Yes — it is the right tool for it, because nothing is poured. Take the pot off the heat, sink the blade guard before you start, and keep it under the surface until the motor stops.
Why the stick blender suits hot soup
Nothing is transferred. The blender goes into the pot the soup was cooked in.
That removes the step where hot liquid goes into a sealed jar — the part of the countertop-blender routine that goes wrong.
The rule that matters
Submerge the guard first. The bell around the blade has to be under the surface before you press the button, and it has to stay there.
A shaft lifted while running throws hot soup out of the pot. Release the button, wait for the blade to stop, then lift.
Before you start
Take the pot off the burner. A boiling soup spits on its own, and the shaft does not need the extra heat.
Use a tall pot, or tilt a shallow one. Depth is the problem, not the heat: in an inch of soup, the guard cannot stay submerged.
Keep the cord away from the burner. See cable length and the socket.
What the shaft is made of
Stainless steel shafts take hot liquid and go in the dishwasher on most models. Plastic shafts are lighter and cheaper; many makers limit them to warm rather than boiling contents. Your manual states which — if it gives a temperature, that is the limit.
What the makers do about splashing
A wider, flared bell and ribs inside the guard are the usual designs, both meant to keep the liquid circulating under the blade rather than throwing it up. They help; none replaces the rule above.
Where to look next
The immersion blenders page compares the stick blenders on this site, and what must never go in the dishwasher covers the motor body — which never does.
What readers want to know
Is an immersion blender safer than a countertop blender for soup?
Yes, for hot liquid. It avoids pouring soup into a sealed jar, where steam builds pressure under the lid — the risky moment with a countertop blender. If you do use a countertop blender, fill it halfway at most, remove the center cap and hold a folded towel over the opening. See can I blend cooked vegetables into a sauce.
Can I use it in a nonstick pot?
Carefully. A metal blade guard pressed against the bottom can scratch a nonstick coating, and a scratched coating is the start of its end — see coatings and what kills them. Hold the blender just off the bottom, or blend in a stainless pot or a tall heatproof container.
How deep can I put it in?
Only up to the line or the joint on the shaft. The motor housing above it is not sealed, and soup that reaches it can damage the motor. Many shafts are marked; if yours is not, the top of the detachable shaft is the limit.
Last reviewed 18 October 2026