Vorwerk Thermomix Kitchen Robot

[featherlight 1,368]

So my neighbour wants to flog me something that is going to change my life - it is a kitchen robot, i.e. does it all - mixes, cuts, slices, dices, steams, boils, freezes, kneads, whips, you name it, it does it. You turn into supercook over night without lifting a finger. A bargain at only 950 Euros plus accessories plus cook books with adapted recipes... she has yet to do a demonstration because I am trying to work out how a kitchen instrument can possibly cost that much. Just cannot get my stingey head around that small concept. So, is it me or is it the world around me?

 

Does anyone have one of these? Did it transform your life?

 

How many people would be willing to spend that amount of money for such a toy?

[engelchen 13,041]

They are really great and I really want one. However, I can't justify the expense as I already own most of the kitchen appliances it can replace.

 

If you cook often it might be worth it. For example, it is also probably cheaper (and healthier) to buy it than babyfood. And it can make the best homemade ice cream in minutes. :rolleyes:

[Guest]

Have you seen some of the videos that are online?

http://www.google.co.uk/#hl=en&q=Vorwerk+Thermomix&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=748l748l0l953l1l1l0l0l0l0l44l44l1l1l0&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbo=u&tbm=vid&source=og&sa=N&tab=wv&ei=TyspT9GIM4W3hQfXmaigBQ&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=7f40ff6882b84a1d&biw=1680&bih=965

 

1000euro is expensive specially if they bring out a better one next year

[westvan 9,706]

Meh. Way too expensive for what it is and I prefer to have individual appliances/machines to do that stuff (plus the fact that I will never buy anything from Vorwerk after an unfortunate incident with one of their obnoxious vacuum cleaner salesmen). *However*, a couple of people my husband works with have recently bought one and apparently think it's the bees knees, so who knows.

 

This forum (I use it for crockpot recipes) has a lot of information on the various Thermomix models and their use. Wunderkessel - Fragen zum Thermomix

[Bipa 5,814]

My German SIL loves to buy expensive kitchen gadgets. I recall she bought something similar to what you're describing about 3 years ago. The love affair lasted perhaps half a year. Now she uses it mostly when baking to mix batter. Most of the time it just sits there gathering dust with the rest of her various expensive toys.

 

Guess if someone is really into doing lots of cooking and baking then it might be worth it. On the other hand, like all multi-function gadgets if it breaks down then you're stuck. Sometimes it is better to have several specialised tools.

 

For me it would be a complete waste of money. On the other hand, I've been hankering after a full-size North American fridge/freezer combo for quite a while now. But first I have to knock out a wall and make some space for it in my kitchen.

[liebling 1,487]

A friend has one and uses it all the time. Never ceases to sing its praises, either. Am glad for her and honestly it's quite a neat machine for all it can do, but like Bipa and others I feel it would be a waste of money for me. I am loyal to my Kitchen Aid mixer for batters and doughs and enjoy using my Braun Stabmixer for blending soups right in the pot. Most of the other features of the Vorwerk (beyond powerful mixing) I would be unlikely to get much use out of. I am not keen to learn a new way of cooking the foods I already prepare; at this point I know how to prepare them with the oven, stove, mixer, etc. and like to try new recipes without having to adapt them to the Vorwerk (or to draw only on Vorwerk recipes, which is what my friend seems to do). Plus, as Bipa said, sometimes it is better to have several specialized tools so that you can e.g. use one even if the other has to be sent in for repairs, and/or so that two cooks (or even one cook) can use different tools simultaneously to prepare different things, or whatever. (I know the Thermomix can cook different things simultaneously, layered in different levels on the top, but I don't think it can cook a fondue or whip cream at the same time that it kneads bread dough -- if it can, I'm sure it requires more pre-planning than I'm willing to invest.

[osmachar 324]

Waste of money in my opinion although i do know some people who rave about their Thermomix.

 

Don't think you can do anything in the Thermomix you can't do with ordinary kitchen tools. But then again I often even whip cream by hand...maybe i'm a bit too old fashined.

 

Same goes for the Kitchen Aid. Love the looks and wouldn't mind one to make my kitchen look pretty but it's faaaar too expensive for what it can do. My £10 hand mixer does the same and takes up less space.

[tor 17,437]

my cousin has had one for several years and uses it all the time.

[poohsan 2,486]

the *man* versions of these are freaking great

 

http://www.shopsmith.com/markvsite/

http://www.smithy.com/supershop

[featherlight 1,368]

Well thanks for these replies... indeed I am sure it is magic - would have to be at the price. And that is just my problem. I mean HOW does it cost just under 1K? Why does it have to cost that much money? Is it platinum plated or something? Do their distributors get paid 300 Euro every time they flog one? This is really what I am trying to get my head around. OK they had to invent it and set up manufacturing tools - but can that justify the price? Really I am mystified. I don't want to buy something that is worth a couple of hundred if the rest of my money is going straight into someone's back pocket. At the end of the day it seems to be a kettle with a knife in the bottom perched on a base with some electronics inside... still trying to do the maths.

 

Westvan, it sounds like you have an interesting story to tell about obnoxious sales men (Vorwerk used to call on me regularly when I was still in Munich but I never let them in)... care to share?

[Lorelei 1,881]

"Featuring a gearless motor with an unlimited life expectancy"

http://www.thermomix.com.au/01-productprofile.html

 

Does this mean it will last forever or that you just have to keep hoping that it will last?

 

It seems to be a glorified chopper and mixer, activities that you already have hands for, free of charge. Though 1000 euros might be worth it if you often want to chop/mix/mince large quantities of food and if the machine is going to live forever.

 

On the other hand, even if it stops working it could still be a nice vanity item to show off to friends!

 

Thermomix forum

[Bipa 5,814]

I already have a glorified chopper and mixer... though I'm not sure my husband would like to be called a nice vanity item. ;)

[Guest]

 

Kitchen Slave - Anybody got one?

You called?

[madgibson 246]

Mine divorced me

 

EDIT: My friend has one of these Thermomix things - she was raving about it. Has all her mates round to try out the different meals it has made! Load of EURs though!

[poppet 4,010]

 

Wunderkessel - Fragen zum Thermomix

 

Last time you posted that link on the slow cooker thread I followed it up for the recipes. Not looking at the heading it took me ages to work our what 'TM' meant in almost every post.

 

My comments to Vorwerk - we have carpeting from them, great, especially good at not absorbing liquid.

 

We have a central vacuum cleaner system built in. While evaluating the various products, Vorwerk came up. Cost about DM5000. We made an appointment and the guy had gone out, leaving his wife to perform the demo. She hardly even knew how to switch the thing on, much less answer questions. We ended up with a Canadian Vacu-flow.

 

To the question of Thermomix. I'm sure it is wonderful but extremely pricey. I have machines that do all those things. If this Thermomix does everything for me, what do I do if it needs repair? Same arguement stopped me buying an all-in-one printer/scanner/copier for years.

[Italianmum 12]

If any of you is interested in a thermomix, I would be more than happy to show you how great this is and how life becomes easier, expecially if you are a full time working person, not a great cook but still like to have people over for dinner or feed your family in a nice and healthy way...with a bit of creativity.

 

PM me if you are in Munich and wants a demonstration or partecipate to one evening cooking session!

 

ItMum

[Lensman 858]

Yesterday I made Portuguese meat bread, Czech Hovezi Gulas, Ice cream, strawberry daquiris and strawberry Rhubarb pie. The first four with the Thermomix, the last old school. Most of my time was spent washing the dishes the pie generated, and while the Gulas was on, I played poker with my friends, smoked a fat cigar, and rocked my best hat. I also won at poker, cuz I had that extra smidgen of Thermomix awesomeness required to put me over the top, as I alternated between strawberry daquiris, fat cigars, and royal flushes (the last two decidedly not made in the thermomix). My guests/victims quailed before the power of my Thermomaxness, despite the unfortunate incident last month with the actual quail and the thermomix.

 

One guy said that the Thermomix was the "maserati of kitchen appliances." I said "Fuck that, it's the Bugatti Veyron of Kitchen appliances!," bitchslapped him, sang a paean to Mars, threw down my two pairs, and took his mo&§erf$%kin' money!

 

After which we made more Daquiris, as we had run out.

 

So yeah, it is expensive, but totally worth it. And this from one of those Academics who is indifferent to küchenstolz

[mr. Rent 0]

I have one also here in Munich, and people just don't seem to understand what time this thing saves. There is a whole community with thousands of recipes. A good plus for the THERMOMIX is that it has a built in scale, so you just push a button and it tells you the weight immediately so you can put in one ingriedient after the other! With something like a kitchen aid, you need to measure all before and use different bowls or measuring cups (maybe one for oil, one for flour etc..) so here you only need one. If anyone is interested in it, let me know. Alll fresh and tastes great!!

[Snowblack23 0]

I have also one in Moers, n i m really satisfy to use that everyday!! Just those people who has no idea how it works, might think that it's expensive... However, when you know the machine more, you will be impressed how money-saving it can be. Especially now, they are having a great offer!

 

If any of you is intesrested in a thermomix, It would be my pleasure to share you about my experience of thermomix and how life becomes easier, expecially if you are concerning time n money saving, enjoyed to have quality of meal like in the restaurant at home.

 

PM me if you are in moers, düsseldorf etc. and wants a demonstration or partecipate to one evening cooking session!

[quietlaugh 670]

I'd say, yes its wonderful, its great it saves time etc etc... I lived with one for a time (not mine)

However, since I almost never do one receipe after the other I would need 3 of them working concurently to make the work my good old fashionned handblender/dicing + mixing robot + cooktop combination (+ good old fashioned scale).

 

Since I've been separated from my thermomix I have not regretted it once.

 

So I guess for me the 300€ I spent for my entire kitchen robot collection was much much better than a 1k appliance.

 

Plus I hate it that friends and neighbourg constantly want to sell me one. If I was to invest I would choose the Kups version which does the same and I can readily find in shops, just to spite them... But its just me...