please convince me, I'm just not sure!!!

[not yet sure]

Hi, I think i really want a TM but I'm not too sure about the price and I have a few questions.
We've two kids under 2, my husband is a full time uni student and I'm a stay at home so it really is quite an investment. Is it really worth the money?
I also wonder how tricky it is to make something that would normally require multiple steps and saucepans in the one machine (pasta with a sauce etc) and whether it gets hot enough.
I'm also wondering if it's possible to make a stir fry equivalent dish in the TM?
Obviously it's not possible to cook a piece of meat in it either?
I'd appreciate some input! 
Thanks,
Bek

[judydawn]

Hi 'not yet sure', welcome to the forum.  In answer to your questions, yes it is worth the money and I so rarely use my stove top these days that I have almost forgotten which drawer the pans are in. If you browse our main recipe section you will see where there are complete recipes which include the meat, fish, sausages or poultry, vegies and sauce all cooking at once. Yes you can do stirfries too. Meatballs can be steaming whilst the sauce is cooking underneath and I have done a salted pork recipe in the varoma which was a 1.5kg piece of pork loin.  You can do stews, curries, salads, soups, custards, ice-cream, sorbet, mayonnaise and other dressings,cocktails, biscuits, cakes, cheesecakes, stewed fruit, jams, chutneys .....it that enough to convince you that you will use your machine often    So my advice to you is to check out all the main recipes first on here and if that alone doesn't convince you it is worthwhile, then nothing will except perhaps to see a demo. I bought my machine mainly for the main meals but am now making my own bread & rolls, butter, scones (was hopeless before) and all of the above mentioned items.  You will get many positive replies from our forum members but feel free to ask as many questions as you need to convince you to go ahead and order this wonderful machine. Your family will love you for it.

[cottchick]

The way I see it - its a bit like getting a magimix if you have only had a knife and chopping board so far. It makes life a lot easier but it isn't a necessity. Personally I absolutely LOVE my thermomix. No it doesn't do a stirfry, but you can do a fair bit of the chopping for a stirfry in it. You can also cook the most perfect rice in it to have with your stirfry.

It is particularly good for those with young kids as you really and truly do make very healthy things from scratch like pasta sauce, tomato sauce, mayo, nutella (if you are not watching weight as I am!), peanut butter, custard, etc.

If your kids eat soup and risotto its worth the cost just for these two things, it is just so easy. I do still make my bolognaise sauce on the stove top but this is simply because I make massive quantities of it and freeze. Even so the thermomix does all the chopping for me and it take me no time to get it going. I also put in heaps more veges than I used to because it so easy to have the thermy chop them for me.

Do you know anyone who has one? What I have done with a friend who wasn't sure is offer her mine for a week to play with and see what she thinks. Even if you had a day with one you would be able to get a fair idea of whether its your thing or not.

Yes they are mighty expensive though. I had saved up the money out of my shopping money over several months to put towards a trip to Bali and I just postponed Bali a couple of months, bought a thermy, then saved up for Bali again! If you are living on the bones of your ar*e financially it might be prudent to save the cash in total rather than go on a plan, simply because there could be big unexpected bills in the months to come that you're unable to get on top of due to the paying off of the thermomix. Would it be possible to recruit grandparents to the cause and ask for money towards it for Christmas?

Running around after two little ones, its great to be able to throw on a pasta or risotto or casserole and let the machine do the cooking and stirring. I have youngish kids (14 - 4) and I never go and check on it and so far so good (apart from the soup I 'cooked' without turning any heat on ). It means I can set the timer then by the time its done I have hung out a load of washing and completely cleaned the kitchen. That convenience was worth every cent of the $2000 for me.

Just my two cents!

Oh and I suspect it won't be too long before you're going to have to re-join this forum with a different name because you're a devoted Thermomix user and lover... it really is quite a remarkable machine.

[quirkycooking]

I actually use it for stir fries all the time    They never burn (which I used to do all the time in the wok) and because the heat is relatively low (up to 114 degrees if you use Varoma, I think) you end up with a juicier result, which I prefer, because it's so nice over rice - more flavour.

Here's a post on my blog that might help convince you   It shows what my menu looks like for that week, how often I used the tmx on an average day (and what I used it for), how it helps with cooking for large groups, etc...  I have four kids, so I make larger amounts than you would, but it will give you an idea.

You might also like to have a look at Zan's blog - it's a diary of what she uses her tmx for each day.  She has three kids.

[Thermo-baby]

Hi there!  At first I was also unsure like you, especially about the price, but after having my own demo my hubby and I were sold!!  I ordered mine on the night and it was delivered to me last Saturday.  Over the weekend I cooked pumpkin soup (which my 9 year old declared the best she has ever tasted!), vegetable stock (out of the book you get with the Thermomix), mango icecream (courtesy of a recipe from my consultant) and last night for dinner I made a chicken and avocado fettucine (from a recipe on the forum).  I can see myself using it daily and the best part is that you make everything from scratch so you know EVERY ingredient in that dish!  People say to me "why would you want to make icing suger in the TM when you can just buy it"? but the thing is that I don't have to buy it now!  I make it myself and I know there are no additives or bleaches in it.  Honestly, I totally love my TM and it is so easy to use.  In fact, this week I am cooking every dinner meal in it just to get used to it.  While I concede it can't cook a steak like you can on the BBQ, it can pretty much do everything else!  Good luck with your decision. Kristy  

[cookie1]

Hi not sure yet. This is a good place to ask lots of questions. Of course we all love our machines.  I can understand your hesitance in spending so much money, I felt the same. Do you have things like a rice cooker, blender and mixer?
The TMX would be very handy in that you could have things cooking and stirring when you are busy with the children. It is very easy to make things quickly, almost on demand.
I now make all our bread, icecream and sauces. I am at home and have the time to do this.
The varoma will cook meat for you but not like a roast. It will steam meat while you have vegies cooking in the bowl and varoma. Then it is very easy to make a sauce with the steaming liquid.
Cakes and biscuits can be made from scratch and the children get no nasties.
Please keep asking questions until you feel you can make your yes or no clear to yourself.

[not yet sure]

Thankyou for your time and posts! My husband has just sat over my shoulder reading them all and he is sold (he was sold when I first mentioned it - I'm a big cook and he wants me to keep it up!!! ), so we are having a demo on Friday night and are inviting friends who are also interested. I'm still a bit nervous though that I won't be able to cook what I normally cook but as for everything else - I can't wait! We've explored the blogs too and they were great (I'm also from FNQ!!) I'll let you know how things go after Friday!

Thankyou again 

Bek

[quirkycooking]

Yay, FNQ rules    Where are you, Bek?  I'm on the Atherton Tablelands    Might see you at a cooking class!

[johnro]

Hi, notsureyet and welcome to the TMX world.  There have been many queries answered in the above posts of which I agree whole heartedly, this machine is nothing but an asset in the kitchen and the most wonderful timesaver. At the conclusion of the first demo where I saw the machine, I left with the notion that it was a fabulous machine but being the 'queen of kitchen appliances' I could not justify another - that is until I researched further!!!!  After being an owner for 5 months I would not be without the little wonder and I too consider myself someone who lives to cook (we entertain regularly). 
This forum is the next best thing to your machine, the experienced members can provide answers to any queries (as you have already discovered). Hoping that your demo goes well on Fri.

Cheers

Robyn   

[Merlin]

My husband has just told me off (jokingly) for the amount  of money we just spent on our kitchen reno when I rarely use the stove. I find the thermie much better with the warmer weather as the kitchen doesn't heat up nearly as much as with conventional cooking and washing up is a breeze!!! I wouldn't give up my thermie for anything in the world, except my adorable kids, of course!!

[johnro]

I am with you there Merlin - we have not as yet felt the usual force of summer heat in CQ, but all the rain is keeping the humidity incredibly high so I don't need to add any further warmth so the TMX is great. I also love being free to socialise when we have guests instead of stirring over the stove. 

[Nik2WIN]

I'm still a bit nervous though that I won't be able to cook what I normally cook but as for everything else - I can't wait!

Bek  I'm sure you'll be able to cook what you normally cook but you'll also have lots of new things to add to your repertoire.  You'll be able to make your own bread and mayonnaise etc.  I have 3 boys aged 2 - 8 and I can now make them steamed puddings (never had the nerve before, even though I have a kitchen full of gadgets!), macaroni cheese in an instant with no standing over stirring, tonight we're having risotto with the absolute minimum of fuss.

I've only had mine a month or so, so my shopping bills are influenced by Christmas food and presents too but I'm sure that in the New Year I'll notice a dramatic drop in my shopping bill because we're buying so few convenience things (I'm making jam, chocolate spread, and dulce de leche ...)

Nik

[Merlin]

I was spending $150-$200 per week on food for the four of us before thermie arrived. Now I am using up stuff in the pantry and just buy staples so I think my average spend would be around $80-$100 per week. Obviously with Xmas, spending will go up but if you are doing Xmas at your place I think you are still saving money with the thermie by making everything from scratch ie brandy custard, dips, sorbets, marinades etc. I can honestly say that my thermie is the best kitchen appliance I have  ever bought and trust me, I have a few, including my gorgeous engine red kitchen aid mixer which rarely gets a look in on the kitchen bench these days.

[Chelsea (Thermie Groupie)]

Yes I would also say it has been worth every cent.  For so many of us $2000 is just a massive amount of money, but you really do get an amazing machine that is built to last.  I really love cooking now and enjoy the healthier, preservative free food that I can make for us.  We haven't saved any money with our groceries, but have converted to organic food (something we could never have afforded before).  I make our organic bread for less than $2 a loaf and the only organic bread I can buy locally (a smaller loaf) is over $7 a loaf!  If you can afford to save your pennies go for it!!! 

[zebraa]

Worth absolutely every cent. Cheap for what it does frankly.