Foodstuff labelling laws across EU member states may soon be harmonized, as a proposal for a directive is under consideration from the Commission.
In a recent speed test, consumer magazine IMTEST examined four kitchen appliances with cooking functions, providing insights into their performance, features, and value for money. The Bosch Cookit emerged as the winner, achieving an overall score of 1.9 ('Good') and securing the top spot in the Stiftung Warentest 1/2024 test edition. Praise was lavished on its functionality, temperature precision, and extensive equipment included in the basic package. The Bosch Cookit boasts a 3-liter mixing bowl, delivering good cooking results, a low noise level, and a plethora of accessories. It also offers standard features such as pre-set recipes, manual temperature control, and the ability to connect the appliance with an app. New recipes can be synchronized with the Bosch Cookit via Wi-Fi, ensuring a diverse range of culinary options. The Silvercrest Kitchen Tools Monsieur Cuisine Smart from Lidl followed closely behind, earning a rating of 2.1 ('Good'). This model stands out for its Wi-Fi and touchscreen capabilities, allowing recipes to be loaded directly onto the device and cooked step by step. It also has a 3-liter cooking pot and over ten pre-set programs for cooking techniques such as cooking, steaming, mixing, and kneading. The recipe database for the Silvercrest Monsieur Cuisine kitchen machine is regularly updated, and most removable parts of the device are dishwasher safe, making it easy to maintain. The WMF Avantgarde kitchen machine received a rating of 2.0 ('Good') from IMTEST. This appliance offers several advantages, including ease of handling, a large mixing bowl, and good cooking results with different degrees of cooking. It also comes with 14 pre-installed cooking programs and 300 free recipes available in an app. The Vorwerk Thermomix TM6 is equipped with over 20 different functions, including steaming, mixing, and dough kneading. It stands out with the integration of 'Cookidoo', Vorwerk's recipe platform, accessible via its 7-inch touch display in step-by-step instructions. All four kitchen appliances passed the test, including an affordable model for around 500 euros. IMTEST emphasised that a kitchen appliance should have a clearly readable display and offer various cooking programs. The equipment, ease of use, and energy consumption were also evaluated. The test included disciplines like chopping, mixing, weighing, cooking goulash, ground hazelnuts, and whipped cream. Each appliance demonstrated its unique strengths, offering consumers a range of options to suit their needs and budgets.
