We tested the low-cost (but efficient) alternative to the Thermomix!

Product details at a glance:

- 7-inch color touch display for easy use
- Motor power equal to 800 watts
- Speed ​​in 10 steps
- Adjustable temperature from 37 to 130 degrees
- Maximum capacity of 3 liters
- Timer function from 1 second to 99 minutes
- Integrated kitchen scale for direct weighing into the pot (up to 5 kg)
- 3 automatic programs (kneading, steaming and browning)
- Clockwise rotation to chop the food
- Counterclockwise rotation to knead or mix soups and stews (without mincing)
- WLAN interface for recipe download and regular updates
- Cooking-Pilot (over 500 pre-installed recipes with step-by-step instructions)

Buy it in installments on Amazon!

The aesthetics of Monsieur Cuisine Connect

The striking resemblance to the Vorwerk thermal mix cannot be overlooked: the engine block of the Monsieur Cuisine Connect is also encased in a robust white plastic shell. The tank is made of stainless steel and has a gray plastic lid. But the Lidl kitchen machine is a bit deeper and bulkier than the original Thermomix, so make sure there is enough space on your kitchen cupboard.

Here are the exact measurements of the Monsieur Cuisine Connect:

- Appliance (with blender jug ​​and lid): 49.5 x 31 x 37.5 cm
- Weight of the appliance with accessories: approx. 10.6 kg
- Weight of the appliance without accessories: approx. 7.14 kg

We were also struck by the two handles on the left and right of the container. Unfortunately, this makes the operation a little more complicated. Unlike the Thermomix, where the handle is at the front, with the Monsieur Cuisine Connect you need to use both hands to remove the heavy jug from the blender. Before doing this, you must also pull the close button in the direction of the arrow.

Shipping is free on Amazon!

Monsieur Cuisine Connect: Accessories

In addition to the stainless steel blender jug ​​with removable lid and large opening and the removable mini measuring jug, the Monsieur Cuisine Connect also includes a steam connection with matching plate and lid.

Other Monsieur Cuisine Connect accessories:

- 1 separate cooking insert with openings (e.g. for cooking potatoes)
- 1 knife insert for chopping ingredients
- 2 scrapers to mix the dough and to remove the cooking insert
- 1 accessory for stirring for soups
Visually, all the individual parts fit together perfectly thanks to the same simple design.

Small tip: just press a button to zero the scale to 0 grams, so you can easily weigh the individual ingredients one after the other.

Another tip: the scale works only in the rest phase, ie only when the appliance is not used for other purposes.

Monsieur Cuisine Connect in test: how does it work?

Monsieur Cuisine Connect's screen works via touchscreen - for trouble-free operation you need to have clean fingers and no gloves. With the touch of a finger, you click on a specific setting, previously selected with the small rotary control.

The display has three circles arranged side by side. These display controls allow you to adjust the timer, mixing speed (as well as the turbo function) and the temperature from left to right. To increase the value, slide your finger in clockwise on the touch screen circle.

Various icons on the start screen also take you directly to the three automatic programs or to the recipe collection of the Lidl thermal mixture. All in all, the operation of the device is intuitive and simple.

By the way: The display panel is tilted slightly so that you can read the display on the Monsieur Cuisone Connect even better than on the original Vorwerk thermomixer.

Monsieur Cuisine Connect on trial: what is the Cooking Pilot for?

To access the Monsieur Cuisine Connect recipe collection, you need to log into your home WLAN and register your device. At this point the kitchen machine extracts the latest recipes for the Lidl thermal mix from the Internet. With this system, updates are simply done in the background.

With the help of the Cooking Pilot you will be able to browse through the approximately 300 recipes in a fully automatic way. These are arranged in alphabetical order and can be divided into categories from which you can select your favorites. You can also search for specific recipes or ingredients and view the photos of the dishes to be made You can also see the exact nutritional values ​​of the meals and the size of the portions.

Monsieur Cuisine Connect is also suitable for beginners. For example, the recipes will tell you to preheat the oven at the right time. The automatically set cooking time and temperature can of course be changed as desired.

Tip: You can download the Monsieur Cuisine app directly from the App Store and Google Play to access more recipes and the Monsieur Cuisine culinary magazine, which is broken down by topic.

Monsieur Cuisine Connect in test: how do you clean it?

Good news for dishwashers: all Lidl-Thermomix accessories can be cleaned in the dishwasher - apart from the basic structure with the motor block. It is also possible to clean the bowl automatically using a program function.

The screen can also be easily cleaned with a damp cloth. In addition, the liners on the bottom of the bowl can be effortlessly removed by removing the knife attachment. Unlike the Thermomix, you can even remove the seal from the lid of the Monsieur Cuisine Connect and clean it.

Monsieur Cuisine Connect on trial: here are all the functions

The mix function works excellently. Monsieur Cuisine Connect is even capable of crushing ice in seconds with just 4 beats in turbo mode. Even the soups are finely mashed.

As far as the thermal function is concerned, the Lidl thermo mix also works with dignity. In fact, compared to the original, the heat spreads very evenly, there are almost no differences in temperature on the bottom and sides of the bowl. While the temperature of the Vorwerk thermal mixture can fluctuate by as much as 50 degrees, the Lidl unit has a temperature of only 4 degrees. In this way the food is cooked evenly throughout the container.

On the other hand, we have to point out how the temperature rise is extremely slow inside the Monsieur Cuisine Connect, creating a hindrance for those who prefer fast or steam cooking. In fact, while the Thermomix goes from 20 to 40 degrees in only 4 minutes, the Lidl kitchen machine takes a good 20 minutes, but after all, it should be noted that the food is heated in a particularly gentle way.

Furthermore, the power consumption of the Monsieur Cuisine Connect is slightly higher than that of other kitchen machines, at least this was noticed when cooking a soup. On the other hand, during boiling (30 minutes of operation at 80 degrees) the Lidl thermal mixture consumes relatively little energy.

Monsieur Cuisine Connect: the pros and cons

Pros: The Monsieur Cuisine Connect scores points for its ease of use thanks to its large display, integrated scale and detailed recipe instructions. The "excellent mixing efficiency, large capacity and almost non-existent background noise make the" Lidl appliance a valid competitor of the Thermomix Vorwerk - not to mention simplified cleaning.

Cons: The Monsieur Cuisine Connect is quite bulky and needs a lot of space in the kitchen. Also, the pot and lid aren't exactly easy to remove due to the side handles and latch mechanism. Furthermore, the temperature rises relatively slowly.

Our scores

- Ease of use: 5/5 stars
- Cleanliness: 5/5 stars
- Mixing efficiency: 5/5 stars
- Thermal function: 4/5 stars
- Noise: 4/5 stars
- Energy consumption: 4/5 stars

Other cheaper alternatives than the Thermomix

The Monsieur Cuisine Connect is not the only economical alternative to the Thermomix. There are now many multifunctional kitchen machines that can definitely compete with the original and score points thanks to a great value for money.

On Amazon, appliances from Krups, Klarstein, Moulinex and Kenwood are well rated. Here you can take a look at the cheap alternatives to the original Thermomix on Amazon:

> Krups Prep & Cook HP5031 multifunctional kitchen machine

> Klarstein GrandPrix food processor

> Multifunction robot with 6 Moulinex automatic programs

> Kenwood kCook Multi Smart Food Processor by Kenwood

Here is the Krups model on Amazon:

Here is the Karlstein model on Amazon:

Here is the Moulinex model on Amazon:

Here is the Kenwood model on Amazon (in super offer for Amazon Prime Day 2021)