In a modern kitchen, a blender plays a special honorable role. There is nothing surprising in this, because the kitchen assistant, indispensable for many housewives, makes it easier to prepare many dishes.
Blender is a multifunctional device. Its use allows you to simply and quickly grind any products (vegetables and meat, fruits, nuts, etc.), prepare mashed potatoes and emulsions, knead the dough, mix mousses and smoothies and even chop ice.
Currently, the blender is a worthy competitor to the food processor. This device is more mobile and convenient, besides it takes a minimum of space in the kitchen. Many housewives use a blender daily. And no wonder, because the device does not require special preparation for operation, and after use it is easy to wash.
Principle of operation
How is a blender designed? The compact electric motor of the device rotates the shaft on which various nozzles can be fixed. Products are placed in a special bowl. Due to the rotation of the installed nozzle, beating or grinding is carried out.
Types of appliances
All blenders are divided into stationary and submersible (or hand). In the models of the first type of devices, the electric motor is designed inside the housing. A bowl and one of the nozzles are attached to this stable part of the blender.
A slightly different design is an immersion device. It has two main components. The first of them is the handle, inside which the designers placed the electric motor. The second main part is a special leg designed for mounting various nozzles. Such a blender is held in hands in the process of whipping or grinding products. The leg with the nozzle is then immersed in a separate container with the products in it.
Modern manufacturers produce a rather interesting blender, which is a kind of hybrid of manual and stationary. Its difference lies in a more capacious container for products, as well as in a powerful electric motor.
How to choose a blender? To determine the model that you will be satisfied with, it’s important to study in detail the information about the capabilities of each type of device, as well as analyze all the technical parameters that will satisfy the user's needs.
Stationary device
The design feature of this device is the presence of a removable bowl and housing, inside which an electric motor is built. The working body of such a blender is a blade chopper knife. It is located inside the bowl. Products are placed in the container, which are further processed. How to choose a stationary blender? Pay attention to the equipment of the device. It can consist of just one nozzle. However, preference should be given to a more functional model. In its configuration there should be several interchangeable nozzles designed for grinding or whipping products.
How to choose a blender? It should be borne in mind that stationary devices have more capacity, but they are heavy. Also, such devices have a lack of mobility, but it makes up for convenient and enjoyable use. In the process, such devices do not require the direct participation of the owner.
The disadvantage of stationary models is their poor ability to handle solid products.A submersible is much easier to prepare icing sugar and ground coffee. It will allow you to get a more uniform mass of vegetables and herbs.
And how to choose a blender for cocktails? To obtain this drink, a stationary appliance is best suited. With its use, great sauces and omelettes are obtained. It is also needed for kneading batter. The stationary blender, which is a container with blades at the bottom, perfectly crushes nuts, hard cheeses and ice.
One of the drawbacks of such a device is the inability to use nozzles such as a whisk, as well as the implementation of vacuum. In addition, when using a stationary device, it is impossible to grind products in any container.
Of course, the convenience of this blender is that during operation there is no need to hold it in your hands. In addition, in most models there is a self-cleaning function, and they are cheaper than submersible.
How to choose a stationary blender to facilitate homework? First of all, you need to pay attention to the material that was used to produce the bowl, as well as its capacity. An important parameter is power. The larger it is, the faster the device will do the work entrusted to it.
Hand blender
This device is as compact as possible. In addition, it differs from a stationary one by design features. At the top of the device, that is, in its handle, is the motor part. The nozzle or chopper is attached to the bottom of the blender. The submersible is more compact and versatile. However, it is not designed for long-term work.
A special container for products is included in the package. In its absence, you can grind the ingredients in any dish with high walls.
How to choose a hand blender? When determining the model you need, pay attention to the material from which the nozzles are made. It can be durable plastic or stainless steel. It is advisable to give preference to metal parts. However, in this case, the cost of the device will be slightly higher. The price of a submersible blender will also depend on the quality of the containers and nozzles that are included in the kit.
A manual kitchen assistant is used to grind fruits and greens, boiled meat and vegetables. With it, you can make a little mincemeat and get breadcrumbs. The submersible blender will perfectly cope with the preparation of mashed soup, milk and fruit and berry cocktails, as well as smoothies. Having inserted a nozzle whisk, with its help it is possible to whip cream.
The disadvantages of a submersible blender include the need to hold it in your hands and a slightly higher price compared to a stationary one. However, all the negative sides are more than compensated by the advantages of the device. Among the latter are:
- compactness;
- the ability to work anywhere;
- convenience with a small amount of products.
How to choose a hand blender for home? It is worth asking about the material used to make the “leg”. Better if it is made of metal. The plastic material is afraid of the hot, changes its color over time and becomes an unpleasant odor.
If you decide to buy a hand blender, which is better to choose? An important characteristic of any device is its power. The higher its value, the better. With more power, the blender will quickly solve the task assigned to it, which will allow you to give your hands a rest. An important point is the availability of speeds. In the best devices there are more of them.
How to choose a blender for home? If you do not mind the money, then it is better to purchase the most expensive. He has the highest power, and metal will serve as the material of the “leg”. Such models always have a large number of speeds. In other words, everything is in the optimal ratio. In addition, expensive blenders come with a variety of nozzles and are equipped with numerous modes.
However, the buyer is not always ready to give a lot of money for household appliances. Of course, I also want to buy this device better and cheaper. In this case, how to choose the right blender? It is advisable to buy a high power device with a metal “foot”. Pay less attention to the nozzles in the kit, as well as at speed. The main thing is that the motor spins quickly at maximum. The manufacturer can be selected as desired. In this case, the price factor will play a role.
Combination Blender
This device has the functions of both a submersible and a stationary device. Sometimes it is called so: “mini-harvester” or “blender-mixer”. The design of the combined device includes an immersion blender and a measuring cup, a whisk and a knife attachment located in a closed container. Sometimes an additional bowl of large capacity is attached to such a device.
Use a combination blender in the same way as a hand blender. However, unlike a hand-held device, it easily mashes with stationary ease, whips cream, cocktails, and also kneads semi-liquid dough.
Bowl selection
How to choose a blender so that it is practical and convenient to use? When determining the model of the device, it is important to pay attention to the bowl. One of its main characteristics is spaciousness. Modern appliances offer bowls from three hundred grams to two liters. But it is worth considering that the container for products has a useful volume. It needs to be filled 100-150 g less. How to choose a good blender for this feature? Decide on the volume of a bowl necessary for you. If you cook a lot, then it should be more. Otherwise, a small volume will be sufficient. As a rule, consumers prefer a bowl with a capacity of 1-2 liters.
And if you need a blender for smoothies, how to choose the volume of the bowl? For this deliciously thick drink, as well as for mixing cocktails, you need as much volume as possible. Today, many mothers use blenders to make baby food. For these purposes, a model with a bowl from 0.3 to 0.6 liters is enough.
When purchasing a blender, it is worth clarifying what material was used to make the bowl. It can be glass, plastic or plastic. The latter during operation can be scratched, and eventually becomes cloudy. Glass is more resistant to various influences, but with an awkward movement it is easy to break. The best option when choosing a blender is a model that comes with a plastic bowl. Such a container will not break, does not cloud and does not absorb odors.
Power
How to choose a blender for this feature? It is worth remembering that the functionality of the device depends on power. For different models, this indicator ranges from two hundred to seven hundred watts. Naturally, the higher the power, the more cooking opportunities will be provided. At low values of this parameter, the blender will perfectly cope with liquids and soft vegetables. If you put solid products in the bowl, then they will not be within the power of your assistant. But the device, with power from six hundred to seven hundred watts, can even crack ice.
This parameter affects the cost of the blender. That is why, choosing a device, it is worth considering your needs. If the family consists of three or four people, it is recommended to purchase a device with a capacity of up to six hundred watts.
Speed modes
How to choose a blender by this parameter? It should be borne in mind that it is more convenient to subject different products to grinding at various speeds. In modern devices, as a rule, there are up to twelve modes. Consumers are offered kitchen assistants with a step speed function. There are models with continuously variable speed control. Blenders with short-term (pulse) and turbo modes are developed.
With a turbo button, the device instantly switches to maximum power.This happens even if before that he worked at minimum speed. This function allows you to give whipped products maximum volume.
In blenders equipped with a pulsed mode, the device can work with periodic stops. These breaks are needed to monitor the condition of products placed in the bowl. Pulse mode prolongs the life of the device, as it protects the motor from overheating.
Kitchen Assistant Care
If you decide to buy a blender, which is better to choose? It is advisable that the device is quickly disassembled and easily washed.
Some stationary models have a self-cleaning option. In order to wash the blender, warm water is poured into its bowl. After that, press the clear button. Do not be upset if this function is not available in your chosen model. Submersible blenders can simply be lowered into clean water and then turned on for a few seconds.
The appliance is easy to clean. It is only important to be careful not to get hurt on sharp knives.
Security
How to choose a blender so that working with it is not only comfortable, but also calm? For this, in some models there is a special option for automatic shutdown in case of improper assembly of the device. This feature extends the life of the blender and prevents the risk of spoilage.
Cost
Which company to choose a blender for home? Hand tools of brands such as Maxwell, Sinbo, Supra, Scarlett are in the lowest price category. Their cost starts from three hundred rubles. Such inexpensive models are not equipped with additional nozzles and have a power of 170-250 watts.
The cost of the simplest stationary blenders starts at five hundred rubles. If you do not know which brand of blender to choose, then pay attention to the products of companies such as Bosch, Philips, Braun. This is the most popular technique. Such blenders cost from 1700 to 5000 rubles. Often purchased combination devices that are included in this price category. They are multifunctional and very convenient to use.
The choice of technology
A variety of electrical appliances are an indispensable attribute of modern cuisine. Among them, mixers and blenders occupy an important place. If you are faced with the question of which unit to give preference to, then you should think about why it is needed.
So, a mixer or a blender - what to choose? Everything depends on your culinary preferences. If you want to bake cakes, cakes or pancakes, then you should buy a mixer. A stationary type blender is recommended for those housewives who prefer to cook mashed soup, cocktails and various creams, while they do not want to engage in serious baking.
It is recommended to buy a hand blender for those mothers who want to cook their own baby food. These devices and housewives prefer, chopping greens, cheese and vegetables for their dishes.
The combined blender is useful for grinding spices, whipping fruit and milk shakes, creams, egg whites, sauces, mousses. With its help, soup is also prepared.
Everyone knows that with a mixer, products are whipped, and with a blender, they are crushed. But the last of the two devices is still able to perform more operations. In some cases, a blender becomes a substitute for a mixer, which is increasingly considered a device used in the food industry. Of course, in a bakery they won’t knock down dough with a blender, but it’s quite possible to do such an operation at home. The main condition is a small amount of baking. At the same time, the mixer cannot be used to grind the product. It is impossible to get minced meat or spices with it.
Which instrument should I prefer? It all depends on what your homemade dishes prefer. For example, if you use a mixer to make a sauce with nuts, then small pieces of this solid product will remain in the finished dish.The blender will grind all the ingredients to a homogeneous paste. The same thing happens with cocktails. If you prefer a drink in which there are pieces of fruit, then you need to use a mixer. To get a smooth cocktail, you need a blender.
Airy mashed potatoes can only be made with a mixer. The blender will produce a dish that looks like a paste. Putting it on the table will be unpleasant. The blender is indispensable if its help is needed for the preparation of baby food. The device will allow you to get homogenized mashed potatoes from meat, cottage cheese, fruits, as well as vegetables.
If you want to cook various dishes, get two appliances. Depending on the planned menu, you will use one or another technical device.