Varieties of shredders for vegetables and fruits
A modern kitchen should not only have a beautiful design, but also provide the hostess with convenient cooking. Therefore, recently, aggregates designed for grinding products have been very popular. They differ in functionality and feature of the device, therefore, before purchasing a particular model, it is necessary to take into account its advantages and disadvantages.
Principle of operation
Chopper for vegetables and fruits is a versatile device that allows you to easily chop or grind different products for the subsequent preparation of pickles, preparations or dishes. Cutting is carried out with sharp knives made of durable steel. They rotate and change their position with the help of an electric motor or mechanical action. When the blades of the knives come into contact with the products, they automatically grind them.
All units are equipped with cutting nozzles and plastic or metal containers. In addition, the devices have a certain mode of operation, by choosing which you can cut vegetables into circles, chop cabbage, grind fruits into puree or prepare even and beautiful sticks for cooking french fries. Thanks to the chopper, it is also possible to carefully chop cheese, cut meat for roast or sausage for salad. Most models of products are equipped with a transparent plastic container, which allows you to observe the grinding process.There are also “smart” units on sale, in which the desired mode of operation and the degree of cutting are set in advance.
Kinds
Today, kitchen grinders are presented in a huge assortment. They may differ in design, size and purpose. According to the principle of operation, such units are divided into two types: energy-consuming (automatic and electric) and non-volatile (mechanical or manual). The electrical unit, respectively, is powered by the network, and the mechanical (manual) requires little effort. Each model, depending on the configuration, may have a different number of cutting nozzles. There are products with a separate grater and auxiliary parts. Before purchasing one or another type of grinder, it is important to consider a number of their features.
- Mechanical. These include blenders, mills and choppers. They are characterized by an affordable price and savings in operation, since they do not consume electrical energy. Most often, such models are produced in the form of a cup with a lid into which knives or nozzles are inserted. Since there are few parts included in their package, they rarely break.
In order for the product to serve reliably for a long time, it is recommended to purchase it from high-quality material.
- Hand choppers work simply: products are put into the bowl, covered with a lid and cut with the help of mechanical action. The main advantage of these units is that they are compact in size and take up little space in the kitchen. The disadvantage of manual models is that they allow you to cut vegetables and fruits in small portions and require physical strength for their work.
- Electrical. Easy to use and provide cutting or chopping products instantly. For their work, it is enough to press only a button and the process will be performed automatically without any effort. Such products also differ in the level of productivity, since they allow you to cut much more products than manually. The main advantage of electric models is their versatility - most types are equipped not only with various knives, but also with nozzles that allow you to make fruit puree or squeeze juice.
The disadvantage of electric shredders is the high price and the exactingness of the storage location (they cannot be placed in wet places).
From the foregoing, it can be noted that electric units are characterized by a large number of advantages, so they are more popular than manual models. Similar products are available in several types: special vegetable cutters (slicers, graters), meat grinders, mills, choppers, combines and blenders. All of them do an excellent job with their tasks, but they may differ in their purpose and features, so before buying, you should pay attention to their characteristics.
- Meat grinders. Manual types of meat grinders today have successfully replaced electric ones, they do not need to be attached to the table and set at a certain level. Such devices quickly cope with different volumes of products and are not much inferior to a voluminous food processor, since they are often equipped with juicers, graters and shredders. Thanks to multifunctional models, you can easily prepare not only salads, but also cookies, sausage, noodles.Meat grinders are made in three classes: “A” are intended only for minced meat, “B” are supplemented with vegetable cutters and graters, “C” are low-power budget units.
- Vegetable cutters. They are considered indispensable in any kitchen, as they are indispensable when cutting fruits and vegetables. These devices get the job done quickly and without problems, because the cubes of eggs, cheese and potatoes do not stick to the knives. Vegetable cutters are provided with special grills that allow you to cut products in the form of straws, thin circles and cubes. There are also sliders on sale, which are a kind of vegetable cutters and are used for cutting bread, cheese, sausage and ham. Since the blades of the knives are coated with a protective layer, these products last a long time.
- Choppers. Outwardly, in many ways they resemble blenders, but differ from them in that they cut fruits and vegetables better. In addition, choppers can be used to crush pieces of ice, herbs, meat, nuts and coffee beans. Choppers are easy to clean and are made of heavy-duty glass or plastic, so they are shockproof.
- Blenders. They are a universal device designed for both mixing and cutting solid and liquid products. Products are divided into submersible and classic models, the first of which, in addition to a set of knives, are equipped with nozzles for mixing dough and convenient whisks for whipping. The classic version of the blender consists of a capacious jug, which is covered with a lid, and knives are placed at its bottom.
- Mills. They are a special type of equipment, which is mainly used for grinding spices and small pieces. The product is produced in the form of a container with knives.They can be wood, cast iron, plastic or glass. Ceramic models are also very popular with housewives. The device operates in several modes and is powered both from the network and from batteries or an accumulator.
- Combines. This unit belongs to the most expensive and versatile type. Having it in the kitchen, every housewife can easily grate, chop and cut food. The versatility of the combine is explained by its chic equipment. The device is complemented by a variety of nozzles and a large bowl. Depending on the power of the product, you can set the operating speed mode. Typically, a food processor is produced with operating modes from 4 to 14.
If it is planned to be used only as a fruit and vegetable chopper, then it is enough to purchase a model with a power of up to 800 W; for kneading dough and more complex operations, units with a power of at least 100 W are recommended.
How to choose?
Cooking is much faster if the time for food preparation is reduced. To get rid of painful rubbing on a grater or traditional slicing with knives, many housewives purchase a kitchen chopper in the kitchen. This household appliance does the job instantly and efficiently compared to doing it yourself. Special nozzles allow you to quickly get vegetables and fruits cut into cubes, straws, stars and circles.
Since the market today is represented by a huge range of shredders, it is difficult to make the right choice in favor of a particular model. To purchase a high-quality and multifunctional unit, it is important to pay attention to the following indicators.
- Power. Models up to 200 W are considered low power and can only be used for grinding semi-liquid or light ingredients. Products with a power of over 200 W are characterized by the function of whipping and cutting all kinds of products.
- container volume. Bowls up to 1 liter are designed for cooking for 1-2 people. Therefore, if the family is large, then it is advisable to purchase choppers with bowls above 1 liter. It is also important to take into account such a moment that with the rapid rotation of the nozzles, the capacity level will increase.
- bowl material. On sale there are units with plastic and glass containers, while the latter are considered more durable. They are well tolerated by shocks and temperature changes, do not burst or scratch. As for plastic containers, they are much cheaper, they are easier to wash, but the products do not last long.
- Functionality. This indicator is determined by the number of nozzles and knives. Therefore, it is worth deciding in advance on the needs and make sure which option will be better.
- Overload protection. The device must have a special thermal fuse, which, in the event of a sharp drop in electricity, disconnects the engine from power.
- impulsive mode. It provides rotation of the knife with a small break. This makes it possible to accurately dose the grind and avoid the risk of large pieces getting into the puree.
- Price. Prices for kitchen grinders are different, it all depends on the brand of the manufacturer, equipment and functionality of the device.
Rating of the best models
Despite the huge selection of kitchen shredders, not all types are popular. This is due to their functionality and features of work. To date, the following models have proven themselves and received good reviews.
- Bosch MMR 08A1. This product is affordable and compact. The dimensions of the unit are 250×195×195 mm. The chopper is available in both black and white design, so it fits perfectly into any kitchen design. With the help of the device, you can quickly cut ice, meat, frozen and fresh fruits or vegetables. They are in no way inferior in quality to products that are produced in Japan.
- Moulinex DJ 9058. Sold at an average cost and has high technical performance. The chopper body is plastic, it is supplemented with interchangeable nozzles, it takes up little space during storage. The device allows you to effectively cut vegetables and fruits into strips, slices and cubes.
- Mystery MMC-1405. This is a little pricey option, but its price is justified by a large container, 3 pushers and 7 nozzles. The device allows you to cope with cutting any products, but its power is small - only 50 watts.
- Chopper Vitek VT-1640. A budget model that can be used to grind fruits, meat, nuts, onions and other herbs. The power of the unit is 260 W, the volume of the container is 0.5 l. The grinder is equipped with a special turbo mode.
- In addition, the grinder deserves special attention. "Lightning" and Akai GS-1512R. These devices are multifunctional and compact, therefore they are reliable "helpers" in the kitchen. Choppers have an impulsive mode and perform fast cutting of any products.
For information on how to use a fruit and vegetable chopper, see the following video.