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

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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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I had one for Xmas and I think I've done soup for lunch everyday at since great for using up veggies- just quickly chop and shove them in with water and stock and it's ready to pour in 20 mins. Easy to clean. I've tried some lovely recipes and really really recommend!

Also great for making pasta sauces packed full of veggies for the kids. Easier to clean than pots and stick blender- I say get one

Yes, the idea of using frozen veg is appealing because it's something we always have in the freezer so I could chuck in what I fancy, if I didn't have any fresh stuff that needed using.

I am very much in the 'rinse immediately after using' camp for all utensils, so it's something I'd do without thinking.

As I mentioned, I use the Kenwood blender when I make soup (mine is more than 20 years old but still works fine!) and I suppose it doesn't sound much trouble pouring it from pan to blender and then back again if it's cooled down, but I am the sort of person who is likely not to bother on a weekday after work if more than the minimum effort is involved!

I sold mine after one use. Much easier to use the hob.

Realy happy to find this thread as I am wondering whether to buy one or not.

I was of the opinion that they were a waste of cupboard space, and as they don't relieve you of the most labour intensive bit of soup making - the chopping, that a pan and a stick blender are just as good. However, a friend recently bought one and she said big plus points are that you don't have to stand over it and stir, which is a bonus, and it sorts out texture for you. So I'm tempted now.

Best. Things. Ever.

And it's only 21 mins with a Morphy Richards, not 30.

A hand blender doesn't seem to get the same smooth consistency.

It's a game changer in this house.

Its definitely easier than the hob,. My dc like the minestrone even on chunky it auto matically turns off and it stays warm for ages.
The only soup i dont make in it is Avolegmo because i make huge pans of it

Like pp I can't understand the appeal. I mean you couldn't put a chicken carcass in one or any bones come to that.

We don’t have one and it’s not something I’d buy or use. We Chuck everything in a le creuset pan, sauté it, pour in stock, leave for however long it takes the veg to cook through and soften, blitz with the stick and eat. The stick blender goes in the dishwasher (the bottom bit obviously!) and the pan it was cooked in stays in the fridge until all the soup is eaten and then goes in the dishwasher.
We are minimalists and hate having gadgets that don’t achieve anything extra special.
Soup is a boring meal anyway, dh makes a pot at the weekend and then we both take and eat it for lunch at work for a couple of days.
Nothing gets washed by hand here except a couple of the wood chopping boards and DH’s ‘special knives’.
We are lazy people!

I'd been looking at these for years and took the plunge on Black Friday, bought a Cuisinart. Love it use it 2/3 times a week for soup. Definitely makes me use up any veg which is lurking in the fridge. It's also good for Thai curries!

Soup is so quick to make, just use a pan!

Honestly, I started making soup before xmas and was amazed how quick and easy (and cheap) it is 😊

@Nohomemadecandles

I've just used mine! I use it probably 3 times a week. The difference being, you can leave it unattended and 19 mins later come back to soup! Rough chop, stock cube, water, plug in! And I don't make a pan full because its smaller so I waste less. I love mine

Yes this is what makes the difference for me really. I have 2 small children so when there’s something on the hob I have to constantly make sure they aren’t going too close to it. Have to check if it’s boiling over, simmering enough, if the vegetables are cooked. With the soup machine you can just forget about it once you’ve put the vegetables and stock in.

We just got one with some Christmas money! Only used it once so far but was very impressed and will use it again. Actually I’m planning on putting it on in the morning while I’m rushing around getting ready for work and getting 4 kids ready. Then when I boil the kettle for tea, I can heat up the thermos flasks and bingo, fresh, hot soup for mine and dp’s lunch!

I absolutely love my Ninja soup maker. 6 months ago my blender broke and it wasn’t that much more for a soup maker so thought why not.

I use it most days. The soup is amazing, so smooth, better than I ever got with a stick blender. I was always a reluctant soup eater but now I look forward to it.

It has a keep warm function so I chuck veg and stock in, press a button, go out for a walk and come back to delicious fresh soup. Good powerful engine makes great smoothies too.

I used to think they were a bit pointless but I’m a complete convert! Do it!

Pressure cooker advocate here. To make a good soup you need good stock. I make stock in pressure cooker and have it frozen ( buy roast joint or chicken bits on bone and get about 2 /3 bags of stock from them nad the meat to make 1-2 meals. When want to make soup, prep and throw in veg and frozen stock into pressure cooker. 10-15 mins at pressure then hand blitz the f I want smoother texture
Yes I could get soup maker, but it won’t make the stock that needed. Stock cubes don’t cut it for me- read the ingredients

I do like mine and it makes beautifully smooth soup. It's good for using up veg that is about to go off. I love the way I can chop the veg add herbs and water/stock etc then forget about it. The only reason I don't use if more is because it's tricky to clean as mother the jug or the lid can be submerged due to electrical parts.

Aldi have them in at the moment for £35

@Nohomemadecandles

I've just used mine! I use it probably 3 times a week. The difference being, you can leave it unattended and 19 mins later come back to soup! Rough chop, stock cube, water, plug in! And I don't make a pan full because its smaller so I waste less. I love mine

I completely agree. I live mine for healthy lunches 3/4 times a week. So much faster than using the stove. And sits safely if. Work call overruns

Mine has an auto clean function where you put some water and washing up liquid and it whizzes for 3 mins, then pour out, quick rinse and wipe out with clean cloth.

You don’t need an auto clean function, though, lol! Just whizz it up for a few mins manually with the water and wul. It’s what I’ve always done with my smoothie maker/blender.

I have a soup maker and instapot (well two) and use all three all the time!

Our soup maker is small, makes two cups and it is perfect for us. I don’t sauté anything, just pop in the ingredients and something about the liquidise and cook, liquidise and cook activity makes the soup utterly amazing

I use the the mini instapot for cooking beans, stews and making yogurt.

The larger instapot has an actifryer function and we use that a lot for burgers, chips, onion rings etc.

You can’t go wrong with any of these in my view. Enjoy which ever one you choose 😊

I've got the Morphy Richards one and it's the best kitchen appliance I've ever bought. We use it every weekend for left over veg and it's perfect as you can literally just chuck your ingredients in, turn it on and leave it til you're ready to eat. Much easier than a pan on the hob. Both my boys play football on a Sunday morning (before lockdown obviously) and we switch it on when we leave the house and lunch is sorted whenever we get back home.
As for cleaning, it has a setting where you clean it by putting water and washing up liquid in and it will do it all for you x

Totally worth it. So easy and makes soup really quickly.

Some of us can’t lift heavy pans or hold a stick blender with ease. My soup maker is used as a minimum, once a week.

I’ve literally just bought one, it’s amazing and I’ve been making soup for donkeys years.

I use kallo organic stock cubes, veg and water and it just turns out brilliantly. I’ve done leek soup, parsnip soup and tm is roasted carrot. I’ve got a bread maker so I bought seeds for seeded bread to go with it.

I love mine! DS bought it for me last Christmas .Really makes soup making so easy and tasty .My Friend was unwell and I took soup to her each week

Thank you for so much advice and commentary! Enough people have said the convenience of the soup maker is worth the expense to convince me to give it a go. I do take on board that the same can be done with pan and stick blender but I'm hoping that minimising the steps between prep and eating will stop me reaching for the microwave instead!

Morphy Richards and Tefal seem to be the most popular, so I will probably go for the basic Morphy Richards version, as I don't want to make huge portions and given the comments about the soup smell permeating the jug I'm probably better off using my Kenwood for summer smoothies.

I will update the thread and let you know how I get on!