Choose an all-in-one cooking robot if you want to chop, mix, cook and steam in the same appliance, and if the bowl capacity, accessories and guided recipes genuinely suit your habits. Choose a food processor with separate cooking instead if you already own a multicooker or do not need built-in cooking. For pressure cooking, slow cooking or steaming, a multicooker may be enough when your ingredients are already prepared.
You often prepare soups, sauces, casseroles and steamed vegetables, and want to chop, mix and cook without changing appliances. An all-in-one cooking robot is particularly useful for bringing these tasks together; recipes should not be the only reason to buy one. Que Choisir highlights that functions and capacities vary between models.
If dinner needs to be ready quickly, guided or less closely monitored cooking may be useful. However, factor washing up, preliminary chopping and putting everything away into your routine. In August 2024, OpinionWay for Lustucru reported that 61% of French respondents aged 18 and over spent 30 minutes or less preparing dinner on a weeknight.
If you already have a food processor, blender or multicooker, first identify the functions you are missing. A food processor remains suitable when built-in cooking is not necessary, as Que Choisir points out.
Start by comparing the steps you genuinely want to combine, then consider the capacity, maintenance and services included with the model you are considering.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Dinner time | Compare cooking programmes, delayed start, keep-warm functions and the preparation tasks that still need to be done. A programme does not necessarily replace chopping the ingredients. | I want to be able to start the meal without constantly monitoring it. In August 2024, 61% of French respondents aged 18 and over surveyed by OpinionWay for Lustucru said they spent 30 minutes or less preparing dinner on a weekday. |
| Regular use | Look at the recipes you actually cook, the number of parts to wash and whether the useful components are dishwasher-safe. Also check how the accessories are fitted. | I want an appliance that fits into my usual menus, not just the first recipes I try. In a 2020 Que Choisir survey of 1,695 subscribers who owned food processors, 52% felt they saved time in the kitchen and 49% said they had expanded their recipe repertoire. |
| Functions you already have | Make a list of the tasks you need: chopping, grating, slicing, blending, cooking, slow cooking, steaming or pressure cooking. Compare these with the appliances you already own and the accessories actually included. | I want to avoid paying for built-in cooking if a food processor and my saucepans already cover my usual needs. A multicooker can meet your cooking requirements when chopping and blending are already taken care of. |
| Long-term cost | Check the essential accessories, any recipe services, replaceable parts and the conditions for parts availability. Distinguish between included functions and options sold separately. | I want to know what I will really use after buying it: guided recipes, cooking accessories or replacement parts. Conditions vary depending on the model you choose. |
Built-in cooking is what distinguishes an all-in-one cooking robot from a food processor. A multicooker can handle pressure cooking, steaming and slow cooking without offering the chopping or blending accessories you may be looking for.
List the recipes you make in a typical week and note the missing tasks for each one: chopping, grating, slicing, blending, cooking, steaming, pressure cooking or guidance. Choose the appliance that fills those specific gaps.
The benefit depends on the recipe and on how many bowls, blades, lids, baskets and accessories are used. In the 2020 Que Choisir survey, a large amount of washing up and use considered too time-consuming were among the reasons for using the appliance less often.
Before buying, check which parts are needed for your most frequently prepared recipes and which can go in the dishwasher.
The appliance price does not necessarily include guided recipes, additional accessories or the extended warranty you may need.
Budget separately for the appliance, the accessories needed from the outset, any recipe service and replaceable parts.
For example, Vorwerk advertises Cookidoo at €60 per year after any applicable trial offers, while Moulinex states that the Extra Crisp accessory for Cookeo is sold separately.
The capacity should suit your household, but a larger model also takes up more space. Magimix states that the Cook Expert XL has a total bowl capacity of 4.8 L, including 3.8 L of usable capacity.
Measure the storage space and worktop area, then compare the bowl’s usable capacity rather than just its total capacity.
The Thermomix TM7 is aimed at people who value a screen, Cookidoo guided recipes and built-in cooking modes.
The Companion range is designed as an all-in-one cooking robot, while Cookeo focuses on pressure cooking, steaming and slow cooking.
The Cook Expert and Cook Expert XL are aimed at people who also want to grate, slice, knead and cook larger quantities.
Monsieur Cuisine is a retailer brand cited among the more affordable all-in-one cooking robots on the French market.
These Joybuy options include an all-in-one cooking robot and multicookers for everyday meals, depending on whether you also want ingredient preparation or mainly cooking in a single pot.
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For multi-step recipes requiring chopping, mixing, cooking and steaming in a single appliance.
Advertised 4.5 L bowl, including 3 L of usable capacity, with integrated scales, touchscreen, automatic programmes and preloaded recipes.
Allow space on your worktop: the advertised dimensions are 40 × 26 × 36 cm and the weight is 9.4 kg. Also check the conditions for accessing new recipes via Wi-Fi and which accessories are dishwasher-safe.
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For slow-cooked dishes, steaming and pressure cooking in larger quantities, without motorised ingredient preparation.
Advertised 8 L capacity, 12 programmes, 24-hour delayed start, keep-warm function for up to 12 hours and an included steam basket.
This model does not replace a food processor for chopping, grating, slicing or blending. Check the power supply voltage, dimensions and bowl maintenance requirements before buying.
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For households that cook in larger quantities or prepare meals in advance in a single pot.
Advertised 7.1 L pot, with pressure cooking, slow cooking, sautéing, steaming and four customisable buttons.
Chopping, grating, slicing and blending functions are not listed. Allow for the advertised dimensions of 30.9 × 41.5 × 29.8 cm and weight of 8.1 kg.
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For everyday one-pot meals in a medium-sized household, with several guided cooking modes.
Advertised 5.7 L stainless-steel pot, 220–240 V power supply, with pressure cooking, slow cooking, sautéing, steaming, egg, yoghurt and keep-warm functions.
This model does not replace an all-in-one cooking robot for chopping, grating, slicing or blending. Check the dimensions and weight required for storage.
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For compact cooking focused on rice, soups and steamed vegetables.
Advertised 2 L pot, rice, porridge, soup, steam and cake programmes, with 24-hour delayed start and keep-warm function.
No chopping, grating, slicing or blending function is listed. Allow at least 40 cm above the appliance and 10 cm at the sides.
No. The supplied recipes are not essential for using an all-in-one cooking robot, according to Que Choisir. If guided cooking is important to you, check the service cost and terms: Vorwerk advertises Cookidoo at €60 per year after any applicable trial offers.
Choose the bowl according to your usual number of diners and the recipes you make, always distinguishing between total and usable capacity. For example, Magimix advertises 2.5 L of usable capacity for the Cook Expert and 3.8 L for the Cook Expert XL; a larger capacity also requires more space.
Yes, if your priority is pressure cooking, steaming or slow cooking and you already have what you need to chop, grate or blend. Choose an all-in-one cooking robot when you want to combine preparation and cooking in the same appliance.
Check the number of parts to wash, whether they are dishwasher-safe, the seals, the included accessories and how they can be stored. Que Choisir recommends choosing a robot that is easy to maintain and assesses, among other things, how bowls, lids and accessories age after 50 dishwasher cycles as part of its testing protocol.
For an appliance bought from a professional seller, the legal guarantee of conformity is compulsory for new, second-hand or refurbished goods sold to private individuals. The French Ministry of the Economy specifies that it covers, among other things, an appliance that does not match the seller’s description or the normal use reasonably expected of it.