How to Use a Blender | KitchenAid (2024)

HOW TO OPERATE YOUR BLENDER

Operating your countertop blender is easy. Follow along with this step-by-step guide to learn how to use a blender.

1. Set Up Your Blender

Set your blender on a cool, flat surface. Plug it in.

2. Add Your Ingredients

Fill the jar with your ingredients in this order: liquids, softer ingredients or powder, hard or frozen ingredients. Top it off with ice, if using it to make frozen drinks.

3. Secure the Lid Tightly

Place the lid securely onto the jar to prevent any spillage when you start the blender.

4. Start the Blender

Press or switch on the power/start button and then select the appropriate blender speed setting or preset recipe program. Depending on your model, you may also have a stop button or you may simply need to select your speed to start.

5. Serve & Enjoy

Once your desired consistency is reached, pour the contents into the container of your choice—and enjoy!

6. Clean Your Blender

For easier cleanup, immediately wash your blender jar with warm, soapy water. You can even add a couple drops of dishwashing liquid to the bottom, fill ¾ full with warm water, run the blender, then rinse. Wipe down the base with a damp sponge or towel. Dry completely before storing.

1. Smoothies

For a great smoothie, mix 1 cup of your liquid base with about ½ cup each of small pieces of fruit, greens and veggies of your choice. Then add any boosters, nut butters or yogurt, before blending until fully liquified.

2. Milkshakes

You can make a milkshake in a blender by combining 2-3 ounces of milk to the bottom of your blender, followed by any solid add-ins such as candied chocolate pieces or chopped cheesecake. Add three scoops of your favorite ice cream and blend on high until smooth.You can also try making homemade whipped cream in a blender as a delicious topping.Similar to milkshakes, you can also create delicious protein shakes using your blender.

3. Ice Cream

Make ice cream in a blender by first blending your liquid base like heavy whipping cream with sweeteners and cocoa (if using) on high until creamy. Place in a freezer-safe container and cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 4-6 hours. Mix in any toppings and freeze for another 1-2 hours.

4. Fresh Juices

To makejuice in a blender, first add your chopped fruits and vegetables to the blender jar along with your liquid base and blend until smooth.Run the mixture through a cheesecloth or nut milk bag into a container to remove the pulp, then enjoy your delicious green juice or other fresh fruit drink. A similar method can be used to make agua fresca drinks like horchata.

5. Smooth Salsa

Assemble all the ingredients you need to make your favorite salsa, like tomatoes, onions, cilantro, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Quarter or halve ingredients, then add them to the jar of a conventional blender and blend until smooth. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips. Also try our recipe for Fresh Tomatillo Salsa, which can be made in your KitchenAid^® food processor or blender.You can also explore a range of sauces to make in your blender to amplify your recipes.

6. Hummus

You can make Classic Hummus byadding chickpeas, tahini, garlic, water and lemon juice into your blender and blending on low before gradually increasing to medium speed. Blend until texture is very smooth, adding water as needed to achieve the desired consistency. Looking for a change to your hummus flavors? Try Avocado Hummus or Edamame Hummus. Just add the ingredients to your blender and blend until smooth.

7. “Grind” or “Grate” Hard Cheeses

Cut hard cheese into chunks and place the blender on high until desired size is reached. Use the pulse setting at first, then move to high speed, if needed.

8. Bread Crumbs

If you have bread around the house that has gone stale or some that you’ve purposefully dried out, slice it into chunks. Put the dried bread along with your favorite spices and herbs in the blender jar and pulse until you reach your desired consistency. Make bread crumbs to top creamy crab cakes and more.

9. Baby Food

Cook hard ingredients like carrots or butternut squash, then quarter or halve items before placing in the blender jar. A little liquid like broth or juice helps get the right consistency. Puree on high until smooth. The new Small Batch Jar expansion pack for KitchenAid^® K150 and K400 blenders is perfect for making just a few servings of homemade baby food. A sealed lid lets you store any leftovers or prepare batches in advance to keep them fresh for meal times. This works great for bread crumbs, sauces, and other toppings as well.

10. Soup

Craving some homemade soup? Your blender can help with that, too. Try this recipe for Creamy Roasted Vegetable Soup. Roast veggies to golden perfections, then add them along with liquid ingredients to your blender for a healthy and hearty pureed soup. If you have a KitchenAid^® Pro Line® Series blender with a thermal control jar, your blender can not only puree or blend your soup, it can also heat and keep your soup warm—all in the same appliance for added convenience.

Get answers to the most common blender questions below.

Do you need to add water to a blender?

While it doesn't necessarily have to be water, your blender's blades will have an easier time breaking down harder ingredients with some kind of liquid base.

Can a blender blend frozen fruit?

While you can place frozen fruit in the blender, it's best to use one that has a powerful motor in order to break down the fruit more thoroughly. You'll also want to use enough liquid to help aid the breakdown process, and if possible, make sure your frozen fruit is slightly thawed for better results.

For powerful blending, KitchenAid brand offers High Performance Series Blenders that help you quickly achieve your ideal texture with stainless steel blades and nine variable speeds.

How long can you leave a blender on?

To prevent overheating, it's best to use your blender at intervals of 30 seconds until ingredients are fully blended. It’s best not to leave the blender on for longer than 3 minutes.

Preset recipe programs, like the Soup setting on selectKitchenAid^® blenders, are designed to run at the optimal time for your recipe type. You can allow the preset program to run its full length.

What can you not do with a blender?

Ensure you have a blender for years to come by avoiding blending boiling hot liquids, hard non-food items such as wood, metal and plastic, or anything that falls outside the blender’s intended usage.

USE YOUR BLENDER TO EXPLORE NEW KITCHEN CREATIONS

With so many ways to use a blender, and so many types of blenders, the possibilities seem endless. With a KitchenAid^® blender, you can utilize pre-programmed settings to make icy mocktail drinks, fresh juices,salad dressings, frozen margaritas, frappes, smoothies and even soups. The variable speeds and precision controls will also break down all your ingredients and blend them to your ideal texturefor recipes like protein waffles, whipped cream and more.

SHOP KITCHENAID^® BLENDERS

Explore KitchenAid^® blenders in a variety of colors, including white, blue, black and red blenders.