Wounded, Old, and Lecherous

This is a matter of attitude to gadgetry (says the geek engineer). A hand blender is the size of a ladle and barely more complex - mine lives in the cutlery drawer and can be deployed in about the same time as a spoon.

If it is washed under a running tap AT ONCE after use (whiz the blade in the stream of hot water) and then stood in the dish rack to dry the clean-up takes no more time than a couple of spoons either - certainly less than a sieve.

So I don't think of it as a stupid appliance, but as smart cutlery. But, of course, YMMV.