A blender is a relatively simple machine—a blade, a jar, a couple of buttons that get everything going. If used properly, it can whip up smoothies, puree soups, and even blend nut butters. But use it ...

I recently purchased a stick blender. The mechanism suctions itself to the bottom of the pot and it’s pretty hard to move the thing around. If I tilt it so I can move it around then I get splashed ...