Is it worth getting a soup maker?

[Sockmate123]

Is it a good gadget or a waste of money?

---

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!

Definitely a fan here, despite being of the same mind as this when my husband bought me it. Was sure I’d never use it.

It is in constant use all autumn/winter. So easy to just chuck something in and have soup in 21 minutes. Blends it better than a blender ever used to too.

Lots of friends have them, all love them.

I find mine very useful, the benefit is that you put your prepped ingredients into it and don't have to do anything else - 20 mins later, you have soup! If you are using pre-cooked leftovers, you don't even have to sauté them first.

If you don't mind standing over a pan with a hand-blender then it's probably not worth it, but I am a minimum effort person, so the soup maker enables the benefit of home-made soup that isn't full of preservatives and added sugar, without the faff.

Love mine - it is used at least twice every week

I have one and use it regularly. But don't have a pressure cooker. I make soups and the odd sauce in mine. It's mainly a winter cooking gadget .

What other gadgets do you already have?

I have a rice cooker with a soup programme, and a blender. Being able to walk away from it without hovering is useful to me, and it suits me not to have an extra gadget to store. I suspect a basic rice cooker would do the job too. Having the blender included would be useful but not enough to make it worth it for me.

Also I favour big batch cooking for soups, so a big rice cooker or pan makes more sense for me than a 1.5l gadget.

Some people swear by them- I know someone with arthritis who can't chop things easily who loves hers. Personally I wouldn't need a gadget just for soup or want to use up more worktop space as I have pans, knives, a food processor and a soup wand which also get used for other things.

What make of pressure cooker do you have @FarFarWay ?

I'm a bit how Mrs Doyle is about teasmades re soup makers.

Maybe I enjoy the misery! 😅

Well, not the misery but the effort. And I don't find it much effort as I make the mirepoix in the food processor first and quite like chopping the veg and making it myself.

I love my soup maker. Cut everything up, press a button, done in 19 minutes at my chosen consistency.

I told my partner I didn't need one, because I used the pan and blender method and it was fine. But, I love not having multiple things to wash, and that it's done for me, no splashes from the blender in the pan etc.

If you like soup regularly, I think it's handy. If you're a once every few months person, maybe not. We use ours a lot over winter. It has a keep warm function too, so when I'm making my morning cup of tea, I put the ingredients in, set it off to cook, and it's ready and hot when I come down at lunch time.

Love mine, gets used at least weekly in winter.

It’s the ability to chuck everything in and walk away until it’s done. Massive time saver versus a pan and blender which require supervision.

MIL has one and keeps trying to get me one for Christmas despite me saying I don't want one. She keeps telling me about all the lovely soup shes made and when we visit guess what she serves to eat?
If I do get one for Christmas it will be sent straight back
I suppose that if you are out at work or similar you could set it off but with a knife pan and blender and WFH its really not necessary

Wow, so many replies! Thanks for all the opinions. It's seems the walk away part is what would also appeal to me. I do have a hand blender but it can be a bit messy. Counter space not a big issue as I can keep in utility room. Thanks so much, lots to think about!

I love mine BUT paid £10 off marketplace
happy with that if it broke wouldn’t spend over £20 on another

You can just mash ingredients with a potato masher instead of using a blender. Then it has some bits rather than smooth - better that way imv

I absolutely loved mine because you can have chunky bits in, it doesn't all have to be blended to liquid like with a stick blender.

I've not used it since my DC left home, though. It makes too much for just me.

No, it is worth getting a stick blender though.

I really like mine. It blends the soup really smooth. Quite handy when we get back from football etc and need something quickly.

This is what I love about them ad well. Just stick it in and leave it and blends a lovely soup.

I thought it was nonsense BUT ours is great

Nope. I bought one, tried it a dozen times and realised I don't actually like soup as much as I thought I did. I gave it to my neighbour who did pretty much the same thing and she's now gifted it to someone else.

It's a Pressure King Pro.
Didn't cost a lot, £50 I think for the smallest (3L, which makes two good servings).
The Instant Pot branded ones costs at least twice as much - the only thing that they have that I would appreciate, is the option to adjust the pressure. Mine just does everything on Medium - but increasing or decreasing the duration can make up for that to an extent.