The presence of a blender in the kitchen makes cooking your favorite dishes easier and faster. And this can be said by every housewife who is already used to using this device. But to understand which stationary blender is better to choose for the first time, without having experience in using this device in everyday life, it can be very difficult.
Which stationary blender is better to choose?
Key Features of the Stationary Blender
The main purpose of any stationary blender is to grind and mix products. Its main difference from the submersible version of this device is the absence of the need for any active actions on the part of a person. That is, by downloading the ingredients and clicking on the button, you can just stand and wait for the process to complete. The main characteristics of a stationary blender, in turn, can be called:
- power;
- volume and material of the bowl;
- complete set;
- type of control and number of speeds.
Based on them, you can quickly understand how to choose the right blender for your home. In this case, it is necessary to understand why this device is needed in everyday life, and what it should allow to do in the cooking process. In some cases, it is not even appropriate to buy the most expensive device, since in the process of use most of its capabilities will simply not be used.
Buying an expensive blender is not always rational
Power
The power of a stationary blender is often indicated on the device body, so you do not even need to study the operating instructions to find this information. And knowing all the possibilities of a blender of one or another power, you can immediately understand whether this model is suitable for use in a particular case or not. Not only the maximum speed of rotation of the knives depends on the quantitative value of this characteristic, but also what products can be laid in a glass for grinding and mixing. So, for example, with blenders with power:
- from 180 to 300 watts, you can only mix well and beat milk or other types of cocktails, which include liquids or very soft products, such as ice cream or cream;
- 300 to 650 watts is ideal for grinding and mixing soft and moderately hard foods. You can choose such a blender for preparing baby food, cocktails and smoothies using fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as various mashed soups in which all the ingredients after cooking become quite soft;
- from 650 to 1000 watts, with confidence you can grind solid products such as nuts, sugar or coffee or create a viscous mass of dried fruits. Cracking ice is also possible;
- from 1000 watts, you can almost everything and in large volumes. When using such a device, it is necessary to correctly select the speed, otherwise it will very quickly create mashed potatoes from the components, even if they just needed to be crushed a little.
Very often the power of a stationary blender is indicated on its body
Bowl volume and material
All existing models of stationary blenders, the volume of the bowl can be equal to from 0.4 to 2 liters. Choosing the right amount is necessary based on what portions of dishes will be mixed in it.So when using a blender only for making puree for a small child, a minimum volume will be enough. If the device mixes and grinds the products immediately for 2 people, then the optimal volume of the bowl can be called 1 liter, and if for 4 people - 1.5 liters. It is worth noting that in the process of mixing the ingredients, the products will rise up due to the high speed of the knives. Therefore, it is impossible to fill the cup to the very edges. The useful volume of the bowl of the stationary blender is 15% less than the main one. Thus, in a bowl with a volume of 400 ml, only 300 ml of components can be loaded, and in a 1.5 liter only 1.2 l.
Two bowls in a set are more convenient to use
The material from which the bowl of the stationary blender is made also affects its functionality. So a plastic tank significantly reduces the cost of the device as a whole and does not make it heavier, but it is not very suitable for splitting ice and mixing hot mashed soups. A glass container can withstand high temperatures and, like plastic, control the resulting consistency of contents even during operation. But at the same time, the glass is quite heavy and can be scratched during use, change its color over time and absorb the smells of what is placed in the container. The metal bowl also has considerable weight and cost compared to the plastic version, but at the same time it is the most durable of all existing. The disadvantage of a metal bowl can be called the fact that it does not allow to observe the process of mixing the ingredients.
Metal does not allow visual control of the grinding and mixing process.
Equipment
The most affordable budget models of a stationary blender most often come with a single bowl with one knife inside. This option is more convenient during storage, but less functional. There are also stationary blenders, the set of which includes two, three or more bowls, in each of which the knife has its own individual size and shape, and at the same time the purpose. Such a blender with good power can perform all the operations specific to this device. The only drawback of it can only be called the fact that its storage will require a lot of space.
A large number of bowls makes storage difficult
Another option for stationary blenders is a device with one or two bowls, but removable knives. This design is the most optimal, as it is both multifunctional and compact. The choice of bowl in this case will depend on the volume of the portion that needs to be crushed and mixed, and the type of nozzle on the required operation.
Type of control and number of speeds
In the simplest models of stationary blenders, the rotation speed of the knife is not regulated at all, which makes it impossible to control it. The maximum number of speeds in this case can be called 20, but according to the experience of the hostesses this is a lot and each of them in the process of using the device in everyday life is not necessary. The choice of this parameter must also be carried out based on the required functionality. If the appliance comes with several bowls or removable knives, then 10 speeds will be quite sufficient to select the ideal speed of rotation of the knives for grinding and mixing of a product. If the device has only one bowl and a single knife, then the chopper in the blender should be able to rotate at least 4 speeds, which will provide an opportunity to fully use its potential. It is also worth noting that the choice of speeds affects not only the degree of grinding and mixing of products, but also the duration of this procedure. A good blender must cope with its task promptly.
In a blender with one bowl and knife should be more than 4 speeds
The type of control in stationary blenders can be either mechanical or electronic. Mechanical control means setting the required parameters manually before turning on the device or in the process of its direct use. Electronic means choosing the appropriate program present in the menu or creating it based on experience. In this case, all the modes used will be saved in the device’s memory and the next time you do not need to configure the blender to the required parameters for cooking a particular dish. Electronic control will greatly simplify the use of the device in everyday life, but it will greatly affect its cost.
Electronic control more convenient
Which blender is better to choose?
Every housewife wants any appliance available in her kitchen to be ideal in all respects. Therefore, if this is so and there is a financial opportunity, then answering the question of which is better to choose a blender from the existing options, we can confidently answer that the option with 2 glass bowls of different sizes and a large number of removable knives and electronic control, implying their own programming. The power of such a device should not be much less than 1000 W or even exceed this value.
In addition to the basic characteristics of a stationary blender, small details have a very significant impact on usability, so they should also be present. So, for example, the presence of a hole on the lid of the bowl will allow you to report the products inside even with the included and mixing device. The presence of a tap for pouring cocktails will allow you to do this under a certain pressure, so that foam will form in the glass. The spout on the top edge of the bowl will make it possible to conveniently transfer the liquid into another container. And protection against overheating will turn off the device until the moment when its “unacceptable" work negatively affects the engine, thereby significantly prolonging the life of the device.
The presence of a nose on the bowl will conveniently pour the contents from the bowl
How to choose a blender for the home, and what should it be?
If the choice of a blender for a home is financially quite limited, then first of all you need to consider its need in the cooking process. So looking for a device that is only required for making mashed potatoes, one may prefer an inexpensive model with a small bowl volume and one speed. If in the kitchen, in addition to the stationary blender, there is no other similar technique, it is better to choose a multifunctional model with several plastic bowls and removable knives on a mechanical control. This option will be in the average price range, but at the same time it will provide the opportunity to use it to perform various operations.
Determining how much power a home blender should be, then in any case, its greater value will be the best option. So even if you have one bowl, knife and speed, clearly controlling the operating time of the device, you can either grind the ingredients a little, or achieve their puree state and thorough mixing. Of course, initially accurately determining the time of use will be quite difficult, but over time and gaining experience with such a device, this will be quite possible.
Before buying a stationary blender, you must consider the presence of other household appliances
