From smoothies and sauces to hummus and even some of your favorite cocktails, there isn’t anything the “all-purpose” blender can’t blend—or is there? You may have yet to encounter ingredients your appliance can’t crush, liquefy, or puree, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. In fact, it’s important to note that blenders aren’t the ultra-versatile appliances you may make them out to be.
By checking out the Prime Shop Kitchen, you’ll realize that there are many things blenders aren’t made for. Let’s take a look at some of them before they actually become the reason for your blender’s early retirement.
Things That Should Never Go In Your Blender
To ensure your blender serves you well for a long time, here are 10 things to avoid putting in it:
1. Super-Hot Liquids
There’s a chance that since you frequently pour liquids of varying temperatures in your blender, you’ll think doing so won’t make a difference. They will. In particular, extra-hot liquids contribute to the pressure buildup within the blender since they give off significantly more steam. That could lead to an explosion of scorching-hot ingredients that could burn anyone nearby.
2. Dried Fruits
Dried fruits may make flavorful add-ins for smoothies and marinades, but you shouldn’t blend them with other ingredients. Their rubbery exterior and sticky insides mean they could easily get stuck inside the nooks and crannies of the appliance. This may turn the blender into a haven for bacteria, which may very well ruin your blends moving forward. Dried fruits are also prone to adhering to the blades, rendering them useless.
3. Potatoes
Things that are dense and starchy typically don’t belong in a blender. Potatoes are at the top of that list, with their tendency to release starch in excess when overworked by the appliance’s fast-spinning blades. Thus, you won’t actually get the “mashed” potatoes you were aiming for; you’ll get a pasty, sauce-like substance instead.
4. Ice Cubes
If you own one of those standard blenders, it’s best to steer clear of ice cubes. Not only could the appliance end up breaking down ice cubes unevenly, but its blades could also sustain damage from the process. The container could also end up cracking and become practically useless.
Even if the button says “crush,” don’t wager on the machine actually being able to crush ice cubes. Sure, it could work the first few times, but there’s a good chance the process would have damaged the blades even then. To be on the safe side, limit the blending activities on crushed ice.
5. Frozen Food
Even worse than attempting to blend ice cubes is trying to puree frozen food. These large and super-hard frozen ingredients are literally the toughest nuts to crack and would overwhelm your blender 10 times out of 10. We’re talking massive splatters with food and shards of glass everywhere. Not something you want to happen at all!
6. Bones
Now this one’s a little bit more obvious than the rest, but we never know how invincible some think their blenders are and thought of blending it, too. In particular, large bones not only dull or break the blades, but they can also crack or break the container. While not as damaging, smaller bones can jam the appliance and become a sanctuary for mold and bacteria.
7. Whole Nuts
Though not as tough on blenders as most of the items on this list, whole nuts can do their fair share of damage to blender blades. That’s why it’s best to soak hard nuts overnight before blending them to ensure they won’t dull or break the blades or jam the machine.
8. Coffee Beans
We love coffee, in general. But as a smoothie, our adoration for the beverage can reach new heights. That said, it doesn’t mean we should grind coffee beans in blenders even if it’s technically possible. These ingredients would fare better in a coffee grinder than in a standard blender whose blades could get worn down by tough granules over time.
9. Whole Spices
There’s something about the structure of blender blades that doesn’t make them ideal for blending spices. Again, there is a specific appliance for this type of crushing: a spice grinder. Or, you could simply buy spices that have already been ground up.
10. Raw Vegetables
While you can technically crush or puree raw veggies using a blender, they tend to become stringy when you do so. Some greens, like broccoli and cauliflower, have hard exteriors that blades have trouble slicing. Thus, you’ll want to cook or boil these vegetables before placing them in the blender.
Take Care of Your Blender
Blenders have become a go-to kitchen appliance for many of us. Aside from cleaning and maintaining these appliances correctly, it’s also important to know what they aren’t made for. While that may vary from one type of blender to another, the ingredients above are generally non-blender-friendly across the board.
Leave a Reply