What is the best hand blender out there?

I've always wanted a hand blender. They don't seem as bulky as those mixers and they seem to be perfect and handy for mixing small portions. What I'm really worried about is if they break easily and they end up not mixing very well after a while.

I know that Braun has the Multiquick Hand Blender:

It costs around $34.95 and a lot of people seem to like it. I'm just not sure if there's anything better out there. Does anyone have one at home or used one before that they can recommend?

I have one at home and it works well for my needs. I've used it for soups and milkshakes mostly and it really is useful because of its size. I find the small-ness of it encourages me to use it, versus a huge bulky item that I would have to drag out every time I want to use it. The whisking and blending all work pretty well, I've been pretty impressed with it all around. As for quality, I've never had any problems and it doesn't seem like it's going to break any time soon and I've had it for about 2.5 years now.

I have an old version of the Braun hand blender that's over 5 years old. Still seems to be working fine.

I have the Braun model pictured above and I would hate to ever have to be without one in my kitchen.  It is one of the most useful appliances I have.  I am constantly using it for a variety of recipes and food preparations.  I have had mine for about 6 years and it still works like a charm.

Wow, all the time? Now I'm really curious about what you're making.

I have a Cuisinart Quick Prep, it's about 4 years old.  Works quite well, just wish I had bought one that has a removable blending arm for easier cleaning.  The blade is attached to a small rod and the part where the rod comes out and attaches to the blade can get really scummy if I don't clean it thoroughly after every use.