Buying a thermomix without the sales pitch?

[johnder]

So lets say, hypothetically of course, one had $800 bucks to spend on a Thermomix, does anyone have any ideas of how to obtain one without the requisite in-house demo?

I looked on ebay, for uh, my friend , who, uh was interested in purchasing this, but couldn't find any.

I have to post this for my friend, because if my friends wife found out about this, I would, I mean he would be dead.

[nathanm]

I called a number I found online for the US. They wanted to give the demo, I said no, just send it to me and ultimately they relented....

[johnder]

I called a number I found online for the US.  They wanted to give the demo, I said no, just send it to me and ultimately they relented....

←

Sweet. I always heard they won't budge on the demo. Good to hear otherwise. I will be sure to relay this information to my friend.

[ermintrude]

Step 1 – Ignore the “Your Friend” bit.

Well I'm in the UK and bought a Thermomix from www.ukthermomix.com but choose to have a home demo. However they will sell you one without a demo (It’s £750 here or around $1300)

However to get the best out of a Thermomix the demo is worthwhile (it will cost you the same whatever) from my experience in the UK they will tailor the demo to you (I didn't want to make bread, wanted to make this, how do you do that etc).

I bought one BUT there was no recipe book. However I was sent (several times) Thermomix recipes and if I hit a problem there was email support. I would say I used it (after 8 months) about 3 or 4 times a week but my partner zero. However after the recipe book I now use it about the same (but do more with it – and we cook 50/50) and my partner has now started using it.

I've not seen the TM21 recipe book but from various forums and so on, it was c**p. While I thought the Thermomix was brilliant at doing many things I didn’t make full use of it. But a few weeks ago they sent me the new UK recipe book and the techniques in here made a whole new set of ways to use the thing.

I'm the sort of person who generally takes a recipe as a launching point and takes it from their (based on what ingredients I have to hand) or sticks to it rigidly (e.g. don’t change the proportions of sodium alginate or gunk city).

Why are you objecting to a demo – you might learn something - and it will cost you the same without one. If you know how to use a Thermomix then just tell them that and I’m sure they will sell you one.

For home use if you have not encountered a Thermomix before and (even if you see the demo) make sure you will be sent the latest recipe book (the new UK one is excellent to show you what you can do).

Step 2 - Your “friend” could try one of these options:-

a) Have a demo at home and invite some friends.

My partners reaction was “YOU ARE NOT SPENDING THAT ON A MIXER” But 2/3 way through the demo it had changed to 'you have to buy one'.

If you’re buying it for home use it can save so much time. I did a 4 course meal the other day. The Thermomix was involved extensively in 3 of them (Truffle oil and maple syrup ice cream with Avruga caviar was the favourite) but even gravy - the thing can emulsify brilliantly - would make it worthy.

b) Arrange the demo at a friends.

This is preferred by Thermomix demonstrators, the more people who are there the more who may buy. Get a friend to have a Thermomix party and invite others (or just you) around and but.

BUT if people ask “How did you make that” and you show them the Thermomix and they want one and ask “How much” you’re “friend” is going to have to digging a hole.

c) Be really sneaky

Has your friend got a Birthday/Christmas coming up. You could “Buy” him one – OK you may not want to spend $800 but if they gave you $750 towards it……….and you’d been round to the demo at their place before.

Anyway, all I can say is my Thermomix is brilliant, it’s not changed my life but it has made me make much more varied food under time pressure and also things I could never make without it. E.g. to make a risotto for an evening meal after work perfect – for while truffle risotto never in a million years. Making parmesan sorbet at home – very difficult \with a Thermomix easy.

Finally as I raved I must state the only connection I have with Thermomix or their UK division is as a customer.

[jackal10]

I think they are much over rated. I had one, admittedly an early model and eventually gave it away.

It did not do anything particularly well. OK it made hollandaise, but I can do that better with a pan and a spoon.

[nathanm]

I was very optimistic when I bought the Thermomix. I am less thrilled now because some of the things that I hoped it could do, it is less than perfect at doing. For example, you can heat while you blend, but the heating is not very accurate so it is hard to use to heat something precisely - like creme anglais.

Yes, you can do creme anglais in a thermomix, but whereas I had hoped you could set it and just let it run and not watch it until it beeped, the fact is that you need to monitor the temperature carefully and stand over it. Even if you set the temperature at 180F, it will easily overrun to 190F, or be too low at 170F.

That said, it is a very good blender. Very high speed, very solid construction... If you compare it to a very solid commercial blender like VitaMix, I think it comes out very well. And the heating is useful for some things. I miss being able to watch things blend through a a clear container, but the stainless steel is very sturdy and is easy to clean.

The lid is NOT easy to clean - it has a web of struts on the underside of the lid which can't be cleaned or scraped with a spatula.

Cooks Illustrated (I think) just rated blenders and they found thermomix was the best at all of their tasks - however they did not fully test it because they thought it was too expensive. Which is the truth - it IS expensive.

So, I have it and I use it. With a more accurate temperature sensor and temperature control system it would be much more useful to me.

[Robert Jueneman]

Nathan, based on the date of that post, I assume that you have the older TM21 model -- the one that is pictured in MC.

See for my calibration run of the TM31. It still isn't great, but this isn't sous vide -- what level of accuracy is really required for creme anglais, for example?

[dougal]

...

Well I'm in the UK and bought a Thermomix from ...

I was very optimistic when I bought the Thermomix. I am less thrilled now because some of the things that I hoped it could do, it is less than perfect at doing. For example, you can heat while you blend, but the heating is not very accurate so it is hard to use to heat something precisely ... if you set the temperature at 180F, it will easily overrun to 190F, or be too low at 170F. ...

Nathan, based on the date of that post, I assume that you have the older TM21 model -- the one that is pictured in MC. ...

Isn't there quite a difference between models?

I have the impression that older models offered much less controllability.

eg this 2200 on eBay UK - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VORWERK-THERMOMIX-2200-BLENDER-SMOOTHIE-MAKER-VITAMIX-/300578647092?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Kitchen_Juicers_Blenders_Smoothie_Makers&hash=item45fbe22c34

Just as with "the FoodSaver", it would be so much more helpful if people could give Thermomix model references!

[Marlene]

I was able to buy one without the sales pitch, thanks to a good friend. But I haven't tried it yet. I hauled it across the country to the cottage and have yet to fire it up. I've read the manual but it's confusing to me. I should get it out this week and try something.

[Anna N]

. . . .

Isn't there quite a difference between models?

I have the impression that older models offered much less controllability.

eg this 2200 on eBay UK - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VORWERK-THERMOMIX-2200-BLENDER-SMOOTHIE-MAKER-VITAMIX-/300578647092?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Kitchen_Juicers_Blenders_Smoothie_Makers&hash=item45fbe22c34

Just as with "the FoodSaver", it would be so much more helpful if people could give Thermomix model references!

Yes, there is a huge difference between the TM 21 and the TM 31. I have the 21 and it doesn't do nearly as well at grinding things as does the 31 (which is the one Kerry Beal has and which I am currently using). It doesn't have a "reverse" so that can be very limiting. The design of the 21 is more blender like in that the blade sits in a depression where things tend to get caught. The 31 has a flat bottom with no depression. Nevertheless I make bread dough in the 21 on an almost daily basis at home and find it very satsifactory.

[ermintrude]

Mine was a TM31

[andiesenji]

I'm in the U.S. so my only option was buying the machine from Canada without a demo but I had seen one in action and I also spent a long time watching YouTube videos and read everything I could find on the subject, reviewing several sites with extensive recipes lists.

I don't use it as much as many folks do because I have a plethora of other appliances but for some applications it does a superior job so I do use it for those procedures that used to require more time and effort on my part.

I have recommended it to a few people with unique needs who have purchased it (also without demos) and have found it to be a great solution to the problem of a tiny kitchen (galley on a boat in one instance) living full time in a motorhome, and living in a senior facility where the only cooking appliances allowed in the individual units are those without an exposed heat element.

(Microwaves are okay, rice cookers are okay, hot plates are NOT.)

Being able to cook nutritious meals with fresh vegetables and fruits is a huge boon to people who don't want to live on prepared/frozen/instant foods and don't want to have to take all their meals in the center's cafeteria.

Forumthermomix has an impressive list of recipes in every category and more are being added every day.

There is also a section for the TM21.

If there is ANY question you need to have answered about Thermomix, ask it there and you will get the answers you need - and then some.