Cooking becomes fantastic when it’s hassle-free. No matter which recipes you make, there are more or less dicing, chopping, mixing, or grinding involved. Now, imagine you have a kitchen gadget that can do all of these tedious tasks for you so that you can focus more on cooking. I hope you already guessed which appliance I am talking about? I am not sure what your answer will be, but I am not talking about the food processor. It’s a blender! A blender is a fantastic machine that simplifies the mixing process of fruits and vegetables and saves a lot of time.
No kitchen gadget comes closer to the blender when you are looking to make smoothies, juices, sauce, crush ice, or any item that involves mixing. Most of the time, we use standard personal blenders, which get the job done with simple mixes. But not all the time a standard one will give you the expected performance. You can find a variety types of blender with different price ranges in the market, but you need to understand each type’s specialties to make a better purchase decision.
In this article, I will cover the common types of blender that most people use in their kitchen.
8 Types Of Blenders
1. Immersion or Stick Blender
2. Thermal Blender
3. Hand Mixer
4. Stand Mixer
5. Single Serve Blender
6. Portable Blender
7. Countertop Blender.
8. Commercial Blender.
1. Immersion Or Stick Blender:
An immersion blender is probably one of the most common types of blenders for personal use. It is also known as stick blender or hand blender. It has a handle where you can grab and control the machine, and at the bottom end, there are stainless steel cutting blades. Usually, the spinning blades are semi-covered with plastic or metal to prevent unwanted outcomes while using the blender. These are generally cheaper than a standard blender and are small and easy to store close at hand.
These blenders are lightweight and easy to move, especially if you got the cordless one. Some of the models offer several attachments with their models to get different results when requires. All you need is to press the power button, and it will do its job.
One thing that I love the most about hand blenders is their variable speeds and multiple attachments, and this feature is great for your baking needs and making desserts. Pastry chefs love these because blending small amounts of ingredients is a lot easier with them. But for typical day to day use, it could be a great option too. You can make whipped cream from egg whites, make a dessert with some chocolate and milk, and even make scrambled eggs; you can do all with it.
Pros:
- With its stainless steel blade, it is Quick and easy to blend or puree food.
- Less danger of spilling hot liquids by blending in the cooking pot
- Blending is possible in Any container
- Easy to clean.
- Easy to store.
- Less expensive compared to larger blenders.
Cons:
- Not the best for blending or pureeing stiff or tough foods.
- Only suitable for chopping, crushing, or grinding small amounts at a time.
- Care needs to be taken to avoid splashing, especially hot foods such as soup.
- Not suitable for making baby food.
2. Thermal Blender:
These are the blenders that can not only blend but also cook as well. You can use this fantastic machine to make bread dough or even make tasty soups. Imagine cooking a risotto without spending hours standing at the stovetop, stirring your rice.
A thermal blender can do it for you. These are comparatively expensive options than others that might put anyone off but, if someone is looking for a professional model that will do both blending and cooking simultaneously, then this is it.
Pros:
- Can cook and blend.
- Combining the tasks of multiple kitchen tools into one accessory.
- You can use it for both hot and cold foods.
Cons:
- Pricing is high.
- Have to know about the basics of blending and cooking as well.
- Sometimes it could be allergic when cooking, varies person wise.
3. Hand Mixer:
They are just an electric version of the old-fashioned egg beater. Hand mixers are designed for really beating ingredients together. They are fantastic for a range of baking deserts because of have variable speeds and multiple attachments.
Pros:
- Hand mixers are comparatively less expensive than others.
- A lot easier and quicker than others.
- These are much easier and less complex to operate.
- Compact design and does not talk lot of storage room.
- They are lightweight and as well as can be easily carried around.
Cons:
- They are comparatively less powerful than others.
- It cannot do a lot of mixtures also the mixing is not better
- Prepares only a tiny amount of mixes, so it is not ideal for using huge events.
- It does not include a safety splash add-on, so you need to be aware of your cooking area.
4. Stand Mixer:
A stand mixer is also known as a cake mixer, for its usage among people. However, they look like hand blenders but, much more powerful than them. They are vastly used in commercial bakeries. It comes with a range of different attachments that can turn it from a basic mixer into a versatile kitchen tool. Great for making the cake batter. In some models, you can find Whisk attachments that can be used for meringues.
Pros:
- It comes with a big blending container, which allows individuals to blend many ingredients without worrying about any spills.
- Capable of doing the most complex blending.
- The user can add various attachments and also devices for doing different mixing tasks.
- Quick multitasking
- Outstanding capacity to blend thicker ingredients and even an enormous amount of mixes.
Cons:
- It is massive and heavy and can be hard to move around or find space in the kitchen if your kitchen is small.
- A bit costly.
- Cleaning up a stand mixer and its attachments is not that easy also time-consuming.
- Having a powerful motor consumes more energy, which boosts your electricity bill.
5. Single Serve Blender:
A single Serve blender is also known as a personal blender or bullet blender. Single-serve blenders have become really popular in the last few years. As they are so easy to store and simple to use. That says, however, they are perfect for students, young professionals, or people with a choppy schedule. They are a compact and convenient option for those are wanting to maintain a healthy diet even while they are on the go. Another popular use for these types of blenders is baby food preparation. They can make pureed food in flash.
Pros:
- Compact design and take less room.
- These blenders generally can be removed from the base to convert into a travel cup.
- Perfect for blending just one smoothie at a time.
- They can be a great time saver and require less cleaning up than others.
Cons:
- Not suitable for large batches of mixing.
- Leaking is also a common problem with a single-serve blender cause Most of the time, the blade unit was not attached firmly enough to the container.
6. Portable Blender:
Portable blenders are smaller, lighter, and more compact than a traditional blender. They are perfect for packing into a case or backpack. These require a little power to operate. Some portable blenders work on batteries or USB power without the need for a power source. These blenders allow you to make healthy mixtures anywhere but in smaller quantities.
Portable blenders are relatively new in the market but have become popular in the past few years. Also, please don’t get confused by matching it with the single-serve bullet blenders cause these two are entirely different.
The design consists of a clear glass jar, the top part screws into the lid, and the bottom part with the blade base, which contains the motor. These are portable, lightweight, and smaller in size. Suitable for using it in the office, or perhaps after completing your gym session. Great for using while traveling.
Another great thing about Portable blenders is that it is an excellent choice for parents who continuously need to make baby food. Even if you are traveling with your baby, just put this in your bag and go out. When you are enjoying your meal, take a few veggies from your plate and add a little bit of water and your instant baby food is ready.
Pros:
- It is small and Compact and very convenient to take anywhere.
- Easy to clean, mixing dish soap with water for several seconds will do the job.
- Has enough power to blend fruits and vegetables also perfect for making smoothies and protein shakes
- Nice looking, and it is not very occupied.
- Pricing is also reasonable compared to others.
Cons:
- For proper mixing, it might need well-chopped fruits and vegetables.
- Comparatively less durable than others.
- May face a problem when mixing in a larger quantity.
7. Counter-Top Blender:
Countertop blenders generally have a large 64oz or almost 2-liter capacity, so these are an excellent option for making drinks for family or parties. Most countertop blenders are designed for cold or cool liquids and have lids that seal well. It would be great if you be careful while using this blender for mixing any hot items.
It has a quite similar look to the food processor so, do not get confused. The leading brands that you can find in the market are Vitamix, Kitchenaid, Blendtec, etc.
Pros
- These are the most powerful blenders with having a powerful motor.
- Amazing gadget to mix most of the ingredients.
- They usually have multiple speed settings.
- Most of them have a pulsing option, which blends different kinds of ingredients easily and ensures everything is mixed correctly.
Disadvantages
- Powerful with a large battery capacity, which is why it is pretty bulky.
- Storing it longtime without using can damage it.
- The noise could be alarming, and there is a risk of damaging blades and potentially the glass.
8. Commercial Blender:
If you are looking for something with a powerful motor, then these types will be what you want. They are aimed to suit heavy users also, designed to blend more robust ingredients. They are an obvious necessity if you will be creating blended foods and drinks more than one time a day.
If you are looking for professional blenders, then you may try brands like Vitamix, Cleanblend blenders. Ninja and Blendtec are great semi-pro options but professional style blender. If you love to make large batches of hummus, create smoothies, or iced drinks, these are the ones to go for.
Pros
- It has a bigger motor and robust build to make commercial blenders a better option for high users.
- You can blend almost any fruit and vegetable.
- This machine will cope with most things from soft-cooked Pumpkin through to roasted nuts for butter.
Disadvantages
- These kinds of blenders are generally much expensive.
- Leaking may happen sometimes.
- The machine and its attachments are not easy to clean.
Conclusion
Finding the perfect gadget is a challenging task. But, I have tried my best to share the advantage and the downside of each type. You will find a wide variety of products on the market. Different brands like Cuisinart, Hamilton Beach are offering a wide range of products. Ultimately it would be best if you took the final decision yourself. However, I believe it is not too difficult to find a blender that will work for your primary purposes. You have to find out which is the best option regarding your needs.
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