Soup maker?

[Urs]

Now the weather is colder I eat more soups at lunch time. The cost of soup seems to be going up and up so going to start making my own. Have any of you used a soup maker which cooks and blends? Worth getting one?

 

[Leadinglights]

Now the weather is colder I eat more soups at lunch time. The cost of soup seems to be going up and up so going to start making my own. Have any of you used a soup maker which cooks and blends? Worth getting one?

I find just cooking the ingredients in a pan and using a stick blender works just fine.

 

[freesia]

Now the weather is colder I eat more soups at lunch time. The cost of soup seems to be going up and up so going to start making my own. Have any of you used a soup maker which cooks and blends? Worth getting one?

I used to put everything in a saucepan then use a stick blender but a couple of weeks ago Aldi had a soup maker as a special buy for £35. I'd looked at others which were around £50-£60 and a friend had a soup maker which she said was good, so decided to try it.

Its so much easier, you just chop the veg etc put it in with the stock and select chunky or smooth etc then turn it on. I had carrot and coriander soup cooked, blended and ready to eat in 25 mins. I've not tried it with any chicken yet, not sure how that would cook or whether you cook it and add. I've made leek and potato soup yesterday, very quick and easy and not much washing up.

 

[Docb]

Pressure cook and stick blend for me.

 

[Nayshiftin]

Pressure cook and stick blend for me.

Yes, only i use the blender on my kenwood chef if i want smooth otherwise i used half n half.
i think though soup makers are great
for smaller quantities. i freeze soup and take out as we need. its really fast food ready meal for me . Hubby used to take it frozen to work kesve in fridge and hear through for lunch. Easy to taje a pot n a packet if frozen bread as i freeze that in small anounts too. if id forgot his sandwiches a quick easy lunch.
Id find it hard in winter not to use oressure cooker.
Fresh soup is great so if a soup maker is your thing great.

 

[mitchsi]

I’ve been using huge vats for bulk cooking of soup and freeze weeks worth, I did buy a strong hand blender which takes some work. I’m home office so have the soup each working day - it makes it so easy each day, no decision making 🙂
So not really answering the OP’s question but the capacity of a soup maker would be quite limiting for me.

 

[helli]

I am another saucepan and stick blender kinda gal. I never knew such a thing as a soup maker existed.
I can see some value in not having to keep checking the pot has not boiled dry and whether the veg are soft enough yet (maybe a recipe would help with that ) as well as avoiding the kitchen splattering that often happens with the blending when I forget to use the anti-splatter attachment.
However, I have a small kitchen with no room for another gadget with one use.
A pressure cooking may also help ... but the only other use for me would be making Christmas pud so I still couldn't justify the space.

 

[Nayshiftin]

I am another saucepan and stick blender kinda gal. I never knew such a thing as a soup maker existed.
I can see some value in not having to keep checking the pot has not boiled dry and whether the veg are soft enough yet (maybe a recipe would help with that ) as well as avoiding the kitchen splattering that often happens with the blending when I forget to use the anti-splatter attachment.
However, I have a small kitchen with no room for another gadget with one use.
A pressure cooking may also help ... but the only other use for me would be making Christmas pud so I still couldn't justify the space.

Yes, i think it usually aimed for students who want the taste of home. The ones i see only make enough for two people. However a bit like you can make cakes in a bread maker its just as easy to do in a bowl.
I to have not the space but i keep it on the dining room/ office/ spare bedroom/ junk room cupboard.
I too have a small kitchen so i am not thinking of buying one but would for my daughter if soup was her thing.
Weight watchers do them. She got my air fryer from there and loved it. I had a bigger kitchen then so that went easily. i never really used it .
I think its a case if you use it you need it but there are other ways.

 

[MrPixels]

I used to put everything in a saucepan then use a stick blender but a couple of weeks ago Aldi had a soup maker as a special buy for £35. I'd looked at others which were around £50-£60 and a friend had a soup maker which she said was good, so decided to try it.

Its so much easier, you just chop the veg etc put it in with the stock and select chunky or smooth etc then turn it on. I had carrot and coriander soup cooked, blended and ready to eat in 25 mins. I've not tried it with any chicken yet, not sure how that would cook or whether you cook it and add. I've made leek and potato soup yesterday, very quick and easy and not much washing up.

I would think add it pre cooked, a big risk of food poisoning from undercooked chicken...

 

[freesia]

I would think add it pre cooked, a big risk of food poisoning from undercooked chicken...

Very true. I was thinking of poaching chicken to shred into the soup.

As there are only two of us the soup maker is ideal as it makes just enough. I only have limited kitchen space but it fits ok in a cupboard. I do like using it, less washing up, no splatter from cooking or blending. However i can still use my older method of pan and blender for meaty soups.

 

[Leadinglights]

My kitchen is full of unused/little used gadgets which seemed like a good idea at the time, shreader, juicer, slow cooker x2, tagines x2 (presents), steamer, George Forman, etc etc. The only frequent users are the stick blender, airfryer, and food mixer which OH uses to make bread.

 

[rebrascora]

Pan and stick blender for me. I have no interest in clogging up my kitchen with more gadgets when I have suitable things which work well. I really love my stick blender for ease of use small space and ease of washing.
I now however mostly mash rather than blend as I prefer some texture to my soup and the finer you blend food, the quicker the carbs in it release.

 

[Nayshiftin]

Pan and stick blender for me. I have no interest in clogging up my kitchen with more gadgets when I have suitable things which work well. I really love my stick blender for ease of use small space and ease of washing.
I now however mostly mash rather than blend as I prefer some texture to my soup and the finer you blend food, the quicker the carbs in it release.

Good to know , I never knew that about blending . Soups are goid blood sugar wise for me.

 

[helli]

the quicker the carbs in it release.

I did an experiment of this once - and the difference for me was negligible so I blend as I prefer the texture. Mashed food is closer to baby food and less palatable to me.

 

[JJay]

I have 2 rules for appliances and gadgets I might be interested in - 1) is there space on the worktop/room in a cupboard (as appropriate)? 2) how often will I use it?

The soup maker passed both - it fits neatly in the cupboard, and I make soup much more often than when I had to faff about stirring stuff on a hob and wielding a stick blender with no convenient power point nearby! Mine's a Morphy Richards - there's only 2 of us and it makes enough for 2 decent portions plus one to freeze for another time. All in 20 mins, during which time I can just leave it alone and do something else useful.

 

[nonethewiser]

Been making soup for weeks now, on Wednesday bought a ham hock from butchers & boiled it in large stock pot for 2 hrs, kept water then added veg, 1 potato 1 onion 1 stick of celery 1 leek 1 chicken stock pot 900g of frozen peas & packet of fresh mint, also added 5 cloves of garlic & ground black pepper, left it all to cook then used stick blender to mix it all up then added shredded ham back to pan then warmed it through again.

Have to say everyone loved it & there's some left over in freezer, can't beat homemade soup IMO.

 

[Nayshiftin]

I did an experiment of this once - and the difference for me was negligible so I blend as I prefer the texture. Mashed food is closer to baby food and less palatable to me.

I feel the opposite blended food is like pureed baby food to me. i guess depends what your used to. I like a bit of both. Soup is so warming and filling and despite folks saying vitamins are destroyed its done me good all these years. Enjoy it as you like it.

 

[Eponine]

Soup maker is great, I just get a casserole mix from supermarket, chop anything that looks a bit big, add herbs and spice and press the button. 30 minutes later pour into bowl and eat. Lots of recipes for soup maker around but for me it means I get to have vegetables I would never dream of eating in their whole form.

 

[Felinia]

I inherited my nan's old jam saucepan, which allows me to make 12 servings at once, then freeze in old ice cream containers. So I'm also a pan and blender girl! I must admit to cheating and buying packs of prepared veggies, like carrot/swede, squash/sweet potato and cabbage/leek, so chopping is minimal. I always use a timer too. Ironically yesterday I made 2 pans - curried red pepper, squash and sweet potato, then yellow vegetable. The first I blended, the second I left chunky.

 

[nonethewiser]

Kinda think all these fancy gadgets can take away pleasure of cooking in some ways, yes very convenient they are for those who have limited time that I get.