Cooking delicious and varied dishes today, with an abundance of recipes on the pages of specialized literature and Internet resources, is a matter of desire and technical equipment. It’s the latter that we’ll talk about today. A number of devices are used to grind food, but the most popular of them are blenders and choppers. Is this the same thing or a completely different technique?
The blender was originally designed for pureeing, emulsifying foods, whipping mousses, and preparing sauces such as guacamole.
A chopper is needed for cutting whole or pre-prepared products - for example, for cutting potatoes into cubes, vegetables for salads, fruits for making desserts.
This is the difference between a blender and a food chopper. These devices do not replace each other in any way.
Blender
A blender is a device that is designed to prepare purees, emulsions and even some drinks in the shortest possible time. It is quite suitable for preparing food for a small child. In addition, you can crush ice in a blender for various drinks.
immersion blender
The difference between a blender and a chopper lies not only in their purpose, but also in their design. So in a blender the knife and motor are located at the bottom, while in a chopper, on the contrary, they are at the top.
conclusions
What conclusions can we draw from this brief overview? First of all, the choice should depend on your own desires and goals. If you are primarily interested in salads, fried vegetables and stews, desserts, and all this from beautiful pieces of the correct shape, then your choice is a chopper. If you need smoothies, purees, baby food or batter, then a blender will be more useful.
However, we should not forget that modern technology can also offer combined models that combine the functionality of both a blender and a chopper.
See also:
- 7 best blenders according to customer reviews
- 10 most reliable blenders according to customers
- Tips for choosing a blender for your home
- Choosing a blender from the best company
- Choosing a blender for preparing baby food
Types of blenders
A blender, unlike a chopper, can be of two types: submersible and stationary. A stationary blender usually consists of two parts. The first part is the body located on a stable base, and the second is the container itself, in which the grinding of a particular product occurs. Inside this container there is a knife - the main working tool of a stationary blender. In this case, the container can be either plastic or glass.
stationary blender
Currently, stationary blenders can have one blade or have several different attachments included. The advantages of such a blender are undeniable. You don’t need to hold it in your hands while working, and you can even use it to mix the dough, however, if it is liquid enough. In addition, it is much more convenient to prepare drinks in it, and immediately after preparation they can be easily poured into cups.
The advantage of an immersion blender is its compact size. It also has replaceable attachments, and you can grind food in almost any convenient container.
The main thing is that the dishes have high walls. This is necessary so that during operation the food being ground does not splash onto the table. Another advantage is that in a blender you can prepare portions that are not very large in volume. In addition, despite its size, the immersion blender is equipped with a fairly powerful motor. With this you can not only grind any products, but also herbs and pieces of ice. Thanks to its compact size, it will not take up much space on the kitchen table. You can also hang it on the wall using a special hook. The disadvantages of such a blender are that it must be constantly held in your hands during operation, and, unfortunately, it is not suitable for making cocktails. But you can beat eggs or make soup – you can puree it without any problems. In addition, some companies include a chopper and sometimes even a mixer along with the blender.
Difference in functionality
Without a blender, you would have to beat the mousses manually: the whisk works endlessly, your hand gets tired, and the process takes a lot of time. A mixer or food processor is also not always at hand, and in the case of a food processor, it is also a bulky design that may not fit into the ergonomics of the kitchen. It’s a matter of a blender: a few minutes – and the machine makes the mousse of the ideal consistency.
Purees, juices, smoothies, emulsions, crushing cookies to form perfect crumbs - the blender does all this quickly and flawlessly. You can also crush ice in this device, which becomes an important functionality during cocktail season.
Blenders come in the following configurations.
- Stationary. This is a stable case with an engine inside. A transparent high container is attached to the top of the body, where the product is sent for grinding. At the bottom of this bowl there is a blade knife. The blender can be placed on the table, and it will work without the need to hold the device in your hands. The bowl comes in plastic and glass. It is filled, closed with a special lid, and the device starts by pressing the start button. Making sauces and drinks with a stationary blender is incredibly convenient. Then the contents from the bowl are simply poured into glasses or glasses - if it is a smoothie, for example.
- Submersible. This is a blade-knife attachment, sometimes variable (several knives included). Such blenders, as a rule, have compact sizes and a number of multi-functional attachments. Even in the smallest kitchen there is a place for such a device. It fits into a standard kitchen drawer without displacing what's already stored there. A stationary blender will, of course, require more space. A submersible device is used in any container convenient for this purpose, the main thing is that its sides or walls are of sufficient height. An immersion blender is also convenient when cooking portions need to be small. But it also has a disadvantage - you have to hold the immersion blender in your hands the entire time it works.
The chopper cannot make smoothies and purees: it – the pun is appropriate here – is designed for something else. You could even say that the chopper is a high-tech grater. She does everything faster and better than a person who uses a regular hand grater.
What a shredder can do:
- quickly and deftly cut ingredients for salads, side dishes, and desserts;
- quickly chop the ingredients for seaming;
- cut fruit to decorate desserts;
- crush nuts to fill homemade baked goods;
- prepare homemade mayonnaise;
- grind meat to obtain minced meat;
- create aesthetically pleasing cuts of cold appetizer products.
Of course, you can find a shredder on sale that has additional functionality. For example, it has attachments included that perfectly beat the dough. If you managed to buy a similar model, a blender may not be the most necessary purchase. Rarely, both devices can be sold in pairs. For example, a promotional package: you buy a blender and the chopper comes as a gift or at a reduced price. But more often the buyer stops at one thing.
Blender owners say that the equipment copes with its tasks so well that they don’t want to buy a chopper for downtime. To beautifully cut vegetables into slices, you can buy a cheap grater.
To make minced meat, you can change the attachment in the blender - this is, in principle, possible.
What is a shredder? Kinds
A chopper is a device that is designed to grind something. The cutting in this case can be small, medium or large. After the piece has been cut, it can be fried or, for example, boiled. Simply put, the result of a shredder is similar to the result of a conventional grater, only an order of magnitude faster and of better quality. These pieces can then be used to season certain dishes, such as salads.
A chopper, as mentioned above, is needed mainly only to chop some products. A modern chopper can perform the functions of a mixer and even a mini-harvester. And choppers with a power of 500 W or more, which use thinner cutting of products, can even perform the functions of a blender.
Using a chopper, you can prepare various salads, both from fruits and vegetables, crush nuts, make pate or minced meat. In addition, you can make, for example, homemade mayonnaise in a grinder.
Externally, the chopper is a bit like a stationary blender. The only difference is that a blender has a bowl on top, while a chopper has a bowl on the bottom. The container, just like a blender, can be glass or plastic. In addition, the chopper kit includes not only a knife for chopping, but also a whorl for whipping. Thanks to it, you can even beat eggs in the chopper. Also, like in a blender, you can mix not very thick dough in it.
In addition to the food shredder, there is also a food waste shredder.
food waste grinder
It is designed to get rid of the waste that has accumulated in the sink as quickly and at the same time safely. The only thing you need to do is install it correctly in the sink. This will help eliminate the need to throw waste in the trash, which in turn will rid the apartment of unpleasant odors and insects that flock to this smell. Even a child can use it, since the food waste shredder is safe to use, of course, if all the rules for its operation are strictly followed.
How to use
Many manufacturers recommend using the device to grind not particularly hard types of products. This means that there is no need to grind crackers, coffee beans and frozen pieces of meat in the device. However, there is a little trick. For example, if your recipe calls for small pieces of celery root, you should add a small amount of liquid to the bowl.
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The minimum loading mark should cover the lower leg, which is responsible for cutting. Cutting freshly boiled raw materials is also prohibited. Wait until the food has cooled to at least 70 degrees. Before whipping, you should check vegetables and fruits for the presence of seeds. If you can't decide what speed to use your blender at, start with the lowest gear and gradually increase the speed.
Comparison of blender and chopper
Thus, a comparison of a blender and a chopper shows that they are very similar in function. Their difference lies in the design and result. The result of the blender is a puree, that is, a homogeneous mass, and the grinder produces finely, mediumly, or coarsely chopped pieces. The difference between them is that a blender still has somewhat more functions than a chopper, although the latter has quite a lot of them.
Cleaning a blender and chopper is, in principle, quite simple. The main thing is to remember to disconnect it from the power supply before washing, otherwise you can get seriously injured. That is, before buying a blender or chopper, you need to determine for what purpose you plan to use it most often. If the goal is to prepare food for a small child, then it is better to purchase a blender, and for salads and some types of desserts, then it is better to opt for a chopper. But when using both a blender and a chopper, it is necessary to strictly follow safety precautions and operating rules, do not put them in the hands of children without adult supervision, and after use, put them out of the reach of children to prevent possible injuries.
Therefore, what to choose: a blender or a chopper is, of course, strictly a matter for each person individually.
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Design differences
First of all, the difference between a blender and a chopper lies in the method of cutting products. He does it much more subtly and neatly, using thinner cuts. It becomes indispensable in cases where you need to quickly make puree. For example, prepare your child’s breakfast in the morning from various fruits.
The chopper can also chop food quite finely, but it cannot make purees. It is very convenient to use it to cut various vegetables and fruits for salads or other dishes. It allows housewives to significantly save time.
In addition, the distinctive features of a blender and a chopper are their design features. In the first case, the knife and motor are located at the bottom, and in the second, at the top. The bowl in both cases can be made of plastic or glass.
Before purchasing any kitchen equipment, you need to pay attention to important technical characteristics. First of all, this relates to power. The higher it is, the faster and better the products will be crushed. Powerful blenders and choppers can easily handle a variety of soft and hard foods. Such models usually cost a little more. But if you want to have really high-quality equipment at home, then it’s worth it.
In addition, you need to pay attention to the number of speeds. They depend directly on the power of the device. The simplest models usually have from 1 to 3 speeds. But the more powerful the product, the greater potential it has. Therefore, you need to choose equipment that has as many speeds as possible.
Some modern models have additional options that can regulate the desired speed and tempo of the kitchen appliance. These include:
- Turbo mode. The device operates at the maximum permissible speed. Helps you quickly switch from minimum to maximum.
- Pulse. The equipment operates intermittently, which lasts several seconds. It will help to grind hard products efficiently.
- Speed adjustment. This option will adjust the operation of the knife in each specific case. The speed does not change in steps, but very smoothly.
These parameters will help you decide what functions a blender or chopper should have so that it can become a true and faithful assistant for every housewife.
What sauce can be made in a blender: a delicious addition to side dishes
If you are tired of store-bought sauces made from unknown materials, we offer you the ideal option for cold gravies made in a blender.
Mustard Tartar sauce
To make a rich and thick sauce that is ideal for spaghetti, potatoes and shrimp, you will need:
- mustard - 1 tbsp. l.;
- lemon juice - 1 tbsp. l.;
- yolk - 1 pc.;
- vegetable oil - 100 ml;
- pickled cucumbers - 3 pcs.;
- green onions and parsley - several sprigs each;
- salt, pepper - to taste.
Add more grain mustard to get an original and beautiful sauce
Method of preparation: cut the greens into pieces and place in a container. We also send mustard, yolk, seasonings and chopped pickles here. Be sure to add vegetable oil at the very end. Start the blender and blend for 5 minutes.
general description
What does the device consist of?
The household appliance has a fairly simple structure. It consists of:
- The base in which the motor mechanism is located for bringing the attachments into operating mode using a spindle;
- Containers for storing products that need to be chopped;
- Nozzle holder located inside the container;
- Covers to prevent food from being thrown out at high speed;
- Electric drive (in electric models);
- Nozzles located inside the container, the type of which determines the shape of the slicing and knives;
- On/off controls;
- Speed regulators.
Operating principle
The necessary products are placed in a bowl and covered with a lid. Using a regulator or button, the mechanism is activated, crushing or pureeing the product. Then they are removed from the container.
Sometimes they may not turn out uniform.
Recommendation:
Before placing large products for chopping (vegetables, fruits, etc.), they should be cut into smaller pieces. Thus, the operating life of the device will increase.
Types of devices
Based on their mode of operation, all shredders can be divided into 2 types:
Mechanical:
Involving the use of manual labor by the user in the form of pressing the component parts, unscrewing a special handle, twisting the lid, etc.
These types are more reliable. They are budget-friendly, not energy-intensive, with a minimum of spare parts. Convenient for use on hikes, trips, and travel.
Electrical:
The most popular for food processing because of their versatility and the ability to cut a large number of ingredients, but they are much more expensive and energy-consuming, since they are powered by electricity.
Based on the type of attachments and the resulting product, all grinders can be divided into several types:
Meat grinder:
The process of preparing minced meat occurs using perforation grids, various knives and attachments included in the package.
Multi-cutter:
Differs in a variety of attachments and knives. This is similar to a mini food processor.
Chopper:
A device for cutting, mixing, grinding using special knives, equipped with a container. With one nozzle - a chopper, with many - a multi-chopper.
Or a slicer - for chopping food into slices. It consists of a holder for products, a tray for placing and cutting them, a circular knife and a motor that drives it. Bread, sausage, cheese and other foods can be cut into very thin slices. The device is also suitable for citrus fruits.
Melnichka:
Usually small volumes, with knives and a high lid to protect products from flying around. It can be used to grind food in small volumes: nuts, coffee beans, garlic.
Grater:
Consists of a metal plane with holes pointed towards the top. Used for grating vegetables, fruits and other products. The size and shape of the holes can vary, as can the size of the grated products, respectively.
How to protect your kitchen appliance from malfunctions?
When using a blender-grinder, you must not forget about the operating rules that prevent damage to the device and increase the service life of the equipment. Before using a blender with an attachment, you need to read the instructions:
- Do not leave the equipment turned on when not in use;
- Make sure that the sockets are suitable for the power of the device to prevent overvoltage and fire;
- Water must not enter the engine;
- Before use, check whether all elements of the device are securely fastened;
- Before the first start-up, make sure that there are no defects (pay attention to the power cord to see if there is any damage);
- Dry all elements of the device to prevent rust from developing on parts made of metal.
Recipes
With this device you can prepare a variety of dishes. There are many delicious recipes using different ingredients.
Soup in a blender
You will need 1.5 liters of chicken broth, dried mushrooms, 500 grams of fresh leeks, 1 onion, 50 grams of green onions. The recipe also contains 200 grams of cream and 500 grams of potatoes.
To begin, place the dried mushrooms in the broth for about an hour. Then put the peeled and diced potatoes into it and put it on the fire. At this time, cut and fry the onion until golden brown, add it to the already boiling water and cook the soup until tender. At the end, add cream and grind the soup with a blender until smooth.
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Cream soup with pumpkin
For this dish you need to prepare 1 kilogram of pumpkin, 2 tomatoes, one head of garlic and a liter of broth. Prepare 200 ml low-fat cream, 100 g butter, and one red onion.
To prepare soup puree, you will need to fry the vegetables and add chopped pumpkin to them. All components are prepared in about 20 minutes. 5 minutes before it’s ready, add the broth and wait until it evaporates. Now you can place the soup in an immersion blender, pour in the cream and beat thoroughly.
You can experiment and combine different ingredients. An immersion blender can make the life of every housewife easier and make the cooking process faster and more convenient.
