If you’re just getting into soap making, you’ve probably already discovered that there’s a long list of equipment needed to do it right. However, no single piece plays as important a role as your immersion blender. It not only affects the quality of your finished product but can even simplify the process and make it safer. That’s why choosing the right one is so important.
The best immersion blender for making soap needs to have a durable build made of the right materials for the job. Power, control, ergonomics, and overall design are all crucial factors that separate the best blenders from the rest.
Take a look at some of the top soap-making stick blenders below, or learn more about the different factors we considered when compiling our list.
Comparing Top Products
There’s a wide variety of great soap-making immersion blenders out there, but only a handful that we consider the best of the best. See our top picks below.
Mueller Ultra-Stick 500 Watt
What we liked:
- Full stainless steel body
- Comes with two extra blending attachments
- 9 speeds
What we didn’t like:
- A bit loud
- On the heavy side
Material is one of the most important factors when choosing a soap-making blender since lye can eat away at certain metals. Luckily, the Mueller Ultra Stick 500 Watt is made almost entirely of stainless steel, protecting the full length of the blender. Of course, the stainless steel exterior does add a bit of extra weight, but at just over 2 lbs, most people should have no trouble handling it.
Aside from its stainless steel construction, this blender is also highly versatile. It’s equipped with 9 speeds and a turbo mode to ensure you get exactly the consistency you want when blending your soap batter. It also comes with a whisk and a second mixing attachment. The 9-speed options are easily toggled with the two buttons on the top of the handle.
Braun MultiQuick 5
What we liked:
- Highly durable motor
- Slip-proof grip
- Splash-control design
What we didn’t like:
- On the expensive side
- Narrow blending bell
Soap-making doesn’t come without its dangers, which is why it always pays to take every precaution. The Braun MultiQuick 5 is the perfect choice for the safety-conscious, with its splash control design that saves your skin and your kitchen countertops. You can see its innovative engineering in the spiral-shaped blending bell. This helps reduce splashing and keeps all your ingredients where you want them.
On the downside, the blending bell has an elongated shape which in some ways is unideal for soap making. It has a tendency to trap air bubbles, which may affect the consistency of your soap batter.
Overall, it’s a quality blender with a powerful motor, sleek design, and a slip-proof grip which helps improve safety even more. It may cost a little extra than some of the other options, but that added quality is well worth the investment.
Ovente Electric Immersion Hand Blender
What we liked:
- Highly affordable
- Wide blending bell
- Durable design
What we didn’t like:
- Only two blending speeds
- 300 watts
Not all quality immersion blenders need to break your budget. As long as you shop carefully, you can find a quality option that satisfies all your needs. The Ovente Electric Immersion Hand Blender doesn’t have all the functions of some more expensive hand blenders, though it’s quality made and is perfectly suited to making soap.
The biggest drawback is the fact that it only has two blending speeds. However, if you’re planning on using this as your dedicated soap blender, you won’t need more than that. In fact, some may appreciate the pared-down design and simple controls that let you toggle from high to low in a second.
Its simplified design is also easy to clean with smooth contours that can be wiped down in a single swipe. The blending rod can detach and be cleaned in the dishwasher. Overall, it’s an ideal choice if you’re looking for a quick buy to complete your soap-making supply list.
Vitamix Immersion Blender
What we liked:
- 5 variable speed settings
- Dishwasher-safe
- Simple twist-lock assembly
What we didn’t like:
- Plastic components on blending bell
If you’re planning on spending a lot of time making soap, it’s a good idea to invest in a machine that is made to last. The Vitamix Immersion Blender has a highly durable, fully stainless-steel body that is perfectly suited to making soap and a wide range of other tasks.
The best thing this blender has going for it is its powerful 625-watt motor. This lets you blend your soap mixture in a flash and get smoother, most consistent results. The blending guard helps ensure your blender doesn’t scratch the bottom of your bowl. It’s convenient, though worth noting that the guard itself is made of plastic. It won’t react with lye, though it may begin to show wear with extended use.
In addition to its raw power, it also includes 5 variable speed settings, which gives you the perfect amount of control without overwhelming you with options. When you’re done using it, use the twist-lock assembly to detach the blending rod and throw it in the dishwasher.
KitchenAid Variable Speed Hand Blender
What we liked:
- Blending bell won’t trap air bubbles
- Comes with 3 cup blending jar
- Cordless option available
What we didn’t like:
- Analog speed control
The KitchenAid Variable Speed Hand Blender has a lot going for it, including a well-designed blending bell that’s ideal for soap making, several add-on features that help improve its versatility, and a range of colors to help customize your look. All in all, these features make it a great choice for just about anyone.
The blending bell is especially well designed. It includes openings all around the perimeter to allow air bubbles to escape during the blending process. This makes it ideal for soap-making when you’re trying to craft the perfect consistency. The bell and entire blending rod are made of stainless steel, meaning they’re not reactive with lye or other soap-making ingredients.
The blending jar is another nice touch. While it’s not large enough to make a full batch of soap, it can certainly be helpful when measuring out ingredients.
Best Stick Blender for Making Soap– Buyers Guide
Soap making requires a certain type of blender to do right, so make sure to look for all of these factors:
Material
By far, the most important factor to consider when choosing a hand blender for making soap is material. The reason is simple, some metals react with lye and will quickly erode if used for soap making.
Luckily, stainless steel is perfectly safe as it is non-reactive with lye. Just make sure that all the components–shaft, bell, blade, and seals are all stainless steel. Generally, a plastic handle and controls are considered safe. Plastic doesn’t react with lye, though soap making can be pretty hard on a blender, and too many plastic components probably mean your blender isn’t durable enough for the process.
Ergonomic Design
This one’s both a safety and quality of life issue. As you may know, there are plenty of safety precautions that go into making soap, and all of them should be followed closely. However, none of them are as important as having a blender that’s easy to control and keep a firm grip on.
Unlike making tomato soup, blending soap uses ingredients that can seriously damage your skin from even a small splash. That means you want absolute control over your blender at all times. A soft grip and an ergonomic handle can help with this, as does a smart button layout, which will prevent you from accidentally switching settings.
Shallow Bell Shape
Bell shape may seem like a small detail at first, but after you have a bit of experience making soap, you’ll see that it can have a drastic impact on the finished product. The reason has to do with one of the final steps of soap making, just before your batter is poured into molds. Part of the immersion blender’s job here is to remove air bubbles from the mixture so none remain in the final bar of soap. As it turns out, some blenders are better for this than others.
Blenders with deeper, more rounded bells tend to trap more air than ones with shallower shapes. This air gets circulated back into the mixture, creating additional bubbles. That’s why it’s better to stick with a shallow bell shape, which has slots cut into the sides to allow air pockets to escape.
Attachments
The main attachment you’re going to use when making soap is the standard one–a long, stainless steel shaft with a bell and blade on the end. This will let you get an even mixture while minimizing the risk of it coming into contact with your skin. However, many immersion blenders come with a few extra attachments, which can be handy during the process.
A whisk attachment is great when you’re looking to mix quickly without actually breaking down your ingredients and blending them. Also, many soap makers have opinions about wider or narrower bell shapes, so having an alternative may give you an advantage.
Power
While making soap doesn’t demand the same level of power as making hummus or nut butter, you still want to make sure you have enough wattage to make an even blend. For an immersion blender, this is around 500 watts.
The advantages of greater power include smoother blends, faster blending time, and a lower chance of your blender burning out. When low-power blenders are used with thick mixes, the motor will struggle and eventually give up.
Variable Speed Control
If power determines how well your blender performs under strain, your speed control is what lets you put that power to its most efficient use. Novice soap makers have a tendency to want to run their blender on the highest setting throughout the whole process. However, the truth is that using different speeds can actually be easier on your blender and give you better results.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to choose a stick blender that has at least a high and low setting. However, as many as five settings can be a good idea.
You also want to pay attention to how these settings are toggled. Unlike a countertop blender, immersion blenders need to be held and controlled at the same time. That means you want a button layout that can be easily managed even while your hands are full.
Cleaning and Maintenance
When making soap, it’s important that ingredients are added in precise amounts and in a controlled manner. That means starting with perfectly clean equipment every time. The problem is that many immersion blender designs have tons of nooks and crannies that can take some real time when cleaned by hand.
To get around the hassle, it’s a good idea to look for an option that is dishwasher safe. This usually means sticking with blenders that have detachable heads made of stainless steel.
Choosing the Best Hand Blender for Making Soap
Depending on what your priorities are, you may prefer any of the five blender models listed in our Top Products section. However, if you’re looking for a recommendation that stands a hair taller than the rest, it would have to be the Mueller Ultra Stick.
Despite its low price, this immersion blender by Mueller delivers on quality and innovative design. Its fully stainless steel body is essential for soap making, while its wide blending bell helps prevent excess air bubbles from getting in your batter. Plus, it’s so affordable almost anyone can take advantage of it.
Whether you try this blender for yourself or decide to pick up one of the others on our list, you can count on them to simplify your soap-making experience.
