There are several ways to choose a smoothie blender. First of all, pay attention to the engine power, the number of speeds and operating modes. There are other technical and consumer characteristics. Practical advice on choosing the right model is described in this material.
The content of the article
- Principle of operation, pros and cons
-
Criterias of choice
- Power
- Modes and speeds
- Material and type of knives
- Material and volume of container
- nozzles
- Housing material
Principle of operation, pros and cons
Unlike a traditional immersion blender, the smoothie machine works stationary. The engine with the mechanism is located below, a bowl with rotating knives is installed on them, in which the finished product is obtained.
The principle of operation is quite simple: to prepare a smoothie, the device is connected to the network and the desired power is set. Sliced products are placed in the bowl and the engine is started. Thanks to the intensive rotation of the knives, the components are thoroughly crushed, and a homogeneous mass is obtained.
If we talk about what to make smoothies in, then this technique should be quite powerful and functional. A well-chosen blender provides a lot of advantages:
- any dish, including mashed potatoes, drinks, can be prepared in just a couple of minutes;
- you do not need to make any effort - just put the chopped products in the container and press the button;
- the tanks are large enough, they can cook 1-2 servings of the dish;
- all products are crushed carefully, without strong heating, therefore they retain a maximum of useful properties;
- if you figure out which blender to choose for a smoothie correctly, it will be possible to work not only with soft, but also with hard ingredients, such as nuts.
On the other hand, there are some disadvantages too. Regardless of which blender you use to make smoothies, these are quite large machines. They take up more space and have significant weight. Another conditional disadvantage is the consumption of electricity. But at home, this is almost imperceptible due to the short time of work.
Criterias of choice
The choice of different models on the market is quite large. therefore, it is not always easy to understand which blender is needed for a smoothie. To deal with this, several criteria should be studied, for example, power, speeds and others.
Power
This is the most important setting. On the one hand, it is clear which blender is best for making smoothies. To do this, they buy a stationary device, in which the bowl is on a stand with an engine. But its power can be different (often different models differ by 3-4 times).
In general, they can be divided into 3 groups:
- Within 250-500 watts.
- From 500 to 1000 watts.
- Over 1000 watts.
The first group includes a smoothie machine that can grind only soft ingredients well, such as fruits, berries and individual vegetables.
The second group is more powerful devices, they cope with almost all household tasks. So, and with their help, you can chop different types of nuts and ice.
Finally, the most powerful tools are classified as professional. They are rarely used at home. Therefore, if we talk about which blender is best for making smoothies, it is optimal to choose devices with a power in the range of 500-1000 watts.
Modes and speeds
It is clear what the smoothie device is called. This is a stationary blender with a fairly powerful engine. The mechanism allows you to develop high speeds. Modern models, as a rule, operate in 3-4 modes, which is quite enough for all household tasks.
It is also worth paying attention to the presence of additional modes:
- turbo;
- impulse.
The turbo mode of the device allows you to make smoothies at maximum speed. This function comes in handy at the last stage of cooking, as well as when working with solid ingredients. If you turn on the pulse mode, you can avoid overheating.
Material and type of knives
The device than making smoothies is usually equipped with one or two knives. They are made of stainless steel, so they work long enough and do not rust. It is worth remembering that the more knives, the more qualitatively the grinding process goes.
The smoothie maker has blades of various shapes. Often they are straight, less often they are curved. It is better to choose the second option - in this case, the resulting mass will be perfectly homogeneous.
Material and volume of container
Considering which blender is needed to make a smoothie, you need to pay attention to the bowl. Its standard volume does not exceed 1 liter. This is quite enough for mashed potatoes, but is not suitable, for example, for soup and drinks (juices). Therefore, it is better to take with a margin - a volume of 1.5-2 liters.
When choosing which smoothie blender to buy, not everyone pays attention to the shape of the bowl. It should have a wide, not narrowed bottom. Then the container is much easier to clean.
The bowl is made from different materials:
- plastic;
- metal;
- glass.
The rating of the best blenders for smoothies and cocktails is presented by different models. Plastic is often used because it is light and comfortable, and more affordable. Glass is less durable. The most expensive is metal. It is opaque and does not allow you to see how the process is going. But such a bowl is very durable compared to the same plastic and especially glass.
nozzles
There is another question related to this. what nozzle to make smoothies. In fact, the stationary device is equipped only with knives. It is they who grind all the components well and allow you to get the finished product in just 2 minutes.
It turns out that the smoothie nozzle as such is not provided - its function is performed by sharp blades. Therefore, if you need to beat eggs or other mixtures, you should also buy an immersion blender. With it, you can also cook minced meat.
Housing material
It is clear which blender nozzle to make smoothies. You do not need to buy anything additionally, since the knives that are included in the kit will be able to chop any ingredients, including hard ones.
But in order for the device to last as long as possible, you should study what material the body is made of (the lower stand with the engine). Usually it is made of plastic - it is a cheap, but short-lived composition. Therefore, it is better to purchase a smoothie unit with a metal case. Moreover, in this case, the nozzle of the smoothie blender does not matter, since it is the material from which the device is made that is important.
Thus, for the preparation of mashed potatoes and other dishes with a viscous consistency, it is better to choose stationary devices. If you describe the characteristics of the device, what to make smoothies in, the blender must be powerful and reliable enough. It can operate at only 2 speeds, but the motor must develop at least 500 watts.