Thermomix Review

UPDATED AUGUST 2009

i get sooooo many hits from people looking for a Thermomix review, plus i have friends who were asking, so i guess i should write one ;)

First up, the Thermomix is $1939 here in Australia, so it IS a lot of money and i feel very lucky to have one! obviously it is not something that everyone can afford, but if it might be possible (they even do payment plans for you ;)) and you're interested you should really try to attend a demonstration - there is nothing like seeing it in action! no matter how much you hear about how great it is, until you see it you can't really appreciate it. *

So, how often do I use my tmx? generally at least once a day for breakfast. on work days geoff often uses it to cook a whole meal in it too. on days off and weekends i will use it multiple times a day to make breakfast or dinner as well as baking all sorts of sweet things. (i need to try some savories soon, i haven't done many!) today i must have used it about 10 times!!
updated: now that i'm not working i tend to use it minimum 3 times a day - i'm trying to make as much from scratch as possible :)

what do i use it for?

• breakfast porridge with fruit
• making apple sauce to sub into cakes etc to lower the sugar & fat content
• making cakes and slices in minutes
• biscuits such as anzacs
• preparation work - cutting vegies small enough so the kids can't pick them out lol
• making bread - mostly the TM31 bread which is made with whole wheat, but knowing that i can make bread like that from bakers delight / brumbies, for a fraction of the price including foccacia & pullaparts
• chopping garlic and ginger - it takes seconds to chop enough to last for a few weeks (seriously, i just chopped a whole bulb in 2 seconds)
• custard - geoff makes this all the time and the kids love it - it has minimal sugar and no colours, preservatives or other nasties
• meals prepared and cooked in it - including pastas, curries, mexican, soups, risottos and so on
• i have tried making butter in it which was very easy, though i had trouble trying to make an 'easy spread' version (only because i was too scared to add too much oil and thus kept not adding enough lol)
• icecreams and sorbets for summer - all fresh fruit and you know exactly what has gone into it
• it's also great for mixing, as long as you don't overfill it like i do lol
• making dips is a breeze
• making my own spice mixes and blends - hav eyou ever looked at the 'extra' ingredients (preservatives, anti caking agents etc) that spice blends have in them?? :-|
• chopping nuts in seconds - i always have almond meal ready to go in my pantry now as it just takes seconds to do
• making gluten free food (including bread) at a fraction of the cost you can get it in the shops
  

Does it really clean itself? well, yes and no. after making anything it is definitely a great idea to let it wash itself - even though it still needs a bit more of a 'real' wash after mostly foods, it cuts washing up time down by probably 1/5th to just a few minutes most of the time (i don't pull mine apart every time). after something simple such as a sorbet you could let it wash itself, and if you are making similar things straight after each other it would be fine to let it wash itself too.
UPDATE: i was not washing it properly! if you fill the thermomix with warm water until just over the blade and do 5-20 seconds on speed 8 your thermomix will be clean, even with sticky stuff like porridge! (maybe a few bits to scrub off, but not much). i'm definitely much happier with how it washes itself now :)

anything i don't like about it? other than the price, nothing too major. i wish under the blade was a little easier to clean under. i wish it got to a hotter temperature quicker, i don't much like "frying" things like bacon or spices in it. i wish it was bigger! (i love to cook in bulk so i have leftovers!). i wish there was better after sales service (maybe there is with other sellers?). i wish the recipe book was easier to use both physically and with the content of the recipes! and that there were more books available. UPDATE: the recipe book format has been changed so that the book is a better design and the recipes read better. many of them have been tested and rewritten. there are more books available now, and with a dedicated recipe tester more in the pipeline!

so what do i think of it all up? i LOVE it! i think everyone should own one lol i haven't ever regretted getting it in the slightest.

* if anyone knows anywhere free online where i could edit movies from my digital camera i would love to make some movies of how i use my tmx and put them on youtube :)

i forgot to say - if you are in canberra and are interested in seeing the tmx in action i am having a demo next saturday evening :) just let me know if you would like to come, for catering purposes. (i don't get any reward from anyone turning up, or any sales on the night or after. i'm actually hosting so a friend can see :))

UPDATE: I am now a Thermomix demonstrator so if you'd like a demo in the Canberra area please let me know :) if you're elsewhere in Australia and would like to buy without a demo I can do that for you, or I can put you in touch with someone who can come and give you a demo :)