7 October 2014

If you’ve been living in a cave on a deserted island in the middle of the Pacific you may not have heard about the super kitchen device otherwise known as the Thermomix. 

Therm-O-Tron, Bimby, Thermy or whatever the cult following of owners (similar to Tuppercultists) call their machine are all intrigued about the newest Thermomix TM5 model that has hit the Australian market.                                           

So why is an Occupational Therapist (OT) at the Independent Living Centre WA (ILC) choosing to blog about the Thermomix? In full disclosure I should admit I actually own a Thermomix and have so for the past seven years. Professionally, when showing the Thermomix to people it is usually requested because they have difficulty with chopping, safety issues in using an oven or stove, meal planning problems, or are just looking to improve independence in the kitchen.

In that time, like with any product the OT’s at the ILC come across we like to compare products and find as many items that will help people get the most out of doing their daily activities, such as cooking in the kitchen.  So, since the Thermomix came out there have been numerous “copycats” that have entered the market. We have had a look and trialled some of these products, each have their own merits.  I always suggest to people to compare products and if ‘Item B’ does most of the same as ‘Item A’ but is at a more affordable price they should definitely consider buying it.

So while some people can’t afford the price tags some of these Super Kitchens have, there is still a great range of gadgets that will help people out in the kitchen, such as the ever-popular  Jar Key (vacuum seal popper),  Can Ring Pull (helps fiddly ring pulls on a can) , One touch can opener and  Piston Style Knives (sawing style knife) or even a  food Preparation Board with built-in spikes (clamps your veggies in while you chop).

We invite, no we challenge you to come and make an appointment to try some of the great range of assistive kitchen gadgets to make the most out of your cooking mealtime. We have teenagers, adults, older chefs all come and visit the ILC display kitchen to help them find the right kitchen tool. Many future Masterchefs start with a visit to the ILC to look at modified kitchen tools to help people who experience issues with upper limb weakness or one-handed use,  through to someone who has impaired vision and may be limited by the more commercial items found at the local shops. We do have a Thermomix here too, but it’s about making choices and finding solutions about which kitchen gadget is going to help you get the job done.

While we don’t sell any products we do offer of any of these items including the thermomix so you can trial them in your home.  If you’re certain of what you want, we can also tell you where to buy your kitchen gadgets and a lot of other useful household aids.  So with Christmas, Diwali and Hanukkah just around the corner it’s a great chance to find those stocking fillers or the present for the person you just can’t find something to buy.

Happy Cooking!