Same space issue, Jon!

As for my criticising, a couple of years ago I spent hours looking at reviews of soup makers with a view to buying one. None of the ones that came in at anything like an affordable price (for me anyway) cut the mustard in terms of soup quality, texture and convenience, so I gave up on the idea. If your priority is flavour and texture they are never going to live up to what you can produce yourself. There's more to good soup than just chucking everything in at once and mushing it all up. Also, I like to make soup in advance and eat it next day, which improves its flavour no end. So, unless I left it the soup machine I'd have to dirty a pan anyway! I have enough white elephants in the house without adding a soup maker to their ranks! Only my opinion!

Oh, and I enjoy cooking...