iSi whipper: which one?

[Mjx]

Can anyone pinpoint the diferences between the iSi Gourmet and Gourmet PLUS models?

The "Gourmet" without the "Plus" had a aluminium-cast head instead of a stainless one.

Thanks! I admit I do prefer stainelss to aluminium, but if that's the only difference... Hm.

[pep.]

The new head is dishwasher safe, which is the main benefit AFAIK. I'm not sure, but the old one may not have had the silicone grip-band, either.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I am interested in an an iSi whip. I am still unclear after reading whether the devices have to be fully filled to work properly, or if smaller recipes can be made in larger whips. I intend only to buy one size, probably 0.5 liter. Does anyone have information about this?

[Mjx]

You don't need to fill the whippers to capacity, but for the 1L one, you still need to use two chargers, even if you're using less than the full amount it will hold.

It seems that the advantage of having a 0.5 L unit is that you use fewer chargers, if you're making just a single, smaller batch at a time.

I recently got an iSi Gourmet Plus (thanks for your advice, pep.!), and decided to go with the 1L size, because my usage pattern is more likely to be 'occasionally, but a good-sized batch', rather than 'small amounts often'; if I'd got the 0.5L model, I'd probably still be using two chargers, plus have the hassle of having to stop to refill, part-way through (you can't overfill).

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Not only saving on chargers but I was thinking that for home use the 0.5 liter would fit in the refrigerator more easily. However I checked on Amazon and from the specifications the pint unit (which I assume is the same as the 0.5 liter model) is 14 inches high, which is too big for my refrigerator.

I can't help but believe 14 inches must be incorrect. Does anyone have a pint/0.5 liter iSi that would be kind enough to measure it for me?

Edit: another vendor of the same unit on Amazon says it is 11.5 inches high, which is more reasonable.

Edited December 17, 2012 by JoNorvelleWalker (log)

[Mjx]

I just measured my 1L unit, and the body is about 11 3/4". If you look at their site, you can see the smaller-capacity units are shorter, although I don't see a spec. list that gives the height, but just eyeballing it, it's got to be about an inch shorter.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Thanks. I see from the instructions that the unit can be cooled lying down, though I would much rather store it in the refrigerator standing up.

Another question: are small particles, such as vanillla seeds, a problem?

[KennethT]

Yes - any kind of particles will be a problem - you should strain whatever you put into your whipper otherwise it will clog. If your whipper clogs, you have to be careful - usually, you unscrew the top very carefully, and just a little bit, until you hear pressure releasing (don't unscrew all the way or you could get hurt and will certainly have a mess). Once the pressure is released, you can completely unscrew the top, clean the valve and then repressurize.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Vanilla seeds (from what I've read) are about 500 microns (two hundredths of an inch). In any event they are smaller than any strainer I have seen for a home kitchen. From the pictures it appears the iSi strainer would not be able to remove particles that small?

[Baselerd]

Yes - any kind of particles will be a problem - you should strain whatever you put into your whipper otherwise it will clog. If your whipper clogs, you have to be careful - usually, you unscrew the top very carefully, and just a little bit, until you hear pressure releasing (don't unscrew all the way or you could get hurt and will certainly have a mess). Once the pressure is released, you can completely unscrew the top, clean the valve and then repressurize.

Another way to do this is to remove the dispensing piece (usually the red plastic part with threads on one end) and then press your thumb firmly against the spring valve. This will push the valve mechanism in further than the trigger will, allowing for pressure release. I've actually used this trick to dispense grainy batters that were clogging the valve.

[pep.]

Anything that goes through the (not very fine) ISI sieve won't be a problem. Vanilla seeds are fine in the ISI whips.

[nickrey]

Not only saving on chargers but I was thinking that for home use the 0.5 liter would fit in the refrigerator more easily. However I checked on Amazon and from the specifications the pint unit (which I assume is the same as the 0.5 liter model) is 14 inches high, which is too big for my refrigerator.

I can't help but believe 14 inches must be incorrect. Does anyone have a pint/0.5 liter iSi that would be kind enough to measure it for me?

Edit: another vendor of the same unit on Amazon says it is 11.5 inches high, which is more reasonable.

Measured my ISI 0.5 liter unit and it measures 24.5cm/9.65 inches without the spout screwed on.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Thanks for the information! I guess I will go through with it. I am an immoderate fan of holandaise and bearnaise, and I understand such sauces can be foamed? Can they be foamed without additional stabilizers (as long as the sauce is smooth)?

Oh, and whipped cream too...

[nickrey]

Modernist cuisine at home has a recipe for sous vide cooked hollandaise that is dispensed via an ISI and not stabilised beyond using the egg yolks in the recipe. Cream also does not need anything added.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Maybe it's that time of year but now that I am ready to order, iSi Gourmet Plus are scarce as hens teeth, at least at unfoamed prices. I'm torn whether to get a Thermo Whip Plus instead. It would be nice to hold hot preparations (fancy term for hollandaise) at the table. Are there any downsides to the Thermo Whip Plus vs, the Gourmet Plus, other than those mentioned above in this thread?

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I found a half liter iSi Gourmet for sale at a good price (and in stock) so I ordered it. It's a good thing I like whipped cream.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I just used my new iSi for the first time. It didn't explode! To my taste the cream is slightly over whipped, which I guess is a function of how much I shook the bottle. Maybe I should have made somewhat less to start with. Still good though.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Update: I had thought my overwhipped cream was ruined. But after sitting in the refrigerator for a day in the iSi it is practically perfect! Now the problem is how to keep from eating half a quart of cream.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Tonight I made an espuma of bearnaise in the iSi. I am proud of my bearnaise and make it fairly often in cooler weather. The bearnaise turned out perfect. I was disappointed that the espuma, though quite good, really did not add anything either to the flavor or to the presentation.

[Easyezzy Foods]

The half litre is good for foams, and cream. The big one is good for fast pressure marinating. It hold more, though the neck on both sizes is the same.

[Hassouni]

Made myself a batch of Kaiser P's 24 hour falernum but when looking into it, I couldn't help but read his 5 minute falernum post, using nitrogen cavitation in an iSi cream whipper. 

 

There are several different models, ranging quite widely in price - will all of them work for this technique? For the moment I'm not really interested in foams or even whipping cream or keeping things hot or cold, I just want something that can reliably make fast infusions.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Any iSi should work for your purpose that is not too small for what you want to infuse.  However I would suggest one made of stainless steel and silicone, even if you do not intend to make hot foams.  But no need to get a Thermo Whip.

[Hassouni]

Are the internals of the cheaper ones also plastic?

[Tri2Cook]

Yeah, any of them will work. Doesn't even need to be something that expensive. I have an ISI but I also have a cheap cream whipper I think I paid something like $30 for that I've used for doing nitrogen cavitation infusing and for heavier work like aerated chocolate with no problems. It's had many lbs. of chocolate sprayed through it and it still works as good as new for anything I want to use it for. It would certainly hold up to more infusions than I'm ever likely to do.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I'm not sure but I think some have parts of aluminum.