Both a blender and a food processor are equally popular countertop appliances that can be found in any kitchen, no matter your cooking abilities. They both come with a variety of tasks that can make any cooking experience a smooth and fun affair for both the at-home baker and the five-star chef but does that mean it is possible to use a blender instead of a food processor?
At a glance, the two kitchen appliances have a lot in common. With razor-sharp blades and a wide range of speeds and settings, both of these appliances can shorten the time you spend in the kitchen by more than half.
These days both the food processor and the food blender come in sleek designs with powerful motors that take on a variety of tasks, but while they have a common purpose, what are the differences between the two, and can a blender replace a food processor? Keep reading below to find out more about blenders and food processors to see how to use them.
Food Processors And Why We Buy Them
Food processors are amongst the most supportive appliances in a kitchen. Most can chop, slice, shred, grind, and puree almost anything automatically in less than half the amount of time it takes any normal person to do.
High-end appliances have a range of actions that perform automatically while you focus on larger tasks. Actions such as normal food preparation tasks and others like beating cake batter, kneading bread dough, and juicing are done with little interference.
As technology advances, food processors are becoming an all-in-one appliance that takes up minimal space and becomes a good investment once you consider everything it can do for you. This means you can easily fit one in a small apartment kitchen as you can in the kitchen of a sprawling family home.
There is very little that a high-quality food processor cannot do these days. These appliances have advanced to the point that all are made with special attachments that can be added and removed easily to imitate an array of other kitchen appliances. With this in mind, you have the world at your fingertips.
The many different attachments allow for a wide range of textures.
Common uses of a food processor are anything from chopping vegetables and making salsa to making pancake batter, making your own bread dough, and homemade burgers. Food processors can be used during every meal prep, from salads and soups to pies and desserts.
The advantages of a tool that can take on such a wide range are unmeasurable. That being said, not everybody can afford the hefty price tag, and most prefer the more cost-effective blender option.
How Does a Blender Compare?
There aren’t huge differences between a blender and a food processor. The biggest differences between a blender and a food processor might be the size, strength of the motor, and in the case of the blender, the lack of attachments.
Standard blenders are often purchased and used for a smaller, more well-known variety of tasks, and most end up sitting on our countertops waiting for the day we decide to eat healthily and drink more smoothies.
A blender’s ability is often undermined; therefore, most are not used to their full potential. These mini-food processors have been regulated to make our most delicious icy drinks, but only a few have tried to use them to their full potential.
What people are most aware of, though, is that the average countertop blender has blades powerful enough to cut through and grind ice cubes within minutes to make a range of frozen drinks, from healthy smoothies to iced coffees, creamy milkshakes, and frozen cocktails. Countless ideas come to mind but are there more things the blender can do that we are not aware of?
Traditional blenders have been popularly used to create a variety of hot and cold combinations. Each blender has a guide that explains the different speed ranges and pulse settings, and most boxed appliances have even advanced to show the many recipes that can be performed with ease.
The regular blender can finely process a wide range of wet and dry ingredients into anything from smooth and creamy soups to baby food, and it does this within mere minutes!
When you consider the size differences, blenders are often half the size of food processors. They have smaller containers, smaller blades, and smaller motors. Sadly, most blenders can’t handle the heavy-duty tasks that a food processor can.
This means that if used irresponsibly, your blender might end up needing to be replaced sooner rather than later.
So what shouldn’t you do with a blender?
To save yourself from having to replace your blender early on, don’t use ingredients that are too big, like whole fruit or whole vegetables. Those might get stuck at the bottom and potentially burn out your blender’s motor.
Hot liquids or hot ingredients could cause the container of your blender to break, so it’s best to stay away from these as well.
Tough ingredients like dried fruit, nuts, high-fiber vegetables, too much ice, or even bones can dull the blades of your blender and leave them useless.
While it might be possible to grind spices or coffee beans with a blender, the chances of the ingredients shooting up and breaking the container are also very likely.
The list of what you shouldn’t put in your blender might seem off-putting, but don’t worry, there are still many things you use your blender for.
To Conclude
While both have a large range of recipes, there is a huge difference between what a food processor can do and what a blender can do. And unfortunately, as powerful as the motors are in a blender, they aren’t powerful enough to do as many heavy-duty tasks as the food processor. Not to mention, they don’t have the necessary attachments either.
Blender blades are much smaller in comparison to a food processor, and therefore the appliance can only handle so much strain. At most, a blender could take on the act of juicing if used at a high enough speed.
In the long run, blenders are best used to puree or blend ingredients to a smooth liquid. You could still attempt to use them as a food processor if the task won’t strain the motor or damage the blades in the long run.
This leaves you with two options if your blender isn’t versatile enough. You could shell out the cash and purchase a small food processor or do it all manually.