A modern food processor is a versatile helper in the kitchen. The practical helper takes care of cooking, chopping, grinding, steaming and many other functions for you. With its innovative cooking function and its long product history, the Thermomix® from Vorwerk is the ancestor of all high-quality kitchen machines with multifunctional properties. Even today, this food processor with its versatile accessories is still the first choice for chefs who value a wide range of functions and the highest quality.
One factor that distracts many potential users from buying the original food processor is the high purchase price. If you still want to own a food processor with extensive functions, it's worth taking a look at the alternatives.
What compromises do you have to make when cooking with a Thermomix alternative, such as the Krups Prep & Cook variants or the Cooking Chef? Many alternatives, some significantly cheaper, have already competed against the original. Krups Cook4Me and Krups Prep and Cook are devices from a well-known company that has been holding its own on the market with its kitchen machines for decades. Can the kitchen machines from Krups with their accessories and cooking functions hold their own against the classics from Vorwerk?
Thermomix® and Krups: The battle for supremacy in the kitchen
Thermomix, the all-round food processor from Vorwerk, has been on the market for many years. Right from the start, the device was a real revolution in the home kitchen. Not only has cooking been made significantly easier, but the level of many home cooks has been significantly raised. The current Thermomix® is based on the knowledge and experience gained over several decades of use in the kitchen.
Not only were the standard functions gradually improved, but modern technologies were also installed. The food processor connects to the home network, automatically retrieves recipes and integrates them in the form of automatic cooking programs. The history of Krups is similar to that of Vorwerk. This traditional company also incorporates a lot of experience from the production of kitchen appliances into the development of the everyday helper.
Krups vs Thermomix: What the Thermomix® can do
The Thermomix® can cook, chop, make soups, sous vide cook, make butter and even steam cook with the Varoma attachment. According to Stiftung Warentest, there is currently no food processor that offers such a wide range of functions and accessories as the Thermomix®. The heart of the device is still the cooking function.
In terms of the standard functions of the Thermomix®, there are now alternatives such as the Krups Prep & Cook with similar performance values. Nevertheless, the Thermomix® TM6, for example, has a unique selling point in the form of the scales that are integrated into the food processor. Due to the long product history of the Thermomix®, the accessories, both from the manufacturer Vorwerk and from third-party manufacturers, prove to be much larger and more versatile than many alternatives.
What Krups comes up with in the exchange of blows between Thermomix® and Krups
Krups Prep & Cook in the standard and XL versions comes very close to the functionality of the original. The devices impress with their high-quality workmanship and the included accessories. Before using it for the first time, there is only a small learning curve to overcome. This is mainly due to the intuitive operation, the detailed instructions and the self-explanatory layout of the controls.
Compared to many other Thermomix competitors, the Krups food processors present a good impression, which shows that these devices are designed to be durable and reliable for many years. An enclosed recipe book with more than 300 tried and tested recipes is an indication that the multifunctional food processor has been thoroughly tested and is therefore a valuable helper in the kitchen when preparing a wide variety of dishes.
In direct comparison: The advantages and disadvantages of Krups and Thermomix®
Both the Thermomix® and the alternative variants, such as the Krups Prep & Cook, prove to be practical helpers that shorten and make cooking easier. The original is characterized by the fact that it can be integrated even better into the entire cooking process compared to competing models. Thanks to its range of functions and accessories, the Thermomix® is the central element in the kitchen on which you design the entire cooking process.
The connection to the home network is sophisticated with the Thermomix®; you can easily integrate the device into your smart home. Krups Cook4Me and other alternative devices from the manufacturer try to penetrate into the territory of the original, but they do not always succeed, especially in terms of innovations and because of the desired significantly lower price. With the Thermomix®, all functions mesh seamlessly, although this is not always the case with some alternatives.
Thermomix® or Krups? In the end, the user decides!
Which device you ultimately choose, the Thermomix® TM5 or, for example, the Prep & Cook, should depend on your habits in the kitchen. When used regularly, the touch display and integrated scales of the Thermomix® TM6 prove to be quite practical. But Stiftung Warentest also confirms that the Prep & Cook from Krups has the ability to convince a true gourmet with the device's versatile options. If you value the app connection and guided cooking, you will find the right Thermomix alternative in the Prep & Cook XL.
But the included recipes in book form do not shy away from comparison with the Thermomix® recipes with the alternative device. Both the Cook4Me and the Thermomix versions are multifunctional food processors. Thermomix® or Krups? If you value longevity, constant development over several decades and the knowledge of countless long-term users, the Thermomix® is the right multifunctional food processor. If you are occasionally looking for high-quality and innovative support in the kitchen, an alternative, such as the models in the Prep & Cook series, is a solution that will certainly convince many a gourmet of your cooking skills. Thermomix® or Krups, the decision is yours.
