Soup Makers for Winter: What to Look For

Ad: this guide contains affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn commission, at no extra cost to you.

Quick answer

A soup maker is a heated blender jug that cooks and blends soup in one go. When choosing one, look at capacity (how many portions you want per batch), the programmes on offer (smooth, chunky and ideally a blend or smoothie setting), whether it has a sauté function, and how easy the jug is to clean. Check the minimum and maximum fill lines, because soup makers only work properly within that range. For many households a soup maker turns leftover veg and stock cubes into warm, filling meals with very little effort.

What a soup maker actually does

A typical soup maker looks like a jug blender with a heating element in the base. You chop and add your ingredients, top up with stock or water between the fill lines, choose a programme and leave it. The machine heats, simmers and blends, then beeps when the soup is ready.

Some models, such as the Daewoo 2-in-1 Soup Maker & Smoothie Blender, 1.6 L, double as a blender for smoothies and cold drinks, so the appliance earns its place on the worktop all year rather than just in winter.

Why soup makers are popular in winter

• Warm food without standing at the hob. Set it going and get on with something else.
• Uses up leftovers. Soft carrots, half an onion, the end of a bag of spinach: they all work in soup.
• Budget friendly. Soup made from basic veg, lentils and stock is one of the cheaper hot meals you can make.
• Batch cooking. Make a big batch, cool it, and freeze portions for busy days or cold snaps.

Key things to look for

Capacity

Capacity is usually given in litres. Bear in mind that the usable capacity for hot soup can be less than the jug’s total size, because hot liquids need space.

Household	Rough fit	Notes
One or two people	Smaller soup makers	Enough for a meal plus leftovers
Small family	Mid-sized, around the 1.6 L mark	A sensible all-rounder
Larger family or batch cooking	Larger models	Heavier jug; check worktop and cupboard space

Programmes

Most soup makers offer:

• Smooth for blended soups such as tomato or butternut squash.
• Chunky for heartier soups with pieces of veg.
• Blend or smoothie settings that blend without heating.

Some also offer settings for sauces, compote or soya milk. Choose a model whose programmes match what you will actually make, rather than paying for features you will not use.

Sauté function

A sauté setting lets you soften onions and garlic in the jug before adding the rest of the ingredients, which can add flavour. Without it, you can still sauté in a pan first, or simply add everything raw. Plenty of good soups start that way.

Cleaning

This is where soup makers can be frustrating, so check:

• Is the jug removable from the base? Many heated jugs cannot be submerged because of the heating element, so they need careful hand washing.
• Does it have a non-stick base or a cleaning programme?
• Are the blades fixed or removable?

Rinsing the jug with warm water straight after use makes cleaning much easier.

Noise and footprint

Blending is noisy for a short while on any soup maker. Measure where you plan to keep it, and remember that jug soup makers are tall, which can be an issue under wall cupboards.

Comparison: featured winter kitchen helpers

We have not tested these hands-on. Use the “what to look for” column to check the listing details.

Product	Best for	What to look for	Deal
Daewoo 2-in-1 Soup Maker & Smoothie Blender, 1.6 L	Small families who want soup in winter and smoothies all year	Programmes, fill lines, cleaning instructions	Daewoo 2-in-1 Soup Maker, 1.6 L
Russell Hobbs Brushed Stainless Steel Electric Kettle	Hot water for stock and quick topping up	Capacity, cup markings, limescale filter	Russell Hobbs Brushed Stainless Steel Kettle

Soup maker vs hob vs hand blender

Criteria	Soup maker	Pan on the hob	Pan plus hand blender
Hands-on time	Low	Higher	Medium
Washing up	One jug	One pan	Pan plus blender stick
Batch size	Limited by jug	Flexible	Flexible
Texture control	Programme based	Full control	Full control
Extra worktop space	Yes	No	Minimal

If you already make soup regularly and do not mind stirring, a pan and hand blender may be all you need. A soup maker earns its place when convenience matters most.

Safety tips

• Respect the fill lines. Overfilling can cause hot liquid to escape; underfilling can cause ingredients to burn or the machine to cut out.
• Cut ingredients to the size the instructions suggest, so they cook through and blend evenly.
• Do not add frozen ingredients unless the manufacturer says it is fine.
• Take care with the lid and steam when the programme finishes.
• Keep the cable tidy and the base on a stable, dry surface.

Easy winter soup ideas

Simple combinations that work well in most soup makers:

• Carrot and lentil: carrots, onion, red lentils and vegetable stock.
• Leek and potato: leeks, potatoes, onion and stock, with a splash of milk at the end.
• Tomato and red pepper: tinned tomatoes, roasted or raw peppers, onion and stock.
• Pea and mint: frozen peas (defrosted if your manual says so), onion, stock and fresh mint.

A kettle is handy for making up stock quickly, though check your soup maker’s manual on whether to add hot or cold liquid.

Batch cooking and freezing

• Let soup cool before portioning, and refrigerate or freeze promptly.
• Freeze in portion-sized containers, labelled with the date and contents.
• Reheat until piping hot all the way through.

A few portions in the freezer are a comforting buffer for busy weeks, illness or cold snaps, and fit nicely with our wider home essentials approach.