How to use your Thermomix without Cookidoo (free)
Cookidoo is Vorwerk's paid recipe subscription platform. It's convenient because it sends the steps directly to your robot, but it's not mandatory: your Thermomix weighs, chops, cooks and kneads exactly the same without it. This guide covers everything you need to cook any recipe for free — from reading the steps to converting a regular recipe into robot steps yourself.
0. What do you actually lose without Cookidoo?
Nothing that affects how the robot works. Cookidoo is just a recipe catalog with automatic guidance: the robot reads the steps and adjusts time, temperature and speed without you touching anything. Without the subscription, you simply read the steps yourself and enter them manually — it takes a few extra seconds per step, but the result on the plate is identical. Your warranty doesn't depend on the subscription either: it's a content service, not a hardware component.
1. Learn to read a recipe
A robot recipe only needs three pieces of information per step: time, temperature and speed. For example: "Blend 20 sec/speed 5" or "Cook 15 min/100°C/speed 1". Enter those three numbers on the panel and the robot does exactly what Cookidoo would have told it to do. Some steps add a fourth value, the stirring direction (forward or reverse ↺), to mix without breaking the food apart — for example in stews with chunks of meat or whole vegetables.
A full step reads like this: "10 min / 100°C / reverse / spoon speed". When programming it, you set speed first, then temperature, then time. With practice this becomes automatic within a week.
2. How to convert any regular recipe into robot steps
This is the skill that actually frees you from Cookidoo: adapting a recipe from a book, a website, or your grandmother. You don't need to be a chef — just follow these general rules:
| Sautéing onion/garlic/vegetables | 5-7 min / 100°C / speed 1, with a splash of oil. For a chunkier texture, a 2-3 sec turbo pulse before sautéing. |
| Blending a soup or purée | 30-60 sec, gradually raising from speed 5 to speed 10 (jumping straight to top speed splatters). For a smoother finish, another 20 sec at speed 10. |
| Stews with chunks (meat, potatoes) | Long time (20-40 min) at 100°C, reverse (↺) or spoon speed, so the pieces don't fall apart. |
| Kneading bread or pizza dough | 3 min on the kneading function (or kneading speed). If your robot lacks that function, speed 3-4 with the kneading attachment. |
| Whipping cream or egg whites | Butterfly whisk attached, 3-4 min at speed 3-3.5, no measuring cup so air can get in. |
| Crushing ice or hard foods | 5-10 sec at turbo speed, in short pulses rather than one long burst. |
| Steaming (fish, vegetables) | Varoma attached, 15-25 min at Varoma temperature/speed 1, with water or stock in the bowl below. |
The golden rule: if the original recipe says "sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes," that almost always translates to 100°C/speed 1 for the same time. If it says "blend until smooth," that's high speed in short bursts, checking the texture between each one.
3. Use a free recipe database
So you don't have to convert everything from scratch, on Cookabot you'll find thousands of free recipes already written step by step using Thermomix terms (spoon speed, Varoma, butterfly whisk…). Start with Thermomix recipes or browse by category, like desserts.
4. Thermomix jargon (translated to other robots)
On Cookabot every recipe adapts automatically to your robot. Here's the full table to read them manually on any machine:
| Function | Thermomix | Cecotec Mambo | Moulinex | OsojiMix |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low speed | Spoon speed | Speed 1 | Mix | Slow |
| Normal speed | Speed 5-6 | Speed 5-6 | Process | Normal |
| High speed | Speed 9-10 | Speed 8-9 | Fast | Fast |
| Maximum power | Turbo | Turbo | Turbine | Turbo |
| Maximum temperature | Varoma (~120°C) | 120°C | 120°C | Max |
| Mix without chopping | Reverse turn | Reverse turn | Stir | Reverse |
| Whisking attachment | Butterfly | Whisk | Butterfly | Whisk |
| Kneading attachment | Kneading spike | Kneader | Hook | Kneader |
| Weighing in the bowl | Built-in scale | Built-in scale | Built-in scale | Built-in scale |
| Slow cooking | Slow Mode (model-dependent) | Slow cooking | Slow mode | Slow cooking |
| Reheating | Heat function | Heat | Heat | Heat |
5. Common mistakes when cooking without automatic guidance
- Filling the bowl to the brim: Contents rise when blending hot liquids. Never go above the maximum-level marks on the bowl, especially with hot liquids.
- Jumping the speed up all at once: Going from speed 1 to speed 10 in one jump makes it splatter through the lid opening. Raise it in two or three steps instead.
- Skipping resting times: Many recipes (doughs, gelatin-based creams) need to rest outside the bowl. Skipping this changes the final texture even if the cooking step itself was done correctly.
- Not zeroing the scale between ingredients: If you eyeball added ingredients without resetting the previous weight to zero, the recipe's proportions break down.
- Blending hot with the cap fully sealed: Steam needs to escape. Keep the measuring cup in place without pressing it down, or use the open-steam position on your model.
6. Still not convinced?
If you were only paying the subscription for the recipes, check out our free alternative to Cookidoo: same convenience, no monthly fee, with thousands of recipes already adapted to your robot.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use a Thermomix without Cookidoo?
Yes. Cookidoo is Vorwerk's paid recipe platform, but it's not mandatory: you can cook any recipe written step by step with time, temperature and speed, without the robot needing an active connection or subscription.
Where can I find free Thermomix recipes?
On Cookabot you'll find thousands of free recipes, no subscription, with steps adapted to Thermomix functions and other robots.
Do I lose my warranty if I don't use Cookidoo?
No. The robot's warranty doesn't depend on paying for Cookidoo; it's a content service separate from the hardware, and you can use recipes from any source without affecting manufacturer coverage.
How do I convert a recipe from a regular cookbook into robot steps?
Identify each action (sautéing, blending, cooking, kneading) and translate it: sautéing is usually 100°C/speed 1, blending is high speed in short bursts, and cooking with chunks is a long time at 100°C on reverse or spoon speed.
Can I use Cookidoo recipes even without paying the subscription?
You can't access the in-app automatic guidance without a subscription, but any recipe you have written down on paper or captured as a screenshot can be run manually by entering time, temperature and speed yourself.
Do non-Thermomix robots need a Cookidoo-like subscription too?
Cecotec Mambo, Moulinex Companion and OsojiMix work with their own apps, but none of them require a paid subscription to cook: you can enter the steps manually just like on a Thermomix.