As seen on TV Thermal glass jar - keeps your recipe warm after the cooking cycle has finished 1.4L capacity for soup and hot liquid, 1.75L capacity for cool liquid Audible beep at the end of the cooking cycle Powerful stainless steel blades for perfect blending 4 speed options + pulse function for complete control Triple seal lid for safe blending of hot liquids Can also be used as a power blender for blending smoothies and crushing ice H46cm x W23cm x D20cm Model name / number 4 speed plus pulse for blending High/Low/Simmer for cooking Get recipes for this soup maker More than 10 in stock Standard delivery within 5 working days Collect+ from a local shop from International delivery not available How we may still help you Returns are free -As the nights draw in, what's more satisfying than a bowl of homemade soup? High-tech soup makers mean it's never been easier to make your own from scratch. These souped-up gadgets will do everything from making croutons to washing-up.

Tessa Cunningham put the latest models to the test. Tefal Easy Soup Maker, £59.99, lakeland.co.ukTefal's chunky soupmaker - which has the blade in its lid - looks just like a Thermos flask, complete with a handy handle (main picture).I imagined carrying it into work and making soup at my desk. Sadly it's impossible because, if you lift it by the handle, the lid opens. Shame.However, it's hard to be disappointed in a machine that is clever enough to cook 1.2 litres of soup and keep it warm for up to two hours. vitamix blender 34013I fry an onion, put all my ingredients into the jug and press the Creamed Soup setting. breville kinetix blender bbl605 nzThere's also a Soup With Pieces button if you prefer.kitchenaid stand mixer kv25g0xer

I'm on the phone while the machine gurgles away in the corner. Just 28 minutes later, I hear a beeping noise.My soup is ready, but I can carry on chatting as the machine automatically switches to 'keep warm' mode. When I'm done, I simply fill it with water, press the Easy Clean button and it washes itself, even heating the water. Sage Boss Super Blender, £499.99, lakeland.co.ukHeston Blumenthal claims this heavyweight machine can make a piping hot jug of soup in just six minutes. blender kitchenaid 5ksb555 eer rougeThat's barely the time it takes to make an omelette.cuisinart blender model fpb-5As I embark on a simple recipe for vegetable soup, I realise how Heston has cut corners. cuisinart smartpower duet costco

His swanky machine - which also makes smoothies and frozen desserts - won't fry. It's a key step in soup- making so I have to do it separately. Plus, the jug makes only 1.2 litres.So, after frying my onion on the stove, I pop the chopped ingredients (onion, cabbage, carrots, potatoes and water) in and press the Soup button.Instantly the machine's three huge stainless steel blades shriek into action.The din is almost unbearable. It's like standing next to a jumbo jet at full throttle. oster versa 1400-watt professional performance blender with short jarThe dog starts howling and I flee to the bedroom. I can still hear it one floor up. Heston's six minutes are the longest of my life.On the plus side, the soup is hot and smooth. But at this price, surely it could fry an onion and keep the noise down? Crofton Soup Maker, £49.99, aldi.co.ukThis gadget, which makes a generous 1.4 litres, looks basic, but it's hard to grumble as you get plenty of bang for your buck.

There's a four-speed dial for blending, it can make smooth or chunky soup and keeps it warm for up to 35 minutes.After getting the machine to fry my onion with the Heating And Cooking option, I select Heating And Blending, setting the time on the integrated LED screen for 30 minutes.The blade whirrs into action, chopping and blending in 15- second bursts throughout the cooking time. But it is so noisy that next time I'll cook the soup in the maker and then use the short Blend option afterwards.The machine beeps when it's done. As I'm not hungry yet, I press the Heat And Keep Warm button. My soup is still tasty and hot after 35 minutes. If you want simplicity, this could be the machine for you.There are just three settings: Puree, Chunky and Blend/Clean (so you can mix the soup to your desired consistency and, later, clean the jug.)A handy plastic measuring jug slots into the lid, which also houses the blade. It makes a satisfying 1.6 litres of soup in one go.Once my ingredients are chopped they all go in together (there's no option to fry) and I press Puree.

Within a minute, I hear bubbling. I leave it cooking while I catch up with emails. A long beep alerts me when the soup is finished an acceptable 21 minutes later. It's hot and a lovely consistency. If you're very particular, this machine - which can make 1.4 litres in 30 minutes - could be ideal. It's like having your own sous chef. It won't just fry your veg - it stirs them, too. But you have to set the timings and heat levels yourself, so you can't just walk away and paint your nails.Following the recipe book, I fry my onion for two minutes on low before adding the other ingredients and switching to high for ten minutes. When I see it bubbling I switch to simmer for 20 minutes. With the veg cooked, I move to a fast Blend (there are four speeds) to get a smooth consistency.The machine is impressively quiet and my soup is hot and delicious. But I'm not sure it's much easier than using a frying pan and hand blender. I fell in love with this smart-looking machine on sight. It's compact enough to fit in a kitchen cupboard, but so powerful it will make a whopping 1.6 litres in just 21 minutes.

And the dedicated Saute programme means I can make fresh croutons, too.I start with the croutons. I press the Saute button, add some oil and as soon as it sizzles pop in little chunks of bread. They take just eight minutes. I remove them and put them aside.Pressing the Saute button again, I fry my diced onion. Once it looks done, I add the rest of the ingredients and select the Smooth button. There's also a Chunky button should you prefer. An LED screen lights up and starts counting down the 21-minute cooking time (Chunky takes 28 minutes.) Andrew James 7 in 1 Soupmaker, £44.99, amazon.co.ukThough it emits a series of increasingly noisy gurgles as it cooks and grinds, I don't have to listen. I'm next door with my feet up, reading the paper.A gentle beep alerts me when the soup is done. If only the machine cleaned itself, it would be perfect. This swanky machine in metallic red or black and grey looks twice the price. The lightest machine we tried, it also makes the most soup a whopping 1.75 litres.