Topic: Hand blender?

[ast]

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking to buy one of these hand blender things, and I was wondering what types people would recommend for blending bases.  I have two main concerns:

1) The length of the stalk the blades are attached to:  is it long enough for "reasonalby" sized pots of > 6L?

2) The power output/chopping ability:  My gut feel is that a smaller one would burn up quickly and I've no idea how the blade shroud design will affect the size of the vegetables you can use when cooking the base.  Granted, they should be soft enough by the time you blend, but I don't want to spend the money for the thing and then end up still using my blender at 1L/time to get a smooth curry base.

In having a look around one of the 3 main shops here today, I found a Braun, 300W jobber that looks like this:



A 400W Moulinex 3-piece kit:


Specs: http://www.moulinex.fr/products/preparation-culinaire/mixeurs/robot-marie.htm

and a 3-piece, brand X kit that is similar to the Moulinex, but a bit cheaper.  There's also another Moulinex one that's pretty similar, but I can't find a picture.  Price range is ?25-50, and I want to buy one here (we're in France visiting the in-laws), because past experience says they'll be cheaper here than in Dublin.  I'm also going to need a serious curry fix when I get back, so next weekend I'll be hoping to break it in on a new batch of base.

Any experience, recommendations, things to look out for, etc. would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

ast

[SnS]

Hi Ast

I've been using a Braun type 4169 (only 180 watts) for over 10 years now. It has a submersible depth of about 9 inches which is plenty. No probems whatsoever.

This is the nearest present day model to it. Only 15 squid.

http://www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/88888/mia/d/braun+hand+blender/pid/4894378

SnS  ;D

[ast]

Thanks for that, SnS!

Good to know that they're built to last.  Of course, the cynic in me says that they've probably lost several hundred thousand in lost revenue because it lasted this long, so they've probably made the new ones a bit cheaper and not quite to the same spec!

I'll have a look around and see if I can find the newer model here.  Carrefour's closed tomorrow, but I'll hit it early next week.

Thanks again,

ast

[mike travis]

Hi ast  , I chose a cheapish one from ASDA as I only use it for onion puree. I did use it once to blend a base sauce, as the instructions said it could be used to blend hot liquids, so long as they had been removed from the heat. However, it distorted the base of the blender, so my advice is to invest in a good quality one. I use a Kenwood Chef to blend my base sauce now....regards..mike

[Bobby Bhuna]

I've been using a Braun type 4169 (only 180 watts) for over 10 years now.

Same here! Not for ten years obviously... but the story is this. I got a 5 quid one from woolies and it was crap. Then I discovered there was already one on my inventory for my old flat - the Braun. When I left the flat, I left the woolies one! Genius.

No one would have cared - it was an old womans house who died and left it to her daughter and left her huge collection of cookware in there. You know it's not a buy to let when you have 3 whisks on the list.

[ast]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for that.  I guess I should say that we already have the next-to-the-top-end Kenwood Chef Professional with the food processor and the blender.  That's what I've been using, but it's a right pain to faf around with intermediate containers, etc. to blend the base as you can only do 1L at a go.  I'd much prefer to do what SnS illustrated in his update Saffron recipe and just blend in the pot (as others have posted too).

Cheers for the info,

ast

[George]

we already have the next-to-the-top-end Kenwood Chef Professional with the food processor and the blender.  That's what I've been using, but it's a right pain to faf around with intermediate containers, etc. to blend the base as you can only do 1L at a go.

I have both a Kenwood Chef/Major mounted blender and a half decent hand blender as well.

I feel exactly the oppposite way round to you! The Kenwood blender is a dream even if anything needs to be done in 2 or more baches. You can walk away and it blends anything in no time. I find the hand held blenders are more hit and miss, and simply not as effective - a real pain to faf around with.

Regards
George

[ast]

I have both a Kenwood Chef/Major mounted blender and a half decent hand blender as well.

I feel exactly the oppposite way round to you! The Kenwood blender is a dream even if anything needs to be done in 2 or more baches. You can walk away and it blends anything in no time. I find the hand held blenders are more hit and miss, and simply not as effective - a real pain to faf around with.

Hi George,

Thanks for the observations.  I'm now the proud owner of a new Braun, stainless-steel hand blender critter that I intend to try out tomorrow or Sunday on both a batch of ronnoc's base as well as cr0b2.  Who knows, I may feel the same way after one or two tries with it! ;D  I hope not, but I do get what you're saying.  In fact, the effectiveness is one of the things that I'm most worried about.  Still, if you can do the whole pot in 5-10 min vs. 3 or 4 rounds of 1L at a time for 5 min with similar results, I'll be happy.  It has plenty of power (450W) and nice, new, sharp blades, so I'm pretty optimistic. ;D

Cheers,

ast

[will]

Hi Everyone,

I'm looking to buy one of these hand blender things, and I was wondering what types people would recommend for blending bases.  I have two main concerns:

1) The length of the stalk the blades are attached to:  is it long enough for "reasonalby" sized pots of > 6L?

2) The power output/chopping ability:  My gut feel is that a smaller one would burn up quickly and I've no idea how the blade shroud design will affect the size of the vegetables you can use when cooking the base.  Granted, they should be soft enough by the time you blend, but I don't want to spend the money for the thing and then end up still using my blender at 1L/time to get a smooth curry base.

In having a look around one of the 3 main shops here today, I found a Braun, 300W jobber that looks like this:



A 400W Moulinex 3-piece kit:


Specs: http://www.moulinex.fr/products/preparation-culinaire/mixeurs/robot-marie.htm

and a 3-piece, brand X kit that is similar to the Moulinex, but a bit cheaper.  There's also another Moulinex one that's pretty similar, but I can't find a picture.  Price range is ?25-50, and I want to buy one here (we're in France visiting the in-laws), because past experience says they'll be cheaper here than in Dublin.  I'm also going to need a serious curry fix when I get back, so next weekend I'll be hoping to break it in on a new batch of base.

Any experience, recommendations, things to look out for, etc. would be most appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

ast

hi this is my first post so be gentle with me i just purchased a phillips stab blender 600w this is the dogs imho very powerfull just blended my first attempt at a base sauce will def post my results asap thanx

[brum_57]

I got my hand blender from argos for around 3 quid - bargain I only use it for blending base sauce tho - the idiot sheet reccomends u dont blend hot liquids as it may cause the motor to overheat, but I do with no problems - it doesnt take long to blend a well cooked base sauce and hey - if it burns out i just go out spend another 3 quid and get another

Kev.