Kitchen Gadgets: Thermomix, Rice Cookers and Smart Ovens — 2026-09-21

Top developments

Vorwerk rolls out AI cooking assistant for Thermomix TM7 and Cookidoo

Vorwerk has pushed a major update to the Thermomix ecosystem, adding a new AI cooking assistant for Cookidoo, automatically translated recipes from around the world, and Arabic-language support for the TM7. IMTEST details what the update delivers for users, marking the most significant software refresh for the TM7 since its launch. The move tightens Thermomix's grip on the connected all-in-one kitchen machine category it dominates.

2 sources

imtest.de

imtest.de

imtest.de

imtest.de

Samsung India launches 2026 Bespoke AI appliance range

Samsung India launched its 2026 Bespoke AI appliances lineup at "The Brief Gurugram," an experiential event demonstrating how AI acts as a common thread across categories including kitchen appliances and climate control. The launch targets India's fast-growing premium smart appliance segment and follows similar AI-branding pushes in other markets.

1 sources

smarthomeworld.in

smarthomeworld.in

AI-vision smart ovens move from CES hype toward mainstream

A new analysis reports that 2026's flagship ovens — including LG's Signature smart oven with its in-built camera and Gourmet AI, and the AISO oven that uses weight sensors plus a camera to identify food geometry and set optimal time and temperature — mark a shift from timers and thermostats to autonomous, vision-driven cooking hardware. The trend, first shown at CES 2026, is now shaping retailer and manufacturer roadmaps heading into the holiday season.

Germany: cooking-machine group test pits TM7 against cheaper alternatives

IMTEST published a fresh comparison of seven kitchen machines with cooking functions, testing where Thermomix TM7 and rival models (including Bosch Cookit) differ on cooking, baking and value for money. Meanwhile, a German product news aggregator re-listed Thermomix TM6 pricing at €1,349–€1,499 as the older model positions as the budget-friendly alternative.

2 sources

imtest.de

imtest.de

imtest.de

imtest.de

China: dual-pressure rice cooker pitch and mid-year small-appliance survey

Chinese buyer-review platform SMZDM is promoting Cuckoo's "double-variable pressure" rice cooker — toggling between high-pressure quick cooking and pressure-free slow simmering across 15+ cooking modes and 16 rice-texture settings — as an answer to multi-generational households' competing rice preferences. Separately, a mid-year China small-appliance industry report compiled from GfK and domestic research houses was published on September 18, providing fresh market baselines.

Local view

• German outlet IMTEST leads its kitchen coverage with the Thermomix Cookidoo/KI-assistant update, framing it as "the big Thermomix update at a glance" — including globally translated recipes and new Arabic support for the TM7.
• Chinese outlet Sina's home-appliance hourly digest (September 16) continues to highlight Siemens appliances at IFA 2026 in Berlin (September 5–9), signaling sustained Chinese media attention on Berlin's connected-kitchen reveals.
• Chinese consumer media Sohu published fresh rice-cooker buying guides within the last days, withIH models (Joyoung, Xiaomi, Supor, Toshiba) emphasized for avoiding undercooked or burnt rice complaints.

Context & numbers

• The residential induction cooktops market is forecast to grow from USD 17.54 billion in 2026 to USD 23.90 billion by 2031 (6.39% CAGR), driven by energy-efficiency demand and gas-stove restrictions in California and New York.
• Thermomix TM6 list pricing in Germany stands at €1,349–€1,499, positioning it below the current-generation TM7 while Bosch Cookit remains the prime challenger.
• China's mid-year small-appliance report (published 2026-09-18) cites GfK and domestic research institutes as data sources for the sector's H1 performance.

On the radar

• Samsung India's "The Brief Gurugram" experiential series continues — watch for follow-up category-specific AI launches in the region.
• Chinese shopping platforms are positioning multi-mode pressure rice cookers ahead of the autumn/gifting season — holiday-quarter Japanese and Korean rice-cooker sales will be an early test of demand.
• Rumor/watch item: whether LG's Gourmet AI smart-oven features extend beyond Signature line in 2027 models, given this week's renewed industry focus on vision-system cooking hardware.
• A fresh "8 Best Cooking Robots" round-up (published this week) signals growing reviewer attention on autonomous cooking robots ahead of Q4 retail season.