thermomix- to buy or not to buy?

Just something else to cart around I reckon.

My wife has wanted one for some time. But she scoffed at the price. Now she says she'll never get one.
A review by an owner I read after googling it say the advantages are "marginal"

Everyone decides on different set ups with power and cooking needs. We survive comfortably on 12v no inverter but if you want one, can afford one and you'll take a Genny anyway then your decision is an easier one.

Kind of takes some magic away from a journey though???

The missus bought the model about 3 months before the current model came out. Used it heaps initially, and now only use it occasionally (who saw that coming). I wouldn't bother to be honest. They are good but only worth the coin if you were using 3 or 4 times a week regularly.

Herself .. the domestic goddess reckons they're a waste of her bloody money. Quite a lot of money in fact. Saw one in use at a friend's place and decided they're not much more than a glorified set of scales linked to food processor linked to a cooker linked a recipe book. However she did concede they would be excellent for the time poor or those poor souls who are challenged in the culinary skills department.

I know absolutely nothing about cooking but are an expert on eating :)

A local shop that specialises in cakes , slices and sweets, jams, chutneys etc and also supply the local restaurants told me she has two of them and thinks they are fabulous

If the proof is in the pudding I can only agree with her.

Stepdaughter won one last month in a shopping centre raffle. She has several friends who all rave about their Thermomixes.
However, SD is one for careful consideration - and she enjoys cooking and all the homemaking stuff that goes with it.
She reckons she has doubts that she'll actually use it to the extent that her friends do.

All her friends with Thermomixes are time-poor, work long hours, have multiple kids, and they just "set and forget" their Thermomix meals, and they're ready at mealtime with no further effort. They claim the meals come out tops.

However, SD is now considering selling her new unused Thermomix, because she believes it is not a machine that suits her, or her lifestyle.
She works FIFO at Moomba and has all her meals supplied in camp, and she has 2 weeks off every time she comes home, to play in the kitchen to her hearts content.

As far as using a Thermomix when travelling, I would consider that the length of time needed to prepare a meal in one, might be a downside in many instances.

I guess if you're parked up somewhere, and want to get away all day, sightseeing and doing things, then have a meal waiting when you get back, then perhaps a Thermomix is the answer for you.

The exploding Thermomix problem was only caused by inappropriate use of the units, coupled with an original seal design that had deficiencies.
I understand that a new design of seal, and better instructions on how to use the Thermomix, are part and parcel of the current models.

Cheers, Ron.

I have not bothered with one but I know several who have. The only one who really uses it after a few months is someone with very weak hands (arthritis) who bought one and got rid of all her other mixers etc. Everyone else found it just like most elaborate kitchen gadgets - OK so long as the novelty lasted but soon virtually stopped using it. If you generally know how to cook it seems to me you can do just as well with a decent cookbook, a medium food processor, a hand held mixer and a couple of decent saucepans for much less money and more versatility. Thermomixes also take up a lot of space on a bench. Lynne

My wife loves cooking and has one.

She thinks it is the best thing in the kitchen. It would be the last left in the kitchen if we had a clean out.

It's not for camping though IMHO. They are noisy bloody things too.

Get a demo, that's how they sell them. You'll know from the demo if it's for you or not.

I would certainly follow up on the current problems thermomix are having regarding the pots exploding, I'm fairly sure there is now a class action being formed in regard to this.

Hi Carolyn,
I read on FB just a few days ago about someone who loved using their Thermomix in their caravan when travelling with kids. Here's a copy of what she said - I kept it for reference as I was intrigued myself, but sorry don't ask me where I found it exactly. I'd never find it again on FB... sorry.

Quote: "We have had ours in the caravan for the last 2 years of our trip & it gets used almost daily. Today she has made pizza dough for tonights dinner, has made mandarin & cranberry muffins, she will later make salted caramel protein balls & prep other ingredients for pizza eg grating cheese & shredding ham.
Thermie is useful if the stove is full at dinner time by steaming our vegies or cooking rice or making sauces.
On hot days the kids love making fruit sorbet in it which is much healthier for them than store bought ice blocks (much cheaper for me too)." End Quote

Other things I've read, is also that if you don't use the heat setting you can run it off an inverter as its just quick bursts to chop/blend. That would be the same as me - I used to always use a stick blender when I had young kids to cook for, puree vegies etc.

I've also read that there is a travel bag you can buy or get the bag that the consultants use if you can. I also hear the new model is on 24 months interest free.

People who use it camping say you must use a generator or be on mains power to use the heat/cooking function but the big winner is the low cost and ease of making bread when remote and away from fresh bread supplies.

I don't have one but have watched the craze with bemused interest. I keep an open mind to gadgets but so far haven't seen the need for one in my lifestyle so I don't speak from experience as an owner.

Let us know if you get one and if you do, please post your recipes and photos into the ExplorOz recipe section! Good luck.