Cook-key, the new wifi accessory for the TM5

We spent time listening to talk about Cook Key, Latest Thermomix accessory for the TM5 model. We have already tried it! At last the Thermormix will be able to have access to the internet via wi-fi, yes, no one fooled, access is only to the Thermomix recipe portal itself, we will not be able to browse the internet or download recipes that are not official and only at those that we have access because we have acquired them. Let's see it in more detail.

What is the Thermomix Cook-Key?

If you look at the image there is an elongated key connected to the machine (instead of an electronic book). With this key we can connect to the official Thermomix recipe platform called Cookidoo (formerly called MiThermomix) so that we can cook in "guided cooking" mode for all the recipes that we previously consulted on the platform or in electronic books without having to change devices.

In addition, we can store up to 5.000 recipes in the Cook-Key, and this is very good because we will not have to go around changing electronic books as we did before or, of course, search in one place or another for different recipes. They will all be on our Cook-Key.

How does it work and how is it installed?

First of all, you will have to be registered on the platform Cookidoo and have access to recipes. For this you will have to have purchased the TM5 and thus you will have access to the basic book and other collections that you have bought or that have been given to you.

Then you will have to save the recipes that you want to see on your TM5 in guided cooking mode as favorites. You can save individual recipes or collections or entire books. The Cook Key already includes the basic book by default.

And now you just have to install your Cook-Key on the TM5, connecting it to your Wi-Fi and synchronizing the content of the platform so that it is displayed on your machine, that easy! Be careful, the first synchronization takes about 5 minutes, so don't be impatient… xD

I leave you an official explanatory video that I think is very representative and that will help you a lot to install it.

How much does it cost and how to buy it?

It can be purchased through the website of Cook Key. There is currently a launching offer consisting of € 99 + unlimited access for 6 months to all recipes, books and collections on the Cookidoo platform. Once this offer passes, the cost will be € 139 + € 36 annual subscription to Cookidoo (subscription is not mandatory, you can buy the Cook-Key only).

If you buy it now with the launch offer, you have no obligation to subscribe to the Cookidoo platform, simply after the 6 months of free subscription your access will end.

This will also increase the cost of the Thermomix, they will add the € 99 by including the Cook-Key. That is, if it now cost € 1.100, it will cost € 1.199 (although we believe that it can also be purchased without the Cook-key *).

What is the Cookidoo platform like?

This platform only contains official Thermomix recipes that are included in books or collections tested and published by Thermomix. No user can post recipes there. From my point of view it is very good, it is a good platform because it allows you to plan recipes throughout the week, save favorites (which will then be synchronized with the Cook-Key and your TM5) and make a shopping list with the ingredients of your planned recipes.

Our opinion of the Cook-Key

In favor: 

• After having tested it, we can say that it works very well, the connection is fast and the synchronization (once the first synchronization is done) is fast.
• Access to any recipe on the Cookidoo platform for 6 months is also very positive, since it gives you the possibility to cook many good and tested recipes.
• The ability to cook in a "guided cooking" way is really very useful since you have all your favorite recipes or books in a single device and saves you time.
• The device is not exclusive to your machine, that is, if you go to friends' houses you can plug it in and the recipes that you have saved in favorites will be seen even if you use another thermomix.

Against:

• The price, of course € 99 (which will later be € 136) for it to be a device that only connects to its recipe platform seems excessive to us since it does not allow you to browse the internet or store other recipes that are not exclusive to Cookidoo.
• The use from the TM5 screen is very limited, that is, from the Thermomix you can only browse the recipes that you already have saved as favorites, but you will not be able to delete or add new recipes to the Cook-Key. You can only do this by accessing Cookidoo from your PC, tablet or mobile, enter your username and password and select your favorite recipes or collections.

Our opinion:

If you really use guided cooking a lot, it is a very useful accessory, despite the high price and the limitation of internet browsing. You can use the free 6-month subscription and, if you finally decide not to pay it, you will have enjoyed it for at least 6 months. Navigation on the screen of the TM5 with Cook-Key is not agile to get an idea of ​​what the recipe is like, that is, we recommend looking at it before from the tablet or pc or smartphone on the Cookidoo platform to see the photograph and the set of ingredients plus preparation and assess whether or not we like each recipe.

* Information pending confirmation.