Thermomix

[JoNorvelleWalker]

8 hours ago, BetD said:

I got an email this morning that the TM5 is now going to be sold in the US, which, of course, got me to looking into them again.

 

 

I didn't need to know this.  Sigh.

[andiesenji]

I no longer use mine all that much so am thinking of selling it.  

Of course I first have to find the box (I always save boxes) and gather the various cookbooks I bought (and never used).

I've had a lot of fun with it and found it very useful for making butter rapidly but I have other means and for some of the things I want to make, it does not have the capacity I want.

 

I got it in November 2009 but I never used it like the eager folks in Australia use theirs.  

 

[gfweb]

I just waded through all the promotional superlatives on their website and still have a hard time understanding what the Thermomix actually does. Stirs and heats?

[Kerry Beal]

Stirs and heats, weighs and kneads, can go slow and fast, can pulverize better than a blender - I understand the new one is in 1º C increments instead of 10 which would be useful.  

[EnriqueB]

27 minutes ago, gfweb said:

I just waded through all the promotional superlatives on their website and still have a hard time understanding what the Thermomix actually does. Stirs and heats?

 

Weight, stir/blend, and heat, that's it.

 

Weighting just makes using it and following recipes easier.

 

Blending: it is one of the most powerful blenders on the market, likely better than the Vitamix, Blendtec etc. and you can regulate the speed at will. For stirring, it moves the blades counter-clockwise so that no cutting is done and the food is gently stirred. You can also use it to knead or whip eggs or cream. As a blender, it is likely the best you can find, as a kneader or beater it is somehow behind machines like the kitchenaid.

 

Heating, allows you to set the temperature in 10ºC increments (the old model, not sure about the new one). Good but not very exact, it tends to fluctuate about 5/10º C around the target temperature (old model).

 

Also has an accessory that you put on top of the glass and allows you to use the steam produced by the liquid in the glass to cook some proteins or vegetables.

 

I find it is a machine that excels in any blending task and in preparations where simultaneous controlled heating and stirring/blending is required, such as some sauces (e.g. béchamel, tomato) and desserts (e.g. crème anglaise). And for many other preparations it is likely not the absolute best tool, but makes quite a good job with low effort, making it globally a good multi-purpose machine. Recipes are easy to replicate due to the fixed geometry and parameters, integrated weighting and heat control, thus a very good machine for novices or to simplify preparation of many meals. Expert cooks, on the other hand, are more likely to use it mainly for the things it excels in.

 

 

[Kerry Beal]

Well put Enrique!

 

It also excels at making ganache - you put all the ingredients in there - set to 50C - run for a few minutes at low speed until most but not all the chocolate is melted - turn off heat - crank up to speed 7 or so for 30 - 60 seconds and you have perfectly emulsified ganache.

[Smithy]

By "weigh" do y'all mean that you can throw things into individual hoppers and it will meter out the exact amount?  Or do you mean that it has an integrated scale?

[Kerry Beal]

Integrated scale.

[Okanagancook]

Well, for the price I'm out.  I have a Vitamix and I'm totally happy with the job it does.  Can't imagine needing anything blended finer that what the Vitamix does.  I have a multi-task oriented Professional model Kitchen-aid so have the kneading capacity with that.  I have a sous vide rig so if I need temperature control I have that.  I don't make chocolate which I can see the Thermomix would be an awesome piece of equipment.  And I don't bake all that much either.  And I don't see the cooking fun in dumping all your ingredients into a machine and pushing a button. 

However, if one had limited kitchen space and wanted one appliance this would be worth considering even at the price.  Now that the Canadian dollar is so low the price is likely up around $3000.  Yikes.

[BetD]

This is all such great feedback... for the amount of money involved, I would hope to see the amount of love and devotion garnered by the Instant Pot!  Very helpful, thanks!

 

[rotuts]

"""    I would hope to see the amount of love and devotion garnered by the Instant Pot ""

 

if the price were in line with the IP and the CSB

 

there would be a lot of swooning here Id bet.

[btbyrd]

On 1/14/2016 at 7:37 AM, EnriqueB said:

Blending: it is one of the most powerful blenders on the market, likely better than the Vitamix, Blendtec etc.

 

I'm not sure this is true, given that the motor on the Thermomix is rated at 500W with a max blade speed of 10,000 RPM. All the reviews I've heard from those who have used both is that the Thermomix isn't quite as powerful or efficient as the Vitamix (or other ultra-powerful blenders), but that it works much better than cheaper consumer blenders. Kenji Lopez-Alt's remarks on the Thermomix in the comments of his high-end blender review pretty much capture the feedback I've seen:

 

"I owned both a Thermomix and a Vitamix for many years and compared them side by side. As far as pure blending power goes, the Thermomix doesn't compare. It has far too wide a base to blend efficiently. That said, as an all-in-one chopper/cooker/blender/scale appliance, it can't be beat. It doesn't beat any item individually, but for a small kitchen it's ideal."

 

It seems like a great item for a small space or if you're working in a commercial setting and have specific tasks that you could hand over to the Thermomix. But I'm not convinced that it offers a value to most home cooks that makes up for its price.

[MSRadell]

I keep reading various articles about the Thermomix and really can't see the usefulness of it for most homes. Unless you do a lot of chocolate work there are other devices that are just as effective for much less money. I certainly agree with BT on the blending issue, both the Vitamix and the other ultra powerful blunders are much better suited for that use!

[btbyrd]

So do we have word on the price point for the new model in the US? I recall the older one being somewhere around $1800. A lot of the earlier comments in this thread were about what sorts of equipment you could buy instead of a Thermomix; now that the market has changed significantly, you can get a lot more for your buck: A high-powered blender for $350, a circulator for $200, a chamber vac for $525, an Instant Pot for $120, a digital scale accurate to 1g for $20, a 5 quart Kitchenaid for $275, and a 14-cup Cuisinart food processor for $250. I'd much rather have all that than a Thermomix. For my purposes, these machines would outperform the all-in-one machine and let me do much, much more.

 

And you don't have to buy any of it from a demonstrator. Does that sales model bother anyone else?

[gfweb]

 

1 hour ago, btbyrd said:

And you don't have to buy any of it from a demonstrator. Does that sales model bother anyone else?

 

It bothers me. At the very least its a PITA.

[BetD]

The cost info that they sent me follows:

COST:

The Thermomix TM5 is $1,299 USD.  For non-California residents there is no tax.

 

SHIPPING:

Shipping to your home is included at no cost to you.  It will ship from Dallas and arrives quickly in just a few days from the date of your order.  (Price includes free shipping to all mainland United States plus Alaska and Hawaii.  Shipping to U.S. territories such as Guam, Puerto Rico, etc., is not included.  Please contact order desk for an estimate.) 

I 

[rotuts]

BTW :  Im sure those who have the Thermo  love it.

 

Im guessing its a very valuable item in restaurants.  of the higher caliber.

 

one of my favorite shows is Great British Menu.

 

3 significant regional chefs  from around the GB's and N. Ireland  ' compete ' for a week  [ed.: in the mildest sense of the word ] : starter, fish, meat , dessert and

 

and then are judged buy three people who know what they are doing

 

the goal :  to get a dish at The Banquet, which varies from year to year.

 

many of the Chefs use the Thermo  for mixing, etc   but it seems to shine for custards and components for ice cream etc.

 

however, they also have a PacoJet and a Blast Freezer.

 

 

[rotuts]

""""   The Thermomix TM5 is $1,299 USD. "'

 

Id like that ref.

 

that's a littlke bit less than 3, 000 USD

 

Sooooo ThermoX   

 

if that price is correct  ................

 

 

[Anna N]

33 minutes ago, BetD said:

The cost info that they sent me follows:

COST:

The Thermomix TM5 is $1,299 USD.  For non-California residents there is no tax.

 

SHIPPING:

Shipping to your home is included at no cost to you.  It will ship from Dallas and arrives quickly in just a few days from the date of your order.  (Price includes free shipping to all mainland United States plus Alaska and Hawaii.  Shipping to U.S. territories such as Guam, Puerto Rico, etc., is not included.  Please contact order desk for an estimate.) 

I 

 

So this suggests that the home demo requirement has been dropped. Yes?

Edited January 17, 2016 by lesliec
Removed duplicate quote at member's request (log)

[rotuts]

"""   the home demo requirement has been dropped. Yes? ""

 

pls elaborate

 

I have no idea what this is

[Anna N]

Just now, rotuts said:

"""   the home demo requirement has been dropped. Yes? ""

 

pls elaborate

 

I have no idea what this is

The Thermomix was sold like Tupperware at home parties. 

[rotuts]

wow

 

Chips and Dip ?

 

Im especially keen

 

being a Student of So Many Markets

 

as to why they may or may have not changed their Biz model

 

so Chime in, Students !

 

BTW  In not so keen on little scenes showing me what to do.

 

that's not the End,  nor the Beginning of the End, just the End.

 

ran out of steam.

Edited January 17, 2016 by rotuts (log)

[BetD]

My best guess is that it is a big country and they don't have the sales force in place... But I have, upon ocasion, been known to be wrong. Canada is also a very large country. I would not be at all comfortable with that sales model, and am not entirely comfy with even the thought that I would have to call someone to discuss the purchase, which is the case here. No option to just buy online.

[Deryn]

I gather most TMXs are sold via a 'party' system (and that is certainly a 'popular' way to go in Australia and I am sure other places) but I bought mine by calling the Canadian office in Quebec City and ordering it directly. I had already done a lot of online research (including watching videos of demos). The eastern Canada dealer didn't seem to mind me ordering directly - although I am sure I would have been welcome at a party if I had wanted to go that route. I was told I was welcome to call other local customers and ask them (or the main office) any questions, etc. should I want to - and to drop into their Montreal showroom for a demo or other related info any time, but they didn't press me to attend any party.

 

It would not surprise me if dealers would allow direct ordering in the US as well if you ask. Perhaps these days a gadget that fills a whole roster of kitchen needs is not as surprising a thing as it was even just a few years ago so maybe 'parties' are not as necessary now, even for a machine with a substantial price point.

 

The company has though traditionally felt that the machine sells itself much better if all its main features are demonstrated live especially when most people have never heard of anything like it and it isn't a cheap machine. They also offer layaway type financing plans I believe if you attend a party down under. Not sure if they do the same elsewhere. 

 

I think the price point for the US market sounds pretty darned reasonable to be honest (I paid $1600 CAD plus tax and shipping for my TMX31 way back when), especially if the temp hold is upgraded in this newer version. It is, as far as I know, still a very well built 'system' and should hold up for decades of daily use.

 

I still love mine and use it pretty regularly despite all the other gadgets I have these days with some functions that do overlap a bit. For me, the TMX still has its place on my counter. It gets a LOT more use than my Vitamix for instance.

[EnriqueB]

On ‎16‎/‎01‎/‎2016 at 0:50 AM, btbyrd said:

 

I'm not sure this is true, given that the motor on the Thermomix is rated at 500W with a max blade speed of 10,000 RPM. All the reviews I've heard from those who have used both is that the Thermomix isn't quite as powerful or efficient as the Vitamix (or other ultra-powerful blenders), but that it works much better than cheaper consumer blenders. Kenji Lopez-Alt's remarks on the Thermomix in the comments of his high-end blender review pretty much capture the feedback I've seen:

 

"I owned both a Thermomix and a Vitamix for many years and compared them side by side. As far as pure blending power goes, the Thermomix doesn't compare. It has far too wide a base to blend efficiently. That said, as an all-in-one chopper/cooker/blender/scale appliance, it can't be beat. It doesn't beat any item individually, but for a small kitchen it's ideal."

 

It seems like a great item for a small space or if you're working in a commercial setting and have specific tasks that you could hand over to the Thermomix. But I'm not convinced that it offers a value to most home cooks that makes up for its price.

 

Nice to know. I've never had a chance to compare them side by side but always thought TMX was a better blender.

 

As a side note, FWIW, I should say that here in Spain most high-end restaurants have TMX in their kitchens, and they are constantly used.