Since getting my Thermomix, cooking has just felt easier. I know that sounds simple, but it really has become one of those things I reach for without even thinking about it. It’s almost like having an extra set of hands in the kitchen, especially on those days when I’m trying to cook while also doing ten other things. The kids have gotten involved too, which I love. It’s made cooking feel a little more fun and less like something I have to do by myself. And if you’re wondering why Baby Yoda made an appearance in the picture, that was all my son. He thought it needed a little something extra. LOL…kids.

The Kitchen Appliances I Barely Use Anymore

One of the biggest changes I noticed after getting the Thermomix was how many other kitchen tools I just stopped reaching for. My blender, for example, barely gets used anymore. If I want to make a smoothie, purée something or crush ice, the Thermomix can handle it, so there isn’t much reason to pull out the blender. My food processor is pretty much the same. It used to be one of those appliances I used all the time, but now it mostly sits there. Chopping, grinding, making dips, those are all things I can do in the Thermomix. Even my stand mixer has taken a back seat. I still keep it because, well, I’ve had it forever and I’m not quite ready to part with it, but the Thermomix can knead dough, mix cake batter and whip things like meringue, so I don’t use the stand mixer nearly as much as I used to.

I actually got rid of my old steamer because I realized it was just taking up space. The Thermomix does a really good job with steaming, and after months of not touching the steamer, I finally admitted I didn’t need both. And then there’s my rice cooker. This one surprised me because I used that thing all the time. But once I started making rice in the Thermomix, the rice cooker slowly ended up at the back of the cupboard. The temperature control makes it really easy, and I’ve also found a way of making rice that works well for the way I like to eat it. I’ll save that one for another post.

The Little Things That Add Up

It’s not just the big appliances either. A lot of the things I used to do manually have become much easier.

The built-in scale is probably one of those features you don’t think you need until you have it. I can put the bowl on, weigh something, add the next ingredient and keep going without pulling out measuring cups and spoons. There’s less measuring, less washing up and, somehow, fewer things scattered all over my counter. Chopping is another big one. Onions used to mean getting out the cutting board and knife, chopping everything up, wiping down the counter and then doing it all over again with whatever else I needed. Now I can throw the ingredients in, set the speed and let the Thermomix do the work.

Same with mixing and kneading. Pancake batter, bread dough, different kinds of baking, it just takes one more job off my hands. I still have to cook the food, obviously, but I don’t have to stand there doing every little step myself.

Having Recipes Right There

I also didn’t expect to use the recipe platform as much as I do. There are more than 80,000 recipes available from around the world, so there is always something new to stumble across. What I like most is that I don’t have to keep checking a cookbook or scrolling back and forth on my phone. The recipe is right there on the screen and walks me through each step as I go. It’s especially helpful when I’m making something I haven’t tried before. I’m much more likely to experiment because I don’t have to figure out every step myself. The kids also like following along too. It gives them a way to be involved without me having to explain every single thing as we go, and I love that they’re becoming more comfortable in the kitchen.

Then There’s the Cleaning

I’m not going to pretend I love cleaning up after cooking, because I absolutely do not.

One of the things I appreciate about the Thermomix is that cleaning the bowl doesn’t have to turn into a whole production. If it’s just regular cooking residue, I can add some water and a little soap, run the cleaning setting and then give it a rinse. It doesn’t mean I never have to wash anything, but it definitely makes cleanup less annoying.

Looking Back

I think what surprised me most is that it wasn’t one huge feature that made me love the Thermomix. It’s all the little things that add up.

I’m using fewer appliances, doing fewer steps by hand, measuring directly in the bowl, trying recipes I probably wouldn’t have made before and getting the kids involved more often. My kitchen is also less cluttered because I eventually realized I didn’t need to keep every appliance I owned just because I owned it, and that’s really what I like about it. It hasn’t made cooking completely effortless, I still have to decide what we’re eating, buy the groceries and, unfortunately, someone still has to clean up, but it has taken a lot of the tedious parts out of cooking for me.

If you already have a Thermomix, you probably know exactly what I mean. And if you’ve been thinking about getting one, I get why you might be on the fence. I was too. I just didn’t really understand how much I would use it until I actually had one.