With its hefty price tag of more than $2600, adding a Thermomix to your kitchen collection is a significant investment so it's important to weigh up all your options before you buy.

Is a genuine Thermomix really worth splashing the cash on? Are you going to use it every day and really get your money's worth, or is it another of those appliances that is going to sit at the back of your cupboard gathering dust?

To find out how the TM6 and newer TM7 performed in our testing, you can view both models side-by-side in our all-in-one kitchen machines review.

On this page:

• What is an all-in-one kitchen machine?
• What can the Thermomix TM7 do?
• How did the Thermomix TM7 perform in our labs?
• Is the Thermomix TM7 safe to use?
• Thermomix TM7 vs Thermomix TM6
• Reasons to buy a Thermomix 
• Reasons to avoid a Thermomix

What is an all-in-one kitchen machine?

The Thermomix TM7 is the latest model, available to buy for $2649. Image credit: Vorwerk.

All-in-one machines, like the Thermomix and competitors such as the Magimix Cook Expert, combine multiple features such as slow-cooking, food processing, steaming and mixing, letting you make thousands of different recipes from homemade bread and curries to pasta sauces, stock pastes, yoghurt, ice cream and nut butters.

"All-in-one appliances combine several appliances into one, which can free up precious cupboard and bench space," says CHOICE home economist Fiona Mair.

The new Thermomix TM7 promises several new features and enhancements such as expanded cooking functions and an improved user interface. It has a compact design (similar to that of the TM6), taking up only slightly more surface area than an A4-sized sheet.

"This style of appliance is great for people who are just starting out setting up their kitchen or for keen cooks who want to get rid of multiple appliances in favour of just one," says Fiona.

Our CHOICE home experts have tested the latest Thermomix model, the TM7, in the CHOICE kitchen labs as part of our review of all-in-one machines.

The TM7 costs $2649. The price includes the base, mixing bowl with mixing knife and insulation cover, lid and lid cover, spatula, simmering basket and Varoma steaming attachment, three months free access to the Cookidoo 3.0 subscription as well as ongoing support from your Thermomix consultant.

Other all-in-one machines we tested range from budget brands such as the Kogan ThermoBlend, $299, and the Aldi Stirling Thermo Cooker (which have since been discontinued) up to higher-priced models such as the Magimix Cook Expert, $2499, and the Thermomix TM6, $2579. Here we'll tell you how the Thermomix TM7 compares.

What can the Thermomix TM7 do?

The Thermomix TM7 does the job of more than 20 appliances, allowing you to chop, beat, blend, whip, weigh, mill, knead, mince and more. You can use it to whip up everything from banana bread and scones to butter chicken, pumpkin soup, pizza dough or mashed potato – the recipe possibilities run into the many thousands.

The TM7's Wi-Fi connectivity gives you access to over 100,000 guided recipes from all over the world via the touchscreen.

Features of the Thermomix TM7: 

• There are 18 modes including sous vide, blending, slow cooking and fermenting for making things such as yoghurt, dough and cheese. There are also 10 manual speeds plus gentle stir and reverse stir as well as five pre-clean cycles to choose from.
• 2.2L stainless steel mixing bowl housed in pleated black heat-insulated cover so it stays cool-to-touch.
• 10-inch touchscreen cooking display with Wi-Fi connectivity.
• 200 recipes to download, from the cookbook Manifesto, plus over 100,000 recipes to search via the Cookidoo online recipe library/app – a free three-month subscription is included with your purchase and costs $89 per year after that. You must be registered to the Cookidoo account to access the full recipe.
• Open cooking mode, where you can cook with the lid off, similar to cooking on a cooktop.
• Redesigned Varoma basket (steaming container) which claims to have 45% more capacity.
• Integrated scales up to 3kg.
• Magnetic lid locking mechanism (in comparison to the mechanical arms of the TM6).
• 24-month warranty plus service centres available.
• Ability to use step-by-step guided cooking, pre-set recipes or manual cooking.

What makes the Thermomix different from other all-in-one machines?

CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair notes that the features that stand out to her as differentiating the Thermomix from other cheaper models are its general performance, and its pre-programmed recipes via Wi-Fi connectivity that gives you access to a huge database of step-by-step cooking guides and recipes.

"When it comes to all-in-one appliances, you get what you pay for," she says.

"Cheaper all-in-one appliance brands such as Aldi's Stirling Thermo Cooker have limited instructions and recipe guides as compared with the more expensive brands, which can be an issue if you've never used an all-in-one appliance before.

The Thermomix is designed to help you whip up a dizzying array of dishes, including soups and stews.

How did the Thermomix TM7 perform in our labs?

To test the TM7, Fiona and Chantelle performed more than a dozen tasks such as whisking egg whites, melting chocolate, grinding and milling, steaming, kneading dough, chopping vegetables, sauteeing, making mashed potato and more. They also carried out additional tests on the TM7 like cooking white rice, boiling eggs, sous vide salmon and processing kale, however, these results don't form part of the overall score.

The TM7 was pretty impressive across the range of our performance tests. Fiona was particularly impressed with the 'Open Lid' cooking mode, a new addition to the TM7. She says, "being able to view the food while it's cooking gives better control and this open lid mode is perfect for reducing sauces or searing vegetables and meats."

"There have also been improvements to the mixing bowl design on the TM7", says Fiona. "The insulated removable cover remains cool-to-touch, and while it makes the jug slightly heavier than the TM6, it significantly reduces the risk of burns and makes the appliance safer to use."

With the TM7, you can also opt for manual cooking and don't have to follow the recipes provided. However, Fiona says, "I recommend following the guided recipes initially to develop a better understanding of how the Thermomix works, which will give more confidence when cooking manually."

Fiona and Chantelle also made some other notable observations:

• With the TM6, you were able to view into the jug through the lid. However, this isn't the case with the TM7 as the lid has no viewing capability into the jug. Instead, you'll need to press pause on the digital display, wait for the lid to unlock (if you're using a speed over 2) and then lift the lid off to check inside.
• You can search through the Cookidoo app while a function is in process.
• When following a recipe on the Cookidoo app, once the correct ingredient weight has been added to the bowl, the inbuilt scale will detect this and automatically tick off the ingredient. Keep in mind, it can't differentiate between similar ingredients like flour and sugar.
• The lid of the TM6 had a removable chute for adding wet and dry ingredients during cooking, however, the TM7 has no open chute on the lid, only small vent holes to feed through liquid only and allow steam to escape. You'll need to pause and take off the lid to add any dry ingredients.
• After many attempts following the TM7 meringue recipe, it failed to stabilise and form stiff peaks resulting in a borderline performance score.
• Chopping vegetables in the TM7 can easily result in over-chopped and mushy vegetables. This is because there is no pulse function in the TM7, as well as no viewing capability into the jug through the lid.
• Sauteeing and searing in the Thermomix may need to be done in batches to ensure even browning. It can cause foods to bake-on at the bottom of the bowl.
• Care needs to be taken when using the soft spatula as it can become damaged when scraping around the blade.
• The larger capacity of the Varoma steaming basket can fit foods like a whole fish or chicken and plenty of dumplings, but it can be bulky and if you don't want to leave it sitting on top of the bowl, you'll need space to store it.
• Foods can heat through friction when mixing at speeds higher than 4 for an extended period of time. Adding frozen fruits or ice to smoothies will help to avoid them becoming warm.
• There is a slide mechanism on the exterior to release the bowl which is easy to use requiring minimal hand strength.

Is the Thermomix TM7 easy to use and clean?

The large touch control screen on the TM7 is very intuitive and easy to follow, providing step-by-step instructions for each recipe.

Fiona was impressed by the responsiveness of the screen. "Even with greasy or wet hands the screen remained responsive to touch."

The lid locking and unlocking mechanism is also much quicker to respond than that of the TM6 and gives audible feedback.

The unit is generally easy to wipe clean, and while all parts are dishwasher safe, we'd recommend against putting the blade in the dishwasher. The lid has many crevices which can be difficult to clean and when cleaning the bowl you may need to separate the cover from the bowl to clean thoroughly.

The rubber lid and seals can also hold onto strong food smells, so cleaning with bicarb soda might be needed to remove odours.

Is the Thermomix TM7 safe to use?

When the TM7 was launched in Berlin, product demonstrations showed that previous safety issues had been addressed and fixed in the new model.

After putting it through its paces, Fiona can confirm, "significant improvements have been made to the safety of the TM7."

"We have two main safety requirements when testing all-in-one machines. They must have a speed cut-out, where the unit will automatically reduce the speed if the temperature inside is over 60°C and a lid locking mechanism, where the machine won't operate unless the lid is locked into the main unit."

Pleasingly, the TM7 has both of these safety features – you're unable to use a speed over 6 when using any temperature setting and the lid will automatically lock on speeds over 2.

However, it doesn't prevent users from performing high speed blending on contents that are already very hot (with no temperature setting selected). This was a similar safety concern in the TM6 but now the vent holes in the lid of the TM7 help to allow steam to escape so no pressure builds up in the bowl.

"The insulated cover on the TM7 bowl that keeps it safe to touch, and the slide-like mechanism that easily releases the blade are also welcome safety improvements in this new model."

Vorwerk also addressed the issues from their 2022 safety notice in the design of the TM7. Previously the use of the TM6 cup in the machine had the potential to cause uncontrolled spillages and burns. In the TM7, there is no open chute on the lid, but rather small vent holes which allows steam to escape, preventing any build-up of pressure.

The "open lid" cooking mode can only be used when cooking with a speed below 2 and while the butterfly whisk should only be used on a maximum speed of 4, the unit doesn't detect the whisk accessory so the user can still increase to maximum speed. Using the whisk on high speeds can cause it to become detached from the blade resulting in a damaged whisk.

Thermomix TM7 vs Thermomix TM6

Reasons to buy a Thermomix 

• Compact: Unlike bulky kitchen appliances that take up space in the cupboard or on the benchtop, or need to be pieced together every time you use it, the Thermomix is surprisingly compact, with minimal parts. It's designed to live on the benchtop and with a flick of a switch, it's ready to go.
• Reduces physical tasks with hands-free functions and modes: The Thermomix is set-and-forget, with a timer and the ability to stir while cooking – great news for busy (or distracted) cooks who might be called away from the kitchen while trying to put dinner together. Best of all, this feature prevents burning and overcooking. 
• Can help cook nutritious meals: The Thermomix is a great partner in crime when it comes to sneaking vegetables into meals. With a powerful set of blades, it can pulverise carrots, celery, broccoli and more, blending all that hidden goodness into pasta sauces, risottos and soups. 
• Cooking from scratch: Making food yourself is usually cheaper and healthier than buying pre-packaged or ready-made options, but takes effort. All-in-one machines such as the Thermomix are designed to make this easier. Muffins can be whipped up and shoved into the oven in minutes. Biscuits and even pastry are equally easy and fast. Other fast favourites include smoothies and juices – all whipped up in seconds. The pre-programmed recipes and guided cooking functions mean that even a complete kitchen novice can follow the step-by-step instructions and produce things they may have never made before, such as pizza dough.
• Ongoing support for updates and services: Vorwerk (the manufacturer) continually updates their technology and the Wi-Fi connection means that you are able to access new software updates as they become available. There are also bricks-and-mortar service centres you can visit for repairs and service. If you have a Thermomix consultant, they can also help you get the most out of your appliance. For owners of the TM6, Vorwerk typically guarantees parts and repair facilities for 10 years from production.
• Getting creative: If you're feeling adventurous, you can even use your Thermo to whip up things like your own laundry detergent, body scrub and moisturiser.

Reasons to avoid a Thermomix

• Safety issues: For owners of the Thermomix TM6, there are some safety issues. However, these have been resolved in the TM7.
• The TM7 can't brown or caramelise very well in large batches: This is due to the small surface area of the jug. If you are sautéing meat for slow cooking for example, it's best to do so in small batches.
• Yet another appliance: One of the pros of a Thermomix is that it can do cooking tasks performed by many other appliances, which is great if you don't already own those appliances. However if you've already invested money in a range of good-quality appliances, this is a significant expense that could be avoided.
• A different way of cooking: Learning to cook differently is a bit of a drag at first. It can take some time, effort and practice to learn how to get the best out of your machine (however, the idea is that that time invested will pay off later).
• It can get pretty noisy: CHOICE kitchen expert, Fiona Mair, found the TM6 to be: "one of the loudest all-in-one machines we have tested, with a noise level during operation of 84db which is close to the noise you hear standing on a busy street kerb." The TM7 promises a 'silent motor', however, Fiona found that while it was much quieter at low speeds it was still equally loud as the TM6 on high speeds, reaching 81db on speed 10.
• You can only buy from a consultant: Thermomixes are not available to buy from traditional retailers. You have to either buy directly from the Thermomix Australia website or through a consultant. If you're purchasing through the website, you can choose to either contact your consultant or you can complete a form to get connected with one. The assistance of a consultant is useful, as they can take you through a demonstration of the appliance and show you how to get the most out of it.

The Thermomix blade cover and attachment accessories

In 2023, Thermomix released the Thermomix Blade Cover and Peeler ($69), which is compatible with the TM5 and TM6 Thermomix models. The blade cover, peeler and whisk is also compatible with the TM7. 

It's designed to protect food during slow cooking and sous vide cooking (so your slow-cooked food or sous vide bags don't end up pulverised). But it can also be used to effortlessly peel potatoes, which could be especially handy for people who have dexterity issues or limited time for food prep.

We put the new accessory to the test in a range of cooking tasks and while it didn't produce outstanding results all round, it does bring welcome functionality to what is already a very expensive appliance. Read our review of the Thermomix blade and peeler accessory.

Vorwerk will also be releasing a Thermomix Cutter and Spiraliser specially for the TM7.

Peeling potatoes with the Thermomix Blade Cover and Peeler accessory.

Where can you buy the Thermomix TM7?

You can't buy a Thermomix from a standard retailer. They're sold by independent consultants, who hold 'Cooking Experiences' either virtually or in homes and workplaces to showcase the features of the machine.

Once you've bought one, your consultant will deliver your Thermomix for an introduction, and they are also supposed to be available for advice, ideas and assistance with your machine.

Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.

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