Instant Pot came out with a blender that can also cook and puree soups - I put it to the test

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• You can now find the programmable, multi-functional magic of Instant Pot in an unexpected appliance: the Ace 60 Blender ($99).
• It features eight different blending and cooking programs, with the capacity to actually heat soups and purees.
• These programs made it easy to simply throw in the right ingredients and step away.

Many home cooks live and die by their Instant Pot. From the Mini to the Max to the smart and Wi-Fi compatible, these are the all-in-one multicookers you can rely on for nearly all your cooking needs. Now, thanks to the company's $99 Ace Blender, you can complete your menu with smoothies, alternative milks, frozen desserts, and blended soups.

In addition to manual controls, this blender has eight preset blending programs, four cold and four hot. Many blenders can handle both cold and hot ingredients, but where the Ace Blender sets itself apart from the competition is its hidden heating element, which brings the blender's contents to a steaming boil. Instead of cooking ingredients separately on the stove or in the oven, you can directly cook, then blend ingredients in the same appliance, cutting down on prep and clean-up time. Instant Pot is synonymous with efficient, one-pot cooking, and its new blender is, too.

Read more: The newest Instant Pot is $200 - we tested it out to see if the price increase is worth it

Getting to know the Ace Blender

The pitcher and base that host the versatile array of functions are hefty, together weighing 11.7 pounds, but not without cause. The pitcher is made from thick glass, and its handle is strong and sturdy, while the base features non-slip foot pads and a control panel design similar to the Instant Pot pressure cookers. A food tamper, cleaning brush, strainer bag, and 150 mL measuring cup are also included in the package.

It's hard to make a mess with this blender. The pitcher clicks into place in the base and beeps to indicate it's in the right position, and you won't be able to use any of the functions unless the lid is rotated and locked. If the lid is removed at any point during blending, the program will automatically pause. After you make your drink or meal, you can use the Pulse/Clean button to attack leftover bits of food.

Putting the Ace Blender to the test: non-dairy milk, soup, and smoothies

Whether you're lactose-intolerant or you just like to mix up flavors and textures, you can stop paying extra at the coffee shop for your almond or oat milk latte and easily make your own non-dairy milk at home. More substantial dishes like creamy tomato basil soup or chunky chicken noodle soup will be ready in only 20 minutes in the blender. If you're in the mood for a healthy fruit smoothie or ice cream treat, this blender chops up all the ingredients quickly and blends them to a smooth consistency.

The Nut/Oat Milk, Soup, and Smoothie programs provide the best idea of the Ace Blender's range, so I put them to the test. Learn more about how they performed below.

Test 1: Almond and oat milks

I followed the user manual's recipes for these non-dairy milks. The process was easy and straightforward: add a cup of nuts or oats and water (the sides of the pitcher have measurement markings to help you measure this), then hit the Nut/Oat Milk button. After straining them, the resulting milks were a little frothy and not as creamy as I would've liked - as The Strategist also documents in its comparison to the Vitamix Ascent 2500 - but it was still tasty, and I liked that I didn't have to babysit the four-minute blending process.

Test 2: Creamy and chunky soups

Next up was soup, where the heating element came into play. There are two settings, one for creamy soup and one for chunky, though for my first attempt I made the mistake of not paying attention to this and ended up with a partially blended vegetable and chicken soup. The blender heated up to boiling temperature, 100°C, and spent the next 20 minutes simmering and intermittently blending the ingredients. Again, the hands-off approach let me take care of other tasks in the meantime, and the final soups were as hot and delicious as if I had made it on the stove. As I ate the creamy soup, I took solace in the fact that I was spending more time eating then cleaning pots and pans.

Read more: I made hot soup, pizza dough, and mocha with Vitamix's incredible $600 smart blender, and now I get why people love them

Test 3: Smoothies

The smoothie program, when faced with tough, leafy greens and frozen chunks of fruit, also handled the job with ease, giving me a smooth and well-blended drink. Depending on the type of smoothie texture you like, there may be some trial-and-error moments as you figure out the ideal proportion of ingredients. What's immediately clear, however, is that the blender chops and mixes any type of fruit, vegetable, ice, and liquid you throw at it.

The bottom line: You can't find a more versatile and effective blender for $100

The Ace Blender's quality construction, powerful blending, and variety of programs are all the marks of a solid blender, but what impressed me the most is that you don't have to pay more than $100 for it. I can appreciate the power and efficiency of a top-of-the-line blender, but I'm not going to commit $400 to $500 when I have other necessities to prioritize. The Ace blender achieves the perfect balance of functionality and price, and I would pay more for it - but obviously, I'm really glad it only costs $99.

Buy the Instant Pot Ace 60 Cooking Blender for $99 at Walmart here