wonders for your skin. A little goes a long way, so start with 1-2 teaspoons of your chosen supplement (or 5-10 drops of essential oil). Then see how your skin reacts.

How to make lotion at home

The hardest part of this recipe comes when you combine the oil and water. According to Formula Botanica [source], beeswax is not a true emulsifier. You can add borax to the water to help mix the oil and water [source], or buy an emulsifying wax like this to use in place of beeswax.

I’m not a big fan of buying specialty ingredients, so I went the easiest route with beeswax and lots of mixing. The oil and water need to be about the same temperature for this to work and for the ingredients to mix together.

deliveries

4-1/2 ounces sweet almond oil

1/2 ounce beeswax (or carnauba wax if vegan)

4 ounces lavender hydrolate

Water bath (I used a small saucepan and a heatproof measuring cup)

Hand blender (can also use a blender or food processor)

8 ounce jar with lid

instructions

Fill a small saucepan with 1-2 inches of water. Place a heatproof measuring cup in the pan so that the water reaches about halfway up the sides. If you don’t have a measuring cup, you can place a heat-resistant glass bowl on top of the saucepan.

Pour your carrier oil into the measuring cup. If you infuse the carrier oil, add your herbs to the oil and simmer for 30-60 minutes. Strain the herbs and return the oil to the bowl.

Add the beeswax and heat on low until the beeswax has just melted. You don’t want the oils to get hot, just warm enough to melt the beeswax. Stir occasionally with a spoon or wooden skewer to speed it up.

Once the beeswax has melted, remove it from the heat and pour the oil mixture into a clean bowl. Allow the oil and beeswax mixture to cool to room temperature. See also Homemade Healing Eczema Balm. It will cloud and thicken as it cools, so you’ll want to stir it as needed to keep it from hardening and keeping the beeswax mixed in. If you’re in a hurry, set the bowl down in the fridge and check every 5 minutes or so until it’s cool to the touch and the mixture has thickened a bit. Measure out your lavender hydrolate and slowly drizzle the hydrolate into the oil mixture while the immersion blender is running and immersed in the oil. Pause the blender every now and then to scrape the sides and re-incorporate the oils. Continue mixing until the oil and hydrosol are fully combined and your lotion is the consistency of frosting. Note: You don’t have to add all of the hydrosol if you don’t want to. Once you have reached the ideal consistency for you, stop adding liquid.

At this stage you can add any of your add-ins like aloe vera or essential oils. Then blend again to incorporate them evenly.

Before pouring the lotion into the bottle, squirt your container with rubbing alcohol and turn it upside down to allow the alcohol to drain out. This keeps bacteria at bay and ensures your lotion lasts longer.

Use a funnel to pour your lotion into the bottle. Since the lotion can be a bit runny, a pump bottle works best.

Troubleshooting:

If your ingredients aren’t combining into a creamy lotion, it’s probably because the temperature is off. Simply let the mixture sit in the blender or bowl until it comes to room temperature, then blend again.

If you use floral hydrolates, your lotion should last around 6 months without needing to be refrigerated. If you use regular tap water, keep your lotion in the refrigerator for 1-2 months.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Natural Beauty & Recipes (@helloglowblog)

Print See also Do-It-Yourself Tanners 3 Ways to Get a Natural Sunless Tan 2.75 of 4 votes How to Make a Lotion Learn how to make a lotion by combining moisturizing oils, beeswax and gentle floral hydrosols. And the best part – you make it in a blender! Prep Time 30 minutes Total Time 30 minutes Yield: 7 ounces Author: Stephanie Gerber Cost: $10 Equipment Water bath or saucepan with measuring cup

hand blender, blender or food processor

8 ounce pump bottle or lidded jar

small funnel Materials 4-1/2 ounces sweet almond oil

1/2 ounce beeswax

5 ounces lavender hydrolate Instructions Fill a small saucepan or double boiler with 1-2 inches of water.

If not using a double boiler, place a heatproof measuring cup in the pan so that the water reaches about halfway up the sides. (If you don’t have a measuring cup, you can place a heat-resistant glass bowl on top of the saucepan.)

Pour the carrier oil into the measuring cup or the top of your water bath. When you infuse your carrier oil, add the herbs to the oil and simmer for 30-60 minutes. Strain the herbs and return the oil to the pan.

Add the beeswax and heat on low until the beeswax has just melted. You don’t want the oils to get hot, just warm enough to melt the beeswax. Stir occasionally with a spoon or wooden skewer to speed it up.

Once the beeswax has melted, remove it from the heat and pour the oils into a clean bowl. Allow the oil and beeswax mixture to cool to room temperature. The mixture will cloud and thicken as it cools, so you’ll want to stir it as needed to keep it from hardening and keeping the beeswax mixed in. If you’re in a hurry, place the bowl in the fridge, checking every 5 minutes or so until it’s cool to the touch and the mixture has thickened.

Measure out your lavender hydrolate and slowly drizzle into the oil mixture while the immersion blender is running and immersed in the oil. Pause the blender every now and then to scrape the sides and re-incorporate the oils. Continue blending until the oil and hydrolat are fully incorporated and your lotion is the consistency of frosting.

At this stage you can add any of your add-ins like aloe vera or essential oils. Then blend again to incorporate them evenly.

Before pouring the lotion into the bottle, squirt your container with rubbing alcohol and turn it upside down to allow the alcohol to drain out. This keeps bacteria at bay and ensures your lotion lasts longer.

Use a funnel to pour your lotion into a clean, dry storage container. The lotion can be a bit runny, so a pump bottle works best. Notes Wipe down your utensils and blender with paper towels, then wash with soap and water to remove any waxy residue. If your ingredients aren’t combining into a creamy lotion, it’s probably because the temperature is off. Simply let the mixture sit in the blender or bowl until it comes to room temperature, then blend again. If you use floral hydrolates, your lotion should last around 6 months without needing to be refrigerated. If you use regular tap water, keep your lotion in the refrigerator for 1-2 months.

This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a board certified medical practitioner who has been in practice for more than 20 years. Learn more about Hello Glow’s medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice and we encourage you to speak to your doctor.

Photos by Ana Stanciu