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Soup makers

(103 Posts)
Atqui Sat 12-Aug-23 16:48:56

I’m thinking of buying one. Some have a sauté function and some don’t . As most ordinary soup recipes suggest frying onions first I’m wondering if it would be worth it .

eddiecat78 Mon 14-Aug-23 16:42:11

I'm reminded of an overheard conversation in a doctor's waiting room between 2 elderly ladies about vegetable spiraliser gadgets. "What's wrong with a potato peeler?"

Maggiemaybe Mon 14-Aug-23 16:47:31

A potato peeler? shock What’s wrong with a knife?

Mollygo Mon 14-Aug-23 16:51:26

Maggiemaybe

A potato peeler? shock What’s wrong with a knife?

A knife? What’s wrong with skin on?

Primrose53 Mon 14-Aug-23 16:55:27

With a big saucepan you can make so much more and freeze it. I make curried parsnip soup, red pepper and sweet potato, bacon and red lentil, courgette and cheese, tomato, turkey at christmas and chicken quite often. There is always some kind of soup in our freezer.

Primrose53 Mon 14-Aug-23 16:57:31

Germanshepherdsmum

Two steps:
1. Put your prepared veg and stock in.
2. Press the button.
Only the soup maker jug to wash up.

What about your sharp knife and chopping board and lid for jug?😉

Aveline Mon 14-Aug-23 17:14:44

I use pre prepared veg. The soup maker has a lid. No mess. No hassle. No problem.

Germanshepherdsmum Mon 14-Aug-23 17:22:29

I was replying to the poster who uses frozen prepared veg Primrose - but yes, I forgot the lid😱

Aveline Mon 14-Aug-23 18:16:23

Pans have lids too...
Pans also have to be stored so take up space too...

Casdon Mon 14-Aug-23 18:22:12

Primrose53

With a big saucepan you can make so much more and freeze it. I make curried parsnip soup, red pepper and sweet potato, bacon and red lentil, courgette and cheese, tomato, turkey at christmas and chicken quite often. There is always some kind of soup in our freezer.

The whole point of the soup maker though is that you can make small quantities, to use up the end of your weekly veg order, not to make gallons. It’s the pre shopping day lunch, in my house anyway.

Mollygo Mon 14-Aug-23 19:03:59

Casdon that’s how I feel too.
I can make sufficient soup for 3 meals in one go in my soup maker. If I make more, where would I store it? I don’t have a big freezer.
The competitive element of this thread fascinates me. There is no best way to make soup only the best way for you.
Soup makers were obviously the way forward for those who found the original way too time consuming, whereas others prefer their traditional method.
It’s a bit like arguing about washing machines versus hand washing, or a hoover versus a brush and dustpan.
Whichever you prefer is the best for you.

ctussaud Mon 14-Aug-23 19:17:30

Before buying mine, I read lots of reviews on Amazon. Some soupmakers have the blending blades fixed to the base of the jug and others have them fixed on a wand from the lid. It appeared to me that blades fixed at the base were hard to clean underneath, so I chose a Tefal with blades fixed to the lid.
If you add milk or dairy products to the soup for its entire cooking time, it may catch or scorch; better not to fill to the Max line, and add at the end before blending in.
Love mine, and appreciate being able to do another job while the soup is cooking!

Primrose53 Mon 14-Aug-23 19:28:27

Mollygo

Casdon that’s how I feel too.
I can make sufficient soup for 3 meals in one go in my soup maker. If I make more, where would I store it? I don’t have a big freezer.
The competitive element of this thread fascinates me. There is no best way to make soup only the best way for you.
Soup makers were obviously the way forward for those who found the original way too time consuming, whereas others prefer their traditional method.
It’s a bit like arguing about washing machines versus hand washing, or a hoover versus a brush and dustpan.
Whichever you prefer is the best for you.

You’re quite right. I assumed everybody has a decent sized freezer like myself. Actually I have two plus a fridge /freezer. 🤭

Eirlys Mon 14-Aug-23 20:38:01

My husband wa given a soup maker and loved it! He used Weight Watcher recipes though he didn't need to lose weight and I must say they were delicious. After he passed I tried using it but it made far too much and I didn't have room in my freezers. I'd buy one if I found one that made a small "minimum" quantity.

Doodledog Mon 14-Aug-23 21:05:51

There's one on the Lakeland website that also makes ice cream. Whatever next? It's only £750 - maybe I should got two, so I can make two courses at once. grin

Nannagarra Mon 14-Aug-23 21:11:15

Oh Doodledog!
🤣🤣🤣

Mollygo Mon 14-Aug-23 21:29:39

Doodledog

There's one on the Lakeland website that also makes ice cream. Whatever next? It's only £750 - maybe I should got two, so I can make two courses at once. grin

Imagine getting the recipes mixed and serving hot vanilla or pistachio soup, followed by pea and ham icecream.

Doodledog Mon 14-Aug-23 21:52:14

That sounds like a Heston Blumenthal menu, Molly grin

Riggie Tue 15-Aug-23 01:15:05

Love mine. I don't saute. And just rough chop veg.

oodles Wed 16-Aug-23 11:27:00

I do both. Split pea soup I use a pressure cooker, and if I had bones/carcase/enough veggie trimmings I'd make stock.
But for just me or making for 2, a soup maker works well for me. No need to watch it so it doesn't boil over and if I want it smooth no extra utensils needed.
A few winters ago I lost weight eating homemade veggie soup often, and I'd not have made it so often using a pan

dizzygran Thu 17-Aug-23 19:14:10

don't want to put you off. I was making a lot of soup so bought a soup maker. It was on offer about £79. It has a saute option. Used it a few time but it is much easier to make soup in a saucepan or slow cooker. Soupmaker had an easy wash option but is still in the cupboard.

Aveline Thu 17-Aug-23 20:49:41

Don't want to put you off pans but my soup maker has earned its place in my kitchen ten times over. Whatever suits suits.

Mollygo Fri 18-Aug-23 10:14:39

Aveline

Don't want to put you off pans but my soup maker has earned its place in my kitchen ten times over. Whatever suits suits.

😁😁
And if all else fails and you don’t like pans or soup makers, you can always buy a can or a packet or a box.

henetha Fri 18-Aug-23 10:19:06

I've always just used a large saucepan and an electric whisk.
And peeled and chopped everything myself. But I quite fancy getting something to help with all this now.

Calendargirl Fri 18-Aug-23 10:25:16

Have just made a batch of tomato soup, the old fashioned way, with a pan and chopped stuff up myself.

I’m not a gadget person, but I do like my hand held blender, which will blitz the soup up when cool.

Bought cheaply from Woolworths years ago, a shop I miss very much for things like that.

Cressy Fri 18-Aug-23 11:47:37

We like soup in our house and I must confess to buying the cartons of fresh soup. However when my husband was diagnosed with this 2 diabetes I started scrutinising labels. Was very surprised to see how much sugar was in many of them. So now it’s my cheap and cheerful Aldi soup maker. No sauté function but that means I make healthier fat free soups. Bag of of frozen peas, onion, water and stock cube and lo and behold soup is ready within twenty minutes! 😄 The advantage for me us I can disappear off into the garden, read my book etc without having to keep an eye on it whilst it’s cooking. However I can appreciate that there are others who enjoy the process of making soup in other ways. Am chuckling at this thread having just read one about someone wondering why/ if we have become very shouty and angry in recent years. Lots of theories but no one has mentioned discussions about soup makers causing it….