7 Things You Should Never Put in a Portable Blender

Blenders are one of the most versatile kitchen appliances, true superheroes of meal preparation (and the occasional cocktails😄).

Portable blenders like Blendaco are even cooler because you can take them with you everywhere. Specifically designed to be small and lightweight, they are the definition of portability and ease of use.

If you’re a busy, active person and you love healthy smoothies and snacks, then a portable blender is the perfect gadget to accompany you on the go.

To extend your portable blender’s durability, you should know which are the things you should never put in a portable blender. Read this article to discover which ingredients are your portable blender’s worst enemies.

There are things you should never put in a portable blender or in a traditional kitchen blender for that matter if you want to keep your blender in good condition.

To keep your portable blender happy and in perfect shape, here are 7 things you should never put in a portable blender:

1. Hot liquids

Even if you can use hot liquids such as hot coffee in the Blendaco portable blender, we would recommend against this. The safest option is to wait for the hot liquids to become lukewarm before blending.

The problem with hot liquids in enclosed spaces such as the blender’s jar is that there’s always the risk of pressure building up because of the steam.

To avoid causing the liquid to explode and potentially burning yourself or someone nearby, stay away from using extra hot liquids.

Also, with hot or warm liquids it’s super important to limit the amount of liquid you add to your blender, as filling the jar halfway will help lower the pressure.

The safest option however is to wait until the hot liquids cool down a bit before blending. Also, keep in mind that the jar can get warm when you use warm liquids, so handle it with care.

2. Coffee beans

There’s something magical about fresh ground coffee. If you’re a coffee aficionado you might prefer to grind your own coffee.

If you don’t have a coffee grinder, you might be tempted to use your blender. But this is no task for a (portable) blender.

Even if your (portable) blender has a motor that’s powerful enough, unfortunately, you can’t use your blender as a coffee grinder. The coffee beans will dull the blades.

A food processor might do the job if you don’t have a coffee grinder but this is also tricky. No matter how much you love coffee, don’t risk ruining your appliances by using them improperly. Plus, a fine grind can only be achieved with a coffee grinder.

3. Whole spices

Whole spices are another ingredient to add to your no-no list. You cannot use a portable blender to grind whole spices.

They are hard ingredients that will damage your blender’s blades, the same way coffee beans would. If you want to grind whole spices you would need to use either a coffee grinder or a spice grinder.

Whole species such as ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and cardamom are super healthy ingredients for your smoothies and dressings. You can use store-bought ground spices in your recipes instead, for extra flavour and all their amazing health benefits.

4. Dried fruit

Putting dried fruit such as dates and prunes in a blender, whether a portable one or a kitchen blender, will result in a sticky fruit paste that will be an absolute nightmare to clean off the blades. The same thing happens if you try to blend sun-dried tomatoes.

A tip for blending dried fruit is to hydrate them in a liquid and to let them soak for a bit before placing them in your blender. This will help make the dried fruit less sticky.

Also, very important, don’t blend dried fruit alone. If you want to use dried fruit in your portable blender recipes, hydrate them properly and always blend them together with other ingredients.

By the way, we have some cleaning tips for your Blendaco portable blender, they’re huge time savers.

5. Big chunks of frozen fruit and large ice cubes

The Blendaco portable blender does a great job at blending ice. For such a small and robust gadget its powers are mighty. Thanks to its 7.4V Japanese crafted carbon steel motor and 6 stainless steel blades, Blendaco can perfectly blend anything from smoothies and bulletproof coffee to cream soups and baby food purees.

However, big chunks of frozen fruit and large ice cubes are more difficult to break down and you also risk dulling the blades. To increase your portable blender’s durability, use smaller pieces of frozen fruit and crushed ice.

You could also leave frozen fruit in the fridge to thaw for a bit before blending to protect your blender motor. Around 10 minutes should be fine.

Also, keep in mind to always use enough liquid when you blend frozen ingredients.

6. Thick and gooey foods

Foods that have a very thick consistency become very dense when they are blended and make the blades spin less efficiently. Some examples of thick and gooey foods are mashed potatoes or very thick doughs like bread or cookie dough.

In the case of thick and gooey foods, what happens is that the blender’s motor is forced to work harder. This results in overheating which in turn can lead to an electrical fire.

Always be careful because motor overheating can be a potentially dangerous situation. Turn off your portable blender or kitchen blender right away if you notice any signs of motor overheating, such as a warm blender base or a burnt/electrical smell.

7. Meat

If you’re tempted to use your portable blender to grind meat, we recommend you reconsider this idea. A portable blender is not a meat grinder, it was not built for this purpose.

If you grind meat in a portable blender or even in a kitchen blender, you risk damaging your machine because the blender’s motor could burn during this process. Also, the fat in the meat could clog your blender’s blades.

If you want to grind meat at home to prepare sausages, burgers or meatballs you should use a meat grinder or a good food processor.