Immersion blender question

[RainbowTurtle]

I've been eyeing them for a while and I think I want one.  I make lots of soup, in a big stock pot (20-30 cups?).  I currently transfer the whole thing, batch by batch, into a regular blender and it's a pain!  Can I use the immersion blender in a pot that size?  I know you only put in the tip of it, 6-7 inches or so but if I stir the soup will it really blend the whole pot?  Thank you!

[hildare]

yes!  i've always done that.  you can move the blender around.  they rock. 

just be careful not to splatter.  dal is the worst to give you hot liquid soup burns. 

[Shantimama]

[LaughingHyena]

I can do a pretty large pot of soup with mine, though it does take quite a while to get it really creamy.

One thing to look out for in reviews is how long you can run the blender for. I was recently looking at a new one and found the instructions said to only run it for 50 seconds in every two minutes! Not anywhere near enough to blend a pot of soup and probably something I would have ignored. However having read several reviews form people who did ignore it and burnt out their blenders I am paying much more attention.

[RainbowTurtle]

Thanks everyone!  LaughingHyena, that is very good to know, thank you.  I would never have thought of that!
 

Originally Posted by LaughingHyena 

One thing to look out for in reviews is how long you can run the blender for. I was recently looking at a new one and found the instructions said to only run it for 50 seconds in every two minutes!

[ollyoxenfree]

My soup recipes make about 10 or 12 cups. I use a Kitchenaid immersion blender. I find it works well but there are occasional chunks of potato or broccoli or carrot that get missed. I could be a little more thorough to get them all. I imagine that would happen a little more in a bigger batch of soup, but I'd just have to be more patient. I really like the immersion blender for soup making, rather than ladling hot soup into a blender. I had more problems with overfilling/overflowing and burns when I used the traditional blender.

[4lilfarmers]

i love my kitchen aid immersion blender so much that i got rid of my stand blender (and my food processor, as mine came with that attachment also) 

i use it in large batches (8 quarts +) of soup and tomato sauce as well as smoothies, homemade refried beans and even for homemade soap! 

you'll love it! :)