Choosing a good blender with a dicing function

A few years ago, in order to cut vegetables or anything else into cubes, you had to learn how to do it by hand. As a result, beautiful and neat pieces were not always obtained and only by experienced chefs.

At the moment there are many assistant devices, namely:

• manual vegetable cutter - simple and inexpensive;
• electric vegetable cutter - difficult to find and expensive;
• bulky combines - large and expensive;
• meat grinders with a special attachment are quite competitive;
• a blender with a dicing function is a leader in this market segment.

Why is the latter so good? Why do most housewives prefer blenders? Let's try to understand this issue.

The best blenders with dicing function

As in any other segment, there are also leaders and losers, models and manufacturers. For example, the Bosch submersible with dicing function (model MSM671X1) occupies a leading position, as do many products of this brand.

Main characteristics:

• power - 750 W;
• 12 speeds;
• there is a turbo mode;
• metal immersion parts;
• rubberized handle;
• glass volume 0.6 l;
• weight - 1.5 kg.

The set includes 7 attachments:

• combine;
• cutting into cubes;
• chopper/mixer;
• whisk for whipping;
• grater;
• double shredder.

The result is a very compact and convenient mini food processor.

The average price for such an assistant is 8,000 rubles.

Other brands are also good, for example, Philips HR 1669.

This blender also resembles a miniature food processor, but costs a little more - around 11,000 rubles.

As for the main characteristics, the following can be listed:

• power 750 W;
• 20 operating speeds;
• smooth mode switch;
• turbo mode;
• rich equipment;
• many attachments.

Indeed, a great helper that can prepare a salad in seconds! Naturally, there are also more budget models in this market segment. Moreover, they are actually no worse, except that the set of functions is slightly inferior.

Rating of Philips stationary blenders

Stationary models are also called shakers. During operation, they stand firmly on the table surface, that is, there is no need to hold the device suspended. Convenient for making cocktails, whipping any products, crushing ice and chopping. If we compare submersible and stationary models with similar technical characteristics, the latter are more expensive.

Flaws:

• limited functionality;
• massive sizes.

Advantages:

• stationary installation frees your hands;
• many models combine mechanical and electronic controls;
• presence of self-cleaning;
• the opportunity to choose a 2 in 1 model with a steamer, but for the current year, models from Philips with this function are not on sale.

Phillips HR3556 Viva Collection

The HR3556 model belongs to the above-average segment, as evidenced by its price - an average of 8,000 rubles. For this price, the manufacturer offers a reliable metal case, a glass jug and an interesting package that includes an On The Go bottle - a container for carrying and storing prepared drinks and mixtures.

Advantages:

• Powerful motor – 700 W.
• The presence of a pulse mode helps to regulate the degree of grinding.
• Smooth adjustment of operating speed.
• Capacious capacity – 2 l.
• The ability not only to cut, but also to whip. Crushes ice.
• The bowl is equipped with a hole with a pump through which you can add products while the blender is running.
• The locking system stops operation if all components are installed incorrectly.
• The jug is made of glass, although it can be considered a minus, as it requires careful handling.

Flaws:

• Price, if you want to buy a budget model, then you don’t even have to consider this option.
• Doesn't handle large pieces well.
• It has large dimensions, but this disadvantage is inherent in all stationary blenders in general.

An excellent model for your money, if you want to spend money once and buy a really good thing, then you should consider this model.
See also -
How to choose a mixer for home use

Phillips HR2095 Avance Collection

Only slightly cheaper than the HR3556, but at the same time it is one of the most unsuccessful models of Philips stationary blenders. According to reviews from 40% of buyers, the machine broke down before the warranty period expired, and the breakdowns were quite serious and costly - circuit boards, motors or knife blocks. One of the significant differences from the previous model is the plastic case.

Advantages:

• Glass jug.
• The presence of a pulse mode and smooth speed control.
• Powerful motor – 700 W.

Flaws:

• Low reliability at a fairly high price.

Well suited for mixing cocktails and various liquid products, but the knife block and motor are not designed to withstand the loads of grinding solid products, which is why they often break and burn. Due to frequent breakdowns, the model's rating is not high.

Philips HR2166 Viva Collection

A wonderful representative of the family of stationary blenders from Philips. The device is from the middle price segment, but with excellent quality and a wide range of functions, thanks to which it has earned popularity. It copes with solid and liquid products with equal ease, although the motor power is lower than that of its predecessors in the TOP - 600 W.

Advantages:

• Smooth speed adjustment in a range of 7 modes.
• The presence of a pulse mode, ice crushing and a special filter attachment for soy milk and fruits.
• Drain tap on the container.
• Hole for adding ingredients without stopping work.
• Equipped with an additional large chopper for solid products and a mill.
• ProBlend 5 branded knife.

Flaws:

• The material of the body and jug is plastic.
• Big sizes.
• In the event of a breakdown, it is difficult to find spare parts in the service center; they are ordered from the manufacturer’s factory, which is fraught with a long wait for parts and components.

Philips HR2872 Daily Collection

Representative of the budget line with a minimal set of functions and low quality materials. Suitable for processing soft foods, fruits or making cocktails, but will not cope with grinding hard pieces.

Advantages:

• 2 speed modes.
• 600ml On The Go travel bottle included.
• Price.
• Compact size.
• The bowl has a drain tap and a hole for adding ingredients without stopping work.

Flaws:

• Motor power is only 350 W.
• The material of the body and jug is plastic.
• Small bowl volume – 600 ml.

See also -
The best electric meat grinders for home use

Budget models

Philips HR 1659

It's half the price of its brother, but does the job just as well.

Characteristics:

• power 600 W;
• there are 20 speeds;
• metal immersion part;
• liter measuring cup;
• 5 nozzles.

The disadvantages of the model include the absence of a whisk. But if you are not very good with baking, then this blender is perfect. Easily handles soft foods at different speeds. To cut hard ingredients you will have to use high speeds. Overall, a good model for 5,000 rubles.

Braun MR 570 Patis FPKHC

Another budget model from a famous brand. It works well, but there is no case for attachments.

Characteristics:

• power 600 W;
• 15 operating speeds;
• measuring cup 0.6 l;
• metal immersion part;
• 5 main attachments;
• turbo mode;
• pulse mode.

Such an assistant costs around 6,500 rubles. Copes with preparing soups, minced meat, cocktails and desserts.

Zelmer 491.20

A high-quality blender from a little-known manufacturer in our country. The assembly and quality of the material are excellent.

Main characteristics:

• power 700 W;
• metal immersion part;
• 15 modes;
• smooth speed control;
• large measuring cup (1.2 l);
• 5 nozzles;
• turbo mode

The cost of this miracle of technology is on average about 4,000 rubles. Convenient attachments, not very noisy during operation - this is how users characterize it. One of the disadvantages is the considerable weight of the device.

Vitek VT-1480 GY

A model from an already well-known company. You will be pleased not only with the price - only 3500 - but also with the appearance.

Main characteristics:

• power 800 W;
• 5 modes;
• made of metal;
• measuring cup 0.8 l;
• turbo mode

But this particular blender can be cited as an example of the proverb “the miser pays twice.” The knives quickly become dull, it is inconvenient to clean the parts of the device, that is, instead of joy and saving time, you will get additional problems and work.

Review of Philips HR2657/90 immersion blender

Philips is such a mastodon that it hardly needs a separate introduction. Today we got our hands on a blender HR2657/90 from the Viva collection series. This is not a classic 3 in 1 set: in addition to the standard attachments, it also comes with a device for cutting vegetables into shapes, or a spiralizer (spiral cutter). The blender is not cheap, but the manufacturer promises that working with it will be “convenient, simple, fast.” For example, the blender attachment is made using ProMix technology, developed by Philips together with specialists from the University of Stuttgart: the manufacturer promises fast and effective mixing due to its thoughtful design.

Characteristics

* To put it very simply: this is the period during which parts for repairing the device are supplied to official service centers. After this period, any repairs in official service centers (both warranty and paid) are unlikely to be possible.

Equipment

HR2657/90 arrived to us in a bright box without a handle. On the packaging we see images of a blender and accessories; photos illustrate the purpose of each. In three languages ​​(Polish, Russian and Ukrainian) you can familiarize yourself with the main characteristics of the device.

Having opened the box, inside we found:

• motor block,
• blender attachment
• travel glass with lid (aka mixing glass),
• XL chopper bowl with gearbox cover,
• S-shaped chopper blade,
• whisk attachment,
• whisk gearbox,
• vegetable feeding chamber,
• three spiralizer knives,
• spiralizer drive with rotating plate,
• several booklets with instructions, a certificate of conformity and a warranty card.

At first sight

The heavy motor block is made mostly of black plastic. The two parts of the plastic lining of the case are connected on the sides, with a small gap of just under a millimeter between them. On the front side there is a stainless steel insert with a button for fixing the attachments. Here we see the maximum operating power of the device (800 W) and a reminder of ProMix technology. In the grip area, the body is narrowed and partially covered with non-slip rubber. There is also a control button with SpeedTouch technology, which allows you to control the speed of rotation of the knives by pressing force. At the top end of the block there is a power indicator. The power cord is attached to the back and does not have a hanging loop.

The blender attachment is made of brushed stainless steel. The knives are located on the same axis. The dome of the nozzle is triangular - Philips claim that this shape provides optimal product flow and better chopping and mixing.

The grinding glass is equipped with a lid with a latch that prevents leakage, so you can take the prepared smoothie with you directly in it. Just in case, the manufacturer advises using the glass only in a vertical position, but we couldn’t resist and immediately carried out a test: we poured water, snapped the valve and turned the container upside down - not a drop leaked, so you don’t have to worry about the contents of the bag you put into it. put your drink down. The glass is marked with milliliters, fluid ounces and cups.

The whisk attachment looks completely standard and is easily inserted into the gearbox. To separate them, just slightly pull the whisk.

The volume of the chopper bowl is 1 liter, which is twice as much as usual in similar sets. Its diameter is standard, its spaciousness is ensured by its height. In the center of the bottom of the bowl there is a metal pin onto which the knife is mounted. Two sharp sickle-shaped blades are located parallel, 1 cm apart. The knife is connected to the motor block using a black gearbox cover.

We got to the spiralizer. Its entire structure consists of three graters, a chamber for storing vegetables and a gearbox into which a gray plate with notches is inserted.

The graters are black discs with steel inserts-knives. There is a small protruding ring in the center: the product to be crushed is fixed on it. It is not indicated anywhere what type of cutting each attachment is intended for, but it is easy to guess. Obviously, a large flat knife cuts a wide slab from the vegetable, and then it is cut into pieces using a second insert with triangular serrations - the more of them, the thinner the slice. So, in the photo: above is a grater for linguine, bottom left is for wide spirals, bottom right is for spaghetti.

The grater is installed in the chopper bowl, and a chamber is installed on top. A nozzle with a gray plate transmits rotation to the contents of the chamber; it is also a pusher.

The first superficial study of the device already allows us to judge its quality. With the exception of a noticeable joint on the motor block, we found no flaws. All parts seem strong and reliable. The attachments are connected to the motor unit in one motion, and are also easy to remove - just press a button. This will undoubtedly simplify the process of working on several components of a dish at once: switching between different attachments takes two seconds.

Instructions

The first impression from the instructions is that the devil will break his leg. It consists of four booklets of different sizes. Two of them are devoted exclusively to safety precautions and general operating rules. Two - not because there is so much information, but because the instructions are written in 17 (seventeen!) languages.

More detailed information is already presented in the form of graphics. What products can be used, what the attachments are for, at what power to chop this or that vegetable or fruit, what can be washed in the dishwasher, and what can only be wiped with a cloth - all this is described using pictures and tables. I must say, we liked this way of presenting information: instructions are often written in completely indigestible language, but here everything is drawn in such detail that we did not have any questions.

As a bonus, the instructions include a dessert recipe for vanilla ice cream with hot raspberry sauce that can be made in a food processor.

Control

The device is controlled by one single button with SpeedTouch technology: as we have already mentioned, it involves regulating the speed of rotation of the knives by pressing the button.

There is no need to rely on sensations: on the top of the motor block there is an indicator of the current power. If you press the button completely, the device will go into turbo mode, indicated on the indicator by the letter T.

Exploitation

Before the first use, we performed the usual manipulations: the motor block and gearboxes were wiped, and the attachments and containers were washed under warm water.

The device is designed for chopping vegetables, fruits, meat, mixing and pureeing, whipping proteins or cream. The continuous operation time is three minutes, then the device is prescribed a 15-minute rest. During all the testing, the motor unit never overheated so much that it interfered with its operation. True, one time we got carried away while working with the spiralizer and smelled a slight burning smell.

The HR2657/90 was a pleasure to work with. Firstly, we appreciated the management system. Often, to change speed it is necessary to interrupt work, since you need to turn the control wheel. Here, with the thumb or forefinger of the hand holding the motor unit, you simply press the button harder or weaker, which allows you to adjust the intensity of the attachments without interrupting the process.

The knives are very sharp: everything is crushed very quickly and does not splash - thanks to the successful shape of the blender and SpeedTouch technology, thanks to which you can start working at minimum speed and gradually increase it.

The motor unit fits comfortably in your hand and does not slip. True, it is a bit heavy, but the hand only gets tired when working with the whisk, which sometimes has to be wielded for several minutes.

Although the chopper bowl is XL, the amount of food put into it is still limited to 200 grams. If you have more “material”, you will have to make several approaches to avoid overloading the motor. But it is also a container for a spiralizer, and here the volume justified itself: two small zucchini fit in it without any problems, and we did not have to stop to make room.

By the way, about the spiralizer. With a minimum of effort, you get a bunch of nicely cut vegetable strips. All you have to do is simply cut the vegetables into small pieces, put them in the chamber and press down on top with a motor block with a special attachment. The length of the strips depends on the size of the bars: the higher they are, the longer the spirals. The feed chamber is large enough to cut a medium-sized zucchini or potato. There is practically no waste after “spiraling”. Among the long strips, sometimes there are cuttings in the form of crescents, and a small “stud” remains from the core.

With a power of 800 W, the device’s motor is surprisingly quiet. The noise of the device did not interfere with either conversation or listening to background music.

The only drawback we found with the HR2657/90 is minor and has nothing to do with the operation of the device: it will take up a little more space than a classic blender set due to the larger number of parts.

Care

In terms of care, nothing revolutionary. The power supply unit and gearboxes are wiped with a damp cloth; the blender attachment can be washed under the tap, but be careful not to let water get into the connection point to the motor unit. The remaining parts can be washed in the dishwasher.

Naturally, parts should be washed immediately after use.

Our measurements

Although the declared power of the device is 800 W, during the entire testing period the wattmeter never showed more than 260 W. However, we didn’t put a big load on it and didn’t jam it, so everything is fine.

Practice tests

We have prepared a number of dishes that cannot be done without a blender or chopper. But the main intrigue of today's testing, of course, is whether a spiralizer will be useful to us in our household.

Crushed tomatoes (mandatory test)

Several tomatoes were cut into quarters and placed in a mixing glass, filling it to the 400 ml mark.

We started working at minimum speed, gradually increasing it to maximum. After just 10 seconds it was obvious that the tomatoes had turned into an airy, smooth puree. To be sure, they punched the mass for another 7 seconds.

As a result, we got a lush tomato puree, in which barely noticeable pieces of skin and rare unground seeds floated.

Result: excellent.

Smoothie

This test just suggested itself, because the mixing container is also a travel glass, and a special lid is attached to it. So, you need to make some kind of cocktail that you can take with you. It was morning, I wanted something fresh and invigorating, so I took a green apple, cucumber, a stalk of celery, parsley and a little lime.

Cut fruits and vegetables into small pieces, splash half a glass of water, add a pinch of Himalayan salt, lime juice and a little olive oil. Operated the blender for 40 seconds.

The blender did an excellent job: all the ingredients combined into a homogeneous mass, not even a trace of coarse celery fibers (we deliberately did not remove them to complicate the task). It turned out to be an excellent refreshing cocktail with a light apple-lime sourness. We closed the lid, secured the flap so that it would not accidentally open in the bag - you can go about your business!

Result: excellent.

Turkey Meatball Soup

Let's move on to the chopper. A great option to test this element of the blender set is to prepare minced meat. We took half a kilo of turkey, cut it into small pieces and chopped it in two batches. Although the chopper bowl is stated as XL, and is indeed quite spacious, the instructions still allow you to chop only 200 grams of meat at a time.

In the instructions, the manufacturer promises that 200 grams of meat will be chopped in 10 seconds in Turbo mode, but we worked twice as long. The result is excellent: the minced meat is completely homogeneous, and does not resemble paste, but very finely chopped meat.

For the meatballs you will also need breadcrumbs. A glass of dried bread was placed in a bowl and punched for 20 seconds.

We obtained somewhat heterogeneous bread crumbs, but fine enough to be used as, for example, breading.

The turkey was mixed with ground breadcrumbs, an egg, Parmesan, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper were added. Meatballs were formed from the resulting minced meat and fried to an appetizing crust.

The fried meatballs were set aside; carrots, celery stalks and onions, cut into cubes, were fried in the same pan. Throw in two chopped cloves of garlic. When the vegetables were sautéed, they were put into a saucepan, poured with chicken broth, and a little later the meatballs and small pasta were added to the saucepan. After 5 minutes, chard, spinach, grated Parmesan, and a little lemon juice went into the soup. We tried it and adjusted it with salt and pepper. Ready!

Result: excellent.

Nut cookies

2 whites with a pinch of salt began to beat at minimum speed, gradually increasing it, but without going into turbo mode. After 2 minutes, the proteins doubled in volume.

Gradually they began to add 70 grams of sugar and beat until they achieved a glossy mass with soft peaks.

Don’t be confused by the whites on the edges of the glass - we took out the whisk poorly; nothing splashes while whipping.

So, the whites are ready. We took ground almonds and walnuts (totaling about 100 grams), mixed them with cornstarch, and then gently folded them into the egg whites. Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment using a tablespoon, slightly pulling out the tops for perkiness. The whole thing went into an oven preheated to 150 degrees for 25 minutes.

The cookies are reminiscent of the almond cake from childhood: golden and crispy on the outside, airy and chewy on the inside, with a bright nut flavor.

Result: excellent.

Zucchini spaghetti

We took a grater designed for the thinnest slicing, cut small zucchini crosswise into three “logs”, pressed on top with a knife pusher and, as the instructions advised, turned on the blender at first power.

The zucchini was cut quickly, with each log being completely in the bowl within 7 seconds. We got a bunch of long strips, really similar to classic spaghetti, only three times longer. Among the stripes there were crescents cut off from the edges.

We decided to develop the theme of Italian cuisine, so we heated garlic in oil, added tomatoes left over from testing the blender, a couple of pinches of sugar, salt, pepper and, of course, dried Italian herbs. Having evaporated the sauce, we threw “spaghetti” into it (which we had previously gone through with scissors) and heated it all up for about five minutes.

We sprinkled the finished dish with parsley and, breaking the vegan idyll, with Parmesan. Of course, this is just a name and shape from spaghetti, but the dish turned out very tasty, light and textured - we deliberately warmed the zucchini just a little so that they would crunch. A wonderful option for a light dinner or a vegetable side dish and a way to finally feed vegetables to children, who often prefer “pasta” to any dish.

Result: excellent.

Asian style cucumber salad

The linguine attachment was tested on a cucumber. They did not cut it across.

Here the vegetable turns into pronounced spirals about 5 mm thick. Since the centers of cucumbers are very tender, the spirals sometimes broke when falling into the bowl, but thanks to this they came out to a quite reasonable length.

In this way, we cut 2 cucumbers, added garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce and a little brown sugar to them and put them in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. The cucumber noodles were perfectly soaked in the marinade. Before serving, add cilantro and finely chopped red hot pepper.

Result: excellent.

Potato "tornado"

The spiral is not the most common shape of food in the kitchen, so I had to think about how to adapt it, if not into a salad or side dish. We remembered! There is a wonderful Korean street food, tornado potatoes. The attachment for “pappardelle” is used.

The thickness of the strips on this nozzle is a little more than a centimeter. As you can see in the photo, the potatoes break a little at the folds, but still retain their spiral shape. We even managed to cut one potato whole - there was not a single tear!

Potato spirals were brushed with melted butter, threaded onto skewers pre-soaked in water, and sprinkled with a mixture of Parmesan, salt, dried garlic, black pepper and paprika. At this point, the oven had heated up to 200 degrees, and our “tornadoes” went to bake until golden brown.

35 minutes later we have a great spicy appetizer on the table. It remains to sprinkle with parsley and the remaining Parmesan.

Result: excellent.

conclusions

First of all, the HR2657/90 is simply a very good 4-in-1 blender. Powerful, quiet, and convenient.

The device is easy to assemble and disassemble, the control system is well thought out and convenient, and the average test score speaks volumes about the quality of the device. It’s not in vain that the best minds in Stuttgart have been working on the ProMix technology - the blender copes well even with coarse and fibrous products. The other attachments have never let us down either.

We were initially somewhat skeptical about the spiralizer, but in practice it turned out that this device is applicable in preparing a wide variety of dishes. It will be useful not only for raw foodists and vegans, who, of course, are the first to come to mind when talking about vegetables, but also for parents of little capricious children who deny vegetables as a fact, and simply for culinary aesthetes - a simple salad prepared with the help of a spiralizer takes on an original and cute look .

pros

• high-quality work of all attachments
• convenient control
• many parts can be washed in the dishwasher

Minuses

• not found