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Blenders Liquidizers Puree Makers


VivreManger

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My in-laws are in their late 80s, living in Canada, many hours away from their children who live in the states. At times they have difficulty swallowing normal food and need it pureed or mashed.

The normal appliances such as Cuisinart and Waring blenders are too big and cumbersome to be practical. They need a device that can puree small quantities and can be easily cleaned and reused by their aids.

One suggestion offered us is for a product that I have never seen, but is available on-line for about $50,

Magic Bullet Blender #77

http://www.infomercialcentral.com/store/cu...CFQGsGgodhAerFw

The site offers no technical information as to power of the unit and I am somewhat skeptical about anything offered on an infomercial.

Any suggestions out there?

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i wouldn't get the magic bullet. doesn't really work very well. instead, i'd recommend a version of an immersion blender/stick blender/burr mixer...

i really like my Braun Multiquick hand blender. this isn't the exact model that i have, but the one i do have has the larger blender attachment with an ice crushing insert as well as a small multi-purpose chopper. everything is lightweight, durable and easy to clean. i think this type of thing would be perfect for someone a bit older. from what i can tell, the braun really gives you bang for the buck (while not cheap).

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Have you looked at one of the Cuisinart Mini-Prep food processors? They're very easy to use, having relatively small but very usable volume and are very safe to use. They're also reasonably priced so you can even buy a couple so a couple of dishes can be done at once. Amazon and many other places stock them so they are very easy to find.

I personally don't think a hand blender is appropriate for this use since it cannot be used to puree meats and other moderately hard items.

I've learned that artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

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Actually the Cuisinart Mini-Prep had been my first idea, but they are not that strong. I have burnt out one trying to grate cheese. I have never tried to puree meat in them, but I suspect the portion would have to be very small.

They are fine for parsley and garlic, but may be too weak for anything denser.

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I'm a big fan of cuisinart processors (the old ones), but not the Mini-prep. It's noisy and insubstantial. If you can find an old Cuisinart Little Pro you'll be very happy with it. It's only a tiny bit bigger than the Mini-Prep but it's got that solid cuisinart feel but handles small quantities beautifully.

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I'm a big fan of cuisinart processors (the old ones), but not the Mini-prep.  It's noisy and insubstantial.  If you can find an old Cuisinart Little Pro you'll be very happy with it.  It's only a tiny bit bigger than the Mini-Prep but it's got that solid cuisinart feel but handles small quantities beautifully.

Actually the Little Pro is what I have, I thought it had been replaced by the Mini-Prep and I assumed (maybe wrongfully so) that the Mini-Prep was of equal quality. The Little Pro is a very powerful machine and I've not had a problem chopping anything I've put in it.

I've learned that artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

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I'm a big fan of cuisinart processors (the old ones), but not the Mini-prep.  It's noisy and insubstantial.  If you can find an old Cuisinart Little Pro you'll be very happy with it.  It's only a tiny bit bigger than the Mini-Prep but it's got that solid cuisinart feel but handles small quantities beautifully.

Actually the Little Pro is what I have, I thought it had been replaced by the Mini-Prep and I assumed (maybe wrongfully so) that the Mini-Prep was of equal quality. The Little Pro is a very powerful machine and I've not had a problem chopping anything I've put in it.

Definitely two very different machines.

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I have an old Braun immersion blender, which also had a food chopper attachment available. The food chopper holds about 1 cup of food, and I used it A LOT for clients recovering from facial/oral surgery, and also for young children. I have no experience w/ seniors who need "thickened" foods. What I liked the most about using the stick blender+attachment option was that I felt I had more control over the consistency of the food. Food processors such as the KA and Cuisinart make a total puree quite quickly, which was not what I wanted.

Karen Dar Woon

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Don't forget you can get Oster mini-blend jar to use with any standard Oster blender, which makes it much like the Magic Bullet. The smallest containers hold about 1 cup, and come with their own lids so they can be put in the fridge. They also have some larger ones, Oster Blend-n-Go cup, which holds 2 cups, I think.

You can also use regular Mason canning jars, pint size ones are great, as are the ones with handles. Just don't use it for anything real hot, since there is no where for the steam to escape. This blog post covers it pretty well.

As for immersion blenders, Braun has one of the smallest separate food chopper attachment, like others mentioned. A lot of other ones that have seperate food chooper attachments tend to hold 2-4 cups, which probably wouldn't be as useful in this case. If you know someone who shops at thrift shops, they can even watch out for extra Braun food chopper attachments- I know I picked up 2 or 3 for the Braun immersion blender I bought for my sister that way.

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