Who's into cooking?

[Saracen]

We had a sausage party a while back, I ordered some casings from the internet and fired up the mincer beer and the bbq, would recommend.

No, no, no, you haven't got the hang of this. You're supposed to give me details of the next one, not the last one.

D'oh.

[Saracen]

If I had the money, I'd get one of these!!

I thought about it, but at the price it'd be a VERY carefully considered purchase. What put me off, ultimately, from even enquiring was their direct marketing model.

While I can see the use of demonstrations, my first step would be to take a calm, unpressured look at the equipment without an "advisor" being there. If I'm still interested, I don't mind attending a demonstration but it certainly is not taking place in my home. I'm not inviting friends like a Tupperware party, and no way am I hosting a bunch of strangers. Their website isn't terribly clear on whether it's one-on-many or one-on-one, or what the location options are.

My biggest question is what it'll do for me (that I need, or want) over the kit I already have, when what I started out looking at was a relatively basic replacement for a now-ancient 1976-ish Kenwood Chef that's now getting a bit tired. And, what justifies the £500-ish (or more) premium over Kenwood or KitchenAid, beyond a heating element and built-in colour screen.

[Moby-Dick]

I'd forgotten about the sales model. I wonder if you can pick them up directly at a show without the invited sales pitch.

[tiggerai]

I thought about it, but at the price it'd be a VERY carefully considered purchase. What put me off, ultimately, from even enquiring was their direct marketing model.

While I can see the use of demonstrations, my first step would be to take a calm, unpressured look at the equipment without an "advisor" being there. If I'm still interested, I don't mind attending a demonstration but it certainly is not taking place in my home. I'm not inviting friends like a Tupperware party, and no way am I hosting a bunch of strangers. Their website isn't terribly clear on whether it's one-on-many or one-on-one, or what the location options are.

My biggest question is what it'll do for me (that I need, or want) over the kit I already have, when what I started out looking at was a relatively basic replacement for a now-ancient 1976-ish Kenwood Chef that's now getting a bit tired. And, what justifies the £500-ish (or more) premium over Kenwood or KitchenAid, beyond a heating element and built-in colour screen.

I'm still rocking about 3 of the 1976-ish Kenwood Chefs - so if yours ever needs a good home....

[Ttaskmaster]

What put me off, ultimately, from even enquiring was their direct marketing model.

From what I know of them, their primary market is professional kitchens rather than home users. Home users found out about them and started asking, so now if you want one and can actually afford it, then they will come to your weekend mansion in person and give you a demo.

The wife was lucky enough to work in a Michelin-starred kitchen once, where they had seven of the TM31s on the go and used them all the time for all sorts of stuff - That's what got her interested in one.
Her telling me about all the things it did, all the uses, all the things she could make so easily with it... It was like a full evening-long presentation on the darn thing - But I'm just like her when I tell people about Elite: Dangerous, which is what made me think it might be a useful little device.

If you just want a food mixer, then go get one.
Thermomixes and other AIOs are über-multi-tool thingies for people who need serious precision in their cooking, whose level of culinary composition really does require the dark roux to be an exact 329ºF, and who really can be justified in throwing an epic wobbly if their béchamel splits...!!

There are several other AIO type things out there - The HotMix Pro, for example. Some are even more expensive than ThermoMix.

If you *need* one, you'll know it... but like I said, if I had the money I probably wouldn't be caring!!

[peterb]

My biggest question is what it'll do for me (that I need, or want) over the kit I already have, when what I started out looking at was a relatively basic replacement for a now-ancient 1976-ish Kenwood Chef that's now getting a bit tired. And, what justifies the £500-ish (or more) premium over Kenwood or KitchenAid, beyond a heating element and built-in colour screen.

That what I felt about the Kenwood cooking chef - it is a clever bit of kit (doesn't do weighing) but at the end of the day, its a mixer with a food processor attachment and a self siring/heating saucepan.

If I was living in a studio flat, or a bed sit with little more than a microwave or a Baby Belling, it would be high on my want list and it would be really useful - but I have a reasonable well equipped kitchen with a full size cooker, so it doesn't really add much for me for its hefty price premium.

[Saracen]

I'm still rocking about 3 of the 1976-ish Kenwood Chefs - so if yours ever needs a good home....

Noted, Ma'am.

It's possible, if I do upgrade. Far better that than dumping it. I really should have had a full refurb before Kenwood stopped supplying parts. I had it all sorted, but the repairer went on holiday, then I forgot for a while, then when I remembered it was too late.

[Saracen]

From what I know of them, their primary market is professional kitchens rather than home users. Home users found out about them and started asking, so now if you want one and can actually afford it, then they will come to your weekend mansion in person and give you a demo.

The wife was lucky enough to work in a Michelin-starred kitchen once, where they had seven of the TM31s on the go and used them all the time for all sorts of stuff - That's what got her interested in one.
Her telling me about all the things it did, all the uses, all the things she could make so easily with it... It was like a full evening-long presentation on the darn thing - But I'm just like her when I tell people about Elite: Dangerous, which is what made me think it might be a useful little device.

If you just want a food mixer, then go get one.
Thermomixes and other AIOs are über-multi-tool thingies for people who need serious precision in their cooking, whose level of culinary composition really does require the dark roux to be an exact 329ºF, and who really can be justified in throwing an epic wobbly if their béchamel splits...!!

There are several other AIO type things out there - The HotMix Pro, for example. Some are even more expensive than ThermoMix.

If you *need* one, you'll know it... but like I said, if I had the money I probably wouldn't be caring!!

I can see the point in a busy professional kitchen. I struggle to see the point, of at least enough of a point to justify the cost, in my kitchen. After all, much of what it can do I can already do with a large Magimix processor and a Vitamix blender. Even replacing the Kenwood is a bit of an indulgence.

It's not that I can't see the appeal - it's that I struggle to see it for me. YMMV, of course.

[TheAnimus]

Thermomixes and other AIOs are über-multi-tool thingies for people who need serious precision in their cooking, whose level of culinary composition really does require the dark roux to be an exact 329ºF, and who really can be justified in throwing an epic wobbly if their béchamel splits...!!

The thing is you joke about exact temp, but since I let the shining light that is sous vide into my life I can tell you if a short rib has been cooked at 54C or 56C.

Having a BBQ this afternoon and the burgers will be getting sous vide'd first, the chicken obviously has to be. I like moist succulent chicken an hour and a half at 64C then a quick finish on the BBQ is far better than even the most accomplished pit master can muster.

After seeing the change that these frankly quite cheap immersion circulators make (yeah... I have two now) I can really appreciate that a highly accurate temperature controlled mixer would make. If I had the money knocking about, the space in my London sized kitchen I'd definitely get one of these things. But I also want to take the time to design a "proper" induction hob, using FLIR style sensors in the hood and wireless probes, instead I've got 65 pages of legalise to read this weekend, oh well, one day!

[Saracen]

I'd forgotten about the sales model. I wonder if you can pick them up directly at a show without the invited sales pitch.

Their website doesn't quite rule that out, but it does imply, at least for for domestic customers, that it's only available via "advisors".

My guess is if you contacted them and said "Wanna definitely buy one (or more), here's the money but I'm not doing a presentation" they'd find a way.

What puts me off is the "in your own home" remarks, where you "and your guests" will be given a presentation/demonstration, and hands-on. I mean, the notion of me inviting my friends round, and even worse them actually coming, for a sales pitch of a cooking device and yo make a sauce or bake a cake is .... utterly ludicrous. They'd still be laughing at me in 10 years.

Nor do I want a 1 on 1 because if I put someone to that much effort, I'd feel obligated to proceed whether I really wanted to or not, even if they exerted no pressure. I remember the hassle of getting rid of double-glazing salesmen having once let them in the door, which in one case took threats of calling the police because of an intruder, or threats of physical violence, to get them to leave.

With double glazing, because it's made to measure, someone has to attend at least to survey. But for a kitchen 'small appliance' .... it ain't happening.

[Ttaskmaster]

I can see the point in a busy professional kitchen. I struggle to see the point, of at least enough of a point to justify the cost, in my kitchen.

It's not just in your kitchen, mate...!!
The private sales are mainly for the high end of culinary students, maybe those working their way up the chain who have already worked for Heston/Gordon/Jamie/Whoever and are stepping up their game... and for those who buy all of Heston/Gordon/Jamie's branded kitchenware guff and have too much money.

It's not that I can't see the appeal - it's that I struggle to see it for me. YMMV, of course.

It's not there to be justified.
If you have to worry about the price, it's not for you!
This is the kitchen version of a Jag, basically.

The thing is you joke about exact temp, but since I let the shining light that is sous vide into my life I can tell you if a short rib has been cooked at 54C or 56C.

I kinda do joke... but at the same time would not DARE to joke about such things!!

Thing is, you may be able to tell the difference... but it's 'a whole nuther' game to have the skills that make the difference.
Also, I was thinking more about the various sauces and chocolates and veloutes and things that must be brought to and held at certain temperatures, else they collapse.

What puts me off is the "in your own home" remarks, where you "and your guests" will be given a presentation/demonstration, and hands-on. I mean, the notion of me inviting my friends round, and even worse them actually coming, for a sales pitch of a cooking device and yo make a sauce or bake a cake is .... utterly ludicrous. They'd still be laughing at me in 10 years.

Then you're not a working kitchen/semi-pro indy chef and don't need it.

Nor do I want a 1 on 1 because if I put someone to that much effort, I'd feel obligated to proceed whether I really wanted to or not, even if they exerted no pressure.

I don't think these guys would care if you bought one or not, TBH.
Again, this is fancy frippery, for moneyed individuals who will just glaze over the presentation and buy it anyway. I think it'd be refreshing for someone to actually listen to tehir presentation, weigh things up and then decide based on what they'd presented!