Cuisinart CSB-75 Smart Stick 2-Speed Immersion Hand Blender, White

I’ve had this blender for ten years (since 2015) and I love it! It works just as well today as the day I got it. I’ve only had to replace the blade once because it broke.I originally bought this for $35, so the price has gone up quite a bit.I primarily use it to make salsa and soups. It’s a great little item to have in the kitchen. Easy to use and easy to clean.

I have a food processor which is great to use for all things blending, mixing, grinding, etc. But I've realized that it is sometimes a chore to have to lug out that 10-15 lb behemoth every time I want to mix up a few things or make a smoothie for the wife. So I decided to buy this hand blender while it was on sale and I'm really glad I did.Pros:- Easy to clean: I usually detach the blender portion and have it soaking in some water as I either finish up what I was making or eat. Then when I am ready to wash I'll attach it back into the power portion and run it in some soapy water, voila! All clean.- Lightweight: Fairly small and when broken apart it can fit in any cabinet or drawer.- Easy to hold: I've read a fair amount of reviews that complain about the placement of the safety switch on top. I usually start the blender firmly inside whatever I am going to blend, then I'll hold the blender with my right hand (finger on whichever speed I want to use) and with the other hand hit the safety button. Once the blender is going (you have to keep your finger pressed down on the speed) you can keep it going without pushing the safety button again. It isn't very difficult once you get the hang of it and I haven't made a mess in the kitchen yet (includes blending whole tomatoes right in the can).- Efficient blending/grinding: So far I've blended smoothies (frozen strawberries, banana, milk), whole tomatoes in the can into a puree, homemade mayo (within 10 sec), and a mixture for my chili base. The chili base I wasn't sure if it was going to work because I placed the following inside of the cup that came with the blender: ripped up pieces of dried ancho, California, and Arbol chili peppers, anchovie filets, chunks of chocolate, whole star anise, whole cloves, and tomato paste/soy sauce/marmite/chicken broth. After a few seconds though, I could tell that it worked perfectly. There were a few pieces of chili at the end, but nothing that caused any problems. I was pretty pleased with the result.Cons:- None so far, but I'll update later if I run into any.I know another complaint was the length of the power cord, but I honestly think it is pretty decent length. Compared to fryers, electric skillets, and other appliances this hand blender has a very generous power cord. I'd definitely buy again in a heartbeat. Especially at such a low price.

**UPDATE 2** The replacement wasn't a perfect fit and as much as I wanted to love the tool, I moved to another mixer.... for a while. If you check my profile, you'll see what plan B did to my kitchen. We have since bought another Cuisinart stick blender, that I am happy to report now has two perfect fitting attachments and is still going strong. It is officially, my top recommend brand and tool because of customer service and reliability.**UPDATE** I've had it for 11 months. I got used to the two handed operation and the near daily spills as a result. My earlier comment about the kids blending a finger actually happened to my husband. Again, not the machine's fault, just sloppy handling. He was running it under water to rinse it and ***brrrrrrrrrrrr thwop thwop thwop!*** pulled back a bloody stump. It wasn't that dramatic really. I like sound effects. It was 20 or so bone deep cuts on the tip of his fore finger. It healed up fine. Anyhow, today, the blade snapped while blending my ballistic coffee. No rocks or crazy stuff, just coffee. I called Cuisinart and eight minutes later, they're mailing me a replacement shaft at no charge. Overall, after 11 months, I'd probably drop it to 3 stars, except for the super fast and easy customer service and the fact that I have used it 2-3 times a day for 11 months, which (if you cannot tell) is an eternity for something with moving parts in this house.**ORIGINAL REVIEW**I want so badly to love this. Aesthetically, I like it. It blends my ketogenic coffee well. The reason I only give 4 stars is the safety switch on top. I can't operate it one handed. I need two hands to get it started, then have to grab the cup really fast, before it sprays everywhere. I'm not the most dexterous, so it's more me than the blender. My husband loves it and we both agree that at least we don't have to worry about the kids blending off a finger.