Kitchen appliances change with the times. One of the most glaring changes we have witnessed in our generation is the demise of the Kal Ural (grinding stone), which has given way to the modern-day wet grinding machine.  

Open the refrigerator in any South Indian home, and you will find a container containing idli/dosa dough. Look around to find that no South Indian kitchen is complete without a wet grinding machine. Gone are the days when we used grinding stones for preparing idli and dosa dough. So, welcome the wet grinder. Here, we review one of the best in the business, the Elgi Ultra Wet Grinder.

Our Verdict

The grinding mechanism is critical for our idlis, dosas, and vadas to taste delicious. Though nothing can match the perfection and consistency of the Kal Ural, Elgi Ultra wet grinding machine comes the closest. We have been using this machine for nearly six months and have never had to depend on Swiggy or Zomato to order our dosas online because we prepare high-quality dosas at home.

Besides Elgi Ultra, we tried other wet grinding machines, mixers/grinders, and food processors. But we discovered that Elgi Ultra wet grinder is a clear winner by a massive margin.

So we recommend this machine for every Indian kitchen because it can churn out the best quality idli dough and prepare fluffy idlis and crisp dosas/vadas, comparable with the best that Udipi restaurants in our towns serve.

Elgi Ultra Wet Grinder Review

Before we review this multi-utility kitchen appliance, here are some compelling reasons to buy this machine for our homes.

• Idli dough preparation is no longer a back-breaking job because the Elgi Ultra wet grinder can churn high-quality dough for medium-sized Indian families within one hour.
• Though the package looks imposing, the compact machine suits your kitchen ambiance beautifully. You can comfortably place it on the kitchen counter.
• Operating this wet grinder is easy as all it takes is pressing one switch. However, we advise you to soak the ingredients (rice and urad dal) well in water overnight to simplify the wet grinding process.
• So if you need lip-smacking dosas and idlis for breakfast, you need not depend on Swiggy or Zomato anymore.

Here are the features of the Elgi Ultra wet grinding machine.

• Looks – Today, looks matter over everything else. But the Elgi Ultra wet grinder redefines the concept by delivering powerful performances and simultaneously looking sleek and attractive. The ABS body makes this machine light and durable. The attractive violet and white combination adds to your kitchen’s ambiance and makes it bright and classy.
• Durability – The Elgi Ultra wet grinder features a robust 2L stainless-steel drum that doubles up as a storage container because you can remove it from the machine and directly place it inside the refrigerator. It eliminates the need to transfer the dough to another container.
• Motor – The Elgi Ultra wet grinder features a powerful 150W motor to ensure optimal grinding speed that does not heat the batter or cause froth formation. The perfect speed ensures uniform grinding of the ingredients to deliver silky smooth idli dough.
• Patented Conical Stones – The grinding stones are critical to the wet grinder’s performance. The stainless-steel drum has a stone base. Two conical grinding stones with grooves ensure perfect grinding and less heat generation. As a result, the fermentation is better, leading to high-quality dough for preparing crispy dosas and fluffy idlis.
• Flow breaker system – The stones have a plastic flow breaker attachment to arrest the dough’s flow and prevent air bubbles’ formation. It ensures proper disruption of the flow resulting in uniform dough texture.    

How to use the Elgi Ultra wet grinder?

The best aspect of the Elgi Ultra wet grinder is its ease of usage. You need not exert yourself because the machine ensures high-quality grinding. All you do is soak the ingredients in water overnight to become soft enough to simplify the grinding process.

I advise you to place the stones and add the ingredients gradually. You can start the machine and add more ingredients and sufficient water simultaneously. Finally, you can close the drum and leave the machine running for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on your desired dough quantity.

Cleaning the stones is easy because this machine features a batter cleaner attachment to remove the dough sticking to the stones. Transferring the dough to another container is unnecessary because the 2L stainless-steel drum can be accommodated comfortably inside your refrigerator.

Additional accessories

Elgi Ultra wet grinder has additional accessories like a coconut scraper and an atta kneader. You must pay extra for these accessories because they are not included in the package. So preparing delicious coconut chutneys becomes easy. However, I advise you to be careful when scraping the coconut. Otherwise, the coconut can slip, and you might injure your hands.

The atta kneader is handy for preparing atta for rotis and puris. Therefore, you get soft atta ready within minutes without messing your fingers.

Ease of Cleaning

Cleaning the machine is convenient because you can remove and clean the grinding stones under the kitchen tap. The drum can be washed separately and let out to dry. I advise you to use a soft and slightly damp cloth to clean the machine exteriors to ensure it remains sparklingly clean.

How does it compare with mixer grinders and food processors?

Food processors are multi-utility kitchen appliances that do a great job of grinding masalas, slicing, and cutting vegetables, preparing fruit juices, etc. But they are less efficient at wet grinding than the Elgi Ultra wet grinder. The prime reason is these food processors rotate at a higher speed. The air bubble formation affects the idli dough texture and impacts its softness.

The Bosch mixer grinder is excellent at dry grinding masalas. It also ranks amongst the best in wet grinding performance. But the Elgi Ultra wet grinder is noticeably better than the Bosch mixer grinder because of its better-quality grinding performance. The flow breaker attachment is crucial because it ensures proper grinding and uniform dough texture. Thus, your idlis turn out softer and dosas and vadas crispier.

Noise levels

Another excellent feature of the Elgi Ultra wet grinder is that it makes less noise, about 20% of that of conventional mixer grinders. However, you must run the machine continuously for 20 to 30 minutes to ensure proper grinding. So you must endure the continuous humming sound for half an hour, unlike the mixer grinders that run in short bursts.

What do we like about the Elgi Ultra wet grinder?

• This efficient machine grinds idli and dosa dough perfectly with a uniform texture.
• The Elgi Ultra wet grinder is an excellent performer.
• Operating this wet grinder is easy.
• This machine makes minimum noise, around 20% of what mixer grinders make.
• Cleaning this wet grinder is easy. You can use a brush to clean the grinding stones and the container.
• Conical stones are perfect for uniform grinding.
• The pricing is reasonable.

Where can the Elgi Ultra wet grinder improve?

• The Elgi Ultra wet grinder has a sub-standard polycarbonate lid. It is breakable, and hence you must be careful when handling it.
• The accessories are available by paying extra. They could have been part of the package. Rival brands like Butterfly offer these accessories for free.
• We have used the machine for six months. However, we must monitor the grinding carefully and keep pushing the dough to ensure perfect grinding.
• The machine is heavy. Hence, elders can find it challenging to clean.

Final Thoughts

We have tested the Elgi Ultra wet grinder thoroughly and found it perfect for our kitchen. The grinding quality is top class, with the idlis coming out super-soft and the dosas super-crisp. It is a must-have kitchen accessory in every Indian household.