Our experts are always looking for kitchen gadgets to make your life easier, and it seems that’s the case for Whoopi Goldberg. To celebrate her 68th birthday, the actress shared her favorite gifts of the season on the view. The list included several house-related gifts including a paint set, puzzles, and a seed sheet. However, the most interesting item on the list for us is the Thermomix TM6.
This multi-purpose kitchen robot has 28 functions including weighing, chopping, grinding, frying, steaming and whisking. It claims to replace 5 kitchen appliances in one and reduces cleaning time.
The only catch? The Thermomix TM6 is priced around $1,500. Fortunately, our team has been monitoring the multicooker market to find a budget-friendly alternative. At just $100, the Ninja Foodi multicooker accomplishes many of the same functions for less than 7% of the cost. Let’s compare.
This ideal multicooker has a 2.2L mixing bowl with 28 functions, making it easy to cook healthy, homemade meals. Helpful features like the Guided Cooking Tool make the Thermomix easy to use for busy families or novice chefs. Disadvantages include high price, large size and high noise levels.
This 6.5L multicooker has 14 functions including pressure cooking, air frying and steaming. The cooker also includes a recipe book that caters to a wide range of dietary requirements, and the appliance has an incredibly fast heat-up time. Features similar to a Thermonix machine without the stirring functions.
There are many similarities between the machines. Our Ninja Foodi review gave this multicooker 4.5 stars, the same rating as the Thermomix TM6 at a fraction of the cost. Like the Thermomix, one major drawback is size, as the machine takes up a lot of counter space. However, the Ninja Foodi took fourth place on our list of the best multicookers of 2023, while the Thermomix did not make the top spot.
Although the Ninja Foodi has 14 settings compared to the Thermomix’s 28, in terms of everyday functions, the Ninja Foodi covers all the cooking methods you’re likely to use. If you’re interested in more advanced features like Wifi connectivity, touchscreen, and built-in stirring, the Thermomix is the better choice. But it comes at a price.
For everyday home cooks looking for an affordable multicooker, the Ninja Foodi is a great option. If you don’t need all 14 settings, this highly rated air fryer is a great way to cook quickly with a short preheat time. We think Whoopi would agree.