Common Blender Mistakes You Should Avoid

With the increase of home juicing and other recipes, a blender is an indispensable kitchen appliance in many kitchens. While they may seem easy to use, many people make many common mistakes when using their blenders.

If you are not careful with using your machine, you might damage it, and you might not get the desired outcome. I will take you through 5 common blender mistakes that you should avoid.

5 Mistakes You Should Avoid When Using Blender

1. Not Cleaning your Blender Immediately:

After using your blender, many people don’t clean it right away, which poses problems later. If you clean the blender later, you will find it hard to clean it because some ingredients might stick on the jar or the blades. Leaving your blender unclean gives room for the development of bacteria in the machine.

You should clean your blender right away after using it, and it is a very simple process. Add some liquid soap and hot water, wait to make the sticky food lose, and then clean immediately.

Cleaning your blender after use is great, but you should also clean it correctly. You should not use chemicals or allow water to sit too long in the blender because it can lead to problems. Use the normal dish soap and a soft sponge to wash your blender.

After washing, dry it well before you store it. Also, remember to unplug the machine and wipe the exterior surface with a sponge or damp cloth.

2. Blending many Ingredients At Once:

When dealing with many ingredients, many people tend to throw everything at once in the blender. Throwing all the ingredients in your blender will affect proper blade rotation; hence they will not be blended well.

When you are blending multiple ingredients, the best thing to do is to add smaller batches gradually to your blender. Start with the solid ingredients and then the liquids. This will help you know how much water you need to blend the ingredients. Additionally, you will not end up with a watery mixture.

3. Not Unplugging The Blender:

You should unplug the blender from the power socket after blending. Sometimes you might accidentally hit the pulse button, and this can cause injuries or damage the machine. This is a good practice for the blender and all other kitchen appliances like hot plates, toaster ovens, and waffle makers, among others.

Another common problem is not checking the machine before you switch it on. Sometimes you can turn on your blender, and the lid together with the ingredients fly away. You can prevent such problems by double-checking if the lid is secure before you blend.

4. Overusing The Blender:

You should not use the blender continuously for an extended period because it can break down the parts. Ideally, you should not blend for more than 7 minutes.

If you intend to blend for an extended period when dealing with a larger batch, blend in batches of 30 seconds to one minute and then turn the machine off for one or two minutes. This will cool down the blender when you are working.

You should also avoid mixing raw and cooked food when blending. Make it a habit of mixing food that is already cooked or use raw foods. This will give you better performance and efficiency when using your blender.

5. Blending Hard Foods And Hot Liquids:

Blending hard foods like coffee beans, frozen fruits, frozen vegetables, and whole ice cubes can cause damages to your blender. While frozen fruits are the most used ingredients in blender recipes, you can thaw them partially before throwing them in the blender. If your recipes need ice, use crushed ice compared to whole ice cubes since it will be easy to blend.

Again, do not use non-food items in your blender because it will create messes and compromise the blender's longevity. Sometimes you might need to blend hot liquids like soups or bulletproof coffee.

You need to be careful because the hot liquids can build up steam in your blender, ending up blowing the lid off and splashing the liquid everywhere.

Even if the lid doesn’t come off, you might get burns when you open the lid. Using hot liquids in some cheap blenders can also make the blade dull, reducing its blending efficiency. For safety purposes, allow the liquids to cool down before you blend.

Read: Best Blender Brands: 10 Blender Brands Details You Should Know

Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs

Q: How do I troubleshoot a blender?

A: If your blender is not working properly, here are some steps you can follow to troubleshoot a blender. First, check power connectivity because it can be a reason why your blender is not working. 

You can also check and clean the terminals with spray solvent. You can also check the fuse with a voltmeter. When the reading is high, you might consider replacing the fuse. Another reason why your blender can stop working can be jamming due to debris in the blades.

Q: Can a blender be repaired?

A: Yes, you can repair different parts of a blender like a fuse, multi-speed switch, serving the motor, and blade assembly. If the blades are dull due to crushing ice, you can easily replace the blades to prevent causing stress on the motor. 

Q: Can you put nuts in a blender?

A: Hard Things, like nuts, cocoa beans, coffee beans, and other related items, can make the blender’s blade blunt. You will also not get a powerful motor performance and hence end up with a sticky paste. If you want to blend nuts, it is better to use a grinder. 

Q: How do you fix a stuck blender blade?

A: To fix this problem, take the blade assembly from the blender and gently swivel the blade. If the blade doesn’t move, plug the blender and press pulse to see if the shafts rotate easily. This will help you know whether the blade assembly is faulty.

Next, remove the parts once more and use boiling water to loosen the blade assembly parts. Boil some water and ensure the level is sufficient enough to submerge the entire blade assembly. 

Get a spoon and lower the blade assembly and boil for about 5 minutes.

Remove the blade assembly from the boiling water and put it on a cloth. Wipe the blade assembly to dry it and take care to avoid hurting yourself. Clean the blade assembly by hand with water and soap and dry it. Reassemble the parts and check from time to time if the blade assembly is spinning freely.

Q: How do you lubricate a blender?

A: Check the base to remove any food residue around the cutter shaft. If the blade doesn’t turn. It could be the motor or the switch. If you experience sticking on the cutter shaft sticks, take out the jug and turn it upside down. Next, spray the lubricant on the blades.

Q: Why is my hand blender not working?

A: This is a common problem among many hand blenders that mainly results from the fuse. You should check the fuse first, and you need to remove the parts to access the inner body to find the switch. If it is reading high, then replace the switch.

Final Words

Having a blender is great because it is versatile in any modern kitchen when making smoothies, dips, soups, and other ingredients. However, many people make many common mistakes with their machines, leading to injuries or damage to the blender. 

I hope you now understand what to do and what you should avoid with your blender. If you avoid the above mistakes, you will have a delicious outcome and better blender performance. Additionally, you will prolong the life of your machine.