Product Review Thermomix Bellini Thermochef

Have you been caught up in all the Thermomix, Thermochef, Bellini hype going on?  It seems everywhere I look lately someone is wishing they had one, is getting one, or is cooking up a storm with one.  If you have not heard about them they’re an electrical kitchen appliance that can cook, blend, chop, cut, steam, mix and kneed all in one.  They’re the ultimate one pot cooking machine.  They claim that you can rid your cupboards of all your other similar appliances for just this one machine.

One of the most raved about characteristics of theses appliances is the ability to place all your ingredients into the machine and walk away.  The appliance will stir your pot while it cooks.  If you are someone who cooks from scratch and is interested in clean eating then one of these appliances can do many things for you.  You can make your own flour from whole wheat, nuts, seeds or coconut.  Make your own icing sugar , coconut, almond or rice milk all from whole ingredients.  They also make sorbets and great pumpkin soup.  I have to say I love these machines and if you don’t have one or are thinking of getting one then sit back because I’ve used all three of them and I’m going to tell you what I think of each of them.

Product Review Thermomix Bellini Thermochef

The Bellini

I have owned two types of these machines over the past 3 years and have certainly not regretted my purchases.  I started off with the Bellini.  It is available Australia wide from Target for around $270-$400 depending on specials.  It is the least expensive of the three.  I originally chose it because we did not have a Thermomix consultant where I lived and I was really not sure I would use it enough to warrant paying the price the other two were asking.  The Bellini worked well for me and came with the same accessories that the other two come with.  The two main negatives I have about the Bellini are that I found that I could not cook things using the 100 degree temperature setting as the base would burn, and the blade shaft did start to corrode from being washed in the dishwasher.  Both of these negatives are easily overcome.  The Bellini has a blunt and a sharp blade attachment so you need to insert the correct blade type before use.  The Thermomix and Thermochef only have the one blade set.

Overall the Bellini was a fantastic introduction to this thermo way of cooking.  I found a great facebook page called Bellini Addicts with tonnes of recipes and support for using the Bellini and converting over recipes.  I would definitely recommend the Bellini to anyone who would like to try out the thermo way of cooking but who are hesitant to spend more than $400 on a kitchen appliance.  I know many who love the Bellini and have had no problems.  I also know plenty who have had breakdowns, but have only heard good reports of Bellini being very helpful with repairs and replacements.

The Thermomix

My experience with a Thermomix came when I had a flood forced stay with a friend who owned a Thermomix.  Together for 3 and a bit weeks we whipped up a storm with it.  The Thermomix is the deluxe model of these three machines.  Thermomix has recently released a new model the TM5, I have not had any experience with this model but have had plenty with its predecessor the TM31.  The price of a Thermomix is just under $2,000 and is the most expensive of the three.  It is only available through a Thermomix consultant, who will bring the machine to your house once you purchase it and show you how to use it.  I have found the TM31 to be a dream to use and I have heard only good things about the TM5 as well.

I love the dial operation on the front of the machine over the dial on the Bellini and touch screen on the Thermochef.  All removable parts can be washed in the dishwasher and I love the inbuilt scales that work in the jugs resting place.  The seal in the lid is easily removed and cleaned….something that is really lacking in the Bellini.  The Bellini has a very thick seal and lid with many indents……..making it hard to scrape food from.  The Thermomix only has one blade, however the unit has a reverse action which is used when a blunt blade is needed.  I would have no hesitation in recommending the purchase a Thermomix if you can afford one, the only draw back is the price.  In my opinion it is the best of the three.

The Thermochef

Finally the Thermochef, this is what I presently own.  Due to a silly move on my part I broke my Bellini and with still no Thermomix consultant in my area I chose to buy a Thermochef.  They are available through various kitchen retailers and online and range from $525 to $750 depending on where you purchase from.  I purchased mine online from TVSN so that I could take advantage of the 30 day money back guarantee if I did not like it.  The thing that I love the most about the Thermochef is the basket and steamer are stainless steel and not plastic like the other two machines.  This is the main reason beside price and availability as to why I chose it over the Thermomix.

The jug and blades cannot be washed in the dishwasher like the other two.  I thought this would really annoy me, but I have found that it forces me to wash it immediately after each use. I’m not then hunting for it in the dishwasher, something I used to do regularly with the Bellini.  The lid is much easier to scrape out than the Bellini but it does take some getting used to.  It can be quite difficult to click into place until you master it.  I am not a real fan of the touch button screen as I think this will break over time and the binging noise it makes each time you touch a button gets a bit annoying.  I also do not like that the scales for the unit are not situated where the jug rests. This means having to remove the jug from its resting place to add more ingredients that need to be weighted.  Having said that these negatives do not annoy me to the value of $1,400.  If my Thermochef broke down tomorrow and I could afford a Thermomix I would definitely buy one……….but if I couldn’t I would replace it with another Thermochef.  I have found Thermomix and Thermochef recipes to be interchangeable whereas Bellini recipes require converting to that particular machine, but once you have the hang of this it is easy to do.

My Recommendations

If you are new to this way of cooking and would love to give it ago but are hesitant at spending more than $400 on a kitchen appliance then I recommend that you try the Bellini.  I know many who have started off with this machine to see if they actually will use it everyday and have upgraded to a Thermochef or Thermomix.  If you value cooking with stainless steel over plastic then I would recommend the Thermochef.  If budget is of no concern to you then I would recommend that you go with the Thermomix.

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