Tefal Cuisine Companion FE800A60

Great Machine but Questionable Reliability – Bought this product in Apr 2018 and used it seldomly inside the 2 yr warranty period. Whilst making pizza or cookie dough, the machine blade would slow & then stop completely once the dough ball formed. It was like the electric motor had partially lost torque. Contacted the retailer (Harvey Norman) who told us they only sold a limited range of… Read more

Tefal products and due to a commercial break down with Tefal could not help us. Contacted Tefal customer service and was told to take the unit to the only repairer in QLD (1.5 hrs away from Brisbane, so 6 hrs in total travel for pick up/drop off). Contacted the repairer who wasn't really interested and said they had not dealt with repairing this product before. Pushed the issue with Tefal customer service as the product was obviously faulty and we shouldn't have to incur costs to repair. Ended up borrowing a relative's identical machine and videoed both machines side-by-side as proof. After seeing the video customer service instructed us to send the complete machine to a reply paid address for a replacement. Had to follow up a week after delivery as no-one had actioned the replacement (apparently due to COVID19). Had to send emails and follow up multiple times as apparently the emails were not received. Eventually received replacement and new unit working OK so far. Overall its a very versatile product for the price however I am a little concerned about the build quality and that the product may fail again. Also concerned that the first line of defence of Tefal customer service was to fob us off to a repairer at our expense when clearly the fault was a warranty issue. Happy with the resolution in the end but disappointed with the effort required to get there.

Cuisine Companion Vs Thermomix overview - its kinda long :) – Im one of those people that likes to research things a fair bit before purchasing. I previously had an Optimum Thermocook pro which is a blender style thermocooker that is very similar to the Tmx. Late 2019 I first heard about the Cuisine Companion and after lots of researching ended up buying one second hand early 2020....I use it several times… Read more

a week and find it much better than the thermocook machine I had before. I find I can do a lot more with it and more one pot meals since I can grate directly into the bowl. We're a family of 5 and the large CC bowl is just the right size for our meals. Plus I can throw pretty much everything into the dishwasher, including the extra accessories, so clean up is much quicker and easier.

Im always talking to my family and friends about how great it is so I thought I may as well write a review and share some of the things Ive found since owning a few different thermo cookers. In my researching I was mainly tossing up between the CC and the Thermomix, when I looked into it I realised they are actually quite different machines in that the CC is more of an automated food processor, whereas the Tmx is more of an automated blender....so each has different strengths. Personally I have found an automated food processor to be more useful in meal prep day to day which is why Ive stuck with my Cuisine Companion. It seems to be quite good quality, my machine is 13 months old and its never skipped a beat. For anyone interested I wrote out the main points of comparison for someone previously so will include that below >>>

CC vs Tmx

BLADES: The CC blades can be easily popped in and out from the top so after the meal is prepared, the blade can be quickly removed leaving a good size bowl to serve from/ there is much more space to get a ladle in etc. The Tmx always has to have the blade left in place while food is in the jug and food can often get caught underneath the blade which requires some extra time/ bit awkward to scrape out with a spatula.

SCALES: Internal scales are nice to have, but they can be a bit fragile and can be damaged just by tapping a spoon on the edge of the Tmx jug, which then requires recalibration by a professional which can be costly. For this reason many prefer to use external scales which tend to be more solid/ reliable and can be easily and cheaply replaced if ever needed.

BOWL: The bowl of the CC is bigger than the bowl of the Tmx. The CC bowl is 4.5L (2.5L usable capacity to the ''max mark'') and the Tmx is 2L- 2.2L usable capacity depending on whether its the older or newer model.

ACCESSORIES: In terms of accessories available, the Tmx steamer comes included, internal and external, but both are made from plastic. The CC has a small internal steamer included which is stainless steel and the external steamer which can be purchased separately is mostly made from stainless steel. There is a grater attachment available for the CC which allows you to grate or slice food directly into the bowl, during meal prep, much like a regular food processor, something I find really handy for making spag bol for example. The Tmx doesn’t have this accessory. Both say they can grate/chop food with the blade but it’s a bit different texture and shape to the proper grater/ slicer. You can also buy a special double beater attachment for the CC if you do a lot of whipping etc, the Tmx doesn’t have this option.

MILLING: The Tmx is better than the CC at milling fine flour from grains due to its blender design. I have made almond meal in the CC which was good enough for what I needed but not as fine as you would get with the Tmx. I also own a nutribullet so sometimes use that for small quantities of milling. There is also a mini bowl attachment for the CC which is a bit better for milling and can make nut butters, but I would say Tmx is a bit better in this area due to its design.

CLEANING: Both the CC and Tmx can go in the dishwasher (not the electrical bases obviously), but for the CC you just need to remove the spindle at the base first and that little bit has to be hand washed to prolong its longevity, everything else, including all extra accessories are dishwasher safe. Many of the cheaper versions of thermocookers are not dishwasher safe.

PRE SET COOKING: The CC has several programs that can be preselected by pushing a button, for example there's one button to make soup, one for risotto etc with times and temps already preloaded. The Tmx can have guided cooking but you have to pay an ongoing monthly subscription to cookidoo to access it, which is an extra cost to consider.

RECIPES: Both come with included recipe books and there are other recipe books available for purchase or download, plus lots of recipes online. The CC facebook group has some recipes on there and also a conversion chart you can download for free to convert Tmx recipes.

NOISE: The CC is much quieter than the Tmx when in use.

Amazing Thermal Cooker – Bought from Harvey Norman a year ago on sale, what an absolute amazing product. Ive ummed and ahhed about a thermal cooker for a few years but could not justify the cost. Enter the Tefal Cuisine Companion. Quick and easy to use. Great customer service from Tefal as well. It's quieter than the party plan thermal cooker, and with the flat… Read more

bottom sautes well. I can do salmon and veggies, all steamed in 30 minutes. There's preset buttons to make cooking easier. I made pizza dough tonight and after mixing proves in the bowl! No hassle whatsoever. Love love love this machine.

We are in danger of Wearing this out, it's so great – We have been using this most every night - It's a welcome change having picky adult children still at home not saying much but eating voraciously. Only complaint is that the wording of some of the recipes in the supplied (and extensive) recipe book can be confusing - my wife has misread some of the instructions, and still it manages to make a… Read more

good meal - I think this is a badge engineered French Moulinex, and the translation might have been semi-automated. Will be buying another for the kids when the move out, as well as a second bowl for convenience,

OO LA LA MY CC – I have had this for 2 days and The cuisine companion is a applience which makes cooking all sots of food easy and simple . No need to have many applicences when you have a cuisine companion . It’s not to complex either . Recipes are easy to follow and it’s quite while cooking . Highly recommend . I have cooked vanilla cream rice , it turned out… Read more

perfect . Not mush and the taste was smooth and creamy . Also if needing a extra spare bowl XF382E39 suited for the cuisine companion ending in model number 702 . Ellis Electrical 14 Gladstone Road Dandenong 03 9791 1486

There is also a spare part place in Heidelberg . All appliances Ltd : (03) 9459 9848 Email address: info@allappliances.com.au Address: 162 Burgundy street, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084

My Kitchen Companion – Have been looking at all brands of these sorts of appliances for sometime, but couldn't justify the price. Jumped in before Christmas and bought one. It does pay to study the manuals, but once you get how the controls work it is a breeze. The first thing I look at is weight as I am not keen on keeping appliances on the bench and it is light… Read more

enough to put in the cupboard when not in use. The basin is a good size. I like how the attachment blades are neatly stored in their own container, most of the parts are dishwasher safe, and the controls are easy to use. I have so far cooked bread, made pasta, soups, Thai green chicken (although I make my own recipe), minced meat for lasagne sauce etc so I have given it a good run and can thoroughly recommend. I am seriously thinking of getting the shedder attachment and then I have everything I need. I have already passed on food processor etc which are no longer required.

Awesome addition for the kitchen benchtop – So easy and great to use. Quick soups to whipped cream in a flash. Make great dips, dough, pasta sauce. Easy to clean which is a big bonus. Looks great on the kitchen benchtop. Bought mine at harvey norman at 50% off, comes with a great recipe book and user manual.  Show details

Really handy – Have had the machine for two years now and definitely feel its one of my 'can't do without' appliances in my kitchen. Makes the best no fuss risottos, fantastic soups, pancake mix/waffle mix for a horde, cake mix, no fuss spaghetti sauce, scone dough without the timely rubbing in of butter by hand, and a butter chicken that can turn the room into… Read more

a toxic spice napalm if you don't have the exhaust fan running (tastes amazing though) . Fantastic machine. Don't need a mixer, food processor, and can replace or act as a number of other less used appliances in your kitchen. Being able to take out the blade and other attachments is a huge benefit and makes it very easy to clean. Bowl is large enough to make risotto as a main meal for 4 adults. Lack of a scale for measuring directly into the bowl can be overcome by placing the bowl directly on the free digital scale you can get from Tefal, zeroing it and placing ingredients straight in. I have the grater attachment for the cuisine companion which works really well when prepping for soups etc. and while I don't use it very often it definitely beats doing it by hand. Negatives are the lack of a pouring spout and handle on the bowl which would be handy.

great buy – My mother"s day gift could not have been a better product, makes soups smooth & creamy but also can have it chunky. Have made stews, bread rolls, pizza dough & still experimenting. The motor noise is comparable with others as far as noise goes. Only shortfall is cleaning, not being unable to separate the bowl from the base, makes it harder to… Read more

wash especially with arthritic hands & no dishwasher. Would like to see Tefal bring out something to work with models (incl this one)to enable a separate bowl. A handle on the bowl would make it a lot easier to hold when emptying contents. Overall a great product & no worries about it exploding. Will definitely be buying the other accessories This is my 4th Tefal product I have in my kitchen.

Wont blow up , happy days – Reduces my work load ! Yes saving time is my favorite benifit ( next to safety of course !) No more burnt custard or creamed rice boiling over and making a mess ! Steamed potatoes then mashed with the whisk, has never been better ! Fantastic bread and scones , heaps of recipes online and a few FB groups ...i could go on ! But yes, i love it !!… Read more

Very pleased with my purchase . Only down side ? Cleaning the dual layer lid is a bit of a bother ? Really needs a re design !

Happy with purchase – This replaces worn out Bellini kitchen master which Target no longer sell. Very happy so far. It makes a wonderful chunky soup without turning it in to puree. Peel and cut veges, put in TCC. Come back in 45 minutes. Eat. Motor strong enough to mix dough. Wonderful italian bread made with 3 minutes mixing. 1 hour sitting. 30 min baking. Easy… Read more

to swap blades while still ingredients in bowl.

Easy to clean. Mostly dishwasher proof. You have to remove spindle which is simple.

Quite awkward and difficult to empty contents when using spatula. Why not put a handle on jug.

2 year Express warranty. I would still try for a remedy under Australian consumer law after 2 years .

Recipes. You have to search to find recipes to suit this product. Once you learn how to use machine you could work out what settings to use for any recipe. The recipe book is great though not many soups or stew dishes.

I bought this to try and eat healthy. You have to be careful though as you can get caught up eating too much at first. Great for cooking extra and freezing to avoid lazy trips to the takeaway.

Update. Overheating fault when making bread dough and have to wait 30 minutes for it to cool down. When I rang Tefal he got upset that I wouldn't take it to the closest repairer over an hour away or water down the dough to stop it happening. If it does it again I'll take it back to supplier for a replacement as it is not as fit for advertised purpose.

The must have all in once kitchen machine – The Cuisine Companion does everything for you, it chops the onion, fries it, stirs the curry whilst you are busy outside the kitchen. It cooks rice, steams pudding, is awesome at dough making. The external steamer adds so much extra space. A second bowl really makes the experience better. It's so much better than a thermomix. 1) it's lots cheaper,… Read more

but the quality and Tefal are behind it 2) it's a food processor shape, so it's better at sauté food, doesn't mush meat 3) it cooks just the same was as a saucepan could so it's easy to learn. The Shine with you Cuisine Companion cookbook helps you learn how to get the most from this amazing machine. My machine came with it, but if yours doesn't get a copy too

Omg why didn’t I buy this earlier – This is an amazing alternative to the thermomix. At about $1000 cheaper it does pretty much exactly the same stuff except a few things. Ie doesn’t have internal scales but that is a fantastic thing as you do not have to get it calibrated all the time. And tefal send you a starter welcome pack with digital scales in  Show details

Versatile and High quality – As an enthusiastic baker but terrible cook I bought this as a method to make cooking whole meals easier. I have to say that it’s definitely made making risotto and dishes that require frequent stirring and blending easier and it makes the best potato mash. It takes a bit of getting used to and experimentation to work out how the different blades… Read more

work. The cookbook that comes with it is okay but the Facebook community is a fantastic resource. Although it’s got an internal steamer basket this is small so not very useful I find for my family of four. Where I’ve found this product shines is when I’m baking- it’s very easy to convert mix and bake recipes such as brownies, hummingbird cake etc and it’s so quick and easy that I’ve not used my stand mixer since getting this. Buttercream icing is super easy because I don’t even need to sift the icing sugar as the blade just mixes everything so smoothly and the lid keeps everything contained. What I love is that I just have one bowl to clean and it’s very easy to clean- the centre just clicks out and it’s easy to clean the bowl. The lid also clicks into place so there’s no risk of contents exploding unlike other multifunction cookers. It has four separate blades which are removable and easy to clean. However sometimes bits of food can get stuck such as when making macaroni and cheese and the bottom can burn. I love this appliance and highly recommend it.

Almost Perfect, but – I wish that for Slow Cooking mode had - Temperature settings to be possible with 1 Celsius changes (57, 58, 59...), not current 5 Celsius changes (55, 60, 65, ...) - Cooking Timer setting to be possible up to 6 Hours, not current 2 hours. These would be so helpful for Sous-Vide Cooking.  Show details

Made me into a good cook – I was never a natural or good cook. I really struggled in the kitchen. Now in my 50's I purchased this after seeing it demonstrated on TVSN. Must say I was still skeptical. Thought it wouldn't be used. I have had it less than a month and everything - EVERYTHING - I have made in it has been a success. So far I have successfully made: - Soft white… Read more

bread rolls

- Chettinad Chicken Curry

- Red Wine Lamb Shanks

- Sausage and egg filled breakfast pockets

- Danish pastries

- Savoury crepes

- Chicken, leek and sour cream pie

- Meatballs

- Sous Vide eggs and Hollandaise Sauce

- Lasagna

- White Chocolate and Coconut Slice

There are great facebook pages that share recipes and you can see some of what I have made in my blog [weblink removed]

I love this machine.

Everyday appliance – Purchased Tefal Kitchen cuisine to replace multiple appliances cluttering cupboards and couldn't be happier. Researched and compared other similar appliances and for ease of use and variety of uses decided on this one. Good size bowl , cleaning fuss free , spare bowl makes changing between dishes fast , slicing chopping and grating accessory a big asset as well as steaming extra accessory for larger serves. Recommend to anyone .  Show details

I love this machine! – This is an excellent machine that I have had for nearly 12 months. It allows you to get rid of so many different appliances. I use it mostly for making different kinds of breads, baking (cakes, biscuits), pastry, steaming, curries and risottos. It has allowed me to regain my passion for cooking! The only weakness i can find is that it s not… Read more

great at finely grinding(almonds) or finally chopping a small amount of food (garlic) which is something I believe a thermomix does. Also, when I purchased the cuisine companion the external steamer and shredder were not included and they are very pricey extras.

There are plenty of recipes especially for the machine and it is easy to convert any thermomix recipes (I use skinnymixers)

This machine has helped me experiment with different cuisines for my family. It is dishwasher safe which makes for easy cleaning.

Best appliance ever – I purchased this last April and use it almost daily. Love the way it cooks meals and does the stirring so I can do something else. Whizzes up baked treats in no time. Am now baking bread on a regular basis. Its extra large capacity is great for producing family sized meals. Love the attachments too, especially the slicer/shredder. By purchasing… Read more

during a sale, was able to get both accessories and 4 yrs warranty for the normal purchase price, and do a 4 yr interest free purchase.

Brilliant Machine - just love it – Having owned a Thermomix for some time, I found I was not using it much and the reason was I really didn't like it. I found it noisy and just hated scraping around the blades at the bottom of the bowl. I sold it and purchased a Tefal Cuisine Companion - best thing I ever did. Since owning the Tefal (just before late December 2016) I have used… Read more

it a lot. The more I use it, the more I want to use it. It is so quiet in running at full speed when it does soups. I was always scared to notch up the speed on the Thermie. It is also a steadier machine with very slight vibration in use (unlike the Thermie). I have found my soups come up thicker because of the brilliant chopping/pulsing of the soup programme.

If there is any downside at all - all I can say is I would like to adjust the end of programme beeper to a bit louder, it is a bit too quiet.

Very happy with this machine and now I have added the slicer/shredder.

Good Machine. Different functions to competitors – I was debating whethet to get the competitor or the Tefal CC. I decided on the Tefal for the slow cooking function, the larger bowl and superior warranty. I was also concerned about the inbuilt scales on TM as I had heard they are quite temperamental. I have since also purchased the competitors machine due to the milling capacity the Tefal… Read more

lacks. But saying that I have room on bench for both and each have different functionality. I love the slow cook function on Tefal CC.

every kitchen should have one - I just love mine! – Just love the ease of operation, the great range of recipes and the fact that they reliably turn out just like the pictures & taste great. The instruction book and recipe book are both very easy to follow. The appliance feels safe - the lid locks down securely and there is no risk of getting steam burns due to the clever design of the lid steam… Read more

insert. Very easy to clean and assemble/disassemble. I chose this over the thermomix (I have 2 close friends who have one and I've seen one in use and had a go myself) as it feels sturdier, it has a clear lid so you can see the food while cooking, the steamer is a much more usable shape than the thermomix one and the drip tray works very well, and I can get support for any issues by taking it back to the store I bought it from rather than having to box it up and ship it somewhere at my cost. Recently did a cook-off with one of my friend's thermomix's and the Tefal cooks everything we tried just as well as the thermomix if not better. I found it was very easy to convert the thermomix recipes as well as some of my own long-standing recipes. I use it pretty much every night & am progressively getting rid of my soup-maker, pressure cooker, rice cooker etc. Recommend getting 2 bowls as have taken advantage of this a few times now & it saves time while cooking to not have to stop and wash up part-way through a multi-step meal. The external steamer is fabulous & works perfectly cooking over a sauce being prepared in the main bowl. Highly recommended to buy one - you'll love it!

The best purchase I have made in years! – Awesome for cooking just about everything! I love my Cusine Companion! Cooks pasta sauces with ease. Great if you need to cook quickly and if your working and looking after kids! It is also chops! Some of the cooking functions only cook for a certain cycle of time so if you are cooking larger batches of food take this into consideration as it will… Read more

take longer! Its so easy to clean and really no hassle. I'm very happy with it and I think the price is very fair compared to the Thermomix. I think it's a better by and a better machine. We got some great offers with it when we purchased it. We paid extra for a longer guarantee

Cooking made fun again! – This has made cooking fun and the tedious washing/cleaning up so easy after. Partner and I decided to invest in the cuisine companion since our little one has been needing more time and attention. Some prep, press a few buttons, leave it, (repeat when needed), voila.. meals ate served. Washing is easy as everything except the… Read more

spindles/clip are dishwasher friendly.

After getting past the pricey initial investment, the returns we gain ie. healthy cooked meals, time saved monitoring in the kitchen, this now seems like a no-brainer.

If you're finding that you're tied down on time, and have no time to be in the kitchen, then this is the answer.

Makes difficult cooking a breeze – I bought the Tefal CC 9 months ago. I must admit I don't use it as much as I should because I just do things the 'old way'. I was making tomato sauce the 'old way' when I realised I could probably do it in the CC. Cut hours off the process and made lovely sauce, salsa and chutney. Difficult food (to me) like risotto and hollandaise are a… Read more ·  2

breeze. The fact they are stirred whilst cooking makes it set-and-forget.

The cheesecake and potato puree (mashed potato) are absolutely wonderful.

I have bought the attachments and I am going to make a concerted effort to break away from old habits and use the CC frequently. I about to go overseas for a couple of weeks so I'm using the CC to use up all the fresh food that I can't leave that long.

I have a very small kitchen and space is a premium. Having a one stop appliance is extremely useful. I am getting up the confidence to get rid of all the appliances littering my kitchen that it replaces. One step at a time, though.

I am very pleased I purchased the unit and like 'showing off' at dinner parties the treats I can prepare so easily. Pop in the ingredients press a programme, rejoin the dinner guests and then serve when the Tefal CC tells you the delicious food is ready.

The extra bowl has been very useful when making multiple menu items. Cleaning up is a breeze.

Great Machine – Wife loves it. Comes apart easily for the dishwasher. Great bowl capacity which is really handy as we have a large family. The mixing blades are extremely easy to change. Wife uses it for cakes but mostly for main courses for meals. We bought our own kitchen scales as we didn't qualify for the starter pack.  Show details ·  1

No gimick – I originally held back from purchasing this product labelling it as a gimmick. I was wrong. A very impressive quick machine. I was overwhelmed when it arrived, believing it too fancy for an older brain..wrong again very simple to understand. Cleaning is also extremely simple no dramas there, even for someone with limited patience? My only… Read more ·  1

negative, which is only small is the cook book, which I think needs to be expanded upon, however, you can access more recipes from the nett.

ENJOY and TRUST

So far so good – After 34 years all my appliances are expiring so it was time to replace them: the tefal companion cuisine fitted the bill as it replaces my soup maker, food processor, mixmaster. The steamer was an added bonus upon purchase - I have made delicious mini puddings. I didn't want an appliance that was difficult to clean - as the blades are detachable,… Read more ·  1

cleaning is an easier process. The double layers in the lid snap apart, and time will tell if the connection weakens and have to be replaced, along with the rubber seal.

After a month I have no regrets of spending the $$. It pays to shop around and also view online prices (which can be matched by the store as in my case). Definitely worthwhile to visit a demonstration. It was a pity I had to chase up where one was being held in the city, as there were none offered in the hills. It certainly has refuelled my interest in cooking as the tcc requires little effort & time in preparation & produces tasty and healthy meals.

Great food processer , recommend going to see an in store demo or utube – Great food processer my wife loves it and hasn't stopped cooking me fantastic meals and cakes, just put in the ingredients and tum on. Even a man could use it if he liked cooking. It is really worth going to a local store and watching the demonstration or if not near one go into Utube where there are heaps of demo's  Show details ·  1

Best money on an appliance I have ever spent – This machine is worth every cent and more. Perfect risotto to kneading bread. It gets used almost everyday and sometimes 3 times a day. Love it. It's easy to use. Don't need a chip just a little basic cooking know how and how the machine works and you can easily adapt any of your own recipes. Washes up in the dishwasher. Nice and quiet. I have… Read more

another thermal cooker that now sits redundant in a cupboard because it is noisy and doesn't compare in quality.

Big bowl is awesome. Different blades are also great. No more baby food, whisk attachments coming off or food caught in the blades.

Extra heat is also great.

Very happy with my purchase.