Stick Blenders vs. Hand Stirring
Anyone who has hand-stirred soap knows that it is a long and arduous process.
Stick blenders can speed up the mixing process significantly. Soap that is mixed with
a stick blender is likely to reach trace much more quickly, is less prone to separation,
and can usually be cut and shaped without breaking or crumbling, once it has been
removed from the mold.
If you are just starting out in the hobby of soap-making, you may want to use a
spoon or hand-mixer to blend the batter, until you are able to tell the difference
between the various stages of trace. Otherwise, you may run the risk of having the
batter seize in the blender, because saponification was allowed to progress too quickly.
Also, you may want to use a spoon to blend in your essential oils or colorants, but if
you are having trouble with clumping, the stick blender is a great way to get them to
blend smoothly.
If you have difficulty with the stick blender mixing air bubbles in with your soap,
try using a taller, narrower container, as opposed to a shallower, wider one. This
allows the stick blender to stay near the bottom of the batter, and not pull as much air
into the mixture. Also, if the batter is reaching trace too quickly, try starting at a
lower temperature - 90-100°F, instead of the standard 100-110°F. The lye doesn’t
need to be poured into the fats as slowly with a stick blender as if you are hand-
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