A Review of the Vital Baby 2 in 1 Steam and Blend

I found weaning a bit of a chore with Grace, especially when it came to preparing fresh food. Thankfully the Vital Baby 2 in 1 Steam and Blend is easy to use and really does take the work out of the weaning stage. Just before Christmas we were sent one to review. My only regret is that I didn’t use it sooner!

Who are Vital Baby?

Founded by the Tollman family, Vital Baby have been going strong for over 35 years. I love what they do, how they do it and what they stand for. All of their baby products are 100% BPA-free and help to solve the challenges that parents face. Whether it be bottles or cups, purees or chunkier foods, on the go or staying at home, healthcare or play, they seem to have all the essentials for a baby covered. It is no surprise that they have numerous parenting awards under their belt.

About the Vital Baby 2 in 1 Steam and Blend

The very clever Vital Baby 2 in 1 Steam and Blend enables you to steam-cook pretty much any food you choose to wean your baby on. These include fruits, vegetables, meats and fish. All in as little as 15 minutes. Once cooked, using the same bowl, you can then blend the food straight after steaming.

The 600ml bowl, coupled with the unit is much more compact than you would expect. With the blades inside the bowl, you can blend the food as little or as much as you want. Meaning you can prepare purees for the early stages and then chunkier meals as your baby grows.

The size of the bowl – or, should I say jug seeing as it has a handle? – means you are able to make large batches of your baby’s favourite meals and freeze and store individual portions using the many Vital Baby food storage containers they have on offer.

How to use the Vital Baby 2 in 1 Steam and Blend

The Vital Baby 2 in 1 Steam and Blend couldn’t be easier to use. Here are the steps from beginning to end:

• Remove the water tank lid and fill with 200ml of cold water using the measuring jug provided.
• Replace the water tank lid, ensuring it is in the locked position
• Place the blades carefully into the blender bowl over the central post and make sure it is fully inserted
• Cut desired food into small chunks (2cm) and place into the bowl
• Place the blender bowl onto the unit using the arrows as a guide and twist anti-clockwise to ensure it is locked into position. The handle needs to be central to the Vital Baby logo
• Next, attach the lid by placing it on the bowl and again twisting anti-clockwise. Ensure it is locked into place and in the correct position. If it isn’t, an alarm will sound and the machine won’t operate. This is important as the steam enters the bowl through the lid.
• Plug the machine in and switch on at the mains. The LCD display on top of the unit will then light up
• Select the correct function – steam, blend or steam and blend

Tips

• 200ml will give you around 20 – 25 minutes of steaming
• When steaming ends, the machine will beep 3 times and the display switches off
• Upon using the steam and blend function, the machine will automatically start blending at the end of steaming for 30 seconds
• When using the blend function, just press and hold the blend button for as long as you need. The timer is automatically set at 30 seconds and will end if you hold it as long as that. The consistency of the food will change depending on how long you hold the blend button

My Thoughts on the Vital Baby 2 in 1 Steam and Blend

When I first opened the pack to the blender, I couldn’t believe how straightforward it looked. Many of these items come with extras and bits and pieces that I know I will never use! This is the unit, the blender bowl, the blade and a measuring cup.

I found the instructions really easy to follow and the unit extremely simple to use. Having the food steam and then blend in the same place meant less work. The blender bowl and blend is also easy to clean. I soaked the bowl straight away and then washed this and the blade up by hand. Although the bowl is top-rack dishwasher safe.

Any drawbacks?

I am guessing that the cup will probably disappear at some point. As is the way with many of these things, there is nowhere on the unit to store it so it usually ends up in the back of a cupboard or drawer! Also, I am not sure how easy it is to clean the water chamber especially taking into account any limescale.

Final Thoughts

At £79.99 plus free shipping on items over £30, you cannot go far wrong by ordering this nifty gadget. I don’t use it every day – and that is mainly because the bowl holds enough to enable you to make extra to put in the fridge for the following day. Easy to use, straightforward to clean, I wholeheartedly recommend it. Just don’t use the blender if your baby scares easily – Rex was definitely afraid of the noise!

Disclosure: Thank you so much to Vital Baby for sending us the 2 in 1 Steam and Blend in return for this honest review. Please note that all words, images and opinions have been formed by the owner of this blog. They have not been influenced in any way. Please do not reproduce any of the content or images on this post without prior agreement from Verily Victoria Vocalises.