Food news

RUSSELL HOBBS 24722 DESIRE JUG BLENDER

Size: 41.5cm x 20.7cm x 20.7cm (H x W x D) Capacity: 1.5L Power: 650W Key features: ● Strong glass jug that can withstand temperatures up to 40°C ● Great all-rounder ● Quality feel for purse-friendly price The low down: Looking for a reliable blender that doesn’t break the bank? The Desire Jug from Russell Hobbs is a versatile, affordable option. This model can blend both warm and cold ingredients and offers two speed settings, plus a pulse function. Simple cup measurements on the side of the jug help to determine ingredient portion sizes and the addition of a measuring cap, which can be slotted into the lid, means you can pour in extra ingredients without stopping the blend.

The Desire can crush, grind, purée and blend hard and soft ingredients, whether it’s vegetables for marinades and sauces or frozen fruit for fresh juices and smoothies. You can blend ingredients for soup too, but they must be cooled to 40°C first.

As it’s sturdy with non-slip feet, there won’t be any movement even when using the strongest setting. There are no pre-set functions, but for the price it’s a great all-rounder and when your cooking prep is done, you can put both the blade and the jug in the dishwasher.

Russell Hobbs 24722 Desire Jug blender, £51.99, Currys Nutribullet 600 Series blender, Graphite, £69.99, Currys

Cult classic

NUTRIBULLET 600 SERIES BLENDER

Size: 33cm x 17cm x 30cm (H x W x D) Capacity: 700ml Power: 600W Key features: ● Sleek and simple design ● Short and tall cups that double up as blending jugs ● Includes a ‘pocket nutritionist’ with recipes The low down: The NutriBullet has become a cult classic in recent years thanks to its intuitive functionality and slim, sleek design. It’s designed to give you a quick blast of healthy food with smoothies and juices, but it can also chop vegetables, make sauces, purées and breadcrumbs and, once the ingredients are cooled, blend deliciously smooth soups.

What sets this model apart is the way users turn on the blender. Whereas most food processors use dials or buttons to set off the blades, the Nutribullet requires users to press down, turn and lock the bottle/blender jug in place. There are no speed settings, pre-set functions or timed blends so you’ll need to keep an eye on things but the efficient NutriBullet 600 only takes around 30 seconds to whiz up your fave fruit and veg.

For a no-fuss blender, that can be easily tucked away, the NutriBullet 600 is ideal, and it’s not too loud either. The cups are dishwasher safe but you’ll need to handwash the blades.

Gr eat all rounder

Top Tip

For a quick and easy clean, and if you don’t have a dishwasher, fill your blender jug halfway with warm (not hot!) soapy water, hit the standard blend setting and let it run for 20-30 seconds to give it a deep clean – then simply rinse out and leave to dry.

LAKEL AND PERSONAL BLENDER & SMOOTHIE MAKER

Size: 32.5cm x 15.5cm x 12cm (H x W x D) Capacity: 600ml Power: 350W

Key features:

● Toughened glass jug ● Quiet Mark accreditation ● Additional bottle to take blends on the go

The low down:

Considering its compact size, the blending on the Personal blender and smoothie maker from Lakeland is efficient and reliable, cutting through small veg pieces and frozen fruits with ease. There are two settings, plus a pulse function, which is especially good at tackling larger fruit and veggies. If you’re after a dinky smoothie maker, this model is ideal, and it can whip up small batches of sauces and baby food too. It can’t be used for hot foods so if you need to blend ingredients for soup, you’ll need to let them cool down first. This Lakeland model is lightweight, it takes up minimal space and is also surprisingly quiet – it has even been awarded the internationally recognised Quiet Mark accreditation. The jug and blades can’t be cleaned in the dishwasher but thanks to its small size, it doesn’t take long to wash. Quick and quiet

Lakeland Personal blender & smoothie maker, £44.99, Lakeland

BREVILLE BLENDACTI FAMILY GEN2 FOOD BLENDER

Size: 37cm x 12.8cm x 12.4cm (H x W x D) Capacity: 600ml Power: 300W Purse friendly Key features: ● Comes with two 600ml bottles and two 300ml bottles ● Simple design means it’s quick and easy to use

The low down:

For a simple, affordable smoothie maker, the BlendActi Family Gen2 Food blender from Breville ticks the box. With its single Breville BlendActi Family speed setting and juice Gen2 Food blender, £32.99, function this model blends John Lewis & Partnersfruit, both fresh and frozen, with ease, making wonderfully smooth drinks. It can also chop small pieces of veg, but it’s not the best at juicing or puréeing them.

Four smoothie bottles, each with their own colourful lid, make this blender especially appealing to kids and means taking healthy drinks on the go is a doddle. You’ll need space to store the extra bottles but the machine itself is very slim and compact and takes up barely any room on a countertop.

The no-frills, quick and easy functionality of this Breville model makes it ideal for families or anyone looking to introduce a healthy smoothie into their breakfast routine. At £32.99, it’s a steal too! CUISINART SILVER CORDLESS ON-THE-GO BLENDER RPB100U

Size: 30cm x 9.5cm x 10.5cm (H x W x D) Capacity: 450ml Power: 10W Key features: ● Cordless with USB charging ● Small size is ideal for single smoothies, salsas and dips ● Blending jug doubles up as a cup The low down: If you’re a keen picnicker or camper, or you just prefer a wire-free countertop, the Cuisinart Cordless On-TheGo blender is made for you. Thanks to its cordless design, you can take the blender with you and whip up fresh drinks and condiments wherever you fancy.

On a full charge, it can work continuously for 20 minutes, which is plenty of time to mix multiple batches of smoothies, juices and sauces. After you’ve finished with your blends, use the USB charging lead to get the batteries full again, which should take around 120 minutes.

Due to the lower wattage and petite size, this model is best suited for soft fruit and veg and it also makes a mean milkshake. It can also blend frozen fruit and it crushes ice to a lovely fine consistency so it’s great for frozen cocktails. You can make small batches of ingredients for soup too, just wait for the ingredients to cool down first.

To clean, the jug can go in the dishwasher while the blades need to be hand washed.

Cuisinart Silver Cordless On-The-Go blender RPB100U, £100, Lakeland