Blenders for puree. Choosing the best blender for preparing baby food Multifunctional equipment for preparing baby food

With the arrival of a small family member, those everyday issues that were not previously given such close attention come to the fore. In just a few months you will need complementary feeding. And in order to make pureed dishes and creamy soups, you will need a high-quality blender. But which one is suitable for preparing baby food? What to look for when buying and which medium is the best? In this article, we will answer all these questions, and also present a rating of the best models of 2019 according to customer reviews and expert opinion.

Types and their pros and cons

A blender is a very functional and practical device that can save a lot of time and effort when preparing a variety of culinary masterpieces. A good, high-quality model can turn hard pieces of vegetables or fruits into a delicate airy mass in a few moments. For a powerful blender, even pieces of raw meat will not present the slightest difficulty.

Its main task when preparing baby food is to make a gentle puree without missing a single lump. After all, the baby’s biting and chewing abilities are just developing. In addition, a “children’s” blender simply must do this quickly, without using a huge number of parts - after all, they will also have to be washed later! And a young mother has enough troubles without this. And the power of the device should be enough not only for vegetables and cooked cereals, but also for meat, fish, liver, etc.

To prepare baby food use:

• immersion blenders;
• mini blenders;
• blenders-steamers.

Let's look at them a little closer.

Immersion blenders

Compact and convenient devices that can be used to prepare almost any amount of food without any problems. It fits in a variety of kitchen utensils and can be used for more than just baby purees. This includes dough, minced meat, cocktails, vegetable purees, cream soups, and many other interesting dishes.

• compactness;
• functionality;
• ease of maintenance and operation;

• low power.

Mini blenders

Almost all well-known manufacturers of kitchen appliances have them. Such devices are created specifically for the needs of young mothers. The mini-blender is made of environmentally friendly materials, is small in size and processes a small amount of food - enough for one child's portion, no more.

• compactness;
• preparing small amounts of food;
• ease of use and care.

• insufficient power;
• limited functionality.

Blender-steamer

This is a multi-tasking device that not only grinds, but is also capable of heating, defrosting or even steaming food. It is this heat treatment that is considered the most preferable for preparing baby food, because the products retain all their vitamins and nutrients.

• advanced functionality;
• fast food preparation;
• ease of operation

• high price;
• bulkiness of the device.

Which blender should a young mother choose?

When answering this question, every customer and young mother should be guided by her own preferences.

If you are not a supporter of ground food, purees and smoothies, it is better to buy a mini-blender. Such a device will be more than enough if we are talking exclusively about baby food. In just a few months, when your baby learns to bite and chew, you will no longer need such an assistant in the kitchen.

If you like to pamper your family with baked goods, pureed soups, and cocktails, pay attention to submersible models. This blender is convenient to store and is not at all troublesome to use. It is affordable, easy to clean and fits almost any kitchen container. It is the immersion blender that copes equally well with both a small portion for a child’s lunch and a large amount of food for a family of 3-4 people.

If you are a supporter of a healthy diet and actively use a blender to feed both adult household members and younger ones, choose a blender-steamer. The capacity of such a device will depend on the number of products that you will constantly process. This is the type of device you will be able to use when your child grows up. This model belongs to stationary blenders, which are easier to use than submersible ones. I poured the food into a special container, closed the lid and pressed the timer button - it is not necessary to stand and control the device.

What to look for when choosing

Whatever your choice, there are a few tips that can make it easier for you to buy a good blender for making baby puree.

1. Power. This parameter determines the quality and speed of the device. The higher the power, the more uniform and fine mass you will get. It is the powerful models that can easily cope with the hardest or most structured products - meat, nuts, frozen berries, etc. Remember! For high-quality grinding of meat, the power of the blender must be above 400 W.
2. Functional. This includes the number of operating modes and attachments included in the kit. The more attachments and operating speeds, the more variety you get in preparing foods. Some attachments cope better with vegetables and fruits, while others are designed for harder products. You don’t have to bother the device with high speeds if you just need to mix several types of purees into one dish, etc.
3. Material of manufacture. The device must be safe and durable. Make sure that bowls and attachments that come into contact with food do not harm the health of your household. No toxic dyes or damaged elements. Plastic is considered a lighter and cheaper material. But metal cases and elements are a sign of reliability and durability.
4. Capacity volume. If you plan to use the blender not only for preparing baby purees, then the capacity of the bowl will be an important selection criterion for you. The more eaters in your family, the more capacity your blender should boast.

The best blenders-steamers

Blender-steamers are the best choice for organizing baby food and preparing healthy food for adults. Before buying such a device, be sure to read our top 3 most successful blender-steamer models according to customer reviews.

Philips AVENT SCF870

Compact and reliable. Among the advantages are a neat design and convenient dimensions. Device power – 400 W, volume – 450 ml, two speed modes, one nozzle. Owners of such a blender note that the device is somewhat noisy, easy to use and durable. I'm glad that there are no hard-to-reach parts in the bowl that are difficult to clean.

Beaba Babycook Original

Capacious children's blender-steamer. Characterized by original design, reliability and functionality. The model is praised for its fast and high-quality preparation of various food products. Power is 350 W, but none of the owners complained about lumps or uncooked meat. Capacity – 600 ml. There are several operating modes, including express defrosting. Overall, this is an interesting and functional blender-steamer for those who don’t like to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

Tefal TD 7000 Babe Home

A practical and reliable device from a well-known and responsible manufacturer. High-quality assembly, thoughtful ergonomics, interesting “childish” style. The blender-steamer is very convenient to use - the device has several operating modes, simple mechanical controls, and a spacious bowl (750 ml). There are jars for convenient storage of various products. Power – 350 W, the blender is quite quiet in operation.

The best mini blenders

Philips HR2872 Daily Collection

Stylish and original blender with a bottle. Ideal for lovers of soups, cocktails and purees. A bottle is a convenient option for transporting children's lunch. The bowl volume is 600 ml, all parts can be washed by hand or in the dishwasher. Power – 350 W, sharp knives easily cope with prepared vegetables, as well as frozen berries and pieces of fruit.

Braun MR 320 Baby

Compact and reliable model with high operating power. The blender has a small 500 ml bowl, but the operating power is 450 W. This model can easily handle the hardest, smallest or frozen foods. The bowl is made of thermal glass and can be safely placed in the microwave.

Panasonic MX-GX1011WTQ

The most spacious blender in this category. Bowl volume – 1 l. The device type is stationary, but the device is very convenient to use for preparing baby food - fast operating modes, thorough grinding and mixing, low noise level, easy maintenance. Operating power – 400 W. You can use it both at home and during vacation or travel - wherever there is a connection to a regular outlet.

Rating of the best submersible models

According to our users, immersion blenders are the most affordable and versatile devices. The “functional responsibilities” of an immersion blender are not limited to preparing exclusively baby food; such a device will be your faithful kitchen assistant in preparing many other dishes.

Bosch MSM 6B100

The most budget option for an immersion blender in our review. A simple and reliable model that benefits from a long service life and easy maintenance. The power is 280 W, so this device cooks vegetable purees with a bang, but you will have to work hard on meat dishes. This blender can also be used to prepare various “adult” delicacies - cocktails, sauces, dough, etc.

Philips HR1677 Avance Collection

Very powerful blender (800 W) with variable speed, splash protection and turbo mode. Although this model is an order of magnitude more expensive than the previous one, Philips’ functionality is many times higher. The device is capable of grinding and mixing almost any product - hard or soft, small or large. The set includes a liter mixing bowl and a variety of attachments.

Braun MQ 5077

A multi-tasking, modern kitchen assistant for all occasions. With such a blender you will be able to handle any dish - pates, pastes, sauces, purees, creams, etc. The functionality of the model includes 21 speeds, power 750 W, a 1.5 liter bowl, and a large number of additional attachments. The device is very easy and convenient to use; the bowl does not have hard-to-reach places or profiled surfaces that are difficult to clean. Overall, this model is positioned as multitasking, powerful and easy to manage.

We really hope that now the question: how to choose a blender for preparing baby food in 2019 will not be unsolvable for you. From our review of the best blenders for children, you can choose an excellent model for every taste and budget. And if you want to make a choice yourself, then now you know what to look for before buying and what kind of device should be for organizing baby food.

When a child appears in a family, parents want to give him the best. This also applies to the first feeding. Therefore, many mothers decide to feed their baby not with jarred purees, but with homemade ones. Indispensable assistants - blenders - help out with this.

How to choose a blender for baby food and which model is better? We answer these and other questions.

How to choose the right blender for children

A blender is used to prepare any type of puree. It turns products into a light, homogeneous mass, while saving us time and effort. But not all blenders are able to cope with hard pieces or, for example, meat.

Therefore, try to choose a technique taking into account the following parameters:

1. Power. The ability to bite and chew in babies has not yet been developed, so the consistency of the puree should be tender and without lumps. When choosing a device, pay attention to its power: the blender must cope not only with vegetables, but also with meat and frozen berries. To perform such tasks, you need a device with a power of 400–450 W.
2. Safety. Make sure that parts of the blender that will come into contact with food are not damaged. Inspect the device: there should be no fragile parts. A blender is a powerful device that operates at high speeds, and everything in it must be strong and intact so as not to break after several uses. It is better to choose equipment in which all the elements are metal, since plastic is considered an unsafe material.
3. Functionality. There are blenders with either one button or an entire dashboard. When choosing, think carefully about whether you will use all the functions of the device so as not to overpay for unnecessary functionality.

What else would you like to consider when purchasing? A young mother has catastrophically little time for household chores. Therefore, washing a blender consisting of many elements every day (or even several times a day) is an unpleasant disadvantage. Choose a device that will not cause much trouble in caring for it.

Classification of blenders

There are submersible and stationary. The first ones look like a long handle with a knife blade at the end, which is vertically immersed in any deep bowl (sometimes a special bowl comes with a blender). It is easier to store and wash such devices, since they have no removable parts and take up little space.

A stand blender is a large appliance that sits on your kitchen counter.. It is equipped with a removable bowl and replaceable knives. Such devices themselves are bulky and inconvenient, especially for small kitchens and mothers with children. Every time after cooking, all the elements need to be removed, washed and dried, which takes both time and space in the kitchen.

There are mini stationary blenders designed specifically for preparing baby food. However, such a device has less functionality and power, so it is unlikely that you will use it as a regular blender when your child grows up. Keep this in mind if you are going to buy equipment with the future in mind.

Another type of stationary device is a blender-steamer. It not only grinds food, but is also equipped with functions for defrosting and steaming puree. The heat treatment in such devices is thought out taking into account the benefits for the child’s body, so most of the useful and nutrients are retained in vegetables and fruits.

Advantages and disadvantages

So, we settled on three types of blenders that are convenient for preparing baby purees. These are immersion devices, stationary mini-blenders and steam blenders. What are the pros and cons of each of these devices?

Immersion blenders

Inexpensive and easy to store and operate devices. They are quite suitable for making baby purees from vegetables and fruits. But to cope with meat puree, you will have to choose a more expensive device with high power. The immersion blender is suitable for further use for preparing “adult” dishes.

pros: take up little space, easy to clean.

Minuses: low-functionality, power affects the cost of the device.

Mini blenders

Created specifically for preparing baby food. They take up little space in the kitchen, consume little electricity, but the volume and power are enough for exactly one child’s portion. They are made from environmentally friendly materials and do not have unnecessary parts, making them easy to clean. In the future, such a blender is unlikely to be useful in the household due to the small volume of the bowl.

pros: compactness, efficiency.

Minuses: small bowl, useless device when the child grows up.

Blenders-steamers

A multifunctional appliance that not only grinds food, but also defrosts and steams it. Equipped with an automatic shutdown system when the timer expires. The convenience is that after cooking the product in a saucepan, steamer or multicooker, you do not have to transfer it to a blender and then wash both kitchen devices.

Ideal for making baby purees. The device is also useful for supporters of a healthy diet, since the gentle heat treatment technology retains more nutrients in the prepared dish.

pros: additional functions, saving time on preparing children's meals.

Minuses: high price, bulky and difficult to maintain.

Reference. All types of devices have advantages and disadvantages. When purchasing, be guided by your preferences, the capacity of the kitchen and the need to use the blender in the future, in order to make the right choice and not regret it.

What are the additional functions?

In a simple blender, just one button is enough to grind food for puree. On more complex devices there are two, three or more buttons depending on the number of speed modes. But blenders also provide additional functions, for which the devices are equipped with different attachments and blades.

It all depends on the control method. Let's describe some additional functions of blenders:

1. Self-cleaning system. Convenient for large models that are difficult to disassemble each time you use them. If you plan to use your blender frequently, this feature is especially useful.
2. Ice breaking. Suitable for cocktail lovers. If you need the blender solely for making baby purees, this function is not needed.
3. Juicer. May be useful for mothers to prepare fresh juice for children. But in practice, the quality of the juice often leaves much to be desired, so the function may remain unused.
4. Coffee grinder. This function can be much more expensive than a separate one. In addition, some blender models come with additional attachments that can replace the built-in coffee grinder function. Inquire about their availability for a specific model before purchasing.

Interesting! Additional features are built into high power stationary blenders. But in practice, few people use them. So think carefully about whether you really need them. After all, their presence significantly affects the price.

Some blenders are equipped with the functions of a shredder, vegetable cutter, or even a soup maker. But the most important thing that a children's blender should have is that it is as easy to disassemble as possible, so that it can be easily washed and quickly dried after use.

The best blenders for baby food

Both well-known brands (Philips, Happy Baby, Braun) and unfamiliar brands Beaba Babycook, Lumme and others have proven themselves in the blender market. We have selected a rating of the most popular devices, which are most often purchased and praised more than others by mothers of young children.

The best immersion blenders

The best mini blenders

1. They are smaller in size, less functional and powerful. If you decide to purchase a device solely for preparing baby food, consider RAWMID Dream mini BDM-07. The set includes two bowls of different sizes that can be used as bottles and taken with you on the road. The powerful device is capable of grinding even nuts, but at the same time it is lightweight and compact. There is no need to hold the blender button while the blender is running.
   pros: set of two bowls, power – 500 W.
   Minus: It is recommended to load food a little at a time so that the device can cope better. Bowl volume – 250 and 400 ml. Price – from 5900 rubles.
2. The Philips HR 2872 mini blender is convenient for preparing purees from vegetables, fruits, frozen berries and fish. However, it will not cope with meat. There is a drain tap. The set includes a bottle that you can take with you along with baby food.
   Plus: easy to clean.
   Minus: You need to hold the grind button while working. Power – 350 W. Price – from 3000 rubles.

The best blenders-steamers

Conclusion

There are submersible and stationary blenders. The first ones are the most optimal for young mothers who don’t have enough time for anything, because they are easy to clean and take up little space. Stationary devices are powerful, but bulky and noisy. There are also mini-blenders that do not take up much space in the kitchen and hold exactly one child’s serving of food. The third option is blenders with a double boiler function.

They not only know how to chop and steam, but also defrost vegetables, fruits, berries, meat or fish. A variety of models allows you to choose a device that will perform all the necessary functions and become an indispensable assistant in the kitchen.

Remembering complementary feeding and feeding my first son (he is now 14 years old), it’s a bunch of dirty little pots, graters on which you rub for half an hour, forks for chopping, etc. A NIGHTMARE AND HORROR! At that moment, purchasing a blender was simply a salvation for me, although saucepans for boiling cereals, meat, vegetables, and fruits have not disappeared anywhere!!! After so much time, I gave birth to my second son, and now it’s time for complementary feeding, I wasn’t too upset, I thought I already had a blender, and then a friend brought me a Philips steamer-blender to use, and then I only realized that this is just a godsend for young mothers and that technology do not stand still, no pile of dirty dishes and save a huge amount of time! Only you, the products you need and this is a miracle!!! You cook in it, turn it over and chop it SUPER! AND HEALTHY TASTY FOOD IS READY FOR THE BABY! I also cook for myself, I lost 3 kg, otherwise the weight after giving birth still didn’t go away! I ordered this miracle blender from the Mvideo online store, I’m looking forward to it arriving on August 25th and finally I’ll have my own!!!

Blender-steamers are devices that simultaneously process food mechanically and thermally. The best option for preparing dietary dishes that are maximally enriched with nutrients. Blender-steamers greatly simplify the cooking process and will become indispensable assistants for people leading a healthy lifestyle or mothers who love to please their little ones with delicious and the freshest food possible.

This device combines all the functionality of an average blender and steamer: it processes products with steam until they are ready and grinds them. To do this, you need to pour the required amount of water into the container, select the appropriate mode and wait for the sound signal to end the program. In addition to the fact that you get the freshest dish possible, you save your time and reduce the amount of dirty dishes. Blender-steamers have become the most relevant for mothers of infants who are just starting to feed their babies complementary foods. Blender-steamers are as autonomous as possible and turn off immediately after cooking, heating the finished dish. Some models support food sterilization function.

Tips for choosing and caring for a blender-steamer

The fundamental criterion for choosing a device is blender bowl volume. Depending on the volume of food and how many people you plan to cook for regularly, small, medium or maximum volume bowls are selected.

It is also worth paying attention to number of bowls. There are blender-steamers with one, two or three bowls.

Of course, an important selection criterion is build quality and maximum anti-allergenic properties of housing materials and food containers.

What dishes are prepared in blender-steamers, and how long does it take to cook? It is worth taking into account that for each model the cooking time is individual. Average cooking time:

• apples and pears – up to 5 minutes;
• peaches and apricots, plums, oranges and other citrus fruits – from 10 minutes;
• fish – up to 15 minutes;
• vegetables (carrots, cauliflower and broccoli, pumpkin, beets, celery, spinach, peppers, fennel, peas, beans, fennel, rutabaga and tomatoes) - from 15 minutes;
• poultry meat (chicken, turkey, goose) – from 20 minutes.

In order for the device to serve you for a long time and constantly delight you with high-quality and tasty cooking, it requires special care. Experienced users recommend:

• for disinfection and cleaning from darkening and dirt - 10 g of citric acid per 200 ml of warm water;
• for descaling – 50 ml of table vinegar per 150 ml of water.

The solutions are poured into an empty water container, the preparation mode is started for 5-6 minutes. After draining the solution, purified water is poured into the tank, and the device is turned on for two full time cooking cycles.

Most models are equipped with mechanical type of control without display, more modern models have displays. When choosing a blender-steamer, you also need to familiarize yourself with the list of all operating modes And additional parameters. The best models are those with a shutdown timer, delayed start, and many other useful settings, the presence of which makes working with the device even more comfortable.

Rating of the best blender-steamers 2019-2020

5th place - Beaba Solo (from RUB 7,650)

The blender-steamer from Beaba is a high-quality and affordable model, ideal for preparing various dishes for your baby. It is compact and fits perfectly into the interior, equipped with everything necessary for quick and comfortable cooking.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 275×190×250 mm
• Control type: mechanical
• Display: no
• Blender: yes
• Housing: colored plastic
• Total volume of baskets: 1100 ml

Extra options:

• single-tier container system;
• sound alerts;
• The set includes a blender bowl, a strainer and a steamer lid;
• automatic shutdown in the absence of water;
• indicator of contamination (scale);
• 4 main modes: steaming, blender (adjustment of chopping), defrosting and heating dishes.

Pros:

• compact, does not take up much space;
• ease of operation;
• Beautiful design;
• you can also cook porridge;
• steams all types of dishes.

Minuses:

• there is no compartment for the power cord and no display;
• few additional parameters (no shutdown timer, delayed start, autocooking, thermostat or power indicator);
• Cooking time depends on the water in the tank;
• you have to add water to completely cook the dish;
• small water tank.

4th place - Philips AVENT SCF862 (from RUB 8,790)

The Philips AVENT SCF870 multifunctional steamer-blender does a great job with vegetables, meat and seafood, saving you time and effort. Thanks to its compactness, the model can be easily hidden in a closet after use and does not take up much space.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 165×308×165 mm
• Control type: mechanical
• Display: no
• Blender: yes
• Power: 330 W/h
• Housing: white plastic
• Steam baskets: transparent plastic
• Liquid tank capacity: 180ml

Extra options:

• first class security (lock on the jug);
• single-tier basket system;
• timer up to 30 minutes with auto shut-off;
• power-on indication;
• vegetable cutter with holder included;
• Power cord length – 80 cm.

Pros:

• high-quality equipment;
• copes well with a constant load, steams and grinds food efficiently;
• very compact;
• advanced functionality.

Minuses:

• no: auto-cooking, delayed start, water level indicator;
• no topping up during cooking;
• does not turn off when there is no liquid;
• small reservoir for liquid;
• overcharge;
• low quality plastic, difficult to clean from the inside;
• inconvenient design to operate and clean;
• low quality knives.

3rd place - Chicco Easy Meal (from RUB 8,900)

The Chicco Easy Meal steamer-blender will provide your baby with a healthy, balanced and nutrient-enriched diet. This model makes cooking easy and quick. The special shape of the knife blades prevents the formation of a large number of air bubbles in the food.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 200×240×265 mm
• Control type: mechanical
• Display: no
• Blender: yes, turbo
• Power: 130 Wh (blender), 500 Wh (steamer)
• Housing: colored plastic
• Steam baskets: transparent plastic
• Liquid tank capacity: 550 ml
• Food basket capacity: 1000 ml

Extra options:

• single-tier basket system;
• vegetable cutter with holder included;
• digital timer;
• sound notifications about the end of the program;
• modes: double boiler, blender (grinding, fast and slow mixing), heating, defrosting;
• Includes: mixing spatula, recipe book, 2 cooking containers.

Pros:

• automatic shutdown after the end of the program or when there is no water in the tank;
• affordable price with advanced functionality;
• quickly prepares (from 13 to 30 minutes) even the most “complex” dishes;
• perfectly grinds ingredients and makes puree without oxygen bubbles thanks to the turbo mode;
• convenient bowl rotation system;
• The included vegetable cutter cuts vegetables perfectly.

Minuses:

• containers for the steamer and blender modes have to be changed, which results in more containers for washing and slows down the overall process of cooking and further cleaning;
• knives are susceptible to corrosion;
• fragile;
• The liquid must be drained after cooking.

2nd place - Beaba Babycook (from RUB 7,800)

Beaba Babycook is a small but powerful blender steamer. Steam processing, a blender with adjustable grinding levels, heating and defrosting - all these modes contribute to the quick and most useful processing of products. The device comes with additional auxiliary tools.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 270×190×250 mm
• Control type: mechanical
• Display: no
• Blender: yes
• Power: 350 W/h
• Housing: colored plastic
• Steam baskets: transparent plastic
• Food basket capacity: 1100 ml

Extra options:

• single-tier basket system;
• 4 standard modes;
• Includes: spatula, steamer mesh and lid, blender bowl.

Pros:

• compactness with large capacity;
• easy to clean, the valve for steam release does not become clogged;
• cooks very quickly (including meat and frozen vegetables) - the main program lasts up to 15 minutes;
• on the bowl there is a scale with divisions indicating the loading level;
• compact.

Minuses:

• expensive accessories;
• there is no sound notification about the end of the program (a barely audible click and the indicator turns off);
• if you don’t turn it off in time, it turns on again, but the lack of water indicator turns off the system;
• there is no timer.

1st place - Philips AVENT SCF870 (from RUB 6,926)

The Philips AVENT SCF870 universal steamer-blender has not lost popularity among Russian users for many years since its release. High-quality, fast, multifunctional and, most importantly, affordable, this model tops the TOP 5 best blender-steamers as the best and most effective housekeeping assistant.

Specifications:

• Dimensions: 165×308×165 mm
• Control type: mechanical
• Display: no
• Blender: yes
• Power: 400 W/h
• Housing: colored plastic
• Steam baskets: transparent plastic
• Liquid tank capacity: 200ml
• Food basket capacity: 800 ml

Extra options:

• single-tier basket system;
• 4 standard modes;
• safety system;
• power indicator;
• shutdown timer – up to 20 minutes;
• network cable length – 70 cm;
• Includes: spatula, measuring cup, recipe book, steamer strainer and lid, blender bowl.

Pros:

• compactness and high efficiency;
• significantly simplifies the cooking process for users, since all you need is to load the ingredients, and after finishing cooking, wash the bowl and knives;
• several grinding modes (for example, full and partial grinding);
• cooks quickly.

Minuses:

• no thermostat, delayed start, adding water during cooking;
• The container cannot be washed in the dishwasher;
• high price;
• short network cable;
• It is inconvenient to wash due to the sharp plastic of the inner flask.

Let's sum it up

For mothers of small children, a blender-steamer is an indispensable assistant, thanks to which your baby will receive all the nutrients necessary for growth and immunity. Inexpensive models with a small bowl and a minimum number of additional functions are suitable for occasional loads; more professional models are ideal for regular use. If you need food crushed without air bubbles, you should pay attention to one with a turbo mode.

In childhood, the quality and balance of nutrition are especially important for the normal development of the body. And when it’s time to introduce complementary foods, many mothers strive to prepare delicious dishes for the baby that contain the beneficial substances the baby’s body needs. A steamer/blender can help with this.

Purpose

This device, as its name suggests, performs two functions simultaneously - it processes food with steam, while preserving nutrients, and also grinds it for the baby. With the help of such kitchen appliances, it is very easy for your baby to prepare healthy meals.

Thanks to its compact size, the blender steamer makes it convenient to prepare one serving for your baby and always feed your baby fresh food.

With such a device, there is no need to transfer cooked products to another device, which not only makes cooking easier, but also eliminates the need to wash a lot of dishes.

Another convenient feature of many blender-steamers is that they automatically turn off after steaming is complete. When turned off, the device emits a sound signal, so mom does not need to be constantly nearby, waiting for the product to cook.

Model overview

Children's blender-steamers are produced by different brands, for example, Chicco, Tefal, Philips Avent, Bork.

Let's look at the most popular models:

• Appliances from Philips Avent. This device holds 450 ml of liquid ingredients and 800 ml of thick food. Since this steamer weighs only two kilograms, it is easy to transport. The device comes with a book with simple recipes for different ages. Among the disadvantages of this device are the absence of a sound signal after the end of cooking, rather noisy operation, and the inability to defrost and reheat food.
• Equipment from Beaba. This American manufacturer offers two versions of the Babycook steamer-blender - with one 1100 ml bowl and with two bowls, in which you can simultaneously cook two different dishes or one dish for twins. The special notches on the bowl make it easy for mom to see how much water needs to be poured. You can defrost and heat food in the device, and if you purchase an additional container, you can even cook cereals in it. Convenience for mom is also ensured by the presence of a sound signal and a carrying bag.

Why is the Philips Avent Steamer Blender the most popular choice?

The device of this brand attracts young mothers with the following advantages:

• Compact size.
• Easy to clean.
• The presence of a measuring cup for filling the water tank.
• High power, essential for preparing homogeneous purees.
• The presence of a built-in safety lock (the device will only turn on if assembled correctly) and overheating protection.
• Absence of bisphenol-A in the material of the device.

What dishes can you prepare?

In this device they steam:

• vegetable dishes from zucchini, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onions, peppers and other vegetables;
• meat dishes from beef, chicken, pork, lamb and other types of meat;
• fish dishes from cod, trout, flounder, salmon and other fish;
• fruit dishes, such as plums, apples, pears, peaches, oranges and other types of fruit;
• dishes made from legumes, such as peas or beans.

How to use?

Using a steamer-blender is very simple - a special reservoir is filled with water, and food, cut into pieces no larger than 2-3 cm, is placed in a food container, after which the device is simply turned on. After steaming, the container with the food is turned over and the chopper is turned on. The result is a puree that can be given to the baby immediately. After removing food from the steamer-blender, the container of the device is washed under running water.

Approximate processing time for ingredients

• 5 minutes are enough to process apples and pears.
• Pieces of peaches, oranges and plums should be steamed for 10 minutes.
• The fish is steamed for about 15 minutes.
• Vegetables such as carrots, celery, cauliflower, onions, peppers, spinach, pumpkin, rutabaga, zucchini, fennel and tomatoes require 15 minutes to process.
• Steaming potatoes, peas, beans and broccoli takes about 20 minutes.
• Steaming meat usually lasts 20 minutes.

The process of preparing zucchini puree in a steamer-blender is shown in the video of the Youtube channel "PLAY and DEVELOP".

What additional functions are there?

Many manufacturers provide their devices with additional functions. For example, you can find models that allow you not only to steam food and chop it, but also to defrost a previously prepared dish or reheat it.

Although in most cases little children try to cook fresh, sometimes reheating a dish prepared the day before helps out a young mother, so this steamer-blender is also in demand. Steamer-blenders are also available, which have a sterilization option.

Care: descaling and plaque removal

In order for the blender steamer to work properly and not break down, it should be descaled regularly, taking into account the following nuances:

• Before cleaning, make sure the device is turned off.
• If you want to use a solution of citric acid in warm water for cleaning, dissolve 10 g of powder of this substance in 200 ml of liquid.
• If you want to use table vinegar to remove scale, dilute 50 ml of this substance with 150 ml of water.
• Pour the prepared solution into the water tank of the steamer, and the food container should be empty.
• Turn on steaming mode for 5-6 minutes.
• After draining the solution from the device, rinse it with clean water.
• Fill the reservoir with clean water (200 ml) and run for two full cooking cycles with the food container empty.