Written by: Amy Moolten
Do you ever wish you could whip creamy froth atop a hot chocolate or some fresh strawberries guilt-free? Have you said to your local barista, “I’ll have the no whip, non-fat”, when your inner glutton was crying out for the full fat alternative? If so, there may be a way for you to have your whip and eat it too! With the Cuisinart CSB-77 Smart Stick Hand Blender with Whisk and Chopper Attachments, I benefit from significant cost savings and a fit figure while enjoying skim frothed cappuccino daily at home sans the additional fat and calories.
The Cuisinart CSB-77 Smart Stick Hand Blender with Whisk and Chopper Attachments is a 200 watt motor hand blender that is lightweight, easy to clean, easy to use, and a real space and time saver with very few parts to assemble or clean. Thanks to the protective blade guard, I’ve noticed fewer spills and splatters than I was accustomed to when using a traditional bowl and blender. When I first received the Cuisinart Smart Stick as a Christmas gift, I was unimpressed and tossed it swiftly into my most unreachable cupboard amid much dust and a slew of orphaned appliances such as the Quesadilla maker and the salad spinner. Then, one day, my sister invited me for coffee and whipped up some reduced calorie strawberry shortcake and a cappuccino frothed to delightful proportions via the Cuisinart Smart Stick.
Given the thick, creamy, texture of the delicious beverage, I was surprised to find out I was drinking skim froth atop my caffeinated treat. Better yet, my shortcake dessert was topped with whipped skim as well. Once exposed to the reduced calorie smorgasbord at the hands of the Cuisinart CSB-77 Smart Stick Hand Blender, the rest was history. Out came the hand blender to frolic as a resident atop the sunlit counter, never to see dust again.
While I continue to use the Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender primarily for my daily reduced calorie fix of full froth cappuccino, it can also be used for making purees and soups and comes with an attachment for chopping and mincing. I don’t find it quite as savvy for use in larger, heavier mixing adventures such as cake making and other more significant baking endeavors.For larger events requiring more significant mixing, you may prefer the traditional bowl and blender or a higher powered mixer in the 400 – 500 watt range. At 200 watts, the Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender is intended for simple batches and quick blending, and it certainly lives up to its promise.
You can purchase the Cuisinart CSB-77 Smart Stick Hand Blender with Whisk and Chopper Attachments for $44.99 at Amazon.com. At $44.99, it is a reasonably priced find, mid-range among its competitors. Some comparable products include: the Juiceman HB0001S Stainless Steel Hand Blender with Accessories at $54.99, or if you are a non-chef like me whose most exquisite entrée preparations range from toast to a microwave dinner, you can try the Cuisinart CSB-76 SmartStick 200-Watt Immersion Hand Blender, without the dicing and chopping capabilities and attachments, for only $29.95. Of course, you can always fall back on your good old fashioned handy blender and mixing bowl for all of your whipping needs, but this is a more costly investment for the non-baker and often requires a very time consuming preparation and cleaning experience. If you are a health conscious consumer always on the go, $30 – $50 for a Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender is well worth the investment!