What handheld electric tool is used to puree soups directly in the cooking pot?

An immersion blender is the handheld electric tool used to purée soup directly in its cooking pot.

Also called a stick blender, hand blender, or wand blender, it has a motor in a handheld body connected to a shaft containing rotating blades. The shaft can be lowered directly into a pot, bowl, or other container, allowing soups, sauces, and purées to be blended without transferring hot food to a countertop appliance.

This design distinguishes it from a standard worktop blender or food processor, both of which require ingredients to be placed in a separate vessel. It also differs from a hand mixer: mixers beat and aerate, while an immersion blender cuts and disperses food with blades. Care is still needed around hot liquids, since splashing can cause burns and some cookware can be scratched by the blade guard.

Swiss inventor Roger Perrinjaquet patented the concept on March 6, 1950, calling it “bamix,” a name formed from French words meaning “beat and mix.” Modern models may be corded or cordless and often include whisk or chopper attachments.