Do I need a soup maker?

LilacLillie

meritaten wrote: »

I made pea soup tonight for my veggie GD1s supper. it took ten minutes in a saucepan and I whizzed it up with my Stick blender.
I think for myself a soup 'maker' would be sat in a cupboard.

As is mine. Used about 3 times then back to the saucepan method.
LL

Digger-Reilly

I was in the "I've got a saucepan and a handblender" soup club and after reading reviews bought one about a year ago. It's amazing! Add ingredients, select Smooth and go and do something else for 21 minutes.

When it's ready just pour the soup into bowls (it's like a big kettle). Really easy to clean. Only the lid/blender and the jug.

Being an inexperienced soup maker, I bought a couple of recipe books and we have had a good time experimenting.

It's so easy to use, we can clean my son's fishtank with no distractions while the soup's making. No burnt hands from splashes using a handblender either.

Not so good for chunky soups with meat as you need to cook the meat first, so less washing up with a saucepan for this.

It is more expensive than a pan and blender, but as this has got me making soup, definitely worth it.

LameWolf

As kerr gt said - horses for courses. I use a big pot on the hob, and wuzz the stuff in the food processor (I tend to lose my grip on the stick blender as my hands are very arthritic); I looked at the advert for a soup maker and decided I didn't need another gadget to find a home for, and I could use the money elsewhere.
On the other hand, my bread maker is vital - my DH loves the loaves I make in it, and I couldn't manage to make it by hand due to the arthritis.

MandM90

As above, I use SC and blitz (helps that OH is on washing up duty, but two bits aren't too hard). Much prefer clutter free multi purpose gadgets.

zippychick

ive merged this with an older thread which has loads of previous discussion

Zip

natlie

I make soup all the time also a blender fan, I usually cook up a soup as I am cokign other things so if I make roast dinner I cook eaxtra veg and use the water from the swede or carrots with a stock cube, fresh pea soup with mint just pour the peas in the cooking water in the blended with a stock cube and fresh mint, butternut squash soup - cut the squarh in half roast it and then scoop it out and put in the blender with stock cube, powdere ginger and dried chilli flakes. I don't think you need to go all out on soup it can be very simple - often the simple ones taste the best

natlie

p.s. Nads lol

lilac_dawn

I got a soup maker as an unexpected Christmas pressie and have used it at least once a week. I originally thought it was just a gimmick but it's great. I haven't had a bad soup from it yet as it's so easy to get the measurements right using the jug. You just chop and then fill it up, leaving it to do its stuff. I usually have soup for lunch so often make it in the morning to take to work in a flask, or sometimes freeze individual portions in some lidded bowls I got in Ikea. It makes for a cheap meal.

toozie_2

I've had my soup maker over 12 months now, and have used it 2/3 times a week-not so much in the summer though.

I love it, and have not had a bad soup either, but always use the puree-as I prefer smooth soups.
I use left over bits & pieces and those "sad"bendy veggies left in fridge.

On Monday I was looking after my DGS who is 9 months, I threw the veg in the soup maker, put it on so it was brewing whilst I fed him in the high chair, when he was fed up of food, the soup was ready...I ate that and he had a bottle.
Or sometimes if I'm not organised the night before, I'll put it on and jump in the shower before work, so the soup is ready to take-as the previous poster said in a flask..when I'm dressed and ready to go.

On Halloween made spicy pumpkin soup from the insides of the pumpkin-which I probably would have thrown away before.

I have read but not looked into it that the energy consumption of a jug style soup maker is high.
That would be an interesting comparison:

25 minutes use of a soup maker-elec costs
or
use of hob (gas or electric) to cook soup and stick blender-obviously you only use that for seconds
or
I did sometimes use slow cooker for soup-that's cheaper, then stick blender.

I think for me the soup maker is fast, so if it's Saturday lunch, I can think about it at 12 noon and be eating by 12:30, having hoovered & dusted in between the times.
x

Pollycat

I wonder if kittykat101 has decided whether to buy a soup-maker or not.