Immersion blenders (when kitchen gadgets attack)
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I use mine for blending facial masques, homemade salsa and the occasional cocktail that requires more than a little shaking or stirring. Unlike a traditional mixer, an immersion blender allows you to stick the blades directly into the bowl, cup or pot you’re mixing in. I heart mine dearly and have recommended it in some of my DIY beauty recipes. The immersion blender, or known more affectionately as a stick or wand blender, is considered the lawn mower of kitchen gadgetry because of its powerful motor and extremely sharp blades. This prowess also makes it one of the most dangerous of kitchen tools.
“It’s gained popularity from the smoothies,” said Dr. Keith Raskin, a hand surgeon and clinical associate professor of orthopedic surgery at the New York University School of Medicine. In the last two years, Dr. Raskin has treated about a half-dozen injuries resulting from immersion blender use. Many of these hand injuries include severed nerves and tendons.
Although some immersion blender injuries occur while attempting to clean it while still plugged in (yikes!), that is not always the case. Deborah Snyder, a former pastry chef at a Midtown restaurant in New York City recalls an assistant who received “some ungodly number” of stitches while cleaning an unplugged immersion blender.
“I think those meat slicers are first when it comes to kitchen accidents, and then mandolines, and immersion blenders are third,” Ms. Snyder said.
It’s that serious.
Case in point, Amy Desbory of Ascension Parish, La who fell victim to an immersion blender after it slipped from her hand while making a milkshake, has filed a lawsuit against Conair, the parent company of Cuisinart who makes the very popular and ironically named SmartStick.
I say all of this to say—be careful in your kitchen. And if you’re accident-prone, perhaps the Magic Bullet is the tool for you.
Do you have an immersion blender? Has it ever attacked?
[Hat tip: NY Times]
As a klutzy person, the secret to immersion blender cleaning is 1) water glass half-full of water with soap in it 2) water glass 3/4 full with clean water. Buzz, buzz. Done!
Excellent advice!! Thx so much for the rec
I have the green one in the picture! I love it! But I do get a slight panic attack every time I’m using and cleaning it, praying that it won’t be my last moment connected to my fingers… I think that’s the best way to prevent attacks…. Scare yourself to death about them!
I soak mine immediately after using it and pop it in the dishwasher. No issues as of yet!
I agree–fear is what has kept me from being seriously injured :\
I totally feel you about the dangers of kitchen appliances. After slicing off the tip of my finger with a mandoline, I have been EXTREMELY careful with my kitchen appliance purchases. I just bought the NutriBullet (the MagicBullet spin-off) and not even I can hurt myself with that thing.
Ohemgee!! No you really have me scared:/ How do you like the NutriBullet?