Blender
Blades in a jug, or a stick blender in a pot. For marinades, sauces, some soups, and the occasional chutney. Most of this catalog does not require one. Butter chicken gravy and a roasted pepper sauce are happier smooth; kimchi jjigae is not.
When you need it
When a mortar is too slow or the volume is large. Not required for pesto if you will use a pestle, and not required for a vinaigrette. Useful if you make nut sauces, aji, or a tomato gravy every week.
What to look for
A jug that actually pours, a lid that does not leak steam-burns, and enough power for the job you claim — ice is a different machine than soup. A stick blender lives in the pot and washes faster. Glass is heavy; Tritan does not shatter if you knock it.
Alternatives
Stick blender, food mill, mortar and pestle. A food processor chops; it does not always emulsify. For a few cloves of garlic, a knife is still the tool.
Care
Never run it dry. Lid on. Start low. Hot soup wants the centre cap ajar so steam does not blow the lid into the ceiling. Wash blades carefully; they stay sharper than they look.
Recommended products
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Recipes using this
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