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Cuisinart Smart Stick vs LINKChef Hand Blender 800W Side-by-Side Comparison

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Cuisinart Smart Stick vs LINKChef Hand Blender 800W

Overall Verdict

The Cuisinart Smart Stick comes as a simple blender stick with a beaker, but no whisk. Despite not having a whisk for whipping egg whites, it excels at making mayonnaise even pipping the LINKChef Hand Blender to the post. The Cuisinart actually out-blends the LINKChef in all tasks, while the LINKChef is dismal at frozen fruit smoothies and only mediocre at almond milk and hot soup purees. 

No surprisingly, the Cuisinart shows superior build quality and design fundamentals. Despite this, the Cuisinart does have fundamental ease-of-use issues. The safety mechanism and the button locations make easy access during blender cumbersome. There is also a significant suction force and food often gets stuck between the blades. For the LINKChef, the buttons are somewhat stiff and the shaft is prone to heavy vibrating. All in all, there are better blenders to choose from.

Ranking by
Showing: 2/2 Items

Pros & Cons

  • Powerful enough for a wide range of tasks
  • The ergonomically-designed handle makes the blender easier to maneuver  
  • The included 24-oz beaker allows for easy gripping and drip-free pouring
  • The release button is really helpful during assembly and disassembly  
  • The specially designed blade can be used to emulsify sauces
  • Sufficient motor power suitable for basic tasks
  • Extensive selection of speed options
  • Solid, mid-level construction quality
  • Array of adaptable accessories
  • The stainless steel blending shaft will damage non-stick coatings
  • Fairly complicated to use
  • The blade guard doesn’t prevent splashing very well
  • Susceptibility to scratches
  • Overwhelming suction strength

Key Specs

Dimensions HW
15.6 x 2.3 inches
H 16 x W2.8 inches
Weight
1.3 lbs (0.6 kg)
1.7 lbs (0.8 kg)
Number of speeds
2
20
Pulse/Turbo option
No
Yes
Min speed
11,670 RPM
A beaker, ice crush blade, storage bracket, whisk, food processor, and milk frother attachments
Max speed
12,660 RPM
Yes

Where to Buy

Price at publication
$46.56
$30.61

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Analysis and Test Results

Performance

Overall Performance Scoring
7.4
5.2

Hot Soup Purée

7.0
6.5
Scooping a spoon of pureéd soup made by the  Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender from a plastic beaker.
Scooping a spoon of pureéd soup made by the  Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender from a plastic beaker.
Cuisinart CSB-175BKQVC Hot Soup Test
A batch of soup pureéd by the Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender is checked for smoothness by being drained through a stainless steel mesh strainer.
Scooping a spoon of pureéd soup produced by the LINKchef from the plastic beaker to check its smoothness.
Scooping a spoon of pureéd soup produced by the LINKchef from the plastic beaker to check its smoothness.
A batch of soup pureéd by the LINKchef immersion blender is checked for smoothness by being drained through a stainless steel mesh strainer.
Pureeing Time
30 seconds
30 seconds
Result
Silky chunky
Chunky
Suction
Slightly
Tightly

Frozen Fruit Smoothie

7.5
0.0
A plastic beaker containing a batch of green smoothie whose parts are scooped with a stainless steel spoon is between the Cuisinart’s motor body and a smartphone displaying the total blending time (1 minute and 21 seconds).
A plastic beaker containing a batch of green smoothie whose parts are scooped with a stainless steel spoon is between the Cuisinart’s motor body and a smartphone displaying the total blending time (1 minute and 21 seconds).
Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick Smoothie
After finishing blending, the green smoothie made by the Cuisinart Smart Stick was spread evenly throughout a white paper to check for solid chunks.
A hand holding a spoonful of a chunky, unevenly blended green and orange mixture above the LINKchef immersion blender, demonstrating the results of a failed frozen fruit smoothie test with the LINKchef blender.
A hand holding a spoonful of a chunky, unevenly blended green and orange mixture above the LINKchef immersion blender, demonstrating the results of a failed frozen fruit smoothie test with the LINKchef blender.
Top-down view of a partially blended mixture in a glass container.
Blending Time
1 min 20 secs
Failed
Result
Slightly Coarse
Failed
Suction
Slightly
Slightly

Mayonnaise

9.3
9.0
Scooping a spoon of mayonnaise from a full batch emulsified in a white bowl by the Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender.
Scooping a spoon of mayonnaise from a full batch emulsified in a white bowl by the Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender.
Cuisinart CSB-175BKQVC Smart Stick Mayonnaise
A mayonnaise preparation using a LinkChef immersion blender, with a timer tracking the blending duration.
A mayonnaise preparation using a LinkChef immersion blender, with a timer tracking the blending duration.
A Close-Up  of The LINKchef Mayonnaise
Emulsifying Time
1 min 10 secs
1 min 35 secs
Result
Smooth
Smooth
Suction
Yes
Yes

Almond Milk

9.0
7.5
A white plate of almond pulp and a bowl of milk produced by theLINKchef stick blender within 1 minute and 20 seconds.
Grinding Time
40 secs
1 min 20 secs
Result
Fine
Smooth
Suction
Tightly
Tightly

Whipped Egg-Whites

0.0
9.0
The blending wand of the Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick  is immersed in a plastic beaker on a white table containing its failed beaten egg-white with a smartphone next to it.
The plastic beaker containing beaten egg-white of the LINKchef immersion blender is put upside down on the table;  a smartphone displaying 1 minute and 45 seconds by its sides.
Beating Time
N/A
2 minutes
Result
N/A
Stiff
Suction
N/A
No

Design

Overall Design Scoring
8.5
7.5

In the Box

Owner’s manuals, blending wand, motor body, plastic beaker, paper carton box being side by side.
The LINKchef immersion blender and its accessories.

Dimensions

The Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-speed hand blender standing on top of its blending shaft on a gray table, with the length of the blending shaft being noted to the side as 8.4 inches, and the total length of the unit as 15.6 inches.
The LINKchef hand-held blender standing on a table, with the length of its blending shaft being noted to the side as 8.2 inches, and the total length of the unit as 16 inches.
Height
15.6" (39.6 cm)
16.0" (40.6 cm)
Width
2.3" (5.8 cm)
2.8" (7.1 cm)
Weight
1.6 lbs (0.7 kg)
1.7 lbs (0.8 kg)
Length
Shaft Length
8.4" (21.3 cm)
8.2" (20.8 cm)

Build Quality

8.5
7.0
The motor body and blending wand of the Cuisinart Smart Stick two-speed hand blender lying flat on a yellow table.
A close-up of the blending wand, milk frother, and motor housing of the LINKchef immersion blender.

Speed and Controls

A close-up of two speed controlling buttons and a speed dial on top of the Cuisinart’s motor body.
A close-up of the LINKchef’s front buttons
A close-up of the LINKchef’s front buttons
A close-up of the LINKchef’s top-mounted dial.
Activation
Press
Press-button & speed dial
Min Speed
11,670 RPM
N/A
Max Speed
12,660 RPM
N/A
Presets
No
No
Noise Level
80 dB
N/A
Digital Display
No
No
Pulse Mode
No
Yes

Blending Shaft

8.0
7.5
A close-up of the Cuisinart CSB-175 Smart Stick Stainless Steel Blade
A Close-Up of the LINKchef Blade Assembly
Material
Stainless steel
Stainless steel
Type
Sharp Blade
Sharp Blade
Guard Material
Metal
Stainless steel
Blade Count
2
2
Removable
No
Yes
Dishwasher Safe
No
Yes

Beaker

10
10
A 24-oz plastic beaker of the Cuisinart Smart stick standing on a yellow table.
A Close-up of the LINKchef beaker.
Material
Plastic
Plastic
Capacity
24.0 fl oz (709.8 ml)
27 oz
Measurements
Yes
Yes
Weight
3.8 oz (108 g)
Height
6.5" (16.5 cm)
Dishwasher Safe
Yes
Yes
Tamper Included
No
No

Power Cord

10
10
The Cuisinart Smart Stick Immersion Blender on a gray table with its power cord rolled up next to it.
A Close-up of the LINKchef power cord.
Cord Length
6.0 ft (1.8 m)
5.1 ft (1.6 m)
Type
2-prong plug
2-prong plug
Detachable
No
No

Extra Accessories

A close-up of the LINKchef whisk attachment.
Material
N/A
Stainless steel
Dishwasher Safe
N/A
Yes
Removable
N/A
Yes

Usability

Overall Usability Scoring
7.8
7.1

Ease of Use

7.6
6.3

Handling

8.0
8.0
Someone uses two hands to control the Cuisinart Smart Stick immersion blender: one for holding the handle and pressing the controlling buttons at the same time, the other for rotating the speed dial.
Someone is holding the LINKchef’s handle.

Blade Assembly

9.0
8.5

Cleanability

7.5
8.5