Hi, Ive been looking at thermomix and it doesn't look that bad.
Any ozb uses it? how's your experience and would you recommend it?
Is there any cheaper alternative similar to thermomix TM6?
Is Thermomix TM6 Worth It? Any Cheaper Alternative?
Ljohn smith123 on 05/04/2021 - 14:34
Comments
Got a tm6 at full price.
If you wait for next gen you can typically hustle a good deal. My friend got tm5 with a nice discount after tm6 released.
If you're not a kitchen whiz, it really comes in handy and walks you through the recipes (Assuming you have cookidoo subscription).
Main con is its sometimes quite annoying to clean.
Our TM31 is over 10 years old and still going strong, gets used multiple times a day, 2 bowls is useful. Worth it for best mashed potatoe you’ve ever had and the choc chip cookies lol.
My wife is a great cook so don’t think it’s for people that aren’t, cleaning is easy.so don’t think it’s for people that aren’t,
i thought that was the point of them?
For some people who don’t enjoy cooking, the automated and Cookidoo functions really help to make cooking much more enjoyable. For those who love to cook, it can be an extra set of hands that makes life easier, as well as make it possible to do things that would have been more difficult previously.
The best thing to do is go to a demonstration and see if it’s really what you want. Find out who in your friends has one and see what they think.
thanks
I love my TM5 so much that I bought the TM6 too. Seriously adore it. I know some people don’t get it, even after they have one. However, they’re brilliant. You can go and buy the cheaper version (around $200 or so) from Aldi or Target, or I saw a really cheap version ($129) at a post office yesterday. It can be a starter version, and if you’re happy with it, you can be satisfied that you got a bargain. However, there is no competitor that is as fully complete as the real one.
Cookidoo is only available on the device using a Cookkey on the TM5 (which is difficult to find unless you buy a second hand TM5 with the Cookkey) or integrated on the TM6. Otherwise you can use it on an iPad or iPhone and follow along with the recipe manually. However, the Thermomix can be used without these recipes with ease. It’s just that if you think you’d like them, Cookidoo is a brilliant add-on for $49 per year, giving you access to loads of recipes.
As an Ozbargainer, it might seem very expensive, but you can save money by buying simple ingredients and making food with ease. I only buy the cheap flour and raw sugar and I can turn the sugar into caster sugar or icing sugar if necessary. I truly believe it keeps our weekly food bill down considerably as we don’t buy packaged foods.
I have owned two Thermomixes. The first one I bought without my husband knowing how much it would cost. Unfortunately it only lasted seven years and I wasn’t happy. I used it all the time. I did get a quote to fix it and it was $700. Apparently tiny cockroaches were attracted to the electrical current if not unplugged.
Then my husband nagged me every month - when was I going to get a new one. I learnt that every month the company has a special. It could be a thermometer or some cookware but once a year, the special is an extra bowl for a heavily discounted price. This is when I bought my new one. I ordered it on the first day of the special and the offer was sold out within ten days. If you cook a lot, the extra bowl is very handy.
I don’t find cleaning it a chore. Put water in and some detergent, and then turn it on. Most food remains come off and only a light scrub is needed (if at all).
I work with someone who bought a second hand one from a person who had upgraded. This was a good idea as she isn’t really into cooking. Don’t buy one thinking it will turn you into a cook. The challenge can be you may not get the support of a consultant to get you started. YouTube has some videos.
Thermomix will always provide a consultant to you even if you have not purchased it new - they want you to love it, so you can think about upgrading, and buying more stuff from their shop (which I get sucked into doing quite happily on a regular basis). There are tons of people who are ready to help you and lots of Facebook groups as well to help you get the most out of a Thermomix, or even a cheaper alternative.
I used my thermomix heaps when I had kids at home that needed lunchbox food, but not so much now.
Male here. It's not just chicks that buy these things.
You'll have tonnes of people who have the older model replying about how good they are, or how they don't use them anymore.
Your mileage WILL vary. Your lifestyle will determine the use you get from it. A demo is the best way to see how they work and the benefits.
On Comparison: We just got the TM6. To be honest I've seen the Aldi el-cheapo ones and compared the alternative brands on the Choice website.
We settled on getting the TM6 and have zero regrets. (yes, it's damn expensive but it's worlds apart from the TM5 with Guided Cooking. Yes. Cookidoo is a subscription, but it's bugger all, like ~$40 a year. The alternative is a free website (with a larger range of community-submitted recipes but without step-by-step on-screen instruction.
Suggestion: make sure you get a good demonstrator as they'll be the one who will guide you through making your first stock and who will give you handy hints to get value from the machine. We managed to get some accessories at a cheaper price due to hosting a party and she was helpful in finding value for us.
I'd stick with the TM6 rather than settling for an older model or the cheaper alternatives. I wouldn't have made as much use of an el-cheapo one and I'd be kicking myself as there are things mine does that the older ones don't do.
I don't expect a model change any time soon, but if you're ok with waiting a year or so, you might find yourself avoiding obsolescence.
Good luck.Regarding a newer model, I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you, unless you're going to save for one for a reaaally long time. They used to put out a new model once every 10 years. That's right. 10. Years. They've advanced the schedule a bit with the TM6, granted, but technology is moving so fast. But with the built-in wifi and update-ability they're adding new cooking methods and tweaks all the time now. So personally I wouldn't expect a new one to come out for at least another 3 years, if that. Aside from the obvious touch screen and wifi, the TM6 isn't much different from the TM5, so I can't imagine what they would change any time soon.
There was a post last year that might help you, had a poll too!
https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/541826We have had a TM31 for many years, probably about 8. I love it and it gets used daily. I don't love cooking so I appreciate how easy it makes things that I would otherwise bother cooking at all. I recently purchased another second hand TM31 really cheaply as it needed repairs. The repairs cost about $160 including the postage there and back and it now works perfectly.
I haven't used either of the newer models so I can't comment on those but I do love the TM31. The machine is a work horse and there is lots less to go wrong with them than with the newer ones. I would recommend buying one second hand, preferably with a second bowl and giving it a go. The recipe community is a great free resource for recipes.
Second hand TM5 or TM31