Soup Maker - worth getting or will it end up at the back of the cupboard?

[SomewhatBored]

I'm tempted by the idea of a soup maker - they sound temptingly easy, shove in your chopped veg, leave for 30 minutes et voila! delicious home made soup.

Are they really as easy as that? If you have one, do you use it regularly? Any recommendations for brands/models? I couldn't go to more than about £100, but would rather spend more on one that will last and do the job than buy a very cheap one that isn't user-friendly so won't get used.

All opinions gratefully received.

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MNHQ Update
Searching for a soup maker that'll take the stress out of making your favourite soup at home? Our guide to the best soup makers is up to date with a wide range of options tried and tested options. We hope it’s helpful!

@SomewhatBored

If you need one of the bigger ones for family and only have soup once a month then maybe not so?

It'll normally just be for me, or for me and DH. I have soup quite a lot - at least 3 times a week - but tend to buy it. I do prefer home-made when I make the effort - I use a Kenwood blender, but probably only made it two or three times last year. I need to eat more veg and I was hoping a soup maker might be an easy way of doing that!

I don't have one, but I'm happy with my saucepan & handblender. I really dislike additional 'gadgets'and the ones I have had over the years always end up being given to family or friends.

I just put the pot on low & leave it to get on with it. I don't need to hover over it.

Plus it's another thing that needs careful
Washing. I'd rather just wash a pot 🤷🏻‍♀️

Soup is lovely!! But you do lose most if the fibre by blending the veg.- so not so goid fir you.

You must have a friend who you could borrow one from? I imagine there are loads abandoned in cupboards.

But other people seem to live theirs, so each to their own I guess...

I also use a large saucepan and a liquidiser. Makes a big batch of soup for several days or to freeze, and both the pan and liquidiser go in the dishwasher- no handwashing needed at all.

I throw all the ingredients in a slow cooker and put it on low and then just blend with stick blender. If I forget it for awhile it isn't the end of the world. I was watching a chef the other night and he said that a stick blender will never get it as smooth but a jug blender does. So might be another alternative? I was going to get a soup maker but I actually cannot face another gadget in my kitchen.

They are amazing. I have a stick blender and the soup maker leaves it for dust. Totally smooth, no left over lumps, plus not tiring your hand out and risking spraying soup everywhere when using the bloody blender. It's the nuts, I use about once or twice a week.

Ours used to get used every day for a while but now I couldn't even tell you what cupboard it is in. My wife used to use it a lot for her lunches at work but neither of us do any more.

I make soup in a pan, I like to adjust the seasoning as I go as my soups are not usually cooked to a specific recipe, or add in extras like beans ,rice or pasta. Or indeed pull out items like whole chilli or cinnamon sticks that I don’t want in for a long time. I do sometimes stick blend my soup, especially if have been a bit random with the veg chopping, but mostly I prefer to have visible veg in there.

I bought on on impulse... soup ok and it conked out after a few months. Soup is easy least for make the old fashioned way so I wouldn’t replace (but I do use my pressure cooker to make soup quickly).

I'll look at instant pots. We've got a very basic slow-cooker which we use quite regularly but always for stewing and it's very much my husband's favourite because he likes good old-fashioned stewing meat. I'm more of an adventurous eater.

Thanks for the linked thread BlueCowWonders - I will have a browse.

yaychocolateginandwine - that's one I've been considering, glad to hear it's good.

I've also looked at the Lakeland one, as I have a voucher for Lakeland, and that one can do cold smoothies which might be nice in summer, but even with the voucher that's right at the top of my price range.

@SomewhatBored

If you need one of the bigger ones for family and only have soup once a month then maybe not so?

It'll normally just be for me, or for me and DH. I have soup quite a lot - at least 3 times a week - but tend to buy it. I do prefer home-made when I make the effort - I use a Kenwood blender, but probably only made it two or three times last year. I need to eat more veg and I was hoping a soup maker might be an easy way of doing that!

Exactly why I got mine.

Lunch is 4 veg with chicken soup, yoghurt and apple.

5 a day done

Only downside is that it needs reasonably careful hand washing as the electrical bits can't be submerged.

This is the bit that convinces me it wouldn't be worth it for me, my pot and handblender attachement can go in the dishwasher

ds gave me one when they were on sale in Aldi. It sat is a cupboard for about 3 months as I was stubborn but then I decided to try it once and I've never looked back.

It the moment I'm waiting for a food order, so my soupmaker is going with half a pack of frozen butternut squash, two very old sweet potatoes, a carrot and the contents of the bottom of my fridge (half a red pepper, half a courgette, half a leek). Nothing pre-sauteed, just very roughly chopped.

I use the easy jars of garlic and chilli, a teaspoon of each.

If I wash it straight away it's easy to clean. If I leave it to dry it's not.

I think they're great if you don't already have other gadgets that do similar things. The just leave it to itself thing is a big appeal.

Be mindful that as a jug they are v v heavy as insulated plus full of hot liquid. I say this as I bought it as a kitchen aid for elderly relative but he couldn't manage it. With saucepans etc you can ladel soup out you don't have to pour.

Spend the money on an instant pot. Blooming changed my life! Amazing machine.

Or fancy Cuisinart toastie waffle machine- everyone in family loves this one.

A pot and a stick blender is absolutely not a substitute for a soup maker! Firstly, with the soup maker you can leave it, and I mean properly leave it, while it is cooking. Secondly the texture is much better as it is much smoother.

I have a cheap basic one because the reviews for the fancier sauté ones seemed more unreliable. I batch fry a whole bag of onions until they are delicious and caramelised, then freeze them in onion-sized potions. To make soup I just add one of the onion lumps (no need to defrost) and whatever veg I have to hand. Very quick and really good.

I have quite a lot of unused gadgets (looking at you, instant pot) but the soup maker is used a few times a week.

I love my soup maker - use it every weekend. We have just bought a small one for the in-laws as well which they love despite initially being in the 'I have a pan and a blender' camp! I don't even peel most of the veg - just wash and chop roughly.. Much smoother than a blender and the morphy richards is easy to clean.

I have found there is a difference in texture definitely between a soup maker on smooth and a stick blender in the pan - the former is infinitely nicer and beautifully smooth and creamy the other is just pureed vegetables.

Also - like PPs have said, clean up is no bother if you quickly rinse out after using.

Personally I would NOT use it for ice. It smells unmistakably soupy/savoury and I don't think there is any way you could clean it thoroughly enough so as not to taint the ice. I almost went for the lakeland one because of the ice option and I'm glad I didn't - I got a basic Morphy Richards one.

I love my instant pot. I do sometimes use the slow cooker function as well as the pressure cook one.

I make soup in an instantpot with a stick blender. Much much better than in a pan. But then I can also do so much other stuff with the instant pot, maybe look at something like that?

We use our nutribullet to blend ours, ironically we now use it more for soups than for smoothies! I just dump veg into a pot and simmer for ages and then nutribullet it in 2-3 batches. Gets it silky smooth in about 15 seconds 😊

I've used mine about 4 times and it's now at the back of the cupboard 😞

I used my MR soupmaker all last year when was still at work. Made 4 big portions, so 2 for lunch at home, 1 for work and 1 for freezer. Then I got an instant pot on prime day and soupmaker is now in the shed.

Honestly I use the instantpot for everything now: risotto, boiled eggs, cheesecake, curry, stew and soup. Did chicken tortilla soup the other day and it was lovely. Still have some in the freezer. The best bit is being able to cook cheap tough cuts so quickly and it comes out so tender. And it's easy to clean.

I use a liquidiser when making soup

I use mine loads. I like it because I can chuck in bags of soup mix/cut veg, switch it on and get back to work elsewhere in the house without having to keep an eye on it. I have a morphy Richards one, I’ve had it for years now. I’d replace it immediately if it broke.

Oh, I love my soup maker! I live alone, and have soup for lunch every day in the winter, so make a batch up which lasts for 4 days. I have the Morphy Richards sauté and soup, bought about 3 years ago, I think it’s worth getting one with the sauté feature, for leeks/onions/ celery etc. Easy to clean, just rinse out after use with a splash of washing up liquid, and run the blade under the tap, all done!

I bought one for £3 at a bootsale 2 years ago and I still haven't used it