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'The Hunger Games' Prequel Movie: What You Need to Know
'The Hunger Games' Prequel Movie: What You Need to Know
The Hunger Games movie franchise is expanding with a prequel film called The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, based on a 2020 book of the same name by Suzanne Collins. While the Lionsgate flick is still awhile off, a flurry of casting announcements in May and June along with a striking, ice-coated teaser have stoked excitement for the games to begin.
On Aug. 15, The Hollywood Reporter broke the news that award-winning actress Viola Davis will appear alongside previously announced stars Peter Dinklage, Rachel Zegler, Tom Blyth, Josh Andrés Rivera and Hunter Schafer.
The film adaptation is scheduled to hit theaters in November 2023, roughly eight years after Mockingjay Part 2, and follows a younger Coriolanus Snow (Blyth) who mentors District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Zegler). A refresh: We know Snow from past movies as the ruthless president portrayed by Donald Sutherland. The original films brought in more than $3 billion globally, according to Lionsgate. Here's more on the cast, the plot and when we'll be making our official return to Panem.
What is The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes about?
Collins' novel The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is set 64 years before the events of the initial trilogy. According to Lionsgate, the movie will focus in part on the lead up to the 10th Hunger Games. (For reference, Katniss volunteered as tribute for the 74th.) Teenage Snow, not yet the dictatorial ruler he'd turn out to be, senses some opportunity in Baird, the tribute he's given to mentor.
Here's the full Lionsgate synopsis: "Years before he would become the tyrannical president of Panem, 18-year-old Coriolanus Snow is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem's attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor."
It continues: "Uniting their instincts for showmanship and newfound political savvy, Snow and Lucy Gray's race against time to survive will ultimately reveal who is a songbird, and who is a snake."
The fifth film in the Hunger Games franchise will be directed by Francis Lawrence, director of Catching Fire and both Mockingjay films. Michael Lesslie (screenwriter for 2015's Macbeth and 2016's Assassin's Creed) wrote the latest version of the script, working off a draft by Collins and Catching Fire screenwriter Michael Arndt.
The first teaser for Songbirds and Snakes
I have to hand it to the people behind this clip -- it doesn't reveal a smidgen of the actual movie, but it still sucked me back into the world of The Hunger Games. We see what looks like an animated version of the book's cover design. A songbird and snake are covered in frost, but the ice breaks off, revealing a gold coat underneath. "You're invited to return to the games," the onscreen text says. "In 2023, the world will discover who is a songbird and who is a snake."
Who's in the cast?
The Hunger Games prequel film stars Tom Blyth as young Snow and Rachel Zegler as Baird. Blyth plays the titular role in Epix's 2022 Western series Billy the Kid and appeared in an episode of HBO series The Gilded Age. Zegler is known for her starring role in Steven Spielberg's 2021 West Side Story adaptation. She's also set to play Snow White in Disney's live-action version of the animated classic and will be in Shazam sequel Fury of the Gods.
Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis will play Volumnia Gaul, the villainous head gamemaker of the 10th Hunger Games. "Dr. Gaul is as cruel as she is creative and as fearsome as she is formidable," director Francis Lawrence said. Emmy-winning Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage will portray the dean of the Academy, Casca Highbottom. According to Lawrence, the dean is "the austere and vindictive face of the games."
They'll be joined by Josh Andrés Rivera, another West Side Story star, who's playing Snow's close friend and fellow tribute mentor Sejanus Plinth, and Hunter Schafer, who's known for her role on the HBO show Euphoria. Schafer is playing Snow's cousin Tigris. Jason Schwartzman, who's appeared in several Wes Anderson films, will play Lucretius "Lucky" Flickerman, a Cesar-Flickerman ancestor and host of the 10th Hunger Games.
When will it premiere?
The movie arrives Nov. 17, 2023. That means there's time to pick up a copy of the book if you're interested -- or you could skip the training and head straight into the 10th games. May the odds be ever in your favor.
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Best Air Fryers of 2022, Tested by Us
Best Air Fryers of 2022, Tested by Us
These small kitchen appliances became popular for a reason: An air fryer is excellent for making quick snacks like wings, fries or veggie snacks without all the oil. But it's also our favorite way to reheat leftover pizza, fried foods, lasagna and chicken. We also did some math and it turns out these energy-efficient air fryers will save money on your electric bill if used in place of a big oven. Starting to see the appeal?
If you're still not quite sure what an air fryer even is, CNET's complete guide to air fryers has everything you need to know before you buy. If you're ready to bring one in, you'll probably want to know which is the best air fryer in 2022. That's why we've tested over a dozen models from cheap air fryers, to compact models and even air fryers that double as an Instant Pot.
Best air fryers in 2022
Brian Bennett/CNET
When we tested air fryers originally, the Ninja proved itself the best air fryer model for chicken wings. That's still the case, but in our latest round of air fryer testing we found this machine also cooked many other things well, landing it in the top spot on our updated list. The Ninja was the most powerful air fryer we tested, blasting chicken wings to crispy goodness the fastest. Speed is a big draw since it means you'll get that desired crispy outer layer faster with less risk of drying out the inside of a chicken wing, french fry or whatever else you're making.
The Ninja also made frozen mozzarella sticks that were nicely browned with bubbly cheese inside. They started out frozen and were transformed into crispy, crunchy and gooey cheese bombs in 6 minutes flat. If you're into fries, the Ninja won't disappoint either. Frozen french fries turned out golden brown and delicious in just 10 minutes in both rounds of testing.
One thing to note is the Ninja lacks a special cooking method or mode for vegetables, so, much as in our previous testing, the fresh Brussels sprouts emerged a tad overdone, even burnt in spots. This simply requires a little bit more checking when you're air-frying certain foods for the first time.
The Ninja also has very simple controls, whereas some air fryer interfaces were overly complicated or had buttons and dials that just didn't make much sense. With the Ninja, there are only four buttons to control the cooking mode -- air-fry, roast, reheat and dehydrate -- as well as simple buttons to control the temperature and time. That's about it and, honestly, that's really all you need. The Ninja also has a simple, solid build with what feels like high-grade plastic. The basket slides into the base securely with no wobble.
Brian Bennett/CNET
This oversize air fryer is easy on the eyes. The Dash Deluxe has the largest cooking capacity of any of the ovens we tested, with a 6-quart cooking basket. It also has some undeniable retro appeal and is available in a few fun colors. The appliance we tested was aqua, though it also comes in red, black and white. This model has all manual controls with no presets and was exceedingly simple to operate, and it comes with an air fryer recipe guide.
Aesthetics aside, the Dash fried up batches of wings, Brussels sprouts, tater tots and french fries that were all cooked evenly and well. In our first round of testing, we found it easy to overshoot when air-frying a mozzarella stick if you're not careful. For us, that's a good thing and only means the air fryer has considerable power that you'll learn to manage.
I rarely rely solely on food manufacturer recommendations or oven presets, but rather use them as a loose guide and do lots of peeking and checking along the way. The Dash has exactly zero presets and no cooking modes such as roast or dehydrate, and still got the most important jobs done.
The Dash is also solidly built, although not quite as solidly as the Ninja. It's also on the heavy side, so this is one you might need to find a permanent home for instead of moving it around your kitchen. If you like this model but prefer a smaller size, you can get the compact model for under $55 right now.
Nutribullet
I'm going to level with you, air fryers can be a little bulky. In fact, they're one of the larger countertop appliances you can purchase, and if you have a small kitchen with limited countertop square footage, you're going to have to account for that. One workaround is nabbing a hybrid countertop oven that serves as a toaster, convection oven and air fryer. The Ninja Foodi is my favorite and it even flips up to sit no more than 7 inches from the wall when not in use.
Another option is buying a smaller solo air fryer, and Nutribullet's new Magic Bullet Air Fryer is our pick for the best compact air fryer in 2022. This model obviously won't hold as much as the others on the list but in our testing, it showed good power so you could cook fairly quickly in batches if need be. The Magic Bullet has a 2.5-quart cooking basket, which is enough to hold about eight wings or two servings of french fries in a single batch.
The Magic Bullet Air Fryer crisped chicken wings and Brussels sprouts nicely and got the fries to golden brown as fast as any other air fryer on our list. (I imagine the small basket accounts for this machine's fast cooking.) It also has simple analog dials and wasn't noisy while in action.
Ninja
If you've got a small army to feed, you're going to need more air fryer basket space and Ninja's Foodi model with two baskets has 8 quarts of it -- 4 quarts on each side. The beauty of a two-basket model is you can cook your meats in one basket at the appropriate temperature and cook sides or vegetables on the other since they often require a lower temp. Or you can just cook boatloads of chicken wings using both sides and feed the entire neighborhood on game day.
The Ninja may be large but it still has tons of superconvection power, with both sides reaching 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You can also set the timer for up to an hour at a time. The Ninja model has easy digital controls and the baskets are simple to clean.
Need more info, check out our full review on the Ninja Foodi Dual-Basket air fryer.
Instant Pot
If you're eyeing an air fryer but also an Instant Pot or another multicooker, let me save you some money and kitchen space. The Instant Pot Duo does all the work of the popular multicooker -- pressure cooker, slow cooker, steam and saute -- but comes with a separate air fryer lid and cooking function as well.
I found the air fryer function worked as well or better than most of the solo air fryers I tested. One reason, and something you might consider a drawback, is that the cooking capacity is relatively small, which generally translates to better air fryer results since the hot circulating air hits the food harder, hotter and faster. Instant Pot's Duo model made incredible crispy "fried" chicken, wings, veggies and other classics, but know that you'll likely have to cook in batches if you're making food for a group.
It's also a solid deal. The Duo Crisp can often be found at an affordable price, which can be a deciding factor for those looking for the best air fryer that fits a tight budget.
Gourmia
Gourmia Air Fryer
Best budget air fryer
If you're not looking to drop a full Ben Franklin on your air fryer, know that you don't have to but can still nab a quality air fryer oven for relatively cheap. Of the many we tested, the Gourmia was among the least expensive, but it performed quite well in most of the tests.
This 5-quart oven cooked chicken wings especially well, with crispy skin and juicy centers, and we found the power nearly on par with the Ninja and Dash ovens. It also made very crispy french fries and toasty mozzarella sticks with a gooey center.
One small drawback of this machine is its slightly clumsy build. The basket didn't slide into the oven as flush as you might want and that could ultimately lead to problems, though it didn't affect my use of it in any way. This air fryer also has a lot of presets, which I don't generally care for since they don't account for how much food you're cooking or the size of, let's say, a chicken wing or thickness of your french fries. I find it's always better to use a rough preset recommendation and a lot of progress checking the first few times you cook something. That way you'll learn about the oven and its power for yourself.
All that said, this 4-quart digital air fryer has a lot of oomph for the price and it's a great size for most kitchens.
The Instant Pot Duo Crisp air fryer and multicooker turned out some excellent air-fried chicken.
David Watsky/CNET
Other air fryers we tested
Brian Bennett/CNET
Instant Vortex
One popular option is the Instant Vortex. It's priced in line with the other air fryers in this group. The Vortex is made by the same company that created the groundbreaking Instant Pot electric pressure cooker. Despite that, though, we weren't blown away by the food we fried in it.
Using the recommended settings, mozzarella sticks came out a tad soggy with exteriors that weren't quite crispy enough. Chicken wings and fried chicken were acceptable, not incredible, and less juicy than what other fryers produced. My Brussels sprouts ended up overdone too. And frozen fries were done but cooked unevenly.
Brian Bennett/CNET
Dash Compact Air Fryer
The Dash Compact Air Fryer is different from its bigger sibling in important ways. Specifically, the small air fryer is underpowered and bears a rock-bottom price tag. While the Dash Deluxe is a powerhouse, the Dash Compact struggled to air-fry almost everything we put inside it. Both french fries and Brussels sprouts were underdone and unevenly cooked.
Mozzarella sticks emerged from the air fryer basket hot, but weren't all that crispy. The only bright spot was chicken wings. They took 30 minutes but I was treated to skin with some crunch.
Brian Bennett/CNET
GoWise USA 8-in-1 Digital Air Fryer
You may not have heard of this brand, but this offering from GoWise is a solid choice. It didn't cook the skin of my chicken wings evenly. That said, french fries came out crispy, crunchy, with creamy interiors. The fryer also roasted Brussels sprouts well, no mean feat for this group of appliances.
Brian Bennett/CNET
Chefman 2.1 qt. Analog Air Fryer
Another relatively affordable choice is the Chefman Analog Air Fryer. It's tiny too, offering just 2.1 quarts of food-frying capacity. The appliance did deliver tasty mozzarella sticks and decent chicken wings. However, it undercooked my Brussels sprouts and frozen french fries. We also found the Chefman's timer control confusing. This dial is labeled in numerical increases of 10. The numbers, though, are separated by groups of four dots, not nine as you would expect.
Brian Bennett/CNET
PowerXL Vortex Air Fryer
You might consider purchasing the PowerXL Vortex, but we recommend against it due to its steep price and mediocre frying performance. We had satisfactory results cooking chicken wings in it. However, my mozzarella sticks exploded when we fried them as directed by the product manual. The machine also overcooked Brussels sprouts and the french fries it prepared were merely OK, not outstanding.
DeLonghi Rapid Crisp
David Watsky/CNET
The DeLonghi Rapid Crisp was one of the most expensive models we tested and it just didn't live up to the price tag. While I really liked the design, sturdy build and appreciated the small viewing window for watching cooking progress, I found the buttons and interface very clunky. There was no way to set an actual cooking temp -- only presets -- and even those weren't very intuitive.
It also showed a little less power than some of the others, taking a bit longer to crisp chicken wings and Brussels sprouts, although it did cook the fries and mozzarella sticks beautifully. Despite packing a bit less punch, this model still did a suitable job and has a nice compact shape so I wouldn't call this a complete failure of an appliance, just not worth the $200 you'd need to shell out.
Beautiful Air Fryer by Drew Barrymore
David Watsky/CNET
This air fryer offering from actress Drew Barrymore's new kitchen line performed well in the four rounds of testing. It showed good power and cooked chicken wings to a nice crispy outside and kept a juicy inside after about 25 minutes. It also handled the fries and mozzarella sticks with ease. The air fryer's interface is also pretty slick, although I liked the Ninja's slightly simpler control panel a bit more, which is one of a few reasons it edged out this unit for best air fryer overall.
That said, this is a great option and clocks in at about $30 cheaper than the Ninja. It also has a pleasing design with smooth matte plastic (which does smudge a bit). It comes in a few colors, including a dashing sage green.
How we test air fryers
To date, we've tested well over a dozen air fryers to curate this list. Each air fryer was evaluated for its power, consistency, ease of use, design, features and overall performance. In total, we've clocked over 50 hours of air frying using various popular air fryer foods. Below is a more detailed breakdown of our testing methodology.
At the recommended settings, my mozzarella sticks resulted in a cheese explosion. Thankfully the Dash Deluxe air fryer has a nonstick basket that's easy to clean.
Air fry, Bake, Roast, Broil, Dehydrate, Reheat, Warm
Colors available
Black, Gray
Aqua, Black, Gray, Red, White
Black
Gray
Silver
Black
Price
$120
$64
$60
$200
$120
$69
Ease of use
When frying items with each appliance, we recorded how it went, noting occurrences like overcooking, undercooking and burning. We paid attention to the labels, controls and displays or buttons if any of the machines had them. We also took note of how loud each air fryer was while it operated.
How they cook
To get a sense of how each air fryer in this test group handles, we ran a battery of four tests on each product. Each test focused on one food: mozzarella sticks, chicken wings, Brussels sprouts and frozen french fries.
Fries from the Dash oven came out crispy and nicely browned.
David Watsky/CNET
Before we began these units, we consulted each model's manual for relevant cooking directions. If the manual didn't provide specific instructions, we applied uniform procedures to each air fryer depending on the type of food we were preparing. For fries, we set the fryer to 380 F. After preheating for 5 minutes, we cooked the fries for 12 minutes and gave them a shake somewhere in the middle.
The Ninja's chicken wings were perfectly crispy on the outside and still juicy on the inside.
David Watsky/CNET
For chicken wings, we preheated to 400 F, then fried them for 30 minutes. We also made sure to flip them with tongs every 10 minutes. For mozzarella sticks, we preheated to 350 F and cooked for 6 minutes. For Brussels sprouts, we preheated to 375 F and cooked for 15 minutes. Before cooking, we rinsed and cut the sprouts in half and tossed them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
At the end of each test we looked for several criteria. Those included how evenly the items were cooked, how well done they were and, of course, whether they had a sufficient level of crispy, crunchy, fried deliciousness comparable to deep frying.
What is an air fryer and how does it work?
Despite the name, an air fryer doesn't fry at all. Rather, air fryers are more like a supercharged convection oven, circulating hot air with a fan and hitting food more rapidly than most ovens. That causes the outside of food to cook more quickly without drying out the inside and giving a crispy, fried-like outer shell to wings, fries and other foods.
Most air fryers come with a grated rack or perforated basket so the air can travel through and hit the food on all sides.
Air fryer buying guide
What size air fryer should you get?
While there are several features to consider, the size of your air fryer is likely the most important decision you'll make. If you're typically cooking for one or two people, a 2- or 3-quart air fryer should be large enough. Consider adding another quart of capacity to your air fryer for every person that you're regularly cooking for. A family of five, for instance, should be fine with a 5-quart model. If you plan on regularly cooking full meals for a family including meat and veggies or sides, you might consider a larger, dual-basket air fryer like the Ninja we've recommended above.
All that said, the smaller the air fryer you can get away with the better. I've found that smaller air fryers such as the Magic Bullet 2-5-quart model and Instant Pot's Duo Crisp net better results since food is going to get blasted faster and more often than inside a larger model. But smaller air fryers mean less overall capacity, so you may have to cook in batches.
How powerful should an air fryer be?
Most air fryers are somewhere between 1,200 and 1,800 watts. Larger air fryers typically have more wattage and smaller models have less. Your midrange 4-quart air fryer should have about 1,500 watts. The small Magic Bullet air fryer has just 1,300, but that's plenty of power to cook food in the petite basket. Larger air fryers should have about 100 more watts per quart to make sure they hit those hot temps of 400 degrees F.
Should you just get a normal air fryer or a multi-function model?
That depends on the type of cooking you'll do and what other appliances you already have. I personally like having a solo air fryer, but I'm also a fan of the Instant Pot Dup Crisp that functions as both an air fryer and a multicooker (also a pressure cooker and slow cooker).
What kind of accessories does an air fryer come with?
Some fancy models may come with various accessories, but really all you need is an air fryer basket grate. They come standard with most air fryer models and help the superconvection to hit all sides of your food evenly.
Should I get a warranty for my air fryer?
Most air fryers come with a limited one-year warranty in case anything goes wrong right away. In truth, air fryers don't cost enough to justify paying extra for an extended warranty. If it's not included, I would save your money.
Best air fryer FAQs
How do air fryers work?
The trendy air fryer is a fairly simple cooking machine that employs extremely hot, fast circulating air to flash-roast food inside of a contained frying basket. While there's generally no or very little oil used, the results can be similar to that of traditional frying in that food comes out crispy on the outside and (ideally) moist on the inside.
Air fryers heat up fast, cook quickly and make healthier versions of traditionally fatty fried foods, so what's not to love? But they're not just for healthy versions of bar snacks. I use my air fryer for cooking skin-on chicken thighs to crispy perfection, veggies including mushrooms, peppers and onions, and even seafood like shrimp, scallops and salmon. And because most air fryer baskets are nonstick, cleanup is often as simple as a quick spritz and wipe with a soapy sponge. Many baskets are dishwasher-safe too.
What can you make in an air fryer?
The options for foods you can cook in an air fryer are vast, but some air fryer favorites include chicken wings, chicken tenders, french fries and mozzarella sticks. You can also make fish in an air fryer, including salmon, for a moist inside and roasted outer crust. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are great when made in an air fryer, as are certain vegetables like Brussels sprouts, mushrooms, onions, peppers and carrots. Frozen foods such as dumplings, potato skins, Hot Pockets and tater tots can be made in an air fryer for a quick and easy snack or side dish. Air fryers can also quickly reheat food like last night's pizza or leftover fried chicken. Air fryers reheat food almost as quickly as a microwave and the results are generally much better.
Are air fryers healthy?
Yes. Generally speaking, air frying is a healthy way to cook. Cooking with an air fryer means you can get foods that taste like they've been fried but with very little or no oil. You can make healthier chicken wings, french fries and more cheese sticks without deep-frying or pan-frying in oil. Some foods do best in an air fryer with a light coating of oil but most, especially those with existing fat content, don't require any at all. Air fryers have become popular in part because they allow people to eat snack-type foods but with far less fat and fewer calories.
Air fryers use convection heat similar to a standard oven but moving at a faster rate. There are no magnetic waves or experimental heat sources to worry about.
What should you look for in an air fryer?
Power and size are the most important factors in finding the best air fryer for you. The Ninja air fryer that we liked best has 1,550 watts of power but you can expect an oven with slightly less oomph to also deliver solid results.
The best size for an air fryer is relative and will vary based on your personal requirements. A 4-quart model should be enough for most households and can easily hold five or six chicken thighs at once. There are also air fryers as large as 10 quarts that make cooking for large groups easier and some as small as 2 quarts that are perfect for singles and couples.
Other considerations include how intuitive the interfaces, dials and controls are as well as the build and durability of each air fryer. There are superpremium air fryers with loads of fancy bells and whistles but I tend to think they aren't really worth the money. The air fryer is a fairly simple machine to begin with, so it's best to avoid any that seem complicated.
Roasting Brussels sprouts well is tricky for an air fryer.
Brian Bennett/CNET
Why you should trust us
To curate this list of the best air fryers for 2022, we did well over 50 hours of air fryer testing using a variety of models at every price point. Even the smallest details are taken into consideration when making our picks, and we aren't shy about revising the list when newer, better models come into our test kitchen. For more, read about how we test products at CNET.
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Best Immersion Blender for 2022
Best Immersion Blender for 2022
For soup makers, you'd be hard-pressed to find a more useful tool than the immersion blender, although the Dutch oven makes a strong case. Sometimes called a hand blender or stick blender, these compact kitchen tools are able to puree ingredients right inside your pot or Dutch oven, saving you time and the hazard of transferring hot liquids into a traditional blender. Immersion blenders with whisk attachments can also make homemade whipped cream in seconds and many come with food chopper cups fitted with blades to turn your immersion blender into a small food processor.
If you're unsure of how much you'll use this kitchen gadget, you might spring for the $60 Cuisinart Smart Stick hand blender, which does a fine job for not a ton of money. But for habitual soup, sauce and dip makers, I recommend the $120 Breville Control Grip as it combines power and precision, is super simple to operate and comes with four excellent attachments. KitchenAid's excellent model is my pick for the best cordless hand blender. And for power users with a little coin to spare, the Vitamix Immersion Blender is a monster with 625 watts of power but will run you $150 for the blender alone.
After many hours of blending, whipping and chopping (and a whole lot of leftover soup), I've landed on these three models as the best immersion blenders for 2022.
Read more:Best Blender for 2022
Best immersion blenders for 2022
Breville
This was one of the pricier immersion blenders I tested but it gives a whole lot of bang for the buck. The Breville Control Grip is incredibly easy and intuitive to use and packs plenty of power, despite lower total wattage than some others on the list. It also has one of my favorite handles, which is both sturdy and comfortable. This hand blender weighs a manageable 3.8 pounds and has good balance. I also like the rubber protectors on the bottom of the blade guard, which prevent it from scratching a pot or Dutch oven.
For $120, you'll get the mighty Breville stick blender and four handy accessories: a wire whisk, food chopper bowl, large jug for mixing and an ice crusher attachment you can screw into the jug for making mixed drinks and smoothies. All of the attachments are made from extremely high-grade plastic and feel particularly durable. If you're looking for an immersion blender that can do far more than puree soups and sauces, this is the one to buy.
KitchenAid
If a corded immersion blender feels restrictive, KitchenAid's cordless hand blender is another excellent option. It has adjustable variable speeds and plenty of power to whip potatoes, blend veggies and emulsify pesto and salad dressings with ease.
The KitchenAid was one of the easiest to attach and operate with a comfortably placed safety switch on the backside of the handle. I also love the look and feel of this stick blender with its durable matte-plastic build. It has great weight distribution and is a true pleasure to use. This basic cordless immersion blender with mixing cup can be had for $100. It will run you closer to $160 if you choose the bundle with a whisk, food chopper attachment and blending cup.
Worth noting that you can't use this model if it's uncharged, since it can only be plugged in while the blade is detached. It takes 20 minutes or so to achieve a full charge, which gives you two hours of use. In a pinch, you can certainly charge it for five or 10 minutes and still get enough battery life for most hand blender tasks.
Cuisinart
You can purchase this formidable hand blender along with a whisk, chopper and mixing cup, all for $60 in gray and $70 for black. Considering its excellent performance in the tests I ran, that makes it an easy pick for the best value immersion blender of the bunch. The Cuisinart sports 300 watts of power (even more than our top pick) and an easy speed control dial on top of the handle for precision blending and whipping.
If I had one complaint about this budget-friendly model, it's the placement of the safety button. It's located directly above the power button and it can be a bit awkward to hold both down at once. Compare that to the KitchenAid, which has its safety button on the back so you can use your natural grip to hold it down. For what it's worth, the Cuisinart's safety button is probably safer, since it's almost impossible to press it by accident.
Other immersion blenders I tested
Vitamix Immersion Blender 067991 : This excellent $150 hand blender is a bit too pricey to land on the top of our list. But for power users and those looking for an immersion blender with loads of pop, the Vitamix Immersion Blender packs a whopping 625 watts. It's comfortable in the hand and performed exceedingly well in all the tests I ran on it.
Braun MQ7025X : This powerful immersion blender passed every test with flying colors and nearly landed on my list as the best immersion blender overall. It also comes with useful attachments including a food chopper and whisk. What kept it from being a top pick is its weight. At over 5 pounds, it's the heaviest stick blender I tested and was hefty enough to cause some fatigue in my arm.
All-Clad KZ800D51 : All-Clad is best known for its top-of-the-line cookware, including our favorite set for 2022. The brand also makes small kitchen appliances, and All-Clad's hand blender is as powerful as they get. The sleek, cordless hand blender has a monster 220-volt battery and whipped the heck out of everything I put in its way. But at $230 for the blender alone (no attachments), it's just too pricey for us to recommend for most people.
Beautiful Hand Blender : Of the cheap immersion blenders I tested, this $34 2-speed model performed the best, and it's a solid choice if you're seeking a true budget buy. While the all-plastic build wasn't my favorite, the blade attached securely and blended well, especially when compared to some of the other stick blenders under $50.
Homgeek Hand Blender H32275US : I had high hopes for this inexpensive hand blender since it had a sturdier build than the Beautiful Hand Blender and variable speed control for precision work. But it underperformed when it came to the basic function of pureeing cooked vegetables, leaving too many chunks for my liking after two minutes of work
Bella Immersion Blender 14460 : This budget hand blender felt cheap and flimsy when I held it and the blade attachment had some worrisome wiggle when mounted. It performed acceptably, but the soup I pureed was still markedly chunkier after two minutes than other models.
My only complaint with Cuisinart's budget-friendly immersion blender is the slightly awkward placement of the safety button.
David Watsky/CNET
How we test immersion blenders
In testing to find the best immersion blender for 2022, I ran several tests on each model over the course of a week and took note of how well each performed. I also took into account other attributes like size, weight, sturdiness, how easy the blender was to clean and the various modes and number of speeds at which it ran.
Blending vegetables for soup
Blending soups and sauces out of cooked vegetables and other ingredients is by far the most popular use for an immersion blender. I blended four cups of cooked vegetables and broth in a saucepan on the highest setting and recorded how well each one blended the ingredients after one minute, and again after an additional minute.
The $30 Homgeek hand blender did OK in the soup test but left far more unblended vegetables than many of its counterparts.
David Watsky/CNET
With the exception of the cheap blenders under $40, all of the models I tested had no trouble pureeing the veggies into soup within a few minutes, but some created a slightly smoother soup in less time. The best of them not only pureed the vegetables in two minutes but even began frothing the liquid toward the end of the allotted time. Some of the cheaper models required more than two minutes to get all the chunks pureed.
Making whipped cream
Not all the immersion blenders I tested offered attachments like a whisk or chopping bowl. For those with a whisk, I made a batch of this popular dessert topping using one-half a cup of whipping cream and noted how each batch looked after one minute of whipping and again after two. Here, I was looking for the blender to make dense-yet-fluffy whipped cream as quickly as possible.
For any hand blender with a whisk attachment, I made a batch of whipped cream. The Cuisinart made the fluffy stuff in under two minutes.
David Watsky/CNET
Food chopper test
Several of the models in our test range also include a food-processor attachment. For those that did, I chopped one cup of carrots and celery, diced into roughly one-inch chunks. After 10 seconds of chopping, I photographed the resulting pile of chopped carrots and noted which delivered the smallest and most uniform results. Most of the stick blenders with food processor cups fared well in this test, including the $34 Beautiful Hand Blender, but some did the job a few seconds faster.
The $34 Beautiful hand blender did an excellent job pulverizing a cup of carrots and celery in under 10 seconds.
David Watsky/CNET
Touch and feel
This test is more subjective than the others, but I made sure to handle each immersion blender for several minutes noting the overall weight, balance and sturdiness of the stick blenders. I did the same as I was using them in the various tests.
The more expensive models including the KitchenAid, Braun, Breville and Vitamix all felt well-balanced and solid, giving me confidence that they wouldn't break or become loose with regular use. The cheaper models didn't elicit quite the same confidence, and some felt as if one fall to the kitchen floor might mean an early demise.
Budget hand blenders under $40, including the Bella, lose something in the way of performance and sturdy build.
David Watsky/CNET
Immersion blender specs
Model
Power
Weight (lbs.)
Accessories
Speeds
Cordless
Price
All-Clad Cordless Hand Blender KZ800D51
600W
2.97
none
5
Y
$230
Vitamix Immersion Blender 067991
625W
2.83
none
5
N
$150
Breville Control Grip BSB510XL
280W
3.8
whisk, chopping cup, mixing cup
variable
N
$120
Braun MultiQuick MQ7025X
500W
5.41
whisk, chopping cup, mixing cup
variable
N
$100
KitchenAid Cordless Hand Blender KHBBV53BM
198W
2.42
mixing cup
7
Y
$90
Cuisinart Smart Stick CSB-179
300W
3.3
whisk, chopping cup, mixing cup
variable
N
$60
Beautiful Hand Blender
400W
2.5
whisk, chopping cup, mixing cup
2
N
$34
Homgeek Hand Blender H32275US
500W
2
whisk, chopping cup, mixing cup, frother
6
N
$29
Bella Immersion Blender 14460
250W
2.83
whisk
2
N
$30
Immersion blender buying guide: What to look for
Hand blender accessories
While additional attachments aren't necessary, to get the most out of your immersion blender, a few key extras are great to have. A whisk attachment will allow you to easily make whipped cream and meringue, while a food chopper will enable your hand blender to do the work of a food processor. One model I tested includes a milk frother, too, for crafting lattes and cappuccinos at home.
The $120 Breville performed as well as any hand blender of the bunch. It also comes with four excellent attachments.
Breville
Power
You don't necessarily need the most powerful motor to blend cooked vegetables, canned tomatoes, herbs and other soup and sauce ingredients. The Breville Control Grip, for instance, has only 280 watts (less than half of the ultrapowerful All-Clad) but still managed to ace every test I gave it. That said, an immersion blender with less than 250 watts may struggle to give you smooth results or take longer to do a blending job.
Handle comfort and build
All immersion blenders feature steel blade attachments but the handle is typically what separates the great from the not-so-great. Those built with steel or high-grade plastic were the models I liked best. Some of the cheaper stick blenders we tested were constructed using cheap plastic in the handle and they, unsurprisingly, felt a bit chintzy and prone to breakage.
There is something to be said for choosing a cordless hand blender such as KitchenAid's excellent offering.
David Watsky/CNET
Weight and balance
Hand blenders run the gamut in weight from light-as-air models under three pounds all the way up to big heavy industrial models that can weigh more than five. Somewhere in the 2- to 4-pound range felt most comfortable for me. A little bit of weight helps you control the blender from spinning away, but too much heft can make an immersion blender a chore to handle deftly or use for long periods.
The $100 Braun has power in spades and comes with excellent attachments but was noticeably heavier than the rest of the field.
David Watsky/CNET
Cost and value
Because this is a tool you might not use as regularly as others, factoring in price is important. Spending more than $120 will get you a super-premium hand blender that performs at the top of the class, but you likely don't need to spend that much to net great results. Go too cheap, and I found you lose out on hand blender performance as well as the quality of the build.
The $230 All-Clad cordless hand blender is sleek, sturdy, lightweight and ultrapowerful. But, ultimately, the cost is just too high for most people.
David Watsky/CNET
Immersion blender FAQs
What can you make with an immersion blender?
For most people, immersion blenders are actually something of a two- or three-trick pony. The good news is they don't take up a bunch of space. The most common use is to blend and puree ingredients inside of a pot for soups and sauces, dips, creamy mashed potatoes and baby food. Immersion blenders are also good for making homemade mayonnaise and salad dressing.
If you choose a model that comes with a whisk attachment, making whipped cream and meringues is another use for these mobile blenders. Some also come fitted with a food processor bowl so they can do chopping too, although the capacity is typically just two or three cups so you can't do large quantities of onions, garlic and other vegetables.
Can you make smoothies with an immersion blender?
You can, but I'd suggest a standard upright blender if you make smoothies regularly, as using a hand blender can be a bit clunky. If your immersion blender comes with a blending cup attachment, it will make smoothie-making quite a bit easier.
Should you buy a cordless immersion blender?
There are quality cordless and corded hand blenders, so this really comes down to personal preference. Because you probably won't be using your immersion blender every day, you might not care about the cord. A cordless blender is nice if you're motoring around the kitchen using it for multiple tasks, but you'll have to remember to charge it before or after use.
As with most tools with an internal battery, its ability to hold a long charge is likely to wane over the years. That said, I didn't find anything about the KitchenAid or All-Clad (both cordless) suffering significant battery life issues in the many buyer reviews I scoured.
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iPad Air 2022 Review: M1 Is a Very, Very Nice Addition
iPad Air 2022 Review: M1 Is a Very, Very Nice Addition
I'm surrounded by iPads. My family uses them all the time. Personally, I alternate between iPad and laptop. So it has been, so it shall be. I've wanted the iPad to be a Mac tablet for years. The iPad has crept incrementally closer with keyboard and trackpad support and with now the same M1 processor as the MacBook Air, but that still doesn't mean your iPad is now a Mac.
It does, however, mean that the latest iPad Air has a very, very nice processor and that it's lovely and speedy. It has the same design as the iPad Air revamp in 2020, and the redesigned iPad Mini last fall. But what are that speedy processor and the more iPad Pro/iPad Mini-like design (larger screen, less bezel, USB-C, Pencil 2 support) worth to you?
The middle iPad in Apple's lineup has come at a weird time. The entry-level iPad and iPad Mini were refreshed last fall, and the year-old iPad Pro, which has the same M1 processor as this but costs more, came out a whole year ago. This makes the Air the best high-end iPad for its price. And if you're looking to treat yourself to an excellent iPad that feels future-proof for a while, at least as far as its processor goes, this may seem like the choice.
The iPad Air: Pencil not included.
Scott Stein/CNET
But it's not that simple. The 10.2-inch iPad really does a lot of the same things, for a lot less money. Its screen's a bit smaller, the A13 processor is less powerful, perhaps, and yes, it has a Lightning port, not USB-C. But it works with keyboard cases, it uses that first-gen Pencil and it's all pretty much fine. That basic iPad still probably makes the most sense for casual users. As for portability, it's nearly the same size (with more screen bezel).
The Air's key advantages over the entry-level iPad: USB-C, a faster processor, a slightly larger screen, better stereo speakers, compatibility with the second-gen Pencil stylus that magnetically clips to the iPad's side (sold separately) and also with Apple's very nice and expensive Magic Keyboard case, which has its own trackpad (also sold separately).
I'd love to see those features make it to the entry-level iPad, but instead, Apple makes you pay up for them. So, that's your choice.
And keep in mind that there are extras. Add in some of these accessories, or a case (also sold separately), and bump up the storage (the included 64GB for $599 isn't enough, so you'll want the 256GB version for $750), and you're going to end up with a nearly thousand-dollar iPad after tax. (It starts at £569 in the UK and AU$929 in Australia.)
Also consider that last year's iPad Pro is technically even better, even if its advantages are relatively minor (better rear cameras, lidar for some 3D depth scanning/AR, smoother refresh rate display, extra speakers and a USB-C port that has faster Thunderbolt 4 data throughput). If that iPad Pro from 2021 is ever on sale for the same price as this Air, snap it up. Or, maybe, wait.
iPad (left), iPad Air (middle), iPad Pro (right). Sometimes it's hard to see the differences.
Scott Stein/CNET
What's missing? Not much, except for the camera placement
Living with this iPad Air for part of the last week, I just don't miss anything that the iPad Pro has. I can try to miss those things, but those extras are way too niche for most people. At 10.9 inches, this is a perfect iPad screen size. Small enough to be portable, big enough for browsing and typing, a decent canvas for sketching and two-app multitasking works pretty well, if you play with the limited split-view options.
The display looks great, even if it's not Mini LED, and lacks that faster refresh 120Hz that the latest iPhone Pro and iPad Pro have.
The one thing I do miss, though? The front camera being off to the side. Apple insists on its iPads having cameras in the same portrait orientation layout as iPhones, instead of putting them on the longer edge so it would be centered in keyboard-attached "laptop" mode. Putting the camera along the longer edge would be the correct placement: the Studio Display monitor added Apple's Center Stage zooming camera, but there, it's in the right place. It kills me to do video calls on this iPad, with its excellent camera, and see my face off-center. No other iPad right now is any different, and all current models have that zooming Center Stage camera tech.
The Magic Keyboard is great, but iPadOS is still limited in how flexible it can be.
Scott Stein/CNET
So, hey, it's not really a laptop, though
This is the thing: Just like last year's iPad Pro, which also got this same M1 chip, Apple hasn't flipped the switch on making iPadOS and MacOS merge. They're slowly sharing more in common, and iPads can work well with keyboards and mice and trackpads, but an iPad is just not the same thing as a Mac or PC. If you're really interested in an iPad that can feel a bit nicer and more laptoplike, and you want that second-gen Pencil that can snap to the side easily to charge, this is your upgrade. But for most people, the basic iPad, while unexciting, is still nearly as versatile and also less expensive.
That feeling extends to my thoughts on the M1 processor here. The performance is the same as last year's iPad Pro, and also the MacBook Air and Mini with the entry M1 processor. The new iPad Air is really fast and has great graphics punch, but the difference between the M1 and the A14 chip doesn't feel as dramatic as the leap the Macs got by going to the M1 in late 2020.
The iPad Pro has dual rear cameras and lidar. Those are among the few unique advantages it has over the iPad Air. Seen here: iPad (gray), iPad Air (blue), iPad Pro (silver).
Scott Stein/CNET
What about the iPad Pro?
Apple hasn't updated the iPad Pro since last spring, and it remains a mystery when it will happen. Will you want the extra power and possibly improved display that could offer? Will Apple push it even further into feeling like a Mac? Unknown, unknown. But if you're spending this much for an iPad Air and are craving the possibility of a fancier iPad (and have the money), wait.
5G: Same as the iPad Mini, not exactly the same as the iPad Pro or iPhone
I tried the optional 5G cellular on the Air, a new addition. The Mini and the iPad Pro and iPhone already have 5G. The cellular-equipped models cost $150 extra, data plan not included. It's true that 5G in most places isn't much faster than LTE, but having the option could make a difference for some. It's still weird that MacBooks don't have 5G antennas at all.
This iPad doesn't support mmWave, just sub-6 5G. Effectively, at many times, it feels similar to LTE: Speeds at my home were around 290 megabits per second on Verizon, while in Washington Square Park in New York speeds were only around 60Mbps to 80Mbps.
The entry-level iPad (left) doesn't work with the Magic Keyboard like the iPad Air does (right), but it has its own compatible keyboard cases.
Scott Stein/CNET
The Magic Keyboard: Still good, still expensive!
This keyboard, which came out two years ago, still feels great. But the angles are limiting for the stand, and it's a little more cramped on the 11-inch model. It's expensive, and you can't use it as a normal folio case, either: To read on the iPad, you'll probably want to pop it out of the magnetic case. But I love how the typing feels.
iPad, iPad Air, iPad Pro: The cameras are a little different. But the body sizes are similar.
Scott Stein/CNET
Bottom line: All the iPads are perfectly fine now. Pick your price
Assuming the iPad won't take a leap into Mac-land, right now all the iPads are capable and useful, and all have been updated enough in 2021 or 2022 to feel good enough.
I love how the iPad is a relatively lower-priced versatile computer in Apple's lineup, but it all depends on what you're looking to get out of it. I'd still recommend the basic iPad for a lot of people, but this iPad Air is a solid step up, and the one I'd probably want to buy the most.
But keep in mind: The 64GB $599 model doesn't have enough storage. You'll need the 256GB model, which is $750. Apple's entry-level iPad, meanwhile, costs $329 for 64GB of storage and $479 for 256GB. You're paying nearly double the price for the entry-level Air. Is the extra $270 worth it for you? Maybe. Is it worth it to pay another $200 to get the entry-level 11-inch iPad Pro, which has 128GB of storage (more acceptable) and better cameras, 120Hz display, even better speakers, lidar and Face ID? Probably not. I wouldn't pay up for the Pro at this point… not until Apple finalizes its plans for that model later this year.
GeekBench 5 Multicore
iPad Pro 11 (M1, 2021)
iPad (A13 Bionic, 2021)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Plus (Qualcomm SM8450, 2022)
