I am looking to purchase a hand held, single stemmed mixer, which really can be used to make soups and to whip cream.
Does anyone have a recommendation for both purposes?  I have a Kenwood stand mixer, it’s too heavy to transport, and
an old fashioned Cuisinart (purchased in 1978).  It too is too large to take with me to be able to serve freshly whipped
with a dessert to potluck dinners.  Thanks for any replies. -Diane

Hi Diane, I have a Cuisinart immersion blender where I can switch out the blender bit and attach a whisk. It works extremely well for me, I use it more than my handheld mixer for any mixing.
http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CSB-77-Blender-Chopper-Attachments/dp/B0006G3JRO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1267747219&sr=8-2

It also has a small chopper that I almost never use. Not that it’s bad but i like my mini-food processor more.

Hope that helps!

Hi

The immersion blender I like the best is by Bamix. It works on an array of items, and I use it more than I ever thought I would. It does not have the annoying shield that many of the other ones have. It is well worth the money.

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/bamix-immersion-blender

For taking whip cream to an event, you might consider using a whip cream stabilizer.

There are plenty of good reasons to have an immersion blender and I like the Bamix. For the stated purpose of whipped cream though I always rely on my classic hand cranked egg beaters. They do a very nice job on whipped cream. They are light weight, quiet, quick, and need no electricity.
A ‘trick’ that I use when I make whipped cream. I use two nested mixing bowls. I put ice, salt, and water in the larger bowl. I nest the smaller bowl in the cold brine and whip the cream in the now much colder small bowl.

Jeri - I loved the Bamix but was too cheap to spring for it - LOL!

I think they would all be ok. I would choose the one with the most powerful motor. Some come with more blades and bowls than others.
I have a 300W German Braun which works fine.

So do you use the blender bit to whip cream? Or do you use the whisk attachment?

Have you considered an Isi whipped cream canister? I have two, one large (quart) and one small (pint).  I always take one to potluck dinners when whipped cream is needed. You simply fill the canister with heavy cream and/or vanilla and powdered sugar, tighten the lid, screw on a charger that will pressurize it, screw on a tip for dispensing it, and you have instant whipped cream. You can leave the leftover whipped cream in the pressurized canister and refrigerate it. It will keep for weeks.

Hi

I use what Bamix calls the “beater blade”. It looks similar to a blender blade.

I second the ISI whipped cream maker that uses the little gas bombs - I have two ISI - I will tell you that I have found that here in Calgary Canada it takes 3 of those gas bombs to make good whipped cream from a pint 500 ml carton.  I too keep whipped cream at the ready for Saturday morning crepes etc.  the cream stays fresh a long time - you can also whip up an 8 ounce size 250ml if you wont get through a pint at home.  I have also added chocolate syrup for chocolate whipped cream - in my second ISI - waste of good cream - we never used it after the first trial but it is great on spanish coffee mochachino etc.

Cook’s Country reviewed these in their April issue(Link).  I have it at home (but not here), but I’m 99% certain they chose the KitchenAid and specifically said it whipped cream really well.  They tested on broccoli soup, whipped cream and smoothies.  The only place it had trouble was pesto.  It was very reasonably priced at about $25.