<p>We had bad luck with rechargeable immersion blenders: they would not hold a charge. We have a plug in kind and it works well and is not as inconvenient to use as I thought it could be.</p>
<p>I’m also the person who had an electric hedge trimmer and cut through the cord on the first use. I’ve never had an issue with it running out of power. But mine is also a heavy duty one I got for Christmas last year. I make a lot of soup so it’s nice to not have to transfer liquids to a food processor or blender. </p>
<p>I bought a cheap one at Kmart because I was in a jam, then got a Cuisinart as a gift. I do like that one better. I use it mostly for soups and it is pretty good at getting the job done. I am a kitchen gadget junky and next on my list is a le creuset enameled cast iron pot for braising. I also started out with a cheap version to see if I would like it. I do , but it already had the knob come off of the lid…and while researching, I found that le creuset doesn’t recommend using immersion blenders in their products ( can damage the enamel )</p>
<p>I love mine!! (Am going to get one for a shower gift for neice that is getting married in a couple of months). I think it is a cheap one from BB and B. Came with a couple of attachments too. Use it for soups, milkshakes & smoothies and salad dressings (really emulsifies the oil!).</p>
<p>The cord has never been a problem. It depends on where your outlets are and if you intend to use it outside or the like</p>
<p>I have the Cuisinart 2-speed Smart Stick hand blender. I love the little chopper attachment, perfect for small amounts. The cord is long enough to use in a pot on my stove if I want a soup to be a little less chunky. </p>
<p>I checked ours: Kitchen-Aid, speeds vary by twisting up to 9, whatever that means, and comes with the chopper and whisk. In terms of smoothness of final product, nothing matches a vitamix or blender equivalent; those make super silky restaurant quality stuff.</p>