Is the Thermomix really worth the buzz (and the hefty price tag)?

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Priced at a staggering $1,500, the thermomix.com/tm6/">Thermomix TM6 has a lot to prove. Haven't heard of the Thermomix? That might be because you live in the U.S., one of the few places where Thermomix hasn’t yet gained widespread popularity. This premium kitchen gadget has been designed and sold by the German company Vorwerk since 1971, earning a prestigious spot in restaurants and homes across Europe, including Portugal, Italy (where it's called a Bimby), and Australia. Thermomix first made its way to the U.S. in 2015.

What exactly is a Thermomix? It's hard to sum up in just 20 words. Imagine a next-gen blender that also sautés, steams, stirs, grinds, cooks a flawless soft-boiled egg, ferments yogurt, and kneads dough for a perfect loaf of sourdough bread.

In contrast to the incredibly popular (and much cheaper) Instant Pot, which is all about quick one-pot dishes, the Thermomix serves as an extra set of skilled hands for both novice and experienced chefs. thermomix-tm6/">Joe Ray of Wired called the Thermomix "the robotic version of your personal sous chef."

So, what does this really mean? We decided to find out more by scheduling a virtual product demo with Lynette MacDonald, a corporate education and culinary development manager with Thermomix USA.

A Large, Stylish Blender with a Touchscreen

She began by showing us the Thermomix's appearance and the contents of the box. The device features a sleek white base measuring approximately 13 inches by 13 inches (33 centimeters by 33 centimeters) and weighs 17.5 pounds (7.95 kilograms). It occupies about the same amount of counter space as a large Instant Pot or Air Fryer.

The base houses the "mixing bowl," which is what Thermomix calls its 2.3-quart (2.2-liter) stainless steel blender pitcher. But here's where the Thermomix stands apart from other premium blenders. The bottom of the mixing bowl contains a heating element that maintains a consistent temperature from 100°F to 320°F (37.7°C to 160°C) in 1-degree increments. The mixing bowl and base also serve as a built-in scale, allowing you to weigh ingredients with an accuracy of 0.1 ounce (3 grams) as you add them.

The blender blade spins in both directions. One side is sharp for chopping and pureeing, while the other is blunt for stirring. There's also a "butterfly" stirring attachment that whips up stiff egg whites, whipped cream, and other light, airy mixtures.

Additionally, there are various baskets and steaming trays that fit inside or sit on top of the mixing bowl. There's a rice-cooking basket that quickly steams rice and grains instead of boiling them. The largest attachment is the -quart (3.3-liter) "Varoma" (a blend of "vapor" and "aroma"), which transforms the Thermomix into a large, stackable steamer capable of cooking an entire meal’s worth of vegetables and protein simultaneously.

A major plus is that every part of the Thermomix is dishwasher safe.

A standout feature of the Thermomix is its 6.8-inch (17-centimeter) touchscreen. Along with a simple, clickable dial, this is how you control the machine. With built-in Wi-Fi, it’s also your gateway to Thermomix’s extensive library of over 60,000 recipes.

The goal of the touchscreen is to incorporate as much functionality as possible into the Thermomix, eliminating the need to consult recipes on your phone or computer. However, even the most advanced "smart" appliances have their detractors.

"I’m not a fan of using a small touchscreen while cooking," says Walton Holcomb, a barista and founder of the coffee website Brew Smartly. He purchased a Thermomix with the help of some generous birthday money. "It may seem like a minor issue, but it feels more significant with such a high-priced item."

Thermomix Functions and Settings

MacDonald from Thermomix USA explains that the Thermomix TM6 is "22 essential appliances in one," and this might only be a slight exaggeration. The Thermomix can effortlessly replace a blender, food processor, stand mixer, grinder, slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, steamer, and more. If you already own some of these gadgets, you might be able to free up some counter space by eliminating them—or you might decide you don’t need a device with so many features.

The newest model carries over all of the classic Thermomix functions like mixing, steaming, blending, weighing, stirring, grinding, whisking, emulsifying, simmering, kneading, cooking, and chopping.

In addition to these tried-and-true functions, the TM6 brings a range of exciting new features, such as:

MacDonald particularly loves the new "egg boiler" setting, which can be programmed to prepare eggs from soft-boiled to hard-boiled and everything in between.

Some professional chefs use a Thermomix exclusively for making delicate sauces like hollandaise, which require a lot of attention. MacDonald explains that the Thermomix blade continuously measures the torque of a thickening sauce and alerts when it reaches the perfect consistency.

During the virtual product demonstration, one moment stood out, showcasing the Thermomix's unique abilities. MacDonald offered to demonstrate how to make focaccia dough using the machine.

Instead of using pre-packaged whole wheat flour, she chose to grind her own. She added whole wheat kernels to the mixing bowl and blended them at full speed for about five seconds. Upon opening the lid, she revealed freshly ground whole wheat flour, to which she added the remaining ingredients (white flour, yeast, salt, olive oil, water), activated the "knead" function, and quickly produced a soft ball of focaccia dough, ready for rising and baking.

A major highlight of the Thermomix is its Wi-Fi connectivity to Cookidoo, an online recipe platform. While the name may sound quirky, Cookidoo is an invaluable resource to explore all that this advanced machine can do. MacDonald mentions that there are 63,000 recipes on Cookidoo, developed and tested over 50 years for Thermomix users worldwide.

This brings us back to the integrated scale feature. In the U.S., many aren't used to cooking by weight, but the Thermomix makes it simple. Instead of pre-measuring ingredients, you can just toss in items like broccoli, chicken stock, flour, fish filets, salt, oil, etc., and the Thermomix will notify you when to stop.

This leads to what Thermomix calls "guided cooking." Select a recipe from Cookidoo and follow the steps on the built-in screen. The Thermomix will automatically adjust the temperature or stirring speed as you add each ingredient, ensuring precise measurements and perfect results.

"It teaches you how to cook if you're a beginner, and if you're already experienced, it's an amazing assistant," says MacDonald.

It's worth noting that access to Cookidoo requires an annual subscription, which some may find frustrating after already investing a significant amount in the appliance.

Is It Really Worth $1,500?

That's a valid question. The Instant Pot Ace is also a "blender that cooks" and costs under $100. However, in Ray's review for Wired, he says comparing the Ace to the Thermomix is "like comparing a Yugo to a Tesla. It's a big investment, but you'll have it for years and prepare countless delicious meals," Ray wrote.

Walton Holcomb is satisfied with his purchase, but he's not sure everyone should splurge on such an extravagant device. "I'm not sure who it's really meant for—people who already have everything and want to downsize, or those who have very little but somehow have $1,500 to spare?"

In the end, most reviewers who've tested it praise the device, but whether you think it's worth the price likely depends on your cooking skills (perhaps the Thermomix will inspire you to be more adventurous in the kitchen), and naturally, how much you're willing to spend.

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