4 Blender Hacks That Actually Work (and 1 That Doesn’t)
As you may know by now, we are dubious of supposedly brilliant internet hacks. Yes, we realize that WE are a site on the internet, but we really do test hacks, tricks, and tips many times before we write about them. And that’s not always a guarantee with other sites. Too often than not, we see a cool idea on, say, Pinterest and try it, only to realize that it’s problematic. (Ahem: The Supposedly Brilliant Kitchen Hack I Didn’t Love and Immediately Undid.) So we’ve been on a mission to confirm or reject some of these hacks. Next up: blender hacks.
Related: 4 Brilliant Slow Cooker Hacks That Actually Work (and 1 That Doesn’t)
4 Blender Hacks That Actually Work
1. Let it clean itself.
If you avoid using your blender because you don’t want to have to clean it, you should know that you can have your blender clean itself. Just add warm water and a bit of soap and let it whirl for a few seconds. If your blender has buildup or is looking a bit dull, you can also add a drop of vinegar or some lemon juice.
Read more: How To Clean a Blender in 30 Seconds (Without Taking It Apart)
2. Use a towel to make it quieter.
Don’t want to wake up your entire house every time you make a morning smoothie? A folded tea towel or a silicone mat (like the one you bake cookies on) can help! Just put it under the blender and it will help muffle the sounds.
Read more: 4 Tricks to Quiet Your Loud Blender
3. Blend in a Mason jar.
Fun fact: Any blender with a blade that can be unscrewed from the pitcher can be hacked to be used with a Mason jar. Just unscrew the blade and you’ll see that the blade fits perfectly onto a standard (not wide-mouth) Mason jar and the base screws on to hold it securely. We find this is great for smoothies for one or small amounts of dressing.
4. Aerate wine.
Yes, this one is definitely a little hacky, but it does work. If you have a bottle of wine that tastes flat, try whirling it in a blender for 30 seconds. The folks at Cook’s Illustrated even agree that it works in a pinch.
1 Blender Hack That Doesn’t Actually Work
Using it as a coffee bean or spice grinder.
We’ve heard people suggest using a blender to grind up coffee beans or whole spices, and honestly, we don’t recommend it. For a few reasons! One, your blender’s blades aren’t really designed to grind dry ingredients, and this hack could wear down the blades of the machine. Also, you’ll end up with inconsistent-sized granules, which could affect the flavor of your coffee or how well the spices mix into your dish. And, blender pitchers are taller than spice grinders, so the fine particles could take a while to settle after a blending and that could lead to, say, black pepper and other sneeze-worthy particles to float up into the air.
Related: 7 Things You Should Never Put in the Blender
Got any hacks to add to either of these lists? Leave them in the comments below.