Cuisinart SBC-1000 Blend-And-Cook Soup Maker Review
Some girls’ hearts beat faster when they think of Brad Pitt. I love kitchen equipment, and Cuisinart is definitely the Brad Pitt of culinary machines. I have yet to find anything from Cuisinart that I didn’t love.
I was more than pleased with the appearance of the Cuisinart SBC – 1000 Blend and Cook Soup Maker. Black and silver, it looks very classy and something I would be happy to have on my counter. At 7.9 x 8.6 x 18.5″, it takes up relatively little space for all that it can do. It weighs just under 14 pounds, so I wouldn’t want to take it in and out of a tall cabinet all day, but those Brad Pitt good looks mean I wouldn’t like it!
The idea of a blender that blends and cooks is relatively new to me, so I had to read the instruction book very carefully, rather than proceed as I would with a more familiar type of equipment. I decided to make a roasted pepper soup (the farmers market had so many wonderful peppers this week that I couldn’t resist) and there was an interesting recipe in the book provided.
I was amazed at how easy it was to produce a truly sumptuous soup in just 45 minutes. I’ve heard some of these all-in-one blenders/soups take time to heat up. Well, the Cuisinart Blend and Cook heated up like lightning, and pretty soon I had a satisfying boil and delicious cooking smells filling the kitchen. It was just after mid-morning, and I wanted to wait a bit for the soup until my husband and kids got home. Blend and Cook allowed me to keep the soup warm until I wanted to use it. This is a very useful feature for the woman who is trying to juggle five things at once! The flavor and texture of the soup were great, and even my fussy son, who thinks vegetables are almost the work of the devil, enjoyed it.
Cleanliness is always a problem for me when I’m cooking, I’m a terrible clean. Of course, things are made simple with the all-in-one design: just one thing to wash instead of a blender and pan or two. The Cuisinart Blend and Cook is easy to take apart, and the supplied brush makes cleanup a snap. You have to take it apart to clean it properly, but it’s pretty easy to do. Again, I think reading the instruction manual helps!
You can also use Blend and Cook for smoothies, crushing ice, making hot chocolate, and other kitchen work, but for me, the make soup feature is the best. With my health in full swing, like many other moms, I’m eager to feed the family good, healthy homemade food, not junk from packages, and soup is always a great nutritious option for hungry kids.
So, here are some facts and figures. Blender jar holds 48 oz. of hot liquids and 56 oz. of cold liquids, and the cooking element gives 900 watts of power, hence the rapid heat-up. There’s a push button control for temperature and timer, an easy-to-read 30-minute LED countdown timer, three heat settings: sauté, simmer, and full boil. There’s a choice of oven blending speeds, plus pulse and a handy stir function, and an internal heater to keep the soup at the right temperature until ready to serve. And of course, with the Cuisinart name, you can be sure it’s a safe and reliable machine, and there’s a three-year warranty to back that up.
Okay, it’s not Brad Pitt in the kitchen, but this is a beautiful and useful appliance that any woman would enjoy having on hand.