Customer Reviews

Braun MR430HC Multiquick Deluxe Hand Blender & Chopper

5 star:		(201)
4 star:		(71)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(20)
1 star:		(38)

 

 

Here's an instance of bad luck turned good; we moved and of course, the box of kitchen stuff failed to turn up and my older model Braun hand blender was gone. I had to purchase a new one, so I got another Braun because I loved my old one.

Well, this is certainly an improved model over the one I bought 10 years ago. IMMENSELY improved, and I love it so much I am, well, looking for things to beat up. Like pureed vegetable soups, frozen yogurt mix for the freezer, you name it.

Here's what has been made so much better:

1. The attachments that used to come with the Braun were run by the actual cutting blade. With this model, you can remove the blade portion of the stalk and screw the motor shaft onto the mini-chopper or whisk. I just love that!! The older chopper was hard to use because you had to hold it carefully in the socket designed for the blade to run the shaft. That's not a problem here --now the shaft of the blades are directly connected to the motor. A huge improvement.

2. The removable stalk means you can thoroughly clean the blade portion without worrying about submersing the motor part (a no-no for any electrical appliance.)

3. Because the motor is able to be detached from the blades, it is now more powerful--before, the motor seemed "dumbed down" to be able to run the mini-chopper. This new model motor kicks serious batter. In fact, it is so strong, make SURE YOU HAVE IT SUBMERGED in the puree before you run it or you will be spewing gazpacho all over your white kitchen. (I made gazpacho. I have a white kitchen. I know whereof I speak.)

4. The price, for this gem, is incredible. You get a whisk, a mini-chopper, the blender and a mixing beaker and a hanger for the wall if you want to mount it.

5. The one bad point: the motor is VERY strong, so if you have muscular weakness, carpal tunnel syndrome, or some kind of disability that challenges your hand control, I would recommend the variable speed model which goes from slow to fast. It is more money, but if you are physically challenged, it will prevent you from splashing hot soup as you puree it in the pot.

Otherwise, I can't recommend this enough. It is the most-used item I have in my kitchen.

No, I'm not kidding. This handy little guy has saved me counter space, time and cleaning up. I am able to make cakes, muffins, great tasting pure fruit juices in an instant. I thought that this little gadget wouldn't be able to live up to its promise, but it's proved me wrong. I bought it out of desperation, after my Moulinex broke down. The first thought in my head was "what about counter space?" Well, Mr. Braun made sure he left nothing out. Because of his great mind, the device comes with a wall mounting so you don't have to clutter your counter with clumsy top-heavy things.

I read in a review for this product that it doesn't last. What could possibly be wrong with this when you need to chop something really fast? Like any normal person, I use the device, clean it and put it away. Simple as that! You can even go as far as using it and putting it back in the box. That is what I did up til the time the wall mount was set up.

Now I can watch my weight, drink homemade milkshakes, and chop away at those tear jerking onions without shedding a single tear.
And, when I'm done, I just rinse everything in the sink and clip it back onto the wall til the next time.
No more fuss having to make the perfect omelet either. With the handy wire whisk, you'll have a nice fluffy omelet in no time.

Watch out for how much pressure you apply to the speed accelerator button, because you may find your cake mix blending in pretty well with the paint on your wall. In that case, avoid using a shallow bowl. Use a deeper mixing bowl, bigger than the size recommended for your ingredients.

Happy cooking! Hope my review helped you.

I have the previous generation of this product which is a bit different but does the same things. It was received as a bridal shower gift about 7 years ago & it has been the most handy kitchen tool used in my kitchen.

The chopping container is GREAT for chopping nuts. You control the courseness of chopping by how long you hold the button down. Great for mincing onions too. I even mixed up confectioner's sugar icing in it with great results. (I used to get sugar lumps in my icing.) It's like having a mini food processor.

The wand is very handy for diet drinks or anything you want to mix thouroughy to avoid lumps. Easy to clean.

Overall - I give this product 2 thumbs up for it's convenience...versatility & practicality.

We bought this a while back, and it's become such an automatic and indispensible tool that I wonder how I managed without it. Actually, I know how I managed without it. I reached under the cabinet and assembled either the Food Processor or the Blender. Mixed or diced what I needed and then tossed the appliance parts into the sink, dreading the thought of *washing* all those bits. The end result: a lot of needless time and labor invested just to puree a soup or chop up a few onions, and a grumpy cook facing a sink full of frikken blender parts. With this hand blender I have far fewer parts to wash, and they are easier to manage. For bigger jobs I still have the Processor and Blender, but this is wonderfiul for all those little jobs that aren't worth such an investment.

It's a sort of mini blender, one that goes right into the soup pot. It's got a wisk attachment, and a little hopper with a blade that dices veggies (especially onions) very well. (They call this attachment a spice grinder, but I still use my mortar and pestle for that. It would probably grind coffee pretty well though.) It seems primarily designed for soups, but I've found lots of tasks for it in other areas.

The only time this little item has let me down is when I tried to use it to make milkshakes. It just isn't suited for the task. It blends too fast, melting the ice cream, and resulting in a thin shake. I think the enclosed blade doesn't help in that case, because it has to suck the shake down through small holes to reach the blade, while in a traditional blender, the blade is open to what you are mixing, chunking the stuff up more. So the normal blender is still better to get a nice thick shake. But the hand blender would probably still work well for smoothies that do not involve too much ice.

I've had mine for two years and use both the mini-chopper and blender attachment daily. I've been completely satisfied with the performance of both. My standard blender is now used only for jobs that involve ice chopping. The hand blender does a superb job of producing perfectly silky textured soups, directly in the pot, and frappes, directly in the beaker. The chopper is ideal for finely and evenly mincing garlic and herbs, to which I often add olive oil and vinegar to the bowl for an easy salad dressing. The motor part isn't in the line of fire (so to speak). It never gets dirty so clean-up is quick, since it only involves the small, simple attachments.

I've had stick blenders for many years and use them constantly. Their particular talents are those the other reviewers have noted. I am single and love using mine for small, one-portion things. And, of course, the ability to use it at the range. The chopper is indeed superb for chopping nuts, and also fresh spices and herbs. However, for larger portions, or heavier-duty blending, a full-size blender is still the best. Both appliances exist side-by-side in my kitchen, and both get lots of use. As with all small appliances, give yourself time to learn the hand blender's techniques, and you will be amply repaid with its convenience. If possible, try to find a copy of Braun's hand blender cookbook, now out of print--it's superb!

Well, I'm sure they survived, but it wouldn't have been pretty! You'd be amazed how handy it is to take the blender to the food rather than the food to the blender! I love the way it eliminates the lumps in tomato soup. Plus, they're great for chopping spices or nuts, or small things you don't want to drag out the food processor for. And whipped cream is a snap! I've never had a problem with my Braun hand blender, and I've used it for years. Would make a great gift for students moving away from home for the first time.

I love the Braun Multiquick line. I have an earlier incarnation of the Braun MBC550 and I loved it dearly. I used it for everything from morning milkshakes to applesauce to chutney. When the blending attachment got lost in moving, I ordered this one, thinking it would be easier to replace the entire thing than find someone who carried the old attachments.

Unfortunately, I was wrong. This model has incredibly shoddy construction, and is a much inferior product. I don't dare use it for most of the things I used my 550 for; it would break. Instead of a metal blending attachment, the blender part is hollow plastic with only a very small gasket holding the drive shaft in place. Also, instead of snapping tightly onto the motor part, it loosely screws in place. I am constantly afraid that it'll come loose.

I don't dare use it in hot liquids for fear of cracking the plastic, so the applesauce and mashed potatoes I made with its predecessor are right out. I don't dare use it vigorously, because I'm afraid it'll either break or the blender will come unscrewed. I've had it unscrew on me several times now while trying to make milkshakes, and I don't want a still-rotating blade set flying around my bowl. The only plus I can find is that it's easier to wash -- there is no real "inside the shaft" that has to be drained carefully.

The whisk and the chopper attachments share the problem that they come off the motor part far too easily, but they tend to be significantly less dangerous in this case. I actually slightly prefer this chopper to the chopper that came with the 550, but not enough to make up for the blender. The whisk is significantly less useful when it comes off all the time -- just blending eggs can be vigorous enough for it to fall off -- but it's still a nice accessory. However, they come standard with Braun Multiquick products, and the MBC550 actually has more attachments and toys than this one.

I'm surprised at the shoddiness of this product. It is significantly below my 550, for which I only paid $20 more. If you can find an old 550 or if you can afford the newer MBC550, do so. Even the MC550 (which is still plastic) is probably better than this. Buy this product only at your own risk. As a side note, I found out that Braun carries replacement parts for up to 10 years, so if it does break, you might be in luck (I replaced the blending attachment for my 550 and I'm happy again).

But do buy a Braun Multiquick; they're the best ones out there. The other manufacturers just don't measure up.

This is my favourite wedding gift (along with 10 of my favourite recipes). THis little gadget is a workhorse. Plunk it in the pot of simmering soup (carefully) and puree a little or a lot. Make it a cream of soup without adding cream. 2 pts of salsa without any chopping in under a minute. Shakes with frozen fruit (ice cubes don't work quite as well) in about 25 secs. Mom, the "don't give me a gadget ever" owns 2 (can't be without one even at the cottage) and uses the chopper attachment for her own dressings and instant garlic or ginger puree. I grind spices. THe chopper attachment is essential. However, I am yet to find a real purpose to for the whisk attachment but 101 uses for this handblender overall: rinse off and back in the drawer. No mess, no fuss. Dishwasher safe.Plenty of power (Make sure 200 wt plus like this model). No problems with any of the 5 I have bought for various people. Have used other manufacturer models and felt like I was using a glorified spoon unless they are very high end (read expensive). I threw out the blender long ago.

This is one of the best kitchen appliances I have ever bought. I love mixing little fruit drinks, but often just didn't because I hate the clean up of my big blender. This blender blends just as well (and I think even better) than my big blender and is so easy to clean. I love this product!