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I use my blender all the time, especially for smoothies, sauces, and quick dips. It’s one of those appliances that feels like it can handle just about anything, so it’s easy to get a little too confident with it.

But not everything belongs in a blender. Some foods can damage the blades, others won’t blend the way you expect, and a few can actually be unsafe. Knowing what to avoid makes a big difference in how your blender performs and how your food turns out.

Here are some foods you should never put in a blender, even though people do it all the time.

Dough

Blenders aren’t designed for mixing dough. The shape and speed make it hard to combine ingredients evenly, and you can easily overwork them in the process.

Coffee Beans

While it’s possible to blend coffee beans, the results are uneven and can affect the flavor. It can also wear down the blades over time, so a grinder is a better option.

Very Hot Liquids

Blending hot liquids can build up pressure inside the container from steam. This can cause the lid to pop off or the contents to splatter, which is both messy and dangerous. It’s always better to let liquids cool slightly or use an immersion blender instead.

Potatoes

Potatoes don’t handle high-speed blending well. The blades release too much starch, which turns them into a gluey, sticky mixture instead of something smooth and fluffy.

Very Hard or Large Frozen Fruit

Frozen fruit is great for smoothies, but extremely hard or large chunks can strain or damage the blender. Letting them sit out for a few minutes or cutting them into smaller pieces makes a big difference.

Meat

Blending meat changes the texture in a way that most people don’t want. It tends to turn into a paste, which works for very specific uses but not for most recipes.

Bones

Even small bones can damage the blades or jam the blender. Larger ones can crack the container or completely ruin the appliance.

Nuts

Hard nuts can dull the blades or turn into a thick, uneven paste. If you do plan to blend them, soaking them first helps, but they still aren’t ideal for every blender.

Raw High-Fiber Vegetables

Vegetables like celery, broccoli, and cauliflower can turn stringy or mushy when blended raw. Cooking them first usually gives you a smoother and more usable result.

Whole Spices

Whole spices are too hard and small for a blender to handle properly. They won’t grind evenly and can damage the blades, so a spice grinder works much better.