My kitchen appliances Q & A

One of the best parts of blogging is your direct feedback. Your emails, questions, kind messages make my day every day, and I am so thankful that you trust my opinion on so many levels. Probably the most frequent question I get is about kitchen appliances.

Kitchen appliances is a difficult topic as most high quality kitchen machines won’t cost you less than 100 Euros. It’s an investment and therefore requires research, planning and usually savings – my kitchen machines probably have a net worth of a small (tiny) car. That’s probably why I do not own an actual car, you guys.This post is dedicated to my kitchen appliances, hence, it’s about my whole life. Just kidding. But seriously, I love my small and big gadgets and noted what I love and don’t love about them and what the pros and cons of buying are for each one. I wrap up with a little Q&A Obviously, I cannot test all kitchen gadgets on the market, so I would kindly ask you to leave a comment below with a) your kitchen machine and b) what it does best and what it has difficulties with. I think this place could be a place to share your experiences, because together we can collect so much knowledge and advice on this topic.

Thank you in advance and have fun reading.

My Thermomix

I don’t know how well-known Thermomix is in the anglo-saxon world, but in Germany Thermomix is THE most successful kitchen machine. It’s more than just a food processor: it’s a machine that combines all your kitchen gadgets in one machine. It is sold like tupper ware, so you cannot buy it in the store, but only through a representative. I got my Thermomix from my parents – a very generous gift as it comes with a pretty heavy price tag of over 1000 Euros. But it was the best gift I have ever gotten, because I have been using it every single day for almost four years now, and I could not love it more. There are a few things that I doesn’t do as good as my other kitchen machines (hummus, spreads, nut butter), but it can grind, it can cook, it can steam and it is easy to clean, so I wouldn’t give it away EVER!

What I use my Thermomix for:

• to grind
• to chop
• for soups
• for homemade vegetable broth
• for homemade jam
• for nicecream

Where it needs improvement: (complaining on a very high level that is)

• smoothies
• hummus
• dips and spreads

I know, Thermomix lovers will call me crazy, but they have not tried making spreads with a Magimix. The thing with the Thermomix and other conventional blenders is that if you make hummus, for example, it pushes the hummus to the side and you need to scrape down the sides frequently. Or you need to double the portion if you want the machine to work best. It’s not a problem if you just want to make hummus and you do not care too much about it’s texture, but I like my hummus smooth, so I use my Magimix for this purpse.

Pro Thermomix:

• high power
• combines more than 100 kitchen gadgets in 1 machine
• steamer function
• cooking function
• A+ grinding function
• dish washer safe and easy to clean

Con Thermomix:

• the heavy price tag
• hummus and spreads are not always smooth enough
• smoothies are o.k., but also not totally smooth

The Magimix

Why I own a Thermomix and a Magimix? First of all, because I’m obsessed with kitchen appliances obvi. Second of all, I love pestos, hummus, dips and spreads and nut butters, and I think that the Magimix achieves the best result on all of the above. I tested the Magimix two years ago and got to keep the machine afterwards, so I am very lucky to own the Magimix 5200XL. You cannot compare this machine to Thermomix as it is not a full kitchen machine, hence, it is a lot more affordable with 399 Euros.

What I use my Magimix for:

• Hummus
• Pestos
• Dips
• Energy Balls
• Nut Butter

What it cannot do (well):

• grinding grains
  smoothies (it is not a blender)

Pro Magimix:

• quality of the dips and spreads
• amazing price performance ratio
• 30 year warranty on the engine
• it can do everything that you blender cannot do: it does not skid the spreads on the walls, so less to no scraping-down required
• easy to store

Con Magimix:

• it cannot cook as it is not a full kitchen machine
• it cannot blend as it is not a blender
• cleaning requires some effort as it is not dish-washer safe

The Vitamix

As a smoothie-lover, you’ve probably heard about the wonder-machine Vitamix. You will find it in every major smoothie bar as it simply makes great and smooth smoothies. I have the Vitamix 750, and I love it. If you love smoothies and you make them every day, then investing in a Vitamix is probably a good idea. If you only drink smoothies occationally, and you do not care about the smoothest results, then a Vitamix might not be the best solution for you. I use my Vitamix especially in the summer, and sometimes for soups in the winter. My sister taught me, that Vitamix makes nut butters, too – and especially smooth nut butter if I may add. I did not know that for the longest time, and it was definitely a game changer for me.

What I use my Vitamix for:

• smoothies, duh
• nut butter
• hot soups
• nut milk
• nicecream

What it cannot do (well)

• hummus
• dips and spreads
• energy balls
• pestos
• juicing (it is not a juicer ;-))
  Since Vitamix is a blender, it usually needs some form of liquid (except for the nut butters for some reason) to function perfectly. That’s why it has difficulties making hummus, pestos, etc. like any other blender.

Philips Juicer:

Especially during the cold winter months, I love freshly pressed juices with my Philips Avance Juicer. I have to admit that this is probably my least frequently used kitchen gadget, but every time I take it out of its shelf, I make a mental not, do make juice more often, as it’s just so delicious. What I do not love about it is the cleaning part, so I think that’s why I do not use it every day. But at the weekends, I think it’s a great addition to a healthy breakfast or brunch.

What I use my Philips juicer for:

• juicing… ☺

What it does not do:

• blending

Pro Philips:

• great price performance ratio
• easier to clean than other juicers
• dish washer safe – yay!

Con Philips:

• it’s not a cold-pressed juicer
• the pre-dishwasher-cleaning takes a liiiiittle effort

I asked you on Instagram for questions around my kitchen appliances, so here are your questions and my answers.

I am a student with little budget and cabinet space. What kitchen appliances should I get?
Easy: you do not need a high speed blender, so you can eliminate the Vitamix. You definitely make smoothies with a cheaper blender until you make real money ☺. If you like hummus and spreads, I would buy a hand blender / mixer like this one. It’s the cheapest kitchen gadget and my grandmother made everything with this. It also purees soups, so as a student, this is the cheapest and most efficient option. If you like energy balls, then you could make them with your hands using really soft and goey fresh dates. So if you’re a student, my answer is a cheaper blender and a hand blender / mixer.

How often do you use your kitchen appliances?
Every day! Even before blogging, I used my Thermomix every day. There are days when I use all of them, and days when I only use one or two.

Your kitchen appliances are very expensive. Can you recommend any cheaper alternatives?
Yes and no. I consntaly ask my friends and relatives about their kitchen appliances. My uncle keeps telling me that they had to send in their blender yet again for the third time as it keeps breaking. I have not found the perfect machine for under 100 Euros, but perhaps it is out there – if you’ve found it, please let me know. I have owned several blenders before the Vitamix, all of which are broken now. If you go very cheap, then you will end up paying more in the long run. However, I do completely understand that spending more than 200 Euros for kitchen appliances is not possible for most people. I can recommend the Philips Avance blender for less than 80 Euros if you’re looking for a good and affordable blender. It does not compare to the Vitamix, but it will do. My cousin uses a Kenwood kitchen machine, and it can make nut butter, yet it needs to be stopped frequently to avoid over-heating. If your food processor makes great nut butters, energy balls and hummus and is affordable, please leave a comment below!

Is there a kitchen gadet that you never use and whose purchase you regret?
Mhh..my mom once got me this thing to punch holes into veggies for stuffing. Never really used it, but always wanted to.

Do you know the kitchen gadet XYZ and would you recommend me purchasing it?
As much as I am touched by your trust in my opinion, I would never recommend something that I do not know and have not tested (or have reliable information from close friends and family or trusted readers). That’s why I usually have to tell the readers that ask me this, that I cannot help them in this case. I can vouch for the machines that I am using, but not for something I’ve seen on the internet.

What do you think of KitchenAid Kitchen Gadgets?
I used to have a Kitchen Aid back when I lived in Texas, and I loved it. If you’re a baker, then OMG go get one. They are soooo beautiful. However, as I tend to grind my flour freshly, I do not use a hand mixer that often anymore, so a Kitchen Aid would not really be needed in my kitchen at the moment. Also Jannis would probably not be amused if I got a huge pink Kitchen Aid, too. If you have the need and the money to buy a Kitchen AId, then I won’t stop you. Just note that there are endless additions for this machine, so your kitchen cabinets will fill quite quickly.

What do you use for making nicecream?
Confessions of a food blogger – not really into nicecream. Can I even say that out loud? I am not an ice cream person. Please do not hate me now. I’ve just been more of a chocolate person, and ice cream is just so cold…
But if you make nicecream, I use either my Vitamix or my Thermomix.

I am ready to make an investment. Which of your three kitchen gadets should I get?
Pew. I hate this question. It’s so so hard. Honestly, this is the time for my diplomatic business student answer: it depends. It really depends on what you want to cook / bake, how much money you want to spend, how many people live in your house, how often you cook / bake, how big your kitchen cabinet is, and so on.
I would say that if you have the money, buy a Thermomix. If you don’t have the money, buy a Magimix. If you have all the money, buy a Vitamix in addition to either one of the food processors. But there is no need to own all three.

Vitamix and Magimix also sell smaller appliances. Are they worth the money?
For Magimix – yes, absolutely. The Magimix 3200XL is great! It’s „only“ 299 Euros and makes great nut butters, pestos, spreads, etc. Just note that it’s engine is a little less powerfull than that oft he 5200XL. For the Vitamix, my mom uses the Vitamix Professional 300, and it is just as great as the Pro750. But I have not tested any other Vitamix.

Can you recommend a food processor for under 100 Euros?
Under 100 Euros is hard. I have not found one that achieves great results. Under 300 Euros, the Magimix 3200XL is great! A hand blender / mixer is grear for hummus and soups.

Can you recommend a food processor under 300 Euros?
Yes! The Magimix 3200XL.

If you could take any kitchen gadget on a deserted island. Which one would you chose?
My Thermomix, since it can do almost everything.

And if you only had 100 Euros, which kitchen gadget would you buy?
A good knife. And a hand blender / mixer by Bosch or Philips.

If you have any other questions, shot me a comment below or an email, and I will add it to the list. Also, please tell me what food processer / blender / juicer you use and what it does best. The other readers will appreciate it!

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This post is not sponsored. It does not include affeliate links. The Magimix and Vitamix were given to me approx. two years ago for testing purposes, and I have been using them ever since. All opinions are my own. Always. 

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Merken

Merken