Soupmaker - do I need one and if so, which one?

[whostolethesocks]

Just thinking about asking for a soupmaker for Christmas. I like the sound of them. Are they worth it? If so, what model is the best and what should I look for?

You don't need one. A pan and a stick blender work perfectly well.

I love my actifry, though. Too hassled with life in general to use it as often as I would like, but it's great for freeing up oven space or saving you from needing the oven on at all.

"You also have to watch it so it doesn't burn."

Soup doesn't burn. I just cook it on a low heat and set the timer.

Good almighty, frozen meat in a slow cooker is a good way to get food poisoning!

**God

Each to their own, I love my soup maker!

Dame I often chuck frozen mince in my slow cooker - it's piping hot when it's done. Never had food poisoning cos it cooks for hours.

It's not the length of cooking it's the fact it takes so long to get up to a safe temperature.

Crying out loud.

Pan. On hob.

Chopped onion, chopped butternut squash, chopped pepper, garlic, plenty of butter, fry on medium heat for five mins. Add half a tin of chickpeas. Two pints chicken stock. Cook for twenty mins on a low medium heat. Salt and pepper. Blend with stick blender and enjoy.

I've had several stick blenders and none of them have got my soup as smooth as my soup machine.

No - waste of money and worktop space IMO.

I make loads of soups and a good knife and a saucepan are all I need, plus a stick blender if it's going to be puréed. ( Curried parsnip is one of these in winter).

I use mine four or five times a week! We have an allotment, and it's so easy to cut up around 700g of veg, add some seasoning and water, leave it for 21 mins, and come back to the blended soup. Then dish up, and rinse out, and it's clean in an instant. I have the one where I can saute first. It really is so much easier than the old pan and stick method - no need to keep an eye on anything.

I was dubious when I got it, and DH scathing, but it is just so easy, and I love soup! Even DH is totally converted, as we both work from home, so we use it a lot. I also use it to make smoothies.

Bloody hell, I'm not an advertorial, really... but if Morphy Richards would like to send a donation...

I can't be the only person who has managed to spray a wall while using a stick blender ....
Do you have the Morphy Richards one being touted on the Mumsnet siteuser006 ?

Can any converts recommend a particular model please?
DH has convinced himself it would be a great idea so I said I'd ask on MN research them.

Well I was given a Morphy Richards one as a surprise Christmas present. First outing today. Not impressed.
Soup was rank, didn't come out chunky, just not smooth (mushrooms stayed whole) I couldn't tweak it as I went along, and it's a pain to clean as can't submerge.
Maybe I'm an ungrateful cow but there's no advantage over a pan.

that's not promising!

TheCakes I got one because I am not a very big eater but can usually manage soup. Also a veggie so thought it would be handy.
First soup I made was LOVELY.
I have yet to replicate the first success.

Comes out too watery but just reducing the liquid doesn't seem to help that much.

The first lot was really, really nice though. If I could just get that again I would be a total convert.

I think I need a few more goes before I write it off completely...

I've got a sauté and soup one and I think it's great :) always use that to make my soup now rather than doing it on the hob, I just think it's much easier as you can just get it going and leave it to it.

I have one but only use it to make soy milk, easier just to do soup in a pan.

I have one but only use it to make soy milk 😮

WOT? How do you make your own soya milk?

I got my student boy one for Xmas, as he has dyslexia and finds sequencing difficult. He loves it. No frying the leeks in a pan, then adding the veg in order. Just bung everything in, turn it on and get on with setting out his bread, bowl, etc. Check if it needs a quick blitz to his preferred consistency, then pour out his pipping hot potato and leek soup and gets stuck in. Has enough left over to take in a food flask to work/uni, the next day. Just the soup maker to give a quick wash to. Pour in water and press the blender button to take the rough off, before cleaning it. So easy.

I ended up buying myself one in B&M for £40, same one is £80 in Currys. Noticed that Tesco is selling one at £37, but not sure what model. Mine is a Morphy Richards, model number 48822. I'm now about to make some spinach and potatoe soup. Yum.

Sorry, £39 not £37. I promise I don't have shares in soup makers. 😀

Forgot to add, it takes seconds to blend as opposed to standing for, what seems like ages, with a stick blender and still ending up finding a chunk of veg.

Mine has a milk function, so just soak the beans overnight then wack them in on the milk setting it heats them up then blends, then I pour the whole thing through a cheese cloth to save the pulp and add any vanilla if I want to! You can do it on ones without milk functions too I think have read about people putting them on certain soup settings and that seems to work!