Price Points: Nut milk makers

Nut milk makers

I’ve been a vegetarian for over 30 years and a vegan for five of them in between. One thing that I’ve never been able to go back to doing, is drinking cow’s milk. My tea, coffee and bowls of cereal always need to be had with soya milk. One of these nut milk makers would come in really useful.

The Kilner example (#1) is the cheapest by far. It produces 2 x ½ litre batches; which means you can rotate them – using one batch while the next is being processed. If (like me) you’d prefer to make a litre at a time, two jars make it doubly time-consuming to make. Also, you need something like a Billy to process the nuts/beans/rice. In my opinion, the Kilner is no more than a cafetière.

Next, on to my favourite of the trio. The Soybella model (#2) makes 1.3 litres of milk at a time – this should see me through for about 2 days. It produces soya milk in 20 minutes, and other nut milks in less than a minute. Although it costs over £100, a litre of soya milk from a supermarket currently costs between 85p and £1.50. A kilo of dried soya beans costs £3 per kilo – even less if you buy it in bulk. You’ll need no more than 95g of beans per batch. Without taking the cost of 15 minutes of electricity consumption into account, the cost of making your own would be around 23p per litre. I think I’d recoup my money in no time at all! As an added bonus, it comes bundled with a tofu maker – an ingredient that we cook with regularly.

Finally, the NutraMilk processor (#3). It costs a whopping five hundred pounds; now, is that good value for money? Yes, it produces 2 litres at a time. Yes, it takes little over 10 minutes. Yes, it’s an attractive appliance. However, it would take me four times as long as the Soybella to make back the outlay.

  1. Kilner® nut drink making set: £22.00, Wayfair

    The Kilner® Nut Drink Making Set makes it incredibly easy to create plant-based drinks from nuts, oats, coconut or soya. This simple, easy-to-use set gives you total control over what is added to your drinks, allowing you to cater to individual tastes. The two jars in the set gives you the option to soak a second batch, whilst you store or consume your original creation.
    Included in the set are two Kilner® 0.5 Litre Wide Mouth Jars, a silicone splash guard which prevents spills during blending, a stainless steel filter plunger which separates the liquid from the nut pulp, silicone pouring lip and a stainless steel lid which secures the contents, making it ideal for storage.

  2. Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit: £123.21, Amazon

    Soyabella makes fresh soy milk in as little as 20 minutes and raw almond, cashew, and other nut milk in as little as 30 seconds. It also includes a tofu press that squeezes soy curds into delicious homemade tofu.

  3. NutraMilk nut processor: £499.00. Coffee Box

    NutraMilk’s patented, revolutionary method of making delicious, healthy nut milk from virtually any type of nut makes the once tedious process simple and fast. With NutraMilk, you can make up to two litres of your favourite nut milk in less than 12 minutes, compared to the hours or days it takes using other methods, and at half the cost.

shop nut milk makers

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

NutraMilk nut processor
NutraMilk nut processor
£499.00
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
£123.21
Kilner® nut drink making set
Kilner® nut drink making set
£22.00
NutraMilk nut processor
NutraMilk nut processor
£499.00
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
£123.21
Kilner® nut drink making set
Kilner® nut drink making set
£22.00
NutraMilk nut processor
NutraMilk nut processor
£499.00
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
£123.21
Kilner® nut drink making set
Kilner® nut drink making set
£22.00
NutraMilk nut processor
NutraMilk nut processor
£499.00
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
£123.21
Kilner® nut drink making set
Kilner® nut drink making set
£22.00
NutraMilk nut processor
NutraMilk nut processor
£499.00
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
Tribest SB-132 Soyabella automatic soy milk maker machine with tofu kit
£123.21
Kilner® nut drink making set
Kilner® nut drink making set
£22.00

Price Points: Soup makers

Soup makers

Winter is the time that we turn to soup to warm us up from the inside out. Hearty bowlfuls full of chunky potatoes and beans or smooth versions containing puréed vegetables and pungent cheese.

Soup makers are relative newcomers to the kitchen appliance world, but boy, are they useful! You can simply fill the jug with your ingredients, turn it on and time the cycle to when you want your meal.

Let’s say you’re planning on going for a lovely winter walk – you can switch on your soup maker as you step out the door… and have a hot, satisfying, tasty meal ready & waiting on your return!

If there are only a couple of you, the basic Morphy Richards compact example would be a good option. It make 1 litre of soup in 19 minutes flat and you can choose either a chunky or smooth setting.

We were sent the Simplissimo to review some time ago, and as its name suggests, it’s really simple to use. You can cook your soup and then keep it on a ‘keep warm’ setting until your ready to eat. This is a great choice if you’re going to be out all day, it has an 8-hour timer function. And to top it off, it’s self-cleaning!

The Vitamix is waaaaay more expensive than the other two models, so what do you get extra? There are 5 settings compared to Simplissimo’s three. It has wireless connectivity technology which Vitamix says, “will not power on until a container is properly seated on the motor base, and certain programs are automatically disabled if the wrong container is used”. Also, I’ve read many customer reviews that claim that the interior of the plastic jug is easily scratched, making it look opaque and worn (The Simplissimo’s jug is made of tough glass). Are these features worth over £450.00? The choice is yours.

Finally, as well as hot food, you can use a soup maker to make cold smoothies – so it will get used in the winter AND summer.

  1. Morphy Richards soup maker 501021: from £29.99 “buy it now”, eBay
  2. Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender: £195.95, Wayfair
  3. Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i: £675.00, Lakeland

shop soup makers

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
£675.00
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
£195.95
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
from £29.99 "buy it now"
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
£675.00
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
£195.95
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
from £29.99 "buy it now"
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
£675.00
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
£195.95
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
from £29.99 "buy it now"
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
£675.00
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
£195.95
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
from £29.99 "buy it now"
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
Vitamix Ascent blender A3500i
£675.00
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
Scott Simplissimo Chef all in one cook blender
£195.95
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
Morphy Richards soup maker 501021
from £29.99 "buy it now"

When is it worth repairing appliances over replacing them?

When is it worth repairing appliances over replacing them?

If you have a broken appliance or electronic device in your home, are you more likely to replace it or repair it? These days, a lot of tech is so inexpensive that it’s often better to just scrap the broken item and replace it with something new. To make this even easier, you can usually speak to the company that you bought it from and ask them to send you a new one. Perhaps you have a warranty agreement that lets you replace it for no extra cost. You may even be entitled to a free upgrade depending on the company.

With all of these incentives, it’s easy to see why people are more likely to just replace their broken item as opposed to fixing it. However, there are still a couple of good reasons why you might want to repair something. In fact, there are some situations where it could be beneficial to repair instead of replacing.

Taking apart an Apple laptop

Is the appliance or electronic device old?

If your appliance or device is a little old then you may be able to fix it yourself without much trouble. For example, if it’s a computer with fairly old components then you might be able to find spares on websites like Amazon or eBay. You can usually replace components and swap them out for something with the same or a similar configuration.

However, if it’s an appliance such as a microwave, then you may be better off replacing it since spare parts might be difficult to come by or may be just as expensive as buying a new one. If it’s a very old device then you likely won’t find much info on how to fix it or replace highly specific components.

Someone repairing a computer

Is it cheaper to repair the item as opposed to replacing it?

Since a lot of tech these days can be bought for a very low price, it’s tempting to just replace something such as a television or kitchen appliance if there are newer and cheaper models available. However, before you decide to trash your current item and replace it, we suggest calculating repair costs to see how much money you can expect to pay to fix it.

If the device is cheaper to replace then we suggest replacing it. However, if repairing it is cheaper or around the same price, then it may be beneficial to just fix it. This is especially true if you want to keep the appliance since you’re accustomed to it.

Illustration of a repair manualcredit

Are there guides on how to perform a specific repair?

You may be able to repair something yourself if there are repair guides available for it. Of course, you’ll need to be confident in performing the repair and you’ll need the tools for it. You might also need to spend a bit of money on replacement parts.

However, if you’re willing to put a little bit of time investment into repairing it, you could do it yourself at home without paying a professional to do it for you. This could save a bit of money and teach you new DIY repair skills that you can use to repair other appliances or electronics in the future.

[disclosure*]

Price Points: Slow cookers

Slow cookers

Autumn’s here, and it’s the perfect time for those comforting slow cooker dishes. Think about all those bubbling stews, casseroles and curries to be enjoyed. One of my favourite things to make in the slow cooker is tarka dhal to serve with a paratha and basmati rice.

There’s a huge range in prices, from less than twenty quid to almost two hundred. Personally, I’d pick the Swan Retro model; the cream colour would go with the rest of our kitchen décor and the huge 6.5 litre capacity means that I can cook up a big batch of my dhal and store most of it in the freezer divided up into 2-person portions.

Slow cooking is one of the most economical cooking methods. Even though you’re cooking for hours at a time, slow cookers don’t use much electricity. I’ve read that it uses about the same amount of juice as a single light bulb; whether that’s an old fashioned one or those new-fangled energy savers, I don’t know…

  1. Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver: £14.99, Robert Dyas
    1.5 litre capacity
    3 heat settings
  2. Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream: £39.99, Currys
    6.5 litre capacity
    3 heat settings
    glass lid
  3. Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal: £199.00, John Lewis
    6 litre capacity
    6 heat settings
    Dual slow cooker and pressure cooker functions

shop slow cookers

Some of the links on our blog are affiliate links. We may receive a small commission - at no cost to you - if you click through and make a purchase.
Prices & links correct at time of publication.

Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
£199.00
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
£39.99
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
£14.99
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
£199.00
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
£39.99
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
£14.99
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
£199.00
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
£39.99
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
£14.99
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
£199.00
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
£39.99
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
£14.99
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
Sage BPR700BSS The Fast Slow Pro slow cooker, brushed metal
£199.00
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
Swan Retro SF17031CN slow cooker, cream
£39.99
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
Breville VTP169 slow cooker, silver
£14.99