How to choose a blender for your home

When choosing a blender, it is worth considering, first of all, the planned scenarios for using this device.

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We recommend reading this article from an expert on choosing a mixer for your home.

How to choose a blender for your home: parameters to pay attention to

When choosing a blender, you should consider the following parameters:

1. Blender type;

2. Capacity volume;

3. The number of speeds of work;

4. The ability to remove the knife;

5. Number and types of attachments (for hand blenders);

6. Additional functions (work as a grinder, coffee grinder, juicer, vegetable cutter, food shredder and soup cooker mode).

7. The manufacturer is also important.

Types of blenders

Blenders are divided into two types according to the principle of operation – submersible and stationary.

Hand blenders

Hand blenders are not designed with a container for minced products. The cutting knives are placed on a special 'leg' that is dipped into a cup (or pot) of food to be processed by this device.

Advantages

• Suitable for processing a large number of products (for example, when making preserves, jams, etc.);

• There is simply no risk of becoming unusable due to a breakdown of the container – due to the lack of a container;

• Easy to maintain – the submersible 'foot' is easy to clean;

• You do not need to transfer food from the cooking container to the blender container. This, for example, will find its application in the preparation of warm vegetable purees for children at home;

disadvantages

• To create a uniform consistency of the mashed potatoes, you will need to move your hands a lot;

• Low functionality – they are only suitable for making puree (with different consistency and texture)

• When processing a large number of products, hands get tired;

• The speed of preparation of puree is lower than that of stationary blenders;

Hand blenders are a great solution when you need to make large quantities of puree and do not want to transfer food from the container in which they were processed or stored. For other cases (shredding, ice cracking, etc.) they will not work.

Stationary blenders

Stationary blenders are equipped with a container in which food is chopped. Knives placed on the bottom of this bowl are responsible for this functionality. As a result, blenders of this type can grind not only fruits and vegetables, but also coffee beans, spices, ice and turn meat into minced meat.

Advantages

• Easy to use – just put the food in the container and press the start button;

• High power and performance;

• Support for multiple operating modes;

• Wide functionality;

disadvantages

• Some difficulty in care – the container for chopping food must be removed and washed from the inside. It is especially problematic to clean if the knives are not removable;

  The maximum amount of processed product is limited by the volume of the container;

  Care is required when handling, as damage to the container will render the entire blender unusable.

Stationary blenders are versatile devices for use in the kitchen if small quantities of food are used in cooking.

Which blender to choose

Despite the fact that submersible and stationary blenders have a similar purpose (they are needed for grinding food), their areas of application do not overlap, so the ideal solution would be to purchase two devices of both types.

For example, making mashed potatoes using a hand blender is much more convenient than using a stationary one. But mixing fruit cocktails or just chopping meat can only be stationary.

If the budget is very limited, then it is worth determining for what purposes the blender will be used more often. If for chopping or mixing products when cooking them in another container (for example, vegetable purees after cooking in a multicooker), then submerged is better. If for grinding products at the initial or final stage of their preparation, then a stationary one is better.

Blender selection options

When choosing a blender, you should consider the following parameters:

1. Power;

2. Capacity (for stationary blenders);

3. Number of speeds;

4. Number of attachments (for hand blenders);

5. Knife type;

6. Bowl material;

7. Submersible part material;

8. Additional functions.

Blender power

The power of the blender directly affects its performance. The higher it is, the faster the device chops food. In addition, it determines the compatibility of the blender with the food that is planned to be processed.

So, blenders with a power of up to 150-200 W are suitable for processing only non-solid vegetables and fruits. On the other hand, devices rated for 400-500 watts can grind raw, tough foods (such as apples, root vegetables and meat). If you need to process ice, grind coffee or spices, you should pay attention to blenders with a power of 700 watts or more.

Keep in mind that high power blenders can overheat. Therefore, when buying a device for 500 W or higher, you should make sure that it has a pulse mode of operation. In it, the blenders work for a limited time (up to 1-3 minutes), after which they 'rest' to cool the drive, and continue to work again.

Tank volume

The volume of the container affects three parameters – the amount of processed products, the speed of their grinding and the uniformity of the texture of the finished puree.

To process food as quickly as possible and get a homogeneous puree, you should choose blenders with a small capacity. At the same time, the amount of ready-made food will be small, and you will have to constantly report and shift it.

In order to handle the maximum amount of food, it is worth purchasing a blender with a large capacity. But it should be borne in mind that in order to obtain a homogeneous puree, you will have to periodically independently stir the food in it.

Number of speeds

The number of speeds affects not only the processing speed of products, but also the texture of the finished puree (or mixture). So, at a low speed, the blender performs rather the function of a mixer and cuts products to a minimum. And at high speeds, it even crushes ice, nuts, coffee beans and spices.

If you plan to use a blender for a variety of purposes – from making fruit puree to grinding coffee – you should purchase a model with several speed settings. Otherwise, a simple device is sufficient.

It is also worth remembering that at high speeds the blender overheats and, as a result, it is better to use devices that support pulse operation.

Number of attachments

The number of hand blender attachments determines its applications. In most models, only one is installed – designed for strong crushing (transformation into puree).

There is also a nozzle designed for grinding products without turning them into a homogeneous slurry; and a whisk attachment that is used for mixing (similar to a mixer).

When buying an immersion blender, it is worth choosing models with the largest number of attachments – then this device will be able to replace several types of kitchen appliances at once and can be used in various cases.

Knife type

The knives in blenders can be removable and rigidly fixed. However, it is highly recommended to select models in which they can be disconnected. This will allow you to thoroughly rinse the bowl or immersion part of the blender.

Removable knives have a drawback – if they are not firmly fixed, they can fly off after installation. Therefore, it is worth making sure that the design of the fastener prevents an incomplete 'mounting'.

Bowl material

Bowl material. The container for products in stationary blenders can be made of plastic, glass or metal.

Plastic bowls

Advantages

• Low price;

• Easy to care for.

disadvantages

• Not suitable for use with hot foods;

• Over time, they lose their attractive appearance and can be scratched from the inside or outside.

Glass bowls

Advantages

• Suitable for use with hot food (however, do not put very hot food in a cold bowl);

• Easy to clean;

• Retain an attractive appearance for a long time;

disadvantages

• Mechanical fragility, may break on impact;

• High price;

• Thermal fragility. If very hot food is placed in a cold bowl, it may crack;

Metal bowls

Advantages

• Highest mechanical strength. Blenders equipped with such bowls can be safely used for crushing nuts or grinding coffee;

• Thermal strength – the bowl will not crack from contact with hot food.

disadvantages

• It will not be possible to visually adjust the consistency of the products and turn off the blender when the optimal texture is achieved;

• Immersion part material. It can be made of plastic or metal;

• High weight;

• High price;

Immersion material

Advantages of the plastic submersible part:

1. Low weight;

2. Easy to clean;

3. Low price.

Disadvantages of the plastic immersion part:

1. Not recommended for use with hot foods;

2. Mechanical instability – may crack on impact.

Advantages of the metal submersible part:

1. High mechanical strength, the risk of deformation is minimal;

2. Can be immersed in hot food.

Disadvantages of a metal submersible part:

1. High cost;

2. High weight resulting in increased hand fatigue with prolonged use.

Additional blender features

Among the additional functions that can be implemented in blenders, the most practical are the following:

1. Pulse operation;

2. The presence of a chopper;

3. Coffee grinder mode;

4. Juicer mode;

5. Shredder mode;

6. Vegetable cutter mode;

7. Soup cooker mode.

Pulse operation

The pulse operation is a must for high power blenders (from 500 W). It avoids overheating of the drive, which could cause the motor to burn out irreversibly. If the blender does not have a pulse mode of operation, you should not use the device at high speeds for more than 1-3 minutes without interruption.

Chopper

Chopper – a knife of a special configuration, which is designed for cutting food without turning them into puree. The function is quite useful, so it is recommended to choose models equipped with it.

Coffee grinder mode

The coffee grinder mode is for grinding coffee beans or spices. In blenders equipped with it, the knife is located very close to the base of the bowl, which allows you to turn solid foods into powder. Nevertheless, the quality of grinding (homogeneity of the powder, preservation of taste) in such devices is far from perfect. Plus, after processing coffee or spices, you will need to wash the bowl very carefully.

Therefore, blenders with a coffee grinder should be purchased only if there are no special requirements for the quality of grinding and there is a willingness to thoroughly wash the bowl.

Juicer mode

The juicer mode is usually only present in special devices, the so-called juicer blenders. The function is quite practical, but only if you need to make juices often. There are two disadvantages of such devices – firstly, because of the common drive, it can only be used in one mode (either a blender, or a juicer, but not at the same time); and secondly, you will have to wash twice as many containers.

Shredder mode

The shredding mode is designed for cutting food into slices and is implemented at the hardware level – a special circular knife is used for this purpose. This function is quite useful, but it is worth remembering that it is suitable for processing vegetables that are extremely small in size or diameter. Chopping cabbage, for example, using such a blender will not work.

Another disadvantage of the shredder mode is that it can be quite dangerous, since the food is fed manually.

Vegetable cutter mode

The vegetable cutter mode is also implemented at the hardware level in the form of a specially shaped knife. It allows you to cut food into small cubes. The function is useful and safe enough, therefore it is recommended.

Soup Cooker Mode

The soup cooker mode is found in an extremely small number of blender models. This function involves heating the contents of the bowl. In combination with a vegetable cutter, this blender allows you to prepare vegetable soup with just a few clicks of buttons.

The only drawback of this mode is the high cost of the devices equipped with it.

How much does a blender cost

The cost of a blender directly depends on the type, power, functionality and materials used in its construction.

So, the price for submersible blenders starts from several hundred rubles. The vast majority of models are in the price range of 3-5 thousand rubles, and top-end devices can cost from 20 thousand rubles.

The price for stationary blenders starts from several hundred rubles. The vast majority of models are in the price range of 4-8 thousand rubles, and top-end devices can cost from 15 thousand rubles.

The best blender manufacturers – which company to choose

Basically, blenders are produced by the same companies that produce other kitchen appliances. The most reliable are the following:

1. Bosch is a manufacturer of budget-class blenders. At a low price, they show high durability and practicality;

2. Braun – produces mid-range blenders with wide functionality and excellent durability;

3. Philips is also a mid-range blender manufacturer;

4. Rawmid, Vitek – top-class blenders are recommended for purchase.

Among the manufacturers of ultra-budget (with a price of up to 1,000 rubles) blenders, one can single out the Scarlett company. In most cases, its products are quite reliable, but the defect rate can be very high.

Blender selection video

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Attention! This material is the subjective opinion of the authors of the project and is not a purchase guide.