Difference Between Mixer Grinder And Wet Grinder And Other Similar Appliances

It is fascinating how there can be so many kitchen appliances that can be found today. Investing in these tools can make your life much easier. Mixer grinders, wet grinders, juicers, blenders are all kitchen essentials, especially in Indian households.

However, there’s still a lot of confusion regarding what functions each of them performs and what is the difference between them? Confused about which one is right for you? Don’t worry; here’s an in-detail description of each product that will help you decide which one is the right addition to your kitchen collection. 

The most common confusion when shopping for kitchen appliances is between a mixer grinder and a wet grinder. A mixer grinder is usually used to mix, grind and blend spices and so on, whereas a wet grinder is used to make paste or batter from grains and lentils. A wet grinder, like the name suggests, is used to grind food that produces a wet paste; it’s a traditional kitchen appliance.

A mixer grinder, on the other hand, is comparatively new. It performs the function of a grinder as well as a mixer. If you don’t know which out of the two is the right product for you, you can refer to this category-wise breakdown of both these products to help you make your decision.

What is Wet Grinder? 

A wet grinder is a new invention that can be used to grind food grains or other food ingredients to produce a smooth batter. A wet grinder can be used to quickly and easily prepare a semi-liquid or liquid batter. This tool is extremely useful in the Indian kitchen because it makes grinding ingredients such as coconut, moistened grains, and lentils easier and convenient. The batter is used to make vada, med, dosas, and idlis, among other things.

Types of Wet Grinders

There are three types of wet grinders, and you can choose the one that best suits your needs.

Regular Wet Grinder: This large grinders is commonly used in commercial settings and by big families. It is difficult to set up due to its size, and it also takes longer to clean.

Table-top Wet Grinder: This is the trendiest wet grinder on the market right now. Because of their small size, these wet grinders are portable and easy to operate.

Tilting Wet Grinder: As the name implies, a tilting wet grinder is unique in that the grinder can be tilted. This simplifies the process of scooping out the batter. These machines are made of rolling stones that don’t make much noise. They are also capable of dry grinding in addition to wet grinding.

Wet Grinder Uses

A wet grinder can be used to grind a range of ingredients that a regular mixer grinder cannot do. Here are some of the wet grinder uses that make it unique:

1. It is more efficient and effective.
2. It is designed for quick and efficient grinding.
3. It can run continuously for a longer period.
4. It can make a very smooth batter out of food grains and other ingredients.
5. Grinding in a wet grinder retains a lot of flavor of the ingredients.
6. It can be used to grind large quantities of pulses or grains at a time.

What is a Mixer Grinder? 

A mixer grinder is a necessary kitchen appliance that we all use daily. A mixer is used to blend ingredients and make smooth pastes. It is commonly used to prepare smoothies, pastes, and batters. It’s used to grind spices and create ‘homemade’ powdered spices such as South Indian Pickle Powder, Idli Milagai Podi, etc. A mixer grinder is typically equipped with two jars, one for wet processing and one for dry processing.

Types of Mixer Grinders

There are typically two types of mixer grinders available on the market. They are very practical for everyday use and meet all of the requirements of an Indian kitchen. These are the mixer grinders:

Simple mixer and grinder: Typically, this type of mixer grinder comes with three jars. One for making chutney, another for paste, and a large one for grinding heavy and hard spices.

Mixer grinder with a juicer: Today’s mixer grinders include a juicer jar in addition to the three previously mentioned jars, which are useful for making shakes, smoothies, and healthy fruit juices. We have even reviewed some of the available products in the market. Read our article Best Juicer Mixer Grinder Under 5000 for more detail.

Uses of Mixer Grinder

A mixer grinder can be used for multi-task operations. It can be a handy kitchen appliance. So here are the amazing Mixer grinder uses given below:

1. A mixer grinder can be used for making juices and smoothies.
2. The powerful blades and spices grinding jar can grind whole spices into fine and fresh powders.
3. It can be used to make smooth chutneys and pastes in just a matter of time. With a mixer grinder, you can make your favourite sauce at home.
4. Mixer grinders can also be used to make powdered or icing sugar for frosting and milkshakes. You can also make whipped cream in a mixer grinder.

Wet Grinder vs Mixer Grinder: The Difference

	Wet Grinder	Mixer Grinder
Construction and Design	Contains a motor and uses granite stone to grind ingredients.	Works electronically and uses blades to grind ingredients.
Usability	Is used to make liquid or semi liquid batter.	can be used to make dry powder or liquid batter.
Power Consumption	High power consumption	low power consumption
Yield	Used by large families and commercially.	Used by comparatively smaller families.
Efficiency	Very efficiency.	Not as efficient, may find small pieces of ingredients left.
Maintenance & Cleaning	Difficult to clean and maintain.	Easy to clean and maintain.

1. Construction and Design

A wet grinder includes a bowl and a granite stone. It also contains some additional stones attached to the grinder’s motor. When the motor turns on, one of the granites turns, crushing the food ingredient. The stones are used to finely grind the ingredients without leaving any food crumbles.

Mixer grinders, on the other hand, work electronically. It generally comes with two small jars, one for each purpose. One jar is being used for wet grinding, while the other is used for dry grinding. You can use both functions on the same machine in this manner.

2. Usability

Wet grinders are not made to perform multiple tasks at once. It is only used to make smooth liquid batter or semi-fluid batter. Wet grinders can also be used to ground spices and veggies into a puree to make curry and to pulp fruits and veggies to make soup.

A mixer grinder performs several functions. A mixer grinder is an extremely simple, low-maintenance tool that is ideal for everyday use. When it comes to cooking, a mixer is used for various tasks such as grinding spices and crushing grains.

3. Power Consumption

A wet grinder is much more efficient than a mixer grinder. It takes more time to grind the ingredients finely. However, the motor works faster and consumes more energy.

On the other hand, the mixer grinder has an advanced setting system that doesn’t need much time to grind food ingredients. Hence, it consumes very little energy than a wet grinder.

4. Yield

A wet grinder is larger than a mixer grinder and can grind more items at once. A wet grinder is ideal for large families with more than four members and commercial use.

On the other hand, a dry mixer grinder has a sophisticated system and cannot load more ingredients to grind at one time. A mixer grinder is only suitable for three to four family members. The small jars are insufficient for commercial use.

5. Efficiency

A wet grinder grinds items more efficiently. It is capable of finely grinding a wide range of hard food ingredients. The powerful motor creates a smooth batter out of the ingredients without leaving any food crumbs behind.

In comparison to wet grinders, mixer grinders are less efficient and provide less satisfactory grinding results. It is incapable of properly grinding hard ingredients. After the grinding process is finished, you may notice small or medium-sized crumbles in the food jar.

6. Maintenance and Cleaning

Cleaning a wet grinder poses several challenges. It must deal with various foods that have become settled within the blades, the rubber seal, and the bottom of the lid. If the roller holder is not thoroughly cleaned, the drum will smell.

On the other hand, a mixer grinder is simple to use and clean. It has a simple structure, and the jars’ stainless steel doesn’t stain and is easy to rinse off.

Comparison with Other Similar Appliances

Juicers Vs Food Processors Vs Blenders 

1. Juicer

A juicer is a pretty self-explanatory kitchen appliance. It is used to extract delicious and healthy juices from fruits and vegetables. A juicer helps squeeze out all the juice to give you the required vitamins, minerals, and fiber without needing to eat the whole fruit. Buying a juicer from a top juicer brand will eliminate the need of having to deal with the pulp and still ensures you get the benefits of the produce.

The market is filled with a variety of juicers that fulfill different purposes. For example, a centrifugal juicer spins the product at high speed and simultaneously has flat cutting blades. It separates the juice and the pulp and gives a resultant chunky juice. A centrifugal juicer is affordable and convenient to store. Even though they can be a little noisy, they are effortless, easy to use, and efficient. 

A masticating juicer also known as cold press juicer is a more modern version of the traditional juicer. The cold press juicers in market have a single gear and a mesh and are slower than the centrifugal juicer. They have metal blades that crush the produce and extract powerful enzymes efficiently. They juice the pulp twice over to ensure that all the juice is extracted along with essential nutrients. 

Triturating juicers are regarded as the best option for those who want a high yield in terms of nutritional value. Also known as twin gear juicers, they have two augers that grind, crush, and extract the fruit or vegetable juice. They are more expensive when compared to other juicers, but they ensure that the juice doesn’t oxidise and the enzymes stay well preserved. 

2. Food Processor 

A food processor is a kitchen appliance that can meet almost all your cooking needs. It comes with a collection of different blades, disks, and attachments that can be changed depending on your requirements. It can chop, shred, and grind vegetables, fruits, and nuts.

It can also help with blending ingredients, mixing batter, and kneading dough. It has different sets of chopping disks that can cut up produce into fine, medium, and coarse pieces. It can also shred fruits, vegetables, and cheese.

A food processor comes with standard attachments, but additional changeable attachments can also be bought to perform additional tasks. One can buy a changeable egg whisk to be able to mix, beat and whip egg whites.

One can also buy a juicer, a dough blade, and many different shredding and slicing disks. It comes in three different sizes, including full, compact, and small. It is a motorised multi-tasking application that can perform versatile tasks.

If the features of the food processor are something you are searching for or are in need of, look at our reviews on the best food processors in India to get the best food processor for your kitchen.

3. Blender

A blender is a kitchen appliance used to mix, crush, purée or emulsify fruits, vegetables, and other items. A blender also mixes ingredients to create a smooth, palpable liquid. Blenders are so great for mixing liquids because they have a conical structure that directs everything to the blades fixed at the bottom. The shape and blades of the blender ensure that the food is finely processed and gives the mixture a silky texture.

A blender comes up with customised built-in features like an easy-to-pour reservoir and liquid container to facilitate this silky texture. A blender is commonly used to whip up liquid-based items like smoothies, protein shakes, soups, purées.

If you consume such items regularly and liquids are a frequent part of their diet, a blender is a great investment! Interested in buying one? Look at our reviews on the best hand blenders to mix and crush fruits or vegetables.

Wet Grinder vs Mixer Grinder | Which one to choose? 

With all the wet grinder vs mixer grinder aspects given above, now it’s time for you to pick anyone for your kitchen. But if you are still confused about it, you just need to decide if you want your grinder to perform various functions or make a perfectly smooth batter. 

Also, a mixer grinder can make a smooth batter. In that case, pick the wet grinder if you have a big family or if you want it for commercial use. And for a smaller family, a mixer grinder will suffice. Moreover, a mixer grinder is easy to maintain and use. With that, you don’t have to go through a lot of trouble with a wet grinder for your small family.