KOIOS 4-In-1 Hand Blender In-depth Review
Overall Verdict
There’s not much to disparage about the KOIOS 4-in-1 hand blender, given its inexpensive price. Of all of the low-range blenders we tested, it is the only one that doesn’t feel cheap or particularly flimsy. While it certainly isn’t a high-performance machine, it allows for consistent use and is really good at light-duty tasks like making whole-food combinations, emulsifying basic sauces, and pureeing baby food. It’s unclear if this blender can stand up against years of use, but for the most part, we're satisfied with its current efficiency.
Things We Like
- The motor doesn’t vibrate as violently as others.
- Extra attachments are included for a wider range of tasks.
- It is easy to attach, remove, and clean the blending accessories.
- The silicone buttons are responsive.
- Its durability is backed up by a 2-year warranty.
- We don't have to sacrifice efficiency for a bargain.
Things We Don’t Like
- The blade guard can cause damage to the cookware’s surface.
- The motor rating is 400 watts rather than its advertised rating of 800 watts.
We tested a variety of hand-held blenders that are on the market today and especially recommend this blender for low-budget buyers. Sold at a bargain-basement price, the KOIOS 4-in-1 is not the best performer, but it impressed us with its reliable performance and a medium-quality construction. You can see for yourself how it performed in all our tests below.
7.9 Performance: Good Enough
The KOIOS 4-in-1 wasn’t designed for powerful performance, but it passed all of our tests without much difficulty. As you might assume, a low-range hand blender won’t churn out velvety results, but all the blends were definitely better than we expected.
7.5 Hot Soup Purée
None of the low-range blenders we tested could yield the silkiest puree in 30 seconds, but we think the KOIOS’ results will still be acceptable to most home cooks. In particular, the soup looked silky but when we ran it through a strainer, too many tiny bits were left behind. Nevertheless, we were still satisfied with this blender, given its consistency and smooth operation. Just in case you’re expecting for silky, restaurant-quality pureés, we recommend the Vitamix 5-speed.
7.8 Frozen Fruit Smoothie
The manufacturer recommends this blender not be used to process frozen fruits. That fact made us skeptical about its overall capability. After much deliberation, we decided to stick to the initial plan, putting it through our frozen smoothie test anyway. To our surprise, its result was nearly the same as that produced by the Vitamix 5-speed immersion blender.
In less than a minute and a half, it churned out a frozen smoothie that was flavorful enough to entice our taste buds. The drink didn’t have a velvety smoothness; it was a bit grainy since the kale wasn’t entirely liquified. Despite that, it was still a sweet, creamy combination that we loved to sip on.
9.8 Mayonnaise
The KOIOS made short work of incorporating egg yolks and canola oil, churning out a harmonious texture in just over one minute. Apart from being one of the fastest, it was also among the few blenders in our test that produced exceptionally smooth emulsification. Our mayonnaise came out thick, creamy, and spreadable. For such a low-priced hand blender, this performance could hardly have been better.
7.5 Almond Milk
It was simple and easy to put together all the ingredients for a preservative-free milk using the KOIOS. Since this blender ground the nuts pretty evenly, our drink came out silky and creamy. That said, blending didn’t run smoothly; the blending beaker was too small, causing the liquid to overflow every time we moved the blender around.
If you intend to buy the KOIOS for drink preparation, don’t use the beaker that is included in its set.
7.0 Whipped Egg-Whites
The KOIOS’s whisk attachment worked well — we got the perfect meringue out of the egg whites we beat with the whisk attachment. Its metal wires are bouncy and agile, so they’re flexible enough for whipping and fluffing. However, we can’t say for sure whether those wires will hold up to thick batters for bread doughs or baked cakes.
On a pragmatic note, the whole beating process lasted nearly 3 minutes, but it didn’t cause hand fatigue like some models, namely the Mueller Ultra-Stick or the BELLA 10-speed. We felt entirely comfortable in that prolonged operation, from start to finish. Indeed, using this blender for preparing airy, creamy desserts will help you stay creative without springing for an expensive specialty device.
7.6 Design: Practical Simplicity
Nothing is particularly unique in the KOIOS 4-in-1’s design, but common features like the stainless steel blades and control buttons are built well enough to make the blender itself stand out.
In the Box
- Motor body
- Blending shaft
- Whisk attachment
- Food processor
- Beaker
- User manual
In addition to a blending wand, this blender also comes with a beaker, a whisk attachment, and a food processor to enhance its versatility.
Dimensions
Like all the light-duty immersion blenders we tested, the KOIOS 4-in-1 is well balanced. It is compact, portable, and has a long blending shaft that can be immersed in even a deep pot.
7.5 Build Quality
Made of medium-quality plastic reinforced with brushed stainless steel, the KOIOS’ body feels relatively solid (but it doesn’t look as sleek as the higher-priced models). Unlike the BELLA 10-speed, it showed no scratches after our course of testing. So far, we haven’t noticed any damage on the exterior; our blender still looks shiny and brand new.
There is a special inner rotary core fixed in the blending shaft that’s different from most immersion blenders in this price range. Thanks to this add-on, the tools are easy to attach to the motor body. Not only that, but they also latch securely in place, unlike the Muller Ultra-Stick that occasionally let go of its whisk.
10 Beaker
The KOIOS’ beaker has a small 20-oz capacity with measurements in both milliliters and fluid ounces. As a nice bonus, it sports a flared base to ensure stability.
Speed and Controls
We often feel a bit awkward with blenders that control speed with top-mounted dials; it’s really challenging to move the blending wand, adjust its speed, and hold the beaker at the same time. With the KOIOS, however, that isn’t an issue.
Our 4-in-1 machine offers 12 speed options and a Turbo function. It’s all controlled using two buttons and a dial. While the front controls are extremely responsive, the dial lets us switch between various speed settings with ease and this is partly because the blender itself runs very smoothly.
In particular, throughout each of our tests, we noticed that its motor didn’t vibrate too violently. This helped reduce the overall impact on the beaker and kept it stable rather than constantly jumping around the countertop. In other words, we didn’t need to hold the beaker throughout the whole job, so it wasn’t a problem to dial in the speed with a spare hand.
However, if you find it hard to adjust the dial, you can always just hit the turbo mode. That sends the blender into its highest speed immediately.
7.0 Blending Shaft
Made of standard stainless steel plated with titanium, the blade has two prongs: one is sharp and the other is dull. Its relatively fragile construction means it isn’t intended for tough ingredients like ice cubes or coffee beans, but it’s still tough enough to handle whole-food combinations.
Unlike most other blenders with lobed or angular guards, this one’s blade guard is shaped like a parabolic arch. This special design allows us to easily reach the blade’s backside for cleaning. The vaulted slope also doesn’t trap food the way others do, so we never had to stop and dislodge debris with a spoon.
The blade guard is also designed to reduce splattering, and it’s really up to the job. However, due to its metal construction and sharp edges, it left marks on the beaker even when we blended very carefully.
10 Power Cord
The power cord is long enough that you won’t feel constrained. It has a small loop that is meant to keep the blender organized.
Extra Accessories: Whisk Attachment
This whisk attachment is moderately good at certain tasks like beating egg whites, whipping cream, and making emulsified sauces. Compared with other low-priced hand blenders such as the BELLA 10-speed or the Hamilton, its polished stainless steel wires feel more sturdy and durable under consistent use.
Extra Accessories: Food Processor
We haven’t conducted tests on this attachment, but the stainless steel S-blade’s construction looks capable of chopping various foods just like any other low-grade food processor.
8.3 Usability
Despite utilizing the same key design features as other low-range blenders such as the Muller Ultra-Stick, the KOIOS 4-in-1 manages to provide a better blending experience.
8.3 Ease of Use
This KOIOS is easier to use than many other blenders not only because of its simple design but also because its buttons are very responsive. The motor’s minimal vibration contributes to the overall usability scores as well. Since the machine itself runs very smoothly, we can maneuver the blender in comfort. It was a pleasant departure after the excessive vibration of some other blenders.
During our testing, we also found that this blender didn’t create suction — a main cause of splattering when you lift it upward for an even blend. As such, we didn’t experience any trouble when speeding up or moving the blending wand, even at the highest speed setting.
8.5 Blade Assembly
This blender comes with accessory ejection buttons on the motor body — a handy add-on giving you more control over the blade detachment process. Just a quick press of these clicky buttons pushes the attachment off of the motor body.
Putting them back is easy as well. Simply align the shaft with the main housing and push until they click and lock into place. There is one thing we really like about this blender’s blade assembly, though: Unlike others, the KOIOS attachments do not need to be rotated to a specific alignment to lock into place.
8.0 Handling
The handle was comfortable to grip in all of the tests. Together with the machine’s minimal weight, its ergonomic design helps stave off hand fatigue, even through long bouts of vigorous blending. It also helped us maintain a grip even when the surface was wet or covered in grease.
8.5 Cleanability
We found the easiest and most effective way to clean the blending wand or any blending attachment was by scrubbing it under running tap water. More often than not, food tailings could be quickly removed, even when they accumulated in the blade’s backsides.