An all-in-one cooking machine is worth considering if your recipes regularly involve chopping, mixing and cooking: depending on the model, you may be able to do all these steps as part of the same routine. If your ingredients are already prepared, a multicooker may be a better fit for the cooking itself. And if you already own a cooking appliance, a food processor can take care of the preparation separately. Above all, check the portions you can really make, which accessories are included and how much cleaning your usual recipes involve.
If you make soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes that need both preparation and cooking, an all-in-one cooking machine is worth a look. UFC-Que Choisir describes this category as typically combining a blade, whisk, mixer and steamer basket. Check that the model you choose has the features your recipes need.
Usable capacity matters more than the bowl’s total volume. For example, Magimix gives a usable capacity of 3.8 l for the Cook Expert XL Connect, while Moulinex says the Companion Pro can make recipes for up to 10 people. Compare the portion sizes specified for the dishes you actually cook.
If kneading and whisking make up most of your time in the kitchen, a cooking stand mixer could suit the way you cook. Kenwood notes that food processor functions for the Cooking Chef rely on optional accessories, so check which ones you’ll need for your other recipes.
Start with the steps you do most often: preparing ingredients, cooking them, or doing both as part of the same recipe.
Worth considering: if you regularly chop or mix ingredients before cooking a meal.
The trade-off: cleaning the bowl and accessories is part of every preparation.
Worth considering: if you already have a cooking appliance and mainly need to chop, grate or blend.
The trade-off: you’ll need to transfer the prepared ingredients to the appliance that will cook them.
Worth considering: for cooking ingredients that have already been chopped or prepared.
The trade-off: according to UFC-Que Choisir, multicookers generally don’t stir food, so you’ll need to do that yourself.
Worth considering: if doughs, whisked mixtures and recipes that need heating make up most of your cooking.
The trade-off: grating or chopping may require accessories designed for the range you choose.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in functions | Look for the chopping, mixing and cooking functions your recipes need. For steaming, check that the right basket or accessory is included. | I often make dishes that need chopping or mixing before cooking, and want to cut down on transferring food between appliances. |
| Usable capacity | Compare the usable volume, filling limits and portion sizes given for each recipe, rather than looking at the total volume alone. | For family meals, I want to know whether I can make all my portions in one go. For smaller quantities, I’d also like to check that the bowl suits my everyday cooking. |
| Cleaning and storage | Check the appliance’s dimensions and how the accessories can be stored. Look separately at the cleaning instructions for the bowl, lid and parts you’ll use. | If I cook often, cleaning up after a meal and the space available on my worktop matter just as much as the advertised features. |
| What’s included | Check which accessories are included for grating, slicing, kneading or steaming. If you plan to use guided recipes, check how to access the associated app or service. | I want to be able to make my usual recipes with the items in the pack I choose, without assuming that every accessory shown is included. |
UFC-Que Choisir says that a multicooker can cook, brown or slow-cook food, but it generally doesn’t stir ingredients. So if your recipe calls for chopping or blending, you’ll need to do that separately.
Choose this option if your ingredients are already prepared or you’re happy to use another utensil. Otherwise, check that the all-in-one cooking machine you’re considering has the preparation functions you need.
Total capacity and usable capacity aren’t always the same. For the Cook Expert XL Connect, for example, Magimix lists a total capacity of 4.8 l and a usable capacity of 3.8 l.
Check the filling limits and quantities specified for your recipes before deciding whether a meal will fit in the bowl.
Grating, slicing, kneading and steaming functions depend on the items supplied with the configuration you choose. Kenwood notes, for example, that food-processing accessories for the Cooking Chef are available as optional extras.
List the tasks your recipes require, then compare them with the contents of the exact pack you’re buying.
Extra accessories also need somewhere to be stored.
In France, the DGCCRF notes that the legal guarantee of conformity applies to goods sold by a business to a private individual. Any commercial warranty has its own terms and doesn’t replace this right.
Keep your proof of purchase and check the terms of any commercial warranty offered with the appliance separately.
These features apply to the ranges and models mentioned, not to every appliance from each brand.
According to Moulinex France, the Companion Pro is designed for recipes that combine weighing, ingredient preparation, cooking and steaming.
Magimix France presents the Cook Expert XL Connect as suitable for making larger quantities, with programmable recipes for 2 to 16 people, depending on the recipe.
According to Vorwerk France, the Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation, cooking and guided recipes in the Cookidoo ecosystem.
The Cooking Chef range is particularly suited to baking, where a heating function can come in handy.
These two all-in-one cooking machines are worth considering if you’re looking for one appliance that can both prepare and cook ingredients. To compare them, focus on the functions and items in the pack that your recipes need.
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Worth a look if your meals involve preparing ingredients before cooking, all as part of the same routine. This configuration comes with an XL bowl, built-in scales and a large touchscreen. Check the exact model and the recipes included before choosing this pack.
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Consider it for recipes that involve both preparation and cooking, after checking which tasks you’d like the appliance to handle. This model is shown with built-in scales and a touchscreen. Check the usable capacity, included accessories and cleaning instructions for the parts you’ll use.
Yes, if your ingredients are already prepared and you mainly want to cook them. If your recipe also needs ingredients to be chopped or mixed automatically, check that the all-in-one cooking machine has those functions. UFC-Que Choisir says that multicookers generally don’t stir food.
Start with the usable capacity and the portion sizes given for your recipes, then check the included accessories, the space you’ll need and the cleaning instructions. The bowl’s total capacity alone won’t tell you how much you can prepare.
Not necessarily. Choose this feature if you plan to follow instructions on the appliance or in an app. If so, check which recipes you can access with your chosen configuration and under what terms.
The DGCCRF says that the legal guarantee of conformity applies to goods sold by a business to a private individual, and that you have two years to request that it be applied. Any commercial warranty is in addition to this and doesn’t replace it.