Updated for 2020! I’ve recently updated this buying guide to cover more soup makers that have since come on the market.
Are you looking for the best soup maker?
I agree, a soup maker is one of those gadgets that seems gimmicky at first – I mean, why would you need a dedicated appliance instead of just making it in a pan on the hob?
Read on to find why you may, or may not, want to buy a soup maker!
This post contains affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you, if you click a link and subsequently make a purchase I will earn a small commission.
Short on time? These are my top rated soup makers
- Ninja Blender and Soup Maker – highest quality + versatility
- Morphy Richards Saute and Soup – best mid range
- Morphy Richards Compact – best for smaller servings
How To Choose The Best Soup Maker For Your Needs
My goal for this soup maker buying guide is to not only provide you with the different features and capabilities of each model, but also the opinions of people that actually use the machines on a regular basis.
Budget – Soup makers come with a range of price tags. The price often reflects both the quality of the soup maker, as well as the range of features. Consider how often you will using your soup maker – the build and reliability of the appliance is important.
Features – What exactly do you want to use your soup maker for? Sounds like a crazy question, I know, but not all soup makers are created equal. The most basic machines will boil and cook the ingredients – you can usually choose between chunky or smooth, so the motor and blades are important.
In addition to the basic functionality of a soup maker, some machines can do so much more – for example, the latest soup maker on the market, the Ninja Soup Maker, can also make sauces, jams, amongst many other things.
Capacity – The largest soup maker that I currently know of (in the UK at least) is the Morphy Richards which has a 1.6L capacity. The other soup makers vary in capacity as you will see in the following individual reviews.
Size – Different to the capacity, this is the actual size of the soup maker – both the footprint and the height. Many soup makers are kettle sized, which is ideal for smaller kitchens. Some are much taller and so will need to stay out on kitchen counter tops rather than be stored away in cupboards.
Reviews – The best way to appreciate how good or bad an appliance is – user reviews.
Soup Maker Reviews
I have spent a considerable amount of time researching all the different models.
I have personally tested out 3 different soup makers and have gathered the thoughts and opinions of the many members of my soup maker group.
Side Note: if you want to join the group before making a purchasing decision please do – there are plenty of friendly members who will happily give you their opinions on which soup makers are best – you can join here.
Ninja Soup Maker and Blender
This is by far my favourite soup maker, and in my opinion, the best soup maker on the market.
It is incredibly versatile, of solid build and it looks great!
MAIN FEATURES
Auto-iQ Programs
- Smoothie
- Frozen Drink
- Milkshake
- Smooth Soup
- Chunky Soup
- Jam
- Chop
- Saute
- Clean
The Ninja Soup Maker and Blender has a motor base, a 1.7L glass jug with built in heating element, jug lid with a removable centre cap (which has markings on it to measure ingredients!)
In addition, with your purchase, you will usually get;
- Tamper
- Cleaning brush
- Instructions
- Inspiration guide with 25 recipes to get you started
pros of ninja soup maker
It has a built in sauté function, although there isn’t a huge amount of surface area to sauté too many ingredients at the same time.
However, it is sufficient for gently frying onions and garlic before adding further ingredients.
You can cook meat from raw. Unlike many other soup makers, due to the longer cooking cycles, the Ninja makes it possible for you to put meat in raw.
You can make much more than soup! Although other soup makers mainly enable you to make smoothies and sauces too, most are limited to that.
The Ninja Soup Maker has settings for jam, frozen drinks, smoothies and sauces.
CONS OF NINJA SOUP MAKER
There aren’t really too many downsides to a Ninja Soup Maker. But there are some your should be aware of;
The Ninja is currently the most expensive soup maker on the market – but this is because;
a) the extra features
b) a higher quality appliance (in my opinion!)
The Ninja is larger and heavier than other soup makers. The jug is made from toughened glass and also houses the blades (most other soup makers have the blades and motor in the lid). This makes the Ninja heavier to lift when you are pouring out the soup and cleaning it.
I don’t find it too heavy to manage at all, but you might want to consider this factor if you have any mobility issues.
VERDICT
These days when I am asked what the best soup maker is, I offer up the Ninja Soup Maker as the top choice, if you have the budget.
If you are looking for a cheaper soup maker, read on below for some more economical options.
Where to buy a ninja soup maker
Most high street stores sell the Ninja Soup Maker. If you want to buy it online, there are these options;
Morphy Richards Saute & Soup 501014
This is the first soup maker I ended up buying and I can’t tell you how happy I am with it! It is so easy to use and makes the most delicious soups. It is easy to clean, looks great and the sauté feature makes everything so simple.
MAIN FEATURES
- Made from a stainless steel body
- Saute function
- Pause function
- LED countdown timer display
- Non stick coating
- 1.6L capacity
- 1000 watt
- Smooth & Chunky soup settings
- Juice & Blend function for making smoothies and juices
- 2 year warranty
This Morphy Richards model is a definite winner in the range. With all of the great features of the other models it also boasts the ‘saute’ function.
This means you can pop in the ingredients that need frying, saute them and then add your remaining soup ingredients. No need for a separate frying pan and more washing up! Nothing quite beats that tasty smell of sizzling onions and garlic ?
It also has a fantastic ‘pause’ function. Now you can stop the program to add some extra seasoning and the machine will quite literally pause the soup making process.
Once you are done adding the extra ingredients the program will just continue on from where is was paused. This is perfect for adding in some last minute ingredients like fresh herbs – or if like me if you forget to add something in at the beginning!
I love being able to choose between chunky and smooth soup.
I recently made a butternut squash soup. My husband wanted his chunky, whereas I wanted mine smooth. All I had to do was set the chunky program off, pour his out when that was complete and then press the manual blend button to make mine smooth.
Morphy Richards Total Control Soup Maker 501020 White Soup Maker
This is the second soup maker that I ended up buying. It is an ‘upgraded’ version of the 501014. The main differences are the ability to make smaller portion sizes on some of the functions (not all), it is easier to clean (the inside vessel/jug comes completely out), there is a reheat function as well as 3 different textures of soup for you to choose from.
MAIN FEATURES
- 1.6 litres capacity
- 1100 watt power
- Dimensions: 26cm x 18cm x 28.4cm
- Portion control
- Saute, smoothie & blend function
- Choose between smooth, medium and chunky
- Easy to remove inner pot
Control Your Portions
The Total Control, as the name suggests, really does give you much more control than previous soup maker models. Whereas with all the other Morphy Richards Soup Maker models, you must make a minimum quantity, the Total Control allows you to make other portion sizes, with the options to choose between 2, 3 and 4. This is great news for users that only want to make enough for 2 or 3 servings.
Easy To Clean
Although all the models in this range are easy to clean, the Total Control goes one step further by making the inner pot removable. This means you can give it a thorough wash without worrying about the rest of the unit – and electrics – getting wet. There is also a Pre-Clean function which you can run with water and washing up liquid to ensure it is super clean.
Reheating Soup
This is another new function in this latest model, the ability to reheat your soup. You can choose to reheat either 2, 3 or 4 portions.
Making Soup
The Total Control works in a similar way to the other Morphy Richards Soup Makers. Like the Saute & Soup 501014 model you can also saute certain ingredients prior to adding the remaining ingredients. You must keep the lid on in order for this function to work (unlike with the 501014 where the lid must stay off).
You can choose to make smooth, medium or chunky soup, with the option to further blend soup at the end of the cooking cycle.
See The Morphy Richards Total Control Soup Maker On Amazon >>
Tefal Easy Soup
Main Features
- 1.2L capacity
- 1000 watt
- Keep warm function
- Easy Clean program
- Smooth or chunky soup options
- Compote program ideal for desserts and baby food
- Blend option for smoothies, cocktails and dessert mixtures
- 1 year warranty
Although this model by Tefal has a smaller capacity than the others, it is still suitable for a family of 3 or 4. The keep warm function is a nice addition, meaning you can set your soup off and continue with something else, knowing your soup won’t start going cold before you are ready for it. Once the soup program has finished, the keep warm function will automatically start and run for 40 minutes.
The separate ‘compote’ program is ideal for preparing pureed foods for babies or making some dessert toppings such as the raspberry & rhubarb coulis recipe provided in the accompanying booklet you receive with the appliance.
The easy clean program can be used straight after you have removed your cooked soup to ensure much easier cleaning of your machine.
Morphy Richards 48822
MAIN FEATURES
- Made from a stainless steel body
- 1.6L capacity
- 1000 watt
- Non stick for easier cleaning
- Smooth & Chunky soup settings
- Blend & Juice function for making smoothies and milkshakes
- 2 year warranty
The Morphy Richards 48822 model is the most basic of their soup maker range – but it is still a very popular choice for making soup. Using it is straightforward, just pop in your chopped up ingredients with the required liquid and start either the ‘chunky’ or ‘smooth’ program. If you choose the ‘chunky’ option and then decide you want it a little smoother you can ‘blend’ it at the end of the 28 minute program.
The Morphy Richards 501013 has exactly the same features as the 48822 except with the addition of a ‘serrator blade’ for quicker slicing of the ingredients and a longer lasting sharp blade.
Morphy Richards 501000 Soup & Milk Maker
MAIN FEATURES
- Made from a stainless steel body
- 1.6L capacity
- 1000 watt
- Non stick coating
- Smooth & Chunky soup settings
- LED Countdown timer display
- Juice & Blend function for smoothies and milkshakes
- Milk function to make homemade milk including soya milk, almond milk, cashew nut milk, oat milk, chocolate milk,
This model is not just a soup maker, but also a milk maker. This is ideal for people suffering with lactose intolerances and would like to make their own dairy alternatives. Simply soak the ingredient (eg. soya beans, cashew nuts, almonds etc) the night before and then add to the jug with water. The milk program will take care of everything else.
However, this model does seem to be missing the saute feature. If this is no problem for you and your soup making needs then this versatile appliance is recommended.
Vonshef Jug
Main Features
- Chunky & Smooth soup setting
- 1.6L capacity
- Blend option for making smoothies, sauces, cocktails, milkshakes & slushies
- Abilty to crush ice
- 800 watt
- Stainless steel body
- 2 year warranty
This Vonshef model offers a quality yet reasonably priced soup maker. It is reliable, producing tasty soups in under 35 minutes. The stainless steel appearance also looks great on the kitchen counter.
Vonshef Automatic Multifunctional
Main Features
- 1.7L capacity
- 800 – 900 watt
- Multi Functional Blending & Cooking System
- Detachable jug
- Comes with egg steamer attachment
- Free scrubbing brush
- 2 year warranty
Not only does this red VonShef model look great, it is really versatile too. It has plenty of settings and is capable of; blending, pulsing, cooking, reheating, sauces, smoothies, cocktails, soya milk, crushing ice and of course cooking soup, both smooth and chunky.
The egg steamer attachment means you can make both soft and hard boiled eggs!
I also love that you get to ‘see’ your soup cooking. No more wondering what’s going on in there!
Cuisinart
Main Features
- Glass jar
- 1000 watt
- 1.4L capacity for soup
- 1.75L for cool liquid
- Suitable for sauces, dips, smoothies
- Ability to crush ice
- Self clean feature
- Non stick heating plate
- Self cleaning
- Time and temperature controls
- 4 speed options
The Cuisinart model is at the high end of the price range and has a slightly different interface than most of the other appliances. The Cuisinart has more features, including the saute and simmer options, which are all controlled via the control panel on the front of the maker.
Like many of the other models it has a 1000 watt heating power enabling it to make soup in around 20 minutes and the thermal glass jar will keep it warmer for longer.
Unfortunately the jug isn’t dishwasher safe – but given that it has a self cleaning function, washing it up shouldn’t feel like too much of a chore.
Consider the height of the appliance before buying it and where you might store it when not in use. The height comes in at 46cm which might be too tall to fit under some overhead cupboards.
When comparing it to other blenders and makers on the market it is heavier than most, but this is because the Cuisinart is a robust model with a high end quality design.
What I really think sets this maker apart from the rest is it’s ability to adjust the temperature settings. You can manually adjust it between the simmer of 80 degrees, to the low of 90 degrees all the way up to the high of 110 degrees. This gives you more control over the cooking of your soup. The low 90 degree setting is ideal for sautéing your soup ingredients.
The timer can also be changed so that you can decide if your soup requires a shorter or longer cooking time.
Conclusion – What Is The Best Soup Maker?
I took a long time to finally decide on which one to buy. There is such a great choice on the market, and any one of the above options will do you proud.
I eventually opted for the Morphy Richards Saute for it’s liquid capacity (it feeds all my family), the ability to saute ingredients (less washing up!) and importantly I felt the price was very reasonable without skimping on quality.
Many soups later and I’m not disappointed! In fact, I absolutely LOVE it!
The Benefits of Homemade Soup
You can buy some great tasting fresh soup in the chilled section of most supermarkets – and I do use and enjoy them from time to time.
But, I really do love to make our own. I know exactly what is going in them, I can use what ingredients we already have in the kitchen, and more importantly, I can sneak in some vitamin packed vegetables without the kids moaning and groaning ?
Before I got my super (!) soup maker I would make our soups in my Nutri Ninja. They worked perfectly well too – but as the Ninja doesn’t sautee or cook, I would need to do that in a pan separately, on the hob (and the less washing up the better, right?)
With my soup maker, I just throw in all the ingredients, and 25 minutes later I’m tasting a yummy soup.
Frequently Asked Questions About Soup
Freezing Soup
If you make more than enough soup and have some leftover, you can freeze soup. Or why not batch cook your soup and organise it into portion sizes?
How Long Can You Freeze Soup For?
You can freeze soup for up to 3 months.
How Do You Freeze Soup?
Once you have finished cooking it, pour the soup you want into containers. Try and use portion sized containers so that you can defrost them as and when needed. Allow the soup to chill completely and then cover. If you want to be super organised, add labels to your containers with the name of the soup and when it was made.
Get My Soup Maker Recipe Book
I’ve made so many soups now I decided to put them all in a recipe book!
My soup maker is the kitchen appliance that has surprised me the most. I run a popular soup maker recipes group on Facebook, everyone there agrees that they wouldn’t be without their soup maker now.
Do you have a soup maker? Or do you have any soup recipes you’d like to share? As I experiment with some more I’ll share more of them here with you. Please do let me know if you have any questions!
I have had two of the Morphy Richards Saute & Soup (501014) makers bought from Amazon. They both worked for a few months then they started tripping out the power in my house when they got to the ‘blending’ stage. Amazon replaced the first one but they gave me a full refund on the second saying that they couldn’t replace it. It’s a shame because when it worked OK it made great soup. I’m thinking of buying the Cuisinart model although it only makes 1.4L of soup and is much more expensive. I’ll miss the 1.6L capacity of the Morphy Richards one.
That’s a shame to hear you had that problem Peter. I’ve had mine a while now and with almost daily use I’ve not run in to any problems. I’m glad you got your money back, Amazon are great at refunding. You could consider the red VonShef model mentioned above. It has a 1.7L capacity with a 2 year warranty. It’s a similar price to the Morphy Richards model too. Let me know how you get on!
I have arthritis in my hands which prevents use of appliances which are heavy when full. My Morphy Richards (just purchased) soup maker is the compact model which makes a maximum of 1000ml each time. Can you please advise in what way I can alter the amount of the ingredients in your recipes for this model.?
Many thanks.
Hi Pippa – I would very roughly use 2/3 of the measurements for my soup recipes. But this is a very rough estimate, the great thing about making soup is you don’t have to be super accurate with the exact measurements, just as close as is practical. For example, don’t waste half a carrot, just add it in and all that will happen is your soup will be marginally thicker. Probably where it matters the most would be with the stock levels, so if a recipe calls for 900ml of stock, you would just add 600ml. I am hoping to introduce an automatic serving adjustment to all my recipes very soon so it will make it much easier for you to recalculate. If you have any questions about a specific recipe please don’t hesitate to ask. Hope that helps 🙂
I bought 4 Morphy Richards soup makers about 3 years ago.One each for our two children, one for home and the one for our static caravan. Only one is still working.
Hi Brian – thanks for your comment. Sorry to hear that only one works now – that’s not a very good ratio! Do you know why they stopped working?
Hi Liana
I’d like to make a few comments on your ‘What’s the best soup maker.’
The first comment I’d like to make, your research was great, thank you.
When I go to buy a product like this I generally turn to Which? the UK Consumers’ Association Guide and with the exception of the NINJA yourself and Which? seemed to be in agreement. You placed the MORPHY RICHARDS SAUTE & SOUP 501014 ahead of the MORPHY RICHARDS TOTAL CONTROL SOUP MAKER 501020 whereas Which? had it the other way around.
What did surprise me though was that Which? only gave the Ninga Blender & Soup Maker HB150UK a score of 65 percent against the Morphy Richards Total Control of 85 percent. But I will agree it’s down to personal preference.
It’s funny in one sense but I only stumbled across your blog after an impulse buy of the Salter Soup Maker in my local Lidl, I’m now sold on soup makers, but my Salter give up after 4 days, the day I received your book ! Pity I didn’t see you blog before hand.
Hi Kevin,
Thanks for your comment – am I right in thinking you recently commented in my FB group that the replacement soup maker also broke? If so, that is bad luck – did you change it in the end? I want to do another update to this guide for 2021 so I’m interested in feedback on both the positives and negatives on all models!