7 Tips to Use Your Blender Efficiently

Blenders are very simple and efficient kitchen appliances to use. It barely takes a few minutes to make amazing smoothies, milkshakes, soups, purees and even nut butters. This is why most kitchens own a blender nowadays to whip up instant breakfasts or mid-day snacks. However, like any other appliance, you need to follow some tips to get the most out of your blender and to make the best smoothies and other drinks:

Secure The Lid Tightly:

Before you blend the ingredients, you need to make sure that the lid is tightly intact to avoid the food from splattering into the surroundings. Even if the lid of the blender closes tightly, it is a good practice to hold the lid down while the blender is running to prevent any possibility of the lid coming off.

Start With Slow Speed And Increase To Higher Setting:

It might seem like the obvious choice to blend always at the highest speed to complete the task quickly. However, to obtain best results and an evenly blended mixture you need to start at the lowest speed setting and increase gradually to higher speeds. You can add more liquid if it becomes difficult to blend solid ingredients.

Use The Pulse Option:

Most good blenders offer the pulse option which is very useful for a number of reasons. It can be used to chop the ingredients before blending them. If food gets stuck to the blades and the blender starts making unusual noises while blending, you can press the pulse button a couple of times to free the blades of the food stuck to it and then resume the blending.

Remove the filter cap while blending hot ingredients:

The blender has a filter cap in the center of the lid which needs to be removed when blending hot ingredients. This will allow the steam from the ingredients to be released safely from the blender. This will prevent unwanted pressure to build up inside the blender which, in the case of glass blenders, can result in breakage of the blender jug.

Clean It Properly After Use:

It is important to clean the blender properly after each use. Cleaning it immediately after use will prevent food from getting stuck to the walls and blades and further difficulty in cleaning. The easiest way to clean the blender is add soap and water to the jug, place the lid and pulse it a couple of times. You can now rinse the lid and the jug with warm water to clean it.

Do Not Crush Ice Unless The Manual Says So:

Not all blenders come with ice crushing capabilities. Unless that instruction manual clearly states that the blender can crush ice, use it to process only soft ingredients. Using the blender to crush ice which does not come with such capabilities can damage its blades and the motor.

Do Not Dislodge The Blender Jug Until It Has Completely Turned Off:

Never remove the blender jug from the motor unit or the lid from the blender jug while the blender is still running. Turn the blender off and wait until the blades have completely stopped before you remove the lid or the blender jug. Removing the jug while the blender is still running is probably the biggest reason why blenders stop working. Also, do not put your fingers in the jug until the blades have stopped rotating since not only does it harm the machine, it can also be quite dangerous for you and may cut your fingers.