Soup makers, worthwhile?

[Jellycatspyjamas]

I was making soup for lunch today and found myself thinking about soup makers. Coming in to autumn I usually make a batch of soup for lunches, I work from home and soup is an easy, healthy winters lunch for me so I was thinking I could set it up and have fresh soup instead of freezing and defrosting.

If you have a soup maker do you use it, is the soup consistently good, can you set it to be ready at a particular time. Or is it something that sounds like a good idea and then sits at the back of a cupboard for most of the year? I don’t tend to collect appliances (no microwave or air fryer here) but something that makes life easier and delivers lunch when I’m ready sounds like a good idea

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I’ve got one. Can’t remember which make and were away at the moment.
Bought it in lockdown and still use it at least weekly in Autumn and Winter, I’d say if you are looking for one, see how easy it is to clean and also to be able to add to as you go along ie be able to taste and season without having to take off the whole lid.

Can you saute the veg in them? If not isn't it just boiled veg ? I can't see how it's an improvement on a pan and a stick blender really.

Don your hard hat, OP. You will be told that "all you need is a stick blender" and that you are ruining the planet by buying a soupmaker.

I went through all that, bought one anyway, and love it in the winter. It sautes the onions, then I add the indredients, and 20 mins later - soup!!

I make soup a lot and have never seen the point of yet another device to take up worktop/cupboard space. I make mine in a big pot on the hob, liquidise if (if required) with my stick blender in the pot, store the excess in a lock to lock container in the fridge and some in the freezer if necessary. Not that much washing up. What are the advantages of a soupmaker over that? (Genuine question.)

I love mine, makes 2 really big bowls or 3 normal sized ones.

Assuming I want the soup for lunch, I prep all the veg the night before and keep it in the fridge ready to go and throw it in 20 mins before my lunch hour.

What I really like about it is you can switch it on and leave the house. I sometimes head off to the gym and come back to freshly made soup that just needs buzzed up in the microwave for a minute if its cooled down too much.

there gimmicky I got one off market place for £10 like it but wouldn’t pay full price for one

Yes, I’ve been making soup with a pan and a stick blender for 40 years so it definitely works. In terms of a soup maker, not having to keep an eye on the stove appeals to me, and setting up fresh soup daily/every other day might bring some variety, I also wonder if they’re more energy efficient than the hob (in the way an air fryer -v- an oven). I’m not wedded to the idea hence me asking for other opinions from people who have bought one.

I love mine. Paid £10 from FB marketplace for a big morphy Richards one. I wfh and switch it on mid morning and I have 4/5 portions of soup for the week. It does seem lazy but I have wrecked the non stick from pans from using the hand blender and seem to go through so much gas cooking soup for ages on the gas hob so the soup maker definitely works for me.
I throw in old veg from the fridge and frozen mixed veg with water and veg bouillon and a delicious soup is made in 20mins.

You see - and I'm not trying to be difficult here - how is that significantly quicker or easier than doing it in a pot? You still have to prepare the veg, which is by far the most time-consuming bit for me, but that can be done ahead of time if necessary, however you're going to prepare the soup. Standing over the sauteing veg and stirring occasionally takes a few minutes, and the kettle can be boiling to make the stock during this time, if using bouillon powder, stock cube or stockpot. Add other veg, add stock and seasoning - work of seconds and then I leave it to simmer. Easy to assess whether it's done and to check for seasoning.

I got one used it a couple times. I much prefer making it in a big pot then using a hand whizzer and then have it the next four days for lunch. I can’t be gaffed taking out an extra piece of equipment when a pot does the job.

I can see that's an advantage. I wouldn't leave my gas hob on if I left the house.

I don't use a non-stick pan for my vast pots of soup, so my stick blender can't damage them.

I just use a stick blender in the pan

I do know how to make soup, I’ve been doing it for 40 years so I really don’t need repeated instructions. I’m wondering about efficiency and convenience eg not having to keep an eye on the stove, having soup ready when I want it - eg ready to eat in time for lunch and energy efficiency.

I do know how to man soup, I’ve been doing it for 40 years so I really don’t need repeated instructions. I’m wondering about efficiency and convenience eg not having to keep an eye on the stove, having soup ready when I want it - eg during my lunch hour and energy efficiency.

I have one but haven't used it yet. I have tried stick blenders & don't rate them tbh.

can anyone recommend a good source for soup recipes?

My husband bought one.
I think he used it about 3 times before the novelty wore off.
About 6 months ago I had to move it off the counter to clean and it got shoved behind some other junk in a corner.
It's still there.

That’s what I’m wondering, I usually make a huge pot at the weekend and freeze for later in the week which means having the same lunch a week at a time. Making smaller amounts would introduce some variety and use up the odds and ends of vegetables during the week. Sometimes mid-week dinner is soup and toasties if the kids have something on so setting it up and being able to leave it while I run kids here and there would be handy.

i guess I’m wondering if my batch, freeze and reheat is the best way to do it now or whether smaller batches in an automated machine will revolutionise my life.

I fear that would be me. I wish there was an appliance library where you could borrow a small appliance for a couple of months to see if you’d actually use it before buying.

I have a soup maker and blender in one, I love it. Probably one of my best kitchen purchases. I chuck the frozen ingredients in and its done in 30 minutes. Makes enough for me to portion up for 4 dinners for me. I also love it as a smoothie maker

Mine lives on the kitchen counter so its just ready to use and I definitely have more soup and more smoothies now I have it (I used to just use a pan and stick blender but whether its psychological or not, could never really be bothered. )

I love mine. Tend to make a batch once a week/fortnight & then freeze for my lunches. Can switch on & leave to do its thing. Easy warm healthy lunch in winter. I’ve never made soup in a pan with a stick blender so can’t compare.

@Jellycatspyjamas I bought one specifically because I love soup in the colder months & spend a lot on it. The whole big batch cooking, freezing, eating the same food every day just does not appeal hence why I buy lots of soup. I'm hoping the soup maker means less shop bought soup but still lots of variety.

How much of an eye does a pan on simmer need - with the lid on?

Make the soup, stick blend, portion up for the fridge and the freezer. Reheats in about 3 minutes in the microwave, so pretty instant.

EBay and market place ,charity shop fraction of the price my £10 still going strong 4 years later

there just for the lazy like me no stirring or having to keep your eye on it

We had a basic one and the soup wasn’t very consistent and often tasted burnt. l
Last year when we changed our eating habits and wanted to be much healthier we bought the Ninja Soup Maker on the recommendation of a few people and that’s a game changer for me. You can sauté the veg, you can make smooth or chunky soup and it has a self clean option. We love it and use it several times a week in Autumn and winter.