Morphy RichardsClassic Soup Maker, 1.6L, Multi-Settings, LED Displayed Panel, Motorised Blade, Stainless Steel, 1000W, 48822

We've tried making soup a few times over the years, and it never seems to turn out quite as well as we'd hoped. Maybe I'm behind the times but I'd never previously realised that one could buy a soup-maker, so I was intrigued to find out what one was like.We chose the Morphy Richards one based on the reviews already posted for it, and first impressions were good. The soupmaker is perhaps a foot high, and consists of a sturdy metal jug with a thick plastic handle (also very sturdy). The ingredients are placed inside the soupmaker, and then the (heavy) top is fitted. This top contains the blender, which sticks down on a stalk from the underside of the top; it also has a sticky-down sensor on a stick that tells you if the soupmaker is overfilled, and a control panel on top. On the control panel are settings for smooth, chunky, smoothie and just blend. There's also an electronic counter that tells you how long a programme has to go.There are ten or twelve simple soup and smoothie recipes included in the booklet that comes with the soupmaker; our first effort was something else, though, which was for mushroom soup. For vegetable soups, it's a case of chopping up the ingredients, putting them into the soupmaker, and then adding water or stock, depending on the recipe. There are two level markers on the side - marked as the minimum level to which the soupmaker can be filled (1.3 litres) and the maximum (1.6 litres). Obviously this isn't a big range, so if you're making soup for one, you're going to end up with enough for several bowlfuls.Once all the ingredients in, it's a case of either pressing the 'smooth' or the 'chunky' option, and the soupmaker sets off. The smooth setting takes 21 minutes, and the chunky 28 minutes. The programmes both blend the ingredients (the smooth one more so than the chunky one, obviously) and also heat them so that on completion of the programme, the soup is literally ready to serve. And that's all there is to it - you then sit and wait for the soup to be ready. There is quite a lot of noise, and you see steam coming out of the jug; the noise is a bit alarming at first, but you soon get used to it. The display counts down the number of minutes left, and there's some barred lights that effectively tell you what stage of the programme the soupmaker is currently on.We've now made soup five or six times - mushroom, potato and leek, tomato, and a nice lamb and mint soup - and we've been incredibly impressed with the quality of the soup, and the taste and consistency (once we'd learned to put in slightly less water than specified, otherwise the soup is a bit thin). It's worth noting that if you are including meat in a soup, this needs to be pre-cooked. Also, you shouldn't take the lid off during a cycle; this resets it, so you then have to start again - which could result in very well-cooked soup!Cleaning the soupmaker is also easy. When I told a friend that we were getting one, she said that they were quite hard to clean because solid food burns to the bottom, and you can't immerse the soupmaker in water to wash it up, because of the electrics in the handle and the lid. We've had no problem with burning at all; after use, all we've had to do is give a quick rinse and rub round with soapy water, and all has been absolutely fine.All in all, we're incredibly impressed with this. It's well-made, feels very sturdy and as if it will last for years, and produces excellent soup which must surely be healthier than that you buy in a shop. If you get one, you won't regret it. Recommended.

Very easy to use, excellent results, no complaints at all.

Great buy. Easy to use, and lovely soup made with this.

it's OK , but it was delivered without any packaging which means during transit the instructions must have fallen out the box which was not great, so after faffing about with it for 30 mins i managed to work out how to use it and boy does it create a lot of steam, so do not let your children near this, apart from that it does what it says on the box.

Bought this for my dad for Christmas, he uses it all the time and loves it, might have to buy myself one come autumn/winter!

Great item. Mum loves it. Makes making soup so easy.

Love this and so so easy to use

Worst soup maker I’ve ever purchased.Soup makers are essentially kettles. I have owned six over the years and if you make any tomato based soup such as tomato and red pepper it will catch to a degree so be prepared for that. You are given advice to add liquid first but it makes little difference. Cleaning where soup sticks is a real nuisance. I’m used to soaking with soapy water and gradually removing with a wooden spoon. I made tomato and red pepper soup twice with this soup maker and the photo above is the result. There is clearly a large hot spot which is the worst I’ve come across in my experience of soup makers, especially a new soup maker. Today it developed a further problem. Uncooked vegetables in my vegetable soup. Soup maker worked for 5 mins before beeping to indicate soup is ready. Subsequent attempts on chunky or smooth mode produced the same result. Five uses and the soup maker is going in the bin because I no longer have the box to return it.