UK's Top Soup Makers Tested: Best for Healthy, Thrifty Meals in 2026
When our bodies crave something nourishing, few things fit the bill better than a bowl of thrifty, healthy, and comforting homemade soup. Having a few soup recipes in your back pocket is an affordable and easy way to boost your vegetable intake. However, traditional homemade soups can be time-consuming to prepare, requiring sautéing, simmering, and blending. Enter the soup maker, a snazzy kitchen gadget that handles much of that faff with the press of a single button, often taking less than half an hour from start to finish.
If healthy home-cooked lunches and dinners are on the cards for 2026, a soup-making machine could be a useful investment. After months of rigorous testing, including simmering 40 batches of soup, we've identified the best models on the market. From self-cleaning wonders to options perfect for busy families, here's our comprehensive guide to the top soup makers in the UK.
Why Trust Our Recommendations
With a decade of experience trialling kitchen appliances, from coffee machines to pizza ovens, along with recipes, food, and drink for national and consumer media outlets, our tester brings a keen eye for quality. As a home cook who values gadgets that reduce prep and cooking time, the focus is on machines that earn their place in the kitchen, especially given limited cupboard and worktop space.
How We Tested the Soup Makers
To ensure a thorough evaluation, we selected two soup recipes from the Guardian's archives: Rukmini Iyer's carrot soup with fennel, chilli, and crab, and Thomasina Miers' potato, leek, and wild mushroom soup with chipotle oil and crème fraîche. These recipes tested both smooth and chunky soup functions.
We assessed each machine on ease of assembly and use, timed the duration of soup programmes, and recorded final soup temperatures using a thermometer probe. Additionally, we measured the temperature of handles and exteriors, noted noise levels during blending cycles, and calculated power draw. Texture and taste were rated, with particular attention to whether vegetables in chunky soups were cooked through. Cleanup ease and self-clean functionality were also considered.
After testing, soup makers were either returned to brands or donated to Gratitude Upcycle, a charitable organisation in Barnet, north London, supporting community kitchens and worthy recipients.
The Best Soup Makers in 2026
Best Soup Maker Overall: Tefal Easy Soup
Price: £109.99 at Tefal
This medium-size soup maker features four settings plus a self-cleaning cycle, with a double-walled jug and a 40-minute keep-warm function. It includes a recipe book for inspiration.
Why we love it: The Tefal Easy Soup excels in all areas—it's easy to use, quiet (about washing machine level), and effective. Soups were properly cooked through in chunky mode and velvety smooth in smooth mode. Cleanup was straightforward.
Drawbacks: With a 1.2-litre capacity, it may be on the small side for families of four.
Best Budget Soup Maker: Aldi Ambiano Soup Maker
Price: £29.99 at Aldi (in store only)
Featuring a 1.6-litre capacity and five presets, including smooth soup, chunky soup, and smoothie, this model also offers a keep-warm function and boil-dry protection.
Why we love it: A brilliant bargain, this soup maker looks smart, feels well-made, and produces some of the smoothest soups in just 25 minutes. It's quiet in use, though lacks a self-clean function.
Drawbacks: It uses more power than other models, and the exterior becomes very hot during cooking.
Best Multifunctional Soup Maker: Ninja Foodi Blender and Soup Maker
Price: £149.99 at John Lewis
This versatile machine includes 10 preset programmes, six manual settings, keep-warm, and self-clean functions, with a 25-recipe book to get started.
Why we love it: Impressive power and sharp blades make for silky soups, and it can handle ice. Its large capacity is ideal for families and batch cooking.
Drawbacks: It's expensive, heavy, and awkward to store due to its size.
Best Compact Soup Maker: Lakeland Compact Soup Maker
Price: £59.99 at Lakeland
With a one-litre capacity and four functions, this lightweight model is portable and ideal for one to two people.
Why we love it: Compact and economical, it uses less power and cooks soup in as little as 23 minutes, perfect for small spaces.
Drawbacks: Soups may have a bittiness in texture, and it lacks a timer display.
Best Premium-Feeling Soup Maker: Panasonic Blender and Soup Maker
Price: £129.99 at John Lewis
This premium model offers nine automatic programmes, keep-warm and cleaning cycles, and a quiet cover to muffle blending noise.
Why we love it: It looks and feels high-end, with quick cooking times (22 minutes) and smooth results. The quiet cover is a nice addition.
Drawbacks: It can seem complicated initially, requiring careful reading of instructions.
What You Need to Know Before Buying
Consider how much to spend: basic models start around £30-£40, while multifunctional ones cost more for added versatility. Look at capacity—1.6 litres and above for families, or compact models for smaller households. Ensure the machine has a heating plate for proper soup-making functionality.
For more kitchen gadget reviews, explore our guides on the best rice cookers, blenders for smoothies, and slow cookers for effortless homemade meals.
