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Is the Dynamic MiniPro “Blender Tool” attachment a homogenizer ⁉️
So I’ve gone down a bit of a rabbit hole and I’m trying to determine if the Dynamic MiniPro “Blender Tool,” which is universally advertised as a “homogenizer” and seemingly considered by many of you to be one, is, in fact, a homogenizer.
Here are some pictures of actual homogenizers. They all look something like this. These are from Ika and Omni.
This is my homogenizer:
As you can see, there is always a hole on the shaft.
The Dynamic MiniPro Blender Tool looks like this.
This looks more like a mini immersion blender to me.I’m not happy with my homogenizer. It doesn’t work at all with products that have viscosity. So I ordered the Blender Tool attachment for my MiniPro.
Am I missing something here? I suppose I don’t even care if the Blender Tool isn’t a proper homogenizer as long as it gives me the stability and the lack of air incorporation that I get with my homogenizer. I’m just trying to understand.
Feedback appreciated and please forgive me if this is a ridiculous question and I’m just being totally dense or something.
Thank you.
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22 Replies
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This attachment is homogenizer by itself. There are different homogenizing attachments by their design. MiniPro is targeted as a food homogenizer, but it can be used by homecrafters. I think, the homogenizer take place at the beginning of the emulsification, where the viscosity is still low. After that you should switch to a propeller mixer, until cooldown. I think that’s the proper workflow to make an emulsion. It doesn’t make sense to use a homogenizer in high viscosity emulsions.
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It’s a homogenizer — keep in mind that even if you go to IKA’s Web site, you will see that some of their homogenizer tips look different than others.Keep in mind you can only use the Dynamic up to a certain viscosity (I forget the max, to be honest), and I think the max suggested run time is 90 seconds. The other downside (for some) is that the head is quite big comparatively, so you would struggle to use it for quantities under about 200ml.Which homogenizer do you have now?
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suswang8 said:It’s a homogenizer — keep in mind that even if you go to IKA’s Web site, you will see that some of their homogenizer tips look different than others.Keep in mind you can only use the Dynamic up to a certain viscosity (I forget the max, to be honest), and I think the max suggested run time is 90 seconds. The other downside (for some) is that the head is quite big comparatively, so you would struggle to use it for quantities under about 200ml.Which homogenizer do you have now?
FSH-2A is the one I have.
So update on the MiniPro homogenizer attachment.
It’s absolutely great.
It still struggles with higher viscosity, but if I adjust for viscosity with angle of insertion and speed setting, it still works.
Certainly able to accommodate viscosity MUCH MUCH better than the FSH-2A.
I can even use it at very low speed for up to 60 seconds as a stirrer (I do this occasionally when I don’t feel like getting out my overhead stirrer, the MiniPro is capable of working really really slowly at speed settings 1 and 2, it essentially becomes low shear.)
It also introduces less air into emulsions when compared with the regular immersion blender attachment that the MiniPro comes with.
It emulsifies an emulsion very quickly.
And I feel like I get whiter emulsions.
It works just fine with 100 g batches, though of course I do experience some product waste. 100 g is usually my batch size while I’m working on product development.
So even though it was more expensive than the MiniPro itself, I think it’s totally worth it.
I’m going to test the stability of an emulsion made with the homogenizer attachment vs one made with the immersion blender attachment using a centrifuge. I will keep you guys posted.
The last thing I want to test is if I can make a COMPLETELY CLEAR gel with the homogenizer attachment. When I use gelling agents with immersion blender, for example, it introduces air bubbles which makes the product opaque.
I can make a pretty clear gel using the FSH-2A, but I’d like to just put it away since I won’t be using it for emulsions now that I have the MiniPro homogenizer.
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ggpetrov said:This attachment is homogenizer by itself. There are different homogenizing attachments by their design. MiniPro is targeted as a food homogenizer, but it can be used by homecrafters. I think, the homogenizer take place at the beginning of the emulsification, where the viscosity is still low. After that you should switch to a propeller mixer, until cooldown. I think that’s the proper workflow to make an emulsion. It doesn’t make sense to use a homogenizer in high viscosity emulsions.
Yes, that is the proper workflow, but the MiniPro is capable of working as a low shear device at speed settings 1 and 2 (it’s what makes it super unique amongst immersion blenders.)
Sometimes I don’t feel like getting out my propeller so I’ll just use the MiniPro in cool down at low speed.
See my response above if you’re interested in my experience with the MiniPro homogenizer attachment so far.
Thanks for the comment!!
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I would not leave home without that combo.
And now…. They are sold as a combination in the US finally!!! Why did that take so long????
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@Graillotion Jeez. I wish they were sold as a combo many months ago when I had been shopping around.@emma1985 I ended up getting an OCIS (plus Dremel), which I do like, in part because I really don’t see how you can use the Dynamic (with Blender Tool) for 100g without introducing a lot of air, but I’m glad (and a bit amazed
) you are able to pull it off. I do feel like the Dynamic has a head that for some reason is extremely powerful/efficient — more so than the OCIS — perhaps mostly due to the size/shape. -
suswang8 said:@Graillotion Jeez. I wish they were sold as a combo many months ago when I had been shopping around.@emma1985 I ended up getting an OCIS (plus Dremel), which I do like, in part because I really don’t see how you can use the Dynamic (with Blender Tool) for 100g without introducing a lot of air, but I’m glad (and a bit amazed ) you are able to pull it off. I do feel like the Dynamic has a head that for some reason is extremely powerful/efficient — more so than the OCIS — perhaps mostly due to the size/shape.
Here’s a picture of the emulsion I made last night.
A few air bubbles but nothing that is a deal breaker for me, and I’m super intolerant of visible air bubbles.
I think it would be even better with larger batches, so I’m going to increase my test batch size to 150 g.
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hi! @emma1985 @Graillotion (sorry if write something wrong, english isn’t my first language)
I’ve had a lot of problems with bubbles, I’m desperate. 😰
I am using Minipro homogenizer and Overhead Stirrer Mixer 0-2000 Vevor (the cheapest). I have made dozens of emulsions, I still have almost imperceptible bubbles, emulsions have been destabilized and they look bad.
I have changed the percentage of emulsifier (between 3% and 5% 70°C), type of emulsifier, type of alcohols, polymers in the hot or cooling phase and I still have bubbles. Also way of holding the homogenizer, speeds, agitator speeds, time.
I have noticed 2 things:
- The beaker has a small curvature that does not keep the head completely firm.
- My cheap shaker has a small oval movement. Could it cause bubbles?
When I stirrer to cool the cream it loses viscosity, so the last two times I homogenized again after stirrer for a couple of seconds.
I kindly ask if you could tell me specifically what prevents bubbles from forming when preparing your emulsions? and at what minipro speed do you work?, considering that there are 6.
Thank you 🙂
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Equipment is only one piece of the puzzle.
Regarding creating bubbles…it is imperative that the batch size allow for complete submersion of the head. Hence, I cannot make a batch smaller than 150 grams….to meet this criteria. I also use narrow ‘tall form’ beakers to help facilitate this aspect.
Secondly, without the formula…. we have no idea what leads to instability. Cannot guess at a problem or solution without more detail.
If you ask me…. why your shirt chokes your neck…. and don’t send a picture… I cannot tell you….the shirt is on backwards. 😉
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Thanks for replying. I have “tall” beakers. And all my emulsions have the same problem, so I didn’t want to write the formula.
Generally I’m using:
70% or so water (including the one I use for solutions) or 60% and 10% hydrosol
3-5% Olivem 1000 or Polyaquol
2-4% fatty alcohol (cetyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, usually)
12% - 14% carrier oils
0.1% - 0.2% xanthan gum
0.1% - 0.2% hyaluronic acid
2 - 5% glycerin
3% propanediol
3% - 5% vitamins / plant actives (in glycerin, water or powders)
1% preservative
And buffer sodium citrate / citric acid
I most often add the hydrated xanthan gum and hyaluronic acid to the hot aqueous phase.
I added it in the stirrer once, but the same thing happened. The emulsion became less consistent with the stirrer (I don’t know why) so I went back to the homogenizer.
add photo.
Thanks @Graillotion
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This reply was modified 4 months, 3 weeks ago by nkpalaci.
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Oh I knew I should have wagered big money… that you would come back with OliveM 1000. 😉 I have no idea why this is pushed on beginners. As my mentor once said…. ‘a piss poor emulsifier’. Now you can typically support these crappie emulsifiers with enough props to make them work… but why? It has one of the worst haptics in all of cosmetics….even if you get it stable?!
So, let’s just ask a general question…. when you survey the industry, and all the top products…. how many use this emulsifier. Yup you guessed it. So, ask yourself…. Why does industry rarely use this emulsifier? People at all levels…are inherently lazy….meaning they want the easiest path to success. That is typically achieved with robust emulsifiers that have good haptics. You know…. the ones you see in all the famous brand products.
Let’s look at what one of the most brilliant chemists had to say about OM1000: ” Cetearyl olivate isn’t an emulsifier but the partner which builds most of the lamellar network. Sorbitan olivate is, according to the old system of HLB, a w/o emulsifier which acts as a promoter of lamellar networks under the right conditions. From a canonical emulsion perspective, it’s a piss poor emulsifier. Stability is only achieved by lamellae.”
So, you are essentially starting with nothing…and hoping that your add-ins will actually hold it together. If you can tolerate the feel of it…and really want to stick with it…. I could do the following. Give it a supporting piece of a strong anionic emulsifier, like SSG or PCP.
The next piece would be process. You will want to shear it hard for about two minutes when phases are combined. Lamellar emulsions can be damaged with shear once they fall below a temp around 60-65. So keep your shear on the warm side. I see you have HA…this is very very disruptive in emulsion creation…as well as can be damaged with shear. It should be added much later in cool-down, and post shear. Probably best added as a pre-hydrated slurry once the potion is below 35.
But definitely look at supporting this Qusai emulsifier with one of the two strong anionics I mentioned. You also have some vague terms like 3-5% vitamins…. who knows what we’re dealing with here.
But my top recommendation would be to …. consider a robust emulsifier to begin with…. you can probably up your haptics at the same time.
Good Luck.
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Hahaha, I have never stopped using it and believe me, I know how problematic it is to work with an emulsifier like Olivem 1000. I have worked with other emulsifiers before and never had so many problems, but I also had different blenders machines.
My clients want emulsions approved as organic cosmetics, they pay more than what the industry pays, but they buy less quantity.
I also tried this new one called Polyaquol 2w (Polyglyceryl-2 stearate (and) Glyceryl stearate (and) Stearyl alcohol). It has better sensory, but the same thing happened with the bubbles, so the only thing I can think of is that the problem is mine in the handling of the homogenizer.
Although now that you mention it, it makes sense that the emulsion loses consistency with the agitator if the emulsifying quality is bad.
Are these SSG or PCP too thick for the face? Will they create too occlusive a layer?
The other reason the industry does not make organic products is the cost. It is absurdly more expensive. What do you think?
Thanks again for your help 😄
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SSG can be added at as little as .25% and have a dramatic effect on emulsion stability. Typically I use PCP a little higher, around .5% inclusion.
Only one way to know how it feels…. try it. But hard to image anything that would feel worse that OM 1000. Any deviation away from that…is usually a good one. 😉
Make sure you are adding the HA post emulsion. It is an emulsion wrecker…and the weaker the emulsion….the more likely it is to raise its evil head.
Good luck.
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Wonderful!
Thank you very much.
🤞😄
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This reply was modified 4 months, 3 weeks ago by
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suswang8 said:I really don’t see how you can use the Dynamic (with Blender Tool) for 100g without introducing a lot of air, but I’m glad (and a bit amazed ) you are able to pull it off. I do feel like the Dynamic has a head that for some reason is extremely powerful/efficient — more so than the OCIS — perhaps mostly due to the size/shape.
Naturally the ability to keep the head submerged is directly correlated to the shape and size of the beaker you are using.
The following link will take you to a beaker that is perfectly matched to the Blender tool.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L0JBZPI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I always make 150gm test batches, so I have plenty of room to spare. Even when I am working with just the water phase….The head is completely immersed. I use a lot of powders in my water phase, so the mini-pro sits in the water phase through out the heating process, giving it a number of spins.
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Graillotion said:suswang8 said:I really don’t see how you can use the Dynamic (with Blender Tool) for 100g without introducing a lot of air, but I’m glad (and a bit amazed ) you are able to pull it off. I do feel like the Dynamic has a head that for some reason is extremely powerful/efficient — more so than the OCIS — perhaps mostly due to the size/shape.
Naturally the ability to keep the head submerged is directly correlated to the shape and size of the beaker you are using.
The following link will take you to a beaker that is perfectly matched to the Blender tool.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L0JBZPI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I always make 150gm test batches, so I have plenty of room to spare. Even when I am working with just the water phase….The head is completely immersed. I use a lot of powders in my water phase, so the mini-pro sits in the water phase through out the heating process, giving it a number of spins.
Good point!! I don’t know how I forgot to mention that. Appropriate beaker size/shape makes a huge difference.
I love these ..
Both the 250 mL and 500 mL work just fine with the MiniPro.
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emma1985 said:Graillotion said:suswang8 said:I really don’t see how you can use the Dynamic (with Blender Tool) for 100g without introducing a lot of air, but I’m glad (and a bit amazed ) you are able to pull it off. I do feel like the Dynamic has a head that for some reason is extremely powerful/efficient — more so than the OCIS — perhaps mostly due to the size/shape.
Naturally the ability to keep the head submerged is directly correlated to the shape and size of the beaker you are using.
The following link will take you to a beaker that is perfectly matched to the Blender tool.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01L0JBZPI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I always make 150gm test batches, so I have plenty of room to spare. Even when I am working with just the water phase….The head is completely immersed. I use a lot of powders in my water phase, so the mini-pro sits in the water phase through out the heating process, giving it a number of spins.
Good point!! I don’t know how I forgot to mention that. Appropriate beaker size/shape makes a huge difference.
I love these ..
Both the 250 mL and 500 mL work just fine with the MiniPro.
Actually…that was the brand I used to use…..but was going broke (hehehe) with as many of them that I cracked. Switched to the other brand…which cost a couple bucks more….and have yet to crack one.
Also…. on the brand I linked….the bottom is much flatter, which gives the top heavy MiniPro a more stable platform when operating.
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@emma1985 I have the dynamic minipro and i bought that exact beaker because I saw someone in another thread say that the minipro fits perfectly in the beaker, but the beaker is too narrow for the machine. are you using the standard attachment that it comes with?
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domicanica said:@emma1985 I have the dynamic minipro and i bought that exact beaker because I saw someone in another thread say that the minipro fits perfectly in the beaker, but the beaker is too narrow for the machine. are you using the standard attachment that it comes with?
I have used the regular attachment that it comes with many times with that beaker. Try rotating the MiniPro slightly, it only fits at a certain “angle.” Try rotating and inserting until it fits.
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emma1985 said:domicanica said:@emma1985 I have the dynamic minipro and i bought that exact beaker because I saw someone in another thread say that the minipro fits perfectly in the beaker, but the beaker is too narrow for the machine. are you using the standard attachment that it comes with?
I have used the regular attachment that it comes with many times with that beaker. Try rotating the MiniPro slightly, it only fits at a certain “angle.” Try rotating and inserting until it fits.
This is so strange, I’m not getting it to fit at all. And the width of the beaker is about the width of the end piece of the attachment as well. Maybe something is off with the beaker, I don’t know…
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If you’re able to splurge, I would recommend an IKA or Silverson homogenizer for two very important reasons. #1- RPM speed control. The speed/duration/temperature of homogenization affects the final outcome. I would prefer for you to have more control and know the exact RPM you’re using, etc. If you’re building a manufacturing protocol, knowing the exact RPM is important (i.e. mix phase A at 1500 RPM for 5 min at 65C). But for DIY or when you’re trying to be economical, this is OK. #2- Cleanliness. The IKA and Silverson instruments completely disassemble, so you’re able to clean every nook and crannie. Its amazing how much product is hiding inside my IKA when I think its clean. But if you do a good job with the reference you shared here, should be OK.
These are just my preferences. They in no way mean its better or cleaner, just a preference. What you have here is OK.
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HI there is there a link where you can buy the mini pro homogenizer in Australia?
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