How to choose a blender?

How to choose the most convenient blender and not to overpay? Select by parameters.

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Which blender is better to buy? - the answer to this question may seem complicated - there are too many selling instruments of various types and models. Modern units have plenty of features that you may need - or they may never come in handy. But the choice of a suitable device actually comes down to deciding what functions and power are needed to prepare the dishes for which you want to buy a blender.

We will tell you about the different types of blenders - so that you can choose which one is more suitable for your kitchen. And we will try to answer the following questions in detail:

What is blender for?

Blender is needed for grinding, mixing, whipping products.

These devices are a cross between a food processor and a mixer. They got the ability to mix from a mixer, and knives for grinding from a food processor.

Blenders are smaller and cheaper than food processors - however, they are designed for a small amount of food.

What does blender do?

Compared to a mixer, a blender can cope with harder products and break ice. But he cannot beat the dough as well as the mixer does.

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Blenders are simply indispensable in the process of making baby food. This device is simply necessary when there is a child in the family. They can quickly turn ordinary soups into mashed potatoes, make mashed potatoes for baby.

You can also use it to make berry and fruit drinks, homemade mayonnaise, smoothies, ice cream cocktails, turn onions into gruel - for those who don’t like to have onions swimming in the soup and make many more tasty and healthy things. High power models are used to chop ice and chop nuts.

Types of blenders

There are two types of blenders - submersible (manual) and stationary. And the most comfortable is combined models that combine the capabilities of those and others.

Submersible blenders (hand)

These devices are intended for grinding breading crumbs, boiled and raw vegetables and greens, preparing sauces and mashed potatoes, meat in small quantities. But the hand blender is better not to be used for cutting vegetables into salads, because the products will turn into porridge.

They are a metal or plastic case of elongated shape, to which 2-blade blades are fixed at one end. Such a blender is immersed in a container with products. Most manufacturers are available for their models of various additional nozzles, significantly increasing the functionality of the device.

Virtues

- Ability to adjust the consistency of the dish - uniformity of the consistency and size of grinding depends on the duration of the device operation.
- Convenience cooking small portions.
- Takes not enough place during the work and storage.
- Easy care.

disadvantages

- Poorly prepared cocktails.
- It is difficult to crush nuts and ice.
- The device in the process of work must be held in hand, while pressing the button. It can be difficult and time consuming.

Blenders are not intended to work with a thick dough, only with liquid. The device is not equipped with mixing hooks.

What else is a blender different from a mixer?

Stationary Blenders

Or blenders with a bowl. Such devices are suitable for the preparation of vegetable and fruit purees, batter, egg white, smoothies, sauces, creams, soups, mix cocktails, some models can cope with choking ice.

They represent a bowl mounted on a stand, at the bottom of which are the legs, giving it stability. Electricity is supplied to the stand, there are control buttons on it.

Virtues

- The bowl has a spout that allows you to conveniently pour the sauce or cocktails.
- Independent work. The blender is on the table, you do not need to hold it in your hands. You only need to download the products and select the desired speed.

disadvantages

- Poor chops vegetables.
- It is inconvenient to cook small portions - the contents are smeared on the walls, and the knife does not reach the products.
- Takes more storage space.

Combined Blenders

Such blenders are also called mini-combines and combine the functionality of both stationary and submersible. This is a set of immersion blender, chopper, measuring cup, knife nozzle in a closed container, whisk and other nozzles. Sometimes it is completed with additional capacity.

Combined blenders have all the possibilities of immersion (mixing and grinding vegetables, spices, nuts, mashed potatoes). Their functionality is expanded due to the presence of the nozzle-whisk: now you can whip creams, cocktails, egg whites, semi-liquid dough. The presence of a large bowl and a special knife for chopping ice allows you to turn the device into a stationary blender, which has all its functions.

The main difference from food processors is that combined blenders have fewer features. They do not squeeze the juice - such a nozzle is not provided, they can not cook the stuffing. The device works with a small amount of products, so do not expect help from them during the summer harvesting. With the help of them it is impossible to chop vegetables for salads, they simply chop them into porridge.

And the main drawback is the price. Such a kit will, of course, cost more than a regular blender without additional features.

How to choose the right blender? We study the characteristics

Pay attention to the parameters on which it depends whether it will be convenient for you to cook something tasty with it.

Material

Stationary blender bowls are usually made from plastic or glass. Glass is more environmentally friendly, it is not afraid of damage during the processing of solid products, but the jug may break when dropped. Plastic absorbs odors, may become cloudy and scratch over time from frequent washing, you will not cook hot in it. Manufacturers took into account the shortcomings of plastic bowls and began to use heavy-duty plastic, which is highly resistant to damage, it does not stain and does not become cloudy when cooking. As a rule, the case of immersion blenders is made of metal or plastic.
Nozzles better to choose metal. They have higher strength and work with hot products.

Power

The blender functionality depends on this parameter. The power basically varies from 200 to 700 watts. The higher the power, the more possibilities the blender has. A low-power device works great with soft vegetables and liquids, but there are problems with solid products. The 600-700 W power unit is able to cope even with breaking ice.

Number of speeds

The smaller the blender's power, the slower its speed. Low-power devices are equipped with 2-3 speeds, high-power blenders have 5-7 speeds, and some models can have up to 12-14. Different products easier to grind at different speeds

In addition to the number of speeds, the devices provide options for turbo mode, smooth adjustment of speed and pulse mode.

Turbo mode is the work of the blender at maximum power. When you press the "turbo" button, the device automatically switches to the highest power, even if before that it was at its minimum. The option is designed to give the maximum amount of whipping products.

In pulsed mode, the blender works with a periodic stop to control the state of the products.After two or three seconds, the device starts to work again. Pulse mode can extend the life of the blender - protects the motor from overheating.

Bowl volume

Usually the bowl capacity is 1-2 liters. In the selection process it is necessary to take into account that the difference between the useful and total volume is approximately 200-300 ml. If you want to use the device for making drinks and smoothies or mixing cocktails, you should choose a larger volume. To prepare baby food, you can choose less roomy models of 0.3-0.6 liters.

Care device

It is very easy to disassemble the device, it can also be easily and quickly washed.

Some stationary blenders are equipped with a self-cleaning option. For washing in a bowl warm water is poured and the button of cleaning is pressed. If the model does not provide this function, do not be upset. Submersible can be lowered into clean water and turned on for a few seconds. Blender is easy to wash, the main thing is to be careful not to get hurt. And for security reasons, you should not give it to children - the instrument knives are very sharp.

Security

Some manufacturers equip their appliances with a special automatic shutdown option if the blender is not properly assembled. This feature helps to extend the life of the blender and prevents it from damage.

Cost of

Sinbo, Scarlett, Supra, Maxwell etc. submersible blenders cost from 300 rubles. Cheap models do not have additional attachments, their power varies from 170 to 250 watts.

The simplest stationary blenders cost from 500 rubles.

Popular models from Braun, Philips, Bosch, etc. cost from 1700 to 5000 rubles. Combined blenders of this price category are more convenient and functional in use, therefore they are more popular.

Choosing the right nozzles

Nozzles blenders deserve special attention. The more nozzles - the more opportunities the device has - but the model is also more expensive. Therefore, before the final choice is worth thinking about - all the nozzles will be useful.

Shredder with lid. Suitable for slicing and shredding a variety of products, as well as for cooking fish or ground beef.

Nozzle for cutting. Easily copes with cutting fruits or hard vegetables, cuts cabbage, finely slices mushrooms. With it, it is convenient to chop the onion - everything is done so quickly that there is no specific smell.

Nozzle blender. Used for making sauces and mashed potatoes, copes with the preparation of mayonnaise. Helps to prepare pureed dishes for children from fruits and vegetables. Copes with chopping greens and nuts, mixing cocktails.

Nozzle whisk. The blender is used as a mixer - it helps to knead the dough, whip cream or whites, it is convenient in the process of making different desserts.

Nozzle for shredding. Helps to shred, finely cut carrots, beets, apples, cabbage and hard varieties of cheese.

Vacuum system. It helps to preserve the freshness of products for a long time or to marinate them quickly. Using a vacuum pump, air is evacuated from the container, creating a vacuum. For marinating kebabs, it is enough to pour the marinade into the container, cover the container, pump off the air - and after 30-40 minutes you can start cooking. The pump is a nozzle that helps to create a vacuum in special containers that are included in the kit. Containers can be bought separately. You can put any products in them, close the lid tightly and pump air out of the container with the help of a pump, creating a vacuum space. Some containers on the lid have a calendar on which you can mark the date of sealing of the product. This allows you to control the degree of freshness of the product.

Which blender is better to buy? We make a decision

Before deciding which blender to buy, try to answer the question - why do you need blender?

If the family baby - choose a hand blender. Meals for the baby should be freshly prepared, which means that a portion of mashed 100-200 ml will be required.The blender on a leg copes with this task better.

Choosing a blender for cooking baby food

Remember that there are special models that are designed exclusively for making baby food - for example, a PhilipsAvent blender / steam cooker.

If you are cooking vegetables, sauces - for these purposes it is also better to choose an immersion blender. In addition, it is more versatile - if necessary, you can shove it in any pan, the device with a metal leg - even in a hot one. Yes, and the amount of cooking food is not limited to the volume of the bowl. If you want to buy an immersion blender, then it is worth checking whether it is comfortable in your hand, if it is not very heavy, whether you can get the switch buttons in the process.

Do you like fruit drinks and smoothies? Cooking juices with ice? Bake cakes with nut filling? Then it is better to buy a stationary blender - it will be more convenient for you. When buying, you should pay attention to the presence of a handle and spout on a jug, stability. It is worth checking the length of the power cord - whether it will reach the outlet. It will be more comfortable to use the blender if the jug has clear large marks.

In general, the more features - the higher the cost. Decide first what type of blender you want, and then look at the possibilities that matter most to you. Also take into account the advantages of some accessories that can save the purchase of another device later.

The device must be powerful enough to meet your needs. For mixing sauces, seasonings, desserts, 300 W is enough, but if you want to mix ice drinks, you will need a blender with a capacity of at least 500 watts.

The device must have at least three speeds.
The blade is safer from stainless steel.
Try whether it is convenient for you to control the device (it is especially important for models in which the button needs to be held down during operation).
Well, when there is a pulse mode.

Choose the blender correctly - and your skilled assistant will add to your kitchen!