To prepare several dinners in advance, choose your appliance according to the part of the process that slows you down most: a food processor with cooking functions to handle preparation and cooking in one, a multicooker for a dish cooked in the pot with little supervision, or an oven for cooking in batches. A food processor or heated blender may be better suited to a more specific need. Before choosing, compare the usable capacity, included accessories and cleaning requirements with the recipes you usually make.
If you prepare chopped vegetables, sauces, soups or slow-cooked dishes one after another, a multifunction food processor with cooking functions can reduce the need to transfer ingredients between appliances. However, check that its accessories and usable capacity suit each batch.
If your dinners are mainly stews, steamed vegetables or slow-cooked dishes, a multicooker is worth considering. You’ll still need to chop the ingredients separately and, depending on the menu, finish some dishes in the oven.
For roast vegetables, gratins or dishes spread across trays, start by looking at the oven and the number of levels you can actually use. The number and size of the trays, along with your recipes’ cooking times, matter more than a list of functions unrelated to these dishes.
Identify what takes you the most time when preparing meals, then check the capacity and functions you’ll need for that step. An appliance that makes cooking easier won’t necessarily chop your ingredients.
| What matters to you | What to check | Who this suits |
|---|---|---|
| Repeated chopping | Chopping, grating and slicing functions; included discs and how easy the parts are to clean. | When I’m preparing lots of vegetables, I want to cut down on manual work before I even start cooking. Around 22% of consumers would make this preparation their priority. |
| Cooking a dish in the pot | The pressure, steaming or slow-cooking modes your recipes need; the pot’s usable capacity. | If my dinners are mainly stews or dishes with sauce, I’d rather be able to start cooking without staying by the hob. This would be the priority for around 28% of consumers. |
| Varied preparations | The bowl’s usable capacity, included accessories and cleaning time between recipes. | I switch from a sauce to a soup or dough, so I need an appliance that suits each batch, even if I have to prepare them one after another in the same bowl. Around 22% of consumers would prioritise this versatility. |
| Oven batches | Levels you can use at the same time, tray dimensions and the right cooking mode. | When my meals are mainly gratins and roast vegetables, I want to spread the dishes across several trays rather than fill a pot. This way of cooking several dishes at once would come first for around 17% of consumers. |
| Blended soups and sauces | Usable capacity, heating and blending functions, and how easy the bowl is to clean. | If soups and blended sauces feature regularly on my menu, I’d be more interested in an appliance designed for that purpose than a versatile all-rounder. Around 11% of consumers would put this need first. |
A bowl’s advertised capacity doesn’t always match the amount you can mix or cook at once. For its Cook Expert Connect, for example, Magimix lists a total capacity of 3.5 L and a usable capacity of 2.5 L.
Compare the model’s stated usable capacity with the quantities in your usual recipes, and check the manual if the filling limit depends on the programme.
Pressure, steaming and slow-cooking modes don’t mean the appliance can slice, grate or blend. You could still be left with a lengthy preparation stage to do by hand.
List the tasks involved in your meals and check the functions and accessories of the exact model you’re considering.
You may still need a separate food processor.
An appliance suited to moist dishes won’t necessarily give you the finish you want for roast vegetables or a gratin.
If you make these dishes often, check what the model you’re considering can do and whether you’ll need to finish them in your oven.
For the Cookeo Simplicity featured by Moulinex, the Extra Crisp lid is listed as sold separately.
An appliance helps you prepare meals; it doesn’t store them after cooking. You’ll also need to factor available fridge space and storage conditions into your plans.
Allow for the capacity of your fridge or freezer, and follow food storage guidance. Anses recommends keeping an eye on the temperature in the coldest part of your fridge, which should be 4 °C.
Two ranges to consider for different needs: Companion combines preparation and cooking, while Cookeo is designed for cooking dishes in the pot.
The Thermomix TM7 is for anyone looking to combine several tasks with a guided-recipe interface.
Worth considering if bowl capacity and chopping tasks matter as much to you as cooking.
A brand to look at if you’re after a built-in oven for cooking in batches.
The SoupMaker HR2203/80 is designed for a specific need if soups and smooth soups are regular features on your menu.
These appliances cover different stages of batch cooking: preparing and cooking with a food processor, cooking a dish in a pot or using a cooking appliance for oven batches. Choose according to the recipes you plan to make, not just the advertised capacity.
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Worth considering if you want to combine preparation and cooking, and your recipes can be made one after another in the same bowl.
Compare the usable capacity and the accessories you’ll need for chopping with the quantities you plan to make. Also check the language and content of the guided recipes.
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Worth a look if you want to follow guided recipes while preparing and cooking with one appliance.
Before planning larger batches, check the bowl’s usable capacity and the language of the interface and recipes.
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Worth considering for dishes cooked in the pot, provided you’re handling ingredient preparation separately.
The advertised capacity is 8 L. Check the usable capacity for your recipes and the exact finish of the pot before buying.
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The two zones may suit cooking separate components during the same session.
The total capacity of 7.6 L is split between two drawers, so check that each one can hold the portions you have in mind. This appliance doesn’t prepare ingredients.
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Worth considering if your make-ahead meals mainly consist of oven-cooked dishes rather than food cooked in a pot.
Check the usable dimensions, included accessories and whether you can use several levels at once. A four-level rack alone doesn’t guarantee that you can cook on all levels simultaneously.
Compare the bowl’s usable capacity with the quantity in your largest batch, rather than relying only on its total capacity or the number of people it’s said to serve. For example, Magimix lists a total capacity of 3.5 L but a usable capacity of 2.5 L for the Cook Expert Connect. The amount you can make will also depend on the recipe and how much room is needed for mixing.
Only count on these functions if they’re listed among the features and accessories of the model you choose. The Cookeo Simplicity featured by Moulinex highlights cooking modes and a steaming basket, so you’ll need another tool if your session involves grating or slicing.
No. Preparing and cooking food doesn’t replace proper storage. Anses recommends keeping an eye on the temperature in the coldest part of your fridge, which should be 4 °C, and limiting how long perishable food is left at room temperature.
When buying a replacement of the same type in France, ask the retailer about taking back your old appliance. The Ministry for Ecological Transition states that a ‘one-for-one’ take-back scheme applies in these circumstances. Check the practical arrangements with the retailer.