Mixer grinder for daily use

My wife yelled out that we need a new mixer grinder.  I was perplexed, as just that morning she operated our work-horse mixer grinder to make chutney and spice powder.  It is more than 12 years old, she growled. She added, look at others - they buy new appliances every three years.  

Now, I was a firm believer in the adage don't fix anything until it is broken...but now, given the edict, I was on the look-out.  Where better to start than that holy grail of all markets - e-commerce portals! So that is what I did, check out the usual suspects, weed out the fluff marketing buzzwords, with special attention to genuine feedback.  

Now, with multiple e-commerce portals competing against each other, I tell you, the consumer is truly king.  Cut throat pricing, promises to deliver the same day, no questions asked for returns and the list goes on. 

The Configuration

It was clear that before I start, I should be clear what I am seeking.  So a bit of research on the available configurations -

Juicers: These ranged from a Rs 24,000 Wonderchef Huron Juicer with fancy James bond controls and options, to a run-of-the-mill hand squeezer/juicer costing Rs 600.  The differentiator is the wattage of the motor - for juicers, typical wattage is less than 250W although some tend to be more.  For example, if you're mostly mixing drinks, look for a machine with enough oomph to crush ice.

Mixer/Grinders:  In India, these appliances are usually referred to as Mixers, which to me are not an appropriate description. Typical mixers assist in mixing components, mixing dough with water etc.  Most of the units sold under this category were more of grinders.  Nevertheless, these were the various configurations available -

Base Unit: Typically made of toughened plastic, this unit houses the motor. Factors to look out for in this unit are - (a) toughness of the body (b) Position and ease of operation of the control switches (c) Suction grips on the bottom so the body does not vibrate during operation (d) jar locking groove in the top assembly, so that the jar locks in.   

If you are planning to spend more for a grinder, look out for touchpad controls and designer styling or colors to match your kitchen's décor. Most have glass or plastic pitchers.

Controls vary from programmable touchpads to push buttons, dials and flip switches.

Motor: A typical grinder has no gearbox, and multiple speeds are achieved using a universal motor with multiple stator windings; in most grinders in India with electromechanical controls, the button for each speed connects a different stator winding/tap or combination thereof. Each different combination of energized windings produces a different torque from the motor, which yields a different equilibrium speed in balance against the drag of the blade assembly in contact with the material inside the food container.  This is the "Intel Inside" of the grinder, and should something go wrong with it, numerous service shops typically "re-wind" the motor to get it back working again.

If you are spending more for a grinder, ensure it has got a powerful motor.  

Typical wattages run from 250 W to 1000 W.  The lower the power, the lesser the grinding capability in general. But then do you need a 1000W motor if you are going to be mostly blending juices - probably not.  So let us be clear what is it you typically plan to grind.  Choose the power appropriately.

With blenders, power, performance, and price don't always go hand-in-hand. In some tests, some modestly powered, inexpensive blenders turned out smooth-as-silk mixtures, while some bigger and fancier blenders left food pulpy or lumpy. 

Jars:  Most jars are either stainless steel, glass, toughened plastic or combination.  Extra money should buy you aesthetic or designer jars, that add to your kitchen decor.  Big, visible measurement marks and easily decipherable controls should add to ease of use.  

Typical jars have a capacity of about 4 to 8 cups, or 0.4 to 2 liters. A glass container is heavier and more stable. Glass is also easier to keep clean. Plastic might scratch and can absorb the smell of whatever is inside. Stainless steel might be attractive, but it keeps you from seeing how the blending is going.  

Wide mouthed jars make cleaning and loading/unloading easy.  Also, ensure that the lid fits snugly onto the jar, and there is a rubber gasket that makes it air tight so liquid does not spill.

Blades:  Most grinders come with a few standard blades. Some are fixed to the jar, and some are changeable.  It might seem that an attached blade makes a container sturdier, but in fact, it makes it harder to clean.  

Other accessories include stirrer, whipper blade and mesh for filtering out solids.

The Choices

Here comes the tough part.  Too many choices is not good, they say.  At the time of writing this  blog, there were more than 20  brands of mixers and grinders available in India.  These include but not limited to -

Bajaj

Preethi

Butterfly

Philips

Greenchef

Morphy Richards

Prestige

Havells

Panasonic

Usha

Sumeet

Kenstar

Crompton Greeves

Maharaja

Inalsa

Singer

Jaipan

Kenwood

Wonderchef

Orient

Westinghouse

Sunflame

Rallison

Anjalimix

Padmavathi

Oster

The list goes on. Some are multinational brands, some are local. Some such as Sumeet and Rallisons were old, household names. While others such as Preethi and Butterfly have come to conquer the Kitchen. Several of them do not even produce on their own, but outsource.  

So with the given information, do your homework right, compare the features, pricing and service and make the right choice.

I, for one, am very happy, with the simple, inexpensive Indian brand 750W mixer grinder with stainless steel jars I purchased.  It is out of this world. If you were redirected to this blog from one of the e-commerce sites where I posted a review, you would know which brand I purchased.