What are Blenders?
Ever found yourself in the kitchen with bowls of fresh fruits waiting to be made into smoothies or coffee seeds waiting to be ground into a fine powder, and the thought of manually doing these tasks weigh you down? You do not have to worry as blending machines are essentially made to make these tasks and many others easy.
Blenders come with electric-powered blades that rotate at high speed used to chop, mix and grind food substances.
Irrespective of the kind of food you often prepare in your kitchen, it is highly likely that you will need to use a blender at one time or the other. Blenders, like other machines, bring ease and efficiency into getting things done in the kitchen.
Types of Blenders
Since it was first introduced in the 1930s, blending machines have evolved to serve people’s ever-changing food needs better. There are various types of blenders with different capabilities available in the market today. They include:
Immersion blenders
Immersion blenders are also called stick or hand blenders. They are portable hand-held blenders suitable for use in tasks that require little blending. Immersion blenders are good for tasks like whipping mayonnaise, beating eggs, and pureeing soups.
Immersion blenders do not need jars to optimally function since they can be used on the liquid wherever it is. However, for convenience, some immersion blenders come with a jar.
Personal blenders
Personal blenders are used to do a wide range of tasks ranging from blending smoothies to mixing yogurt-based shakes. The catch with personal blenders is that the blending container doubles as a travel jar. Blend your smoothie and bag your jar without transferring its content. Personal blenders were made with people who need something bigger and powerful than immersion blenders but not quite as powerful as traditional full-size countertop blenders.
Countertop Blenders
Countertop blenders are giant, powerful all-purpose blenders. You can use countertop blenders to make your homemade peanut butter. They can crush peanuts with ease and come with large jars that can go more than two servings, unlike personal blenders. Countertop blenders come with jars of different sizes.
What are the Things to Consider When Buying Blending Machines?
Before making that blender purchase, there are a few things to consider to help you make an informed choice of the type of blender you need.
Purpose
Your answer to the question, “why am I buying the blender?” will help you make the correct choice of a blending machine. The choice of a blender for commercial purposes in a restaurant will differ from the choice of a blender for home use.
Power
The higher the power rating of a blender, the better the results it produces and the more it can blend in shorter periods. You should be sure to select a blender with the capacity to accomplish the task you intend to put it to use for. Blenders with higher power ratings are often more expensive than those with lower power ratings.
Noise
Blenders make a lot of noise. The speed of the motors spinning the blender’s blade causes the noise. In recent times, manufacturers have developed new methods to keep blenders’ noise to the barest minimum with vibration suppressing features. If you are averse to noise, you should specifically opt for noiseless blending machines. Though they may cost slightly more than the average blender.
Corded or Cordless Blenders?
The choice between a corded or a cordless blender is a choice between the traditional and the modern. Hitherto, blenders were made with power cords that are connected to the socket-outlet to power them. More recently, there has been a rise in the production of blenders that jettison power cords to run on batteries. Cordless blenders can be operated anywhere without worrying about the availability of sockets. They are also more expensive to maintain than corded blending machines. However, for the same dimensions, a corded blender will typically be more powerful than a cordless blender. Consider having the two for the most flexibility.
Size
Another factor to consider before making a blender purchase is the size. This is important to consider because you do not want to buy a blending machine that you cannot properly store when not in use. Since blenders come in different sizes, you should be conscious of buying one you can adequately store. Larger blenders can also hold more content for fewer blending cycles.
How Much do Blenders Cost?
You can purchase blending machines at budget prices under $100. There are also heavy-duty blenders that are sold at over $600. Mid-range blenders sit between that range. Your choice for a blender will depend greatly on your budget.
Final Thoughts on Blenders
Blenders are great additions to any kitchen. Whether you are making that smoothie for personal consumption or commercial purpose, there is a suitable blender to take care of it. There are different sizes and designs of blenders to suit your needs. Finally, care should be taken when cleaning the blades to avoid clogging up the base or injuring the fingers.
FAQs
Q – Are noiseless blenders really noiseless?
A – Noiseless blending machines do make noise but at much lower levels than the average blender. The vibration in noiseless blending machines is greatly reduced. Also, they usually come with an extra compartment that keeps the noise from getting out.
Q – Are immersion blenders and hand mixers the same?
A – Immersion blenders and hand mixers are not the same. Even though they are both hand-held devices, they differ in terms of use. Immersion blenders are used to make purees and perform the traditional function of a blender at a toned-down rate. On the other hand, a hand mixer is used primarily used for mixing.
Q – Can blenders crush ice cubes?
A – Only blenders with very high power ratings can crush ice cubes. Even at that, there is no assurance or indication from manufacturers that blenders will crush ice cubes. It is not advisable to place ice cubes inside blenders because they dull the blade.
The same applies to frozen foods. Frozen foods should be allowed to thaw before placing them for blending inside blenders.
Q – Do blender blades rust?
A – Blender blades are made of stainless steel, which is known to have anti-rust properties. However, continuous exposure of the blades to water will eventually lead to the onset of rusting. Thus, users are advised to always dry out the blades of moisture as soon as possible.
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