Thermochef

Ok I'm back! Sorry I've been a bit MIA but had a crazy week or so and needed to get a few things sorted. So I'm back and here's my first review of a product I have played with at work but do not actually own myself.

Thermochef  

What's a Thermochef you might ask? Don't you mean Thermomix.....?

Well this is a Thermochef.

  http://www.matchbox.com.au/Products-and-Brands/Appliances/Thermo-Chef/44

Still not helping....... A Thermochef is a new wiz bang kitchen gadget that is the perfect product for people without enough time or interest in being chained to the stove on a regular basis. It has multiple functions including heating, steaming, stirring, chopping, grinding, kneading, cooking and weighing. So basically your blender, food processor, mix master, digital scales and stove all in one.

All too good to be true? Well, you are going to pay for such a product. The Thermochef is $795, not an amount to be sneezed at for most of us but considering it's competition is $1939, for many it would be their only option in this market.

I am by no means a Thermomix basher, if you can afford this baby I'm sure it would be a brilliant product. I however have not had the honour of trialing it so have no comparison to go by. If you're interested in a full and comprehensive side by side comparison Michelle at Iron Chef Shellie wrote one late last year after using the two side by side - Thermochef vs Thermomix.

The differences I'm aware of are that:

• The Thermomix is up to their 5th generation and is made in France and designed in Germany. The Thermochef is the equivalent to their 3rd generation and is made in China and designed in Spain. 
• The Thermochef's bowl is made of 18/10 grade stainless steel (the same as stainless steel cookware and cutlery) where the Thermomix's bowl is made of surgical grade stainless steel, which is more hygienic and less likely to take on strong smells. 
• The Thermomix has a reverse function that the Thermochef does not. This reverse function is designed to minimise chopping of certain products and to gently break apart others. I have not witnessed the reverse function as I have not used the Thermomix but heard from a customer that she was told at a Thermomix demo that this means the Thermochef is unable to chop mushrooms or shred chicken, however I have been able to perform both of these functions in the Thermochef using their lower speeds...... 
• Also the scales in the Thermomix are within the bowl and ingredients are weighed in 5gm increments as added to the bowl. Whereas the Thermochef's scales are located on the side over the keypad and measure in 1gm increments. Personally I find the separate scales to be a much better idea as I am a chronic over-pourer who always over estimates and puts too much in and has to take some out which would be much harder if the extra ingredients were already in the bowl with the other parts.

There are pros and cons to both machines and different functions will work for every different person. We had a lady come into our shop who had worked as a Thermomix demonstrator and borrowed our Thermochef to compare. While she admitted she did write a list of differences she decided taste testing was going to be her decider and found that in the end her family could not tell the difference.

Here's a video From New Wave - the Thermochef's producer.

What I have made -

• ANZAC biscuits. What else do you make in April? :-) Using the recipe in the included recipe booklet I whipped these up in no time. Melted the butter and heated the syrup while combining them, whizzed in the boiling water and Bi-Carb and then added all other ingredients and gave it all a quick knead. Done. I used one measuring jug to weigh out all the ingredients on the scales, measuring spoons, the provided spatula and a spoon for portioning at the end. 10 mins in the oven and the best tasting ANZAC's I've ever made were ready to be scoffed down!  And believe me as a sample they disappeared fast!
• Risotto. Yum, yum is all I have to say about this one, chop and saute the onion and garlic in a little oil, lock on the butterfly whisk (this stops the blades from chopping while still spinning, and helps mix the ingredients). Whip through the rice, add wine, stock, mushrooms and s&p and leave to cook and mix for 15 mins. Mix through some parmesan and butter and serve with fresh chopped herbs. So quick, so easy and so yum! I was extremely happy with this result as the rice was fluffy and there was still just enough liquid so make it smooth and creamy and not gloopy.
• Soup. I whipped up a pumpkin, potato and bacon soup. Very yummy and the bacon gave it a perfect saltiness that meant no more was required. Recipe was chop onion and bacon and saute with some oil, pop in cubed and peeled pumpkin and potato with the stock and cook for 30 mins (no butterfly whisk here as you want the food to be chopped) Let the soup cool slightly (as apparently whizzing soup once cooled makes for a smoother consistency) then give it a quick fast whiz, and mix in some cream or natural yoghurt and fresh parsley. Re-heat if needed and serve. Mmmmmmm!
• Steamed Chicken into chicken spread. I was yet to use the steaming function and seeing as there's three steaming baskets and it's a fantastic and healthy way to cook I was desperate to give it a go. I steamed an entire chicken breast and this took around 30 mins all up, now there is a list of how long you need to cook each item but as chicken has so many variable sizes and weights it was a bit of a test. I was unsure of how much water to put in so I went with the maximum suggested and had some aside in case more was needed as this was a HUGE chicken breast. I put it on for 15 mins and knew it needed more time so added more water but stupidly added cold water so put it on for another 5 mins but the water was only just started to steam again by the time this was up so I started it for another 5 straight away. After this it looked pretty done so I cut it in half to check and it was still a tiny bit pink (as I said this was a huge breast) but another 5 mins cut in half we achieved perfection! (Next time I'd definitely cut up the breast before steaming) Now to turn it into a spread. 4-5 pecans given a whiz, 1 celery stalk cut in chunks given a whiz and set aside, chicken breast cut in 4 whizzed on speed 3 for 15 seconds and it was a perfectly shredded mound. Mix pecans, celery and chicken together, add mayo and s&p to taste and Wha La, a perfect chicken sandwich spread! (also great on crackers as a sampler/canape!)

Chopping/grinding options

• Raw Almonds - Almond meal
• Rice - Rice flour
• White sugar - Castor Sugar
• White sugar - Icing Sugar
• Whole Nutmeg - Ground nutmeg
• Etc, etc, etc

There are so many things these machine can do: knead bread, mix cake batters, make curry pastes, cook curries, steam rice, make dips, make sauces, whip cream, make sorbet and I could go on and on and on! I may as well just say the only thing it won't do is the dishes and a back massage...... Buuut, on speed 4 at 70 degrees with some water and a drop of detergent it cleans itself pretty bloody well ;-)

Here's an image with all included extra's Obviously starting with the machine itself on the left. Then from top to bottom the Butterfly Whisk, Steamer Baskets (2 baskets plus lid), Extra Jug (A limited edition offer), 3 Piece Spatula (pulls apart for storage and so the handle can be used to lift the steamer insert) and the Steamer insert (sits inside bowl for steaming rice etc). You also get included in the set is a folder that's about 5cm thick with recipes and an easy to understand instruction manual as well as a DVD where you can watch the machine being used.

So the details....

• Blending and heating for easy cooking with multiple functions
• 2 litre jug capacity. Detachable jug with S/S blades
• Multi-functions: scale, turbo, blend, heat, kneading, steam and timer
• Optional temperature levels from 37-100°C
• Optional 1-10 speed levels, plus turbo.
• Gift box accessories includes: instruction manual, DVD, recipes, warranty card, rating label sticker, steamer, butterfly, spatula, and basket.
• 2 Year Warranty
• 1550W（Motor:550W，Heater:1000W）

 http://www.newwavekitchenappliances.com.au/catalogue/products/thermochef-natura/thermochef-natura

So what else can I say, so easy, so simple, so thorough, so capable, so versatile, this is truly a brilliant machine that is going to make life 100 times easier for so many. If you need something to make cooking at home easier, to make space after getting rid of those machines you never use anymore, to do all those little things that just make a mess and a fuss and to inspire you to cook fresh over bottled and packaged, then this is the product for you. 

So after reading my personal observations I hear many people asking "would you buy one?"......... Honestly, no. This is not though due to the quality, function or maintenance of the machine, it's because I LOVE TO COOK! I love to stand in my kitchen throwing together big meals and playing and fiddling with all the nitty gritty, chopping, mixing, stirring etc. While I'll complain as I do them (I do not have a dishwasher) I feel so accomplished after doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen. I love staying home all day as something slow cooks in the oven or on the stove. I love kneading bread and waiting for it to prove, I love it all. Currently as I build my business and it's just my partner and I, I have the time and patience to cook (well most days anyway). So this is not the machine for me, I have many other items on my wish list before I'd spend $800 or even $2000 on a product that takes some of the fun details out of cooking a meal. Strange I know, to rave about a product that you wouldn't buy yourself but I guess I'm becoming a true salesperson. I see merit in a product, even when it's not for me. :-P

Anyway, that's my first product assessment, I hope you've enjoyed it and now that I've decided to go ahead with my blog I'll try capture some of my own pictures to put in my posts.

Thanks for reading xxoo

Roxanne
This post is not a paid review it is purely the opinion of the author after personal experience using this product.