In the mix

Editor Hayley Barnett shares her not-so-secret obsession with a truly high-tech kitchen gadget.

Five years ago, I was working alongside a group of well-known food writers who worked for a well-known food magazine, when the topic of a very unknown (to me, anyway) product arose in conversation. These next-level foodies were obsessed with something called a Thermomix, something that looked a lot like a fancy blender. 

“It’s a computer that cooks,” was the first comment that caught my attention. But the clincher - “and there are 77,000 recipes to choose from” - really piqued my interest.

I was pregnant with my second child at the time and whenever this German machine was mentioned I became more and more intrigued. It seemed to do everything I couldn’t – cook food without burning it (more my first child’s fault than mine, of course), give me inspiration when my brain had given up, knead dough to a perfect consistency, make amazing gourmet meals mess-free, provide my precious oat milk and mill rice into flour, and replace every single one of my clunky appliances taking up valuable space in my kitchen.

However, getting my hands on one proved a bit trickier than expected. You can’t just pop down to the mall and buy one. In order to purchase a Thermomix, you need to book a consultant to show you how to use it, which makes sense, considering it has 20 different functions.

You know how I said it’s a computer that cooks? Well, it hooks up to your WiFi and then you simply browse recipes using the touchscreen. From there, you follow step-by-step instructions (the machine weighs everything as you pour ingredients in), then press “cook” and walk away. It steams, sautés, cooks, chops, purées, poaches – everything but bake, though the steam function makes up for this; I’ve made many a cake and even steamed a whole chicken. I’ve also impressed friends with my exotic cocktails. But, most impressive is that you can create weekly meal plans and send all the ingredients straight to Countdown from your machine or app. Basically, it takes the dog work out of cooking.

My consultant, a lovely lady named Jill, suggested I get a couple of friends together, to show them how it works. “The last thing I need is another appliance,” said one friend, rolling her eyes. “It’s a cult,” said another. “All those machines do is make soup.”

Choosing to listen to the magazine foodies instead of my non-kitchen whizz friends, I booked a session and enjoyed the three-course demo with my family. Getting it over the line with my penny-pinching partner proved a cinch after Jill whipped up some Brazilian cheese puffs followed by a delicious mushroom risotto and sorbet for dessert. And so began my journey into the world of Thermomix. 

I became obsessed. I would bring up my Thermomix in conversation with anyone who cared to listen, and even with those who didn’t. I wanted everyone to know how much easier their lives could be with this amazing ‘Jetson’ machine that is surely going to take over the world.

“Wow, you’re quite the salesperson,” smirked a new co-worker, not realising that I am very much not a salesperson. I’m brutally and awkwardly honest, even when my life depends on it.

After five years of near-daily use, I decided to upgrade to the newest model, the TM6, and I’m raving about it more than ever. 

I recently caught up with one of those naysayer friends and mentioned I had upgraded. “You must really love soup,” she replied. 

This perhaps proves my selling skills aren’t quite up to scratch, but you just can’t help some people. 

I'm sharpening those selling skills with my own Thermie business! Click here to purchase or follow me on Instagram:  @myhealthythermie