Households preparing large quantities
If you cook several portions of complete meals at once, compare the container’s or drawers’ usable capacity, not just the capacity shown on the label.
Who are these appliances for?
People who want to prepare and cook with one appliance
A cooking food processor could be a good fit if chopping, mixing and cooking are regular parts of your batch-cooking sessions. Check that the accessories for these tasks are included with the version you choose.
Kitchens where space is limited
Before adding an appliance, make sure you have room for it while in use and for storing its accessories. Que Choisir recommends checking how much space a cooking food processor takes up in your kitchen.
What sets the options apart?
Start with the recipes you make most often, then check how much capacity you need and which cooking tasks have to happen at the same time.
Multi-cooker
Choose this: for saucy dishes, grains or steamed food cooked mainly in one pot.
Bear in mind: the main pot doesn’t give you two independent cooking zones. Check the permitted fill level, too.
Cooking food processor
Choose this: if chopping, mixing or kneading is regularly part of the same session as cooking.
Bear in mind: accessories and usable capacity vary by model, and some functions may require you to change tools.
Dual-drawer air fryer
Choose this: to cook two foods suited to hot-air cooking at the same time.
Bear in mind: its drawers aren’t a substitute for a pot designed for soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes.
Complementary appliances
Choose this: if you regularly need to cook a wet dish and roast food at the same time.
Bear in mind: each appliance takes up space and adds parts to clean. Measure your available space before putting together a pair.
| Consideration | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Usable capacity | The maximum permitted fill level for your largest recipe and the usable capacity, where stated. | When you need to make several portions in one cooking session, the container’s stated size alone isn’t enough to plan quantities. Around 25% of consumers say usable capacity is their top priority. |
| Preparing food in one appliance | The exact model’s chopping, mixing and cooking functions, as well as the accessories included. | If chopping ingredients and transferring them between appliances slows down my session, I want to bring those steps together. Around 31% of consumers prioritise preparing food in one appliance. |
| Cooking at the same time | The number of independently adjustable cooking zones and the capacity of each one. | For some consumers, cooking vegetables and a main dish at the same time matters more than combining every function in one bowl. Around 25% prioritise cooking different foods simultaneously. |
| Space and cleaning | The appliance’s dimensions with its attachments fitted, and which removable parts are dishwasher-safe. | When there’s little space for cooking and storing accessories, I want to be able to get the appliance out and clean it easily every week. For around 19% of consumers, size and cleaning are the main concern. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming stated capacity is the same as cooking capacity
According to Que Choisir, a Cookeo’s stated 6 L pot can only cook up to 4 L. Planning a recipe based on the total capacity alone could therefore mean exceeding the permitted fill level.
Compare your largest regular recipe with the usable capacity and fill limits specified for the cooking mode you plan to use, particularly for pressure cooking.
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Expecting an air fryer to handle every type of cooking
Two drawers let you cook different foods with hot air at the same time. They aren’t a pot for soup, sauce or a slow-cooked dish.
Think about the meals you usually make. If liquid-based dishes feature regularly, you’ll also need an appliance or container suited to cooking them.
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Forgetting the space needed around the appliance
A large bowl won’t make your session easier if the appliance is difficult to set up. Magimix, for example, lists the Cook Expert XL Connect as weighing 11,9 kg.
Measure your worktop and the available height, then set aside space for the lids, baskets and other accessories for the model you’re considering.
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Confusing stated parts availability with ease of repair
A stated period of parts availability doesn’t, on its own, tell you which parts you’ll need or how a repair can be carried out for your specific model.
Check parts availability, repair arrangements and warranty conditions for the exact model before comparing manufacturers’ claims.
Brands to know
Moulinex
The range includes Cookeo multi-cookers and Companion cooking food processors. They’re suited to sessions focused either on cooking in one pot or on preparing ingredients before cooking them.
- Moulinex lists a 6 L pot and six modes for the Cookeo Simplicity. The Companion XL is described as having a 4,5 L bowl, 14 modes and five accessories.
- Check the usable capacity and which accessories are actually supplied with the version you choose.
Magimix
The Cook Expert XL Connect combines food preparation and cooking functions in a food processor with a large bowl.
- Magimix gives this model a total capacity of 4,8 L and a usable capacity of 3,8 L.
- Its stated weight of 11,9 kg means you’ll need to allow for suitable space both for using and storing it.
Tefal
The Easy Fry Dual XXL is designed for sessions that call for two hot-air cooking tasks at once.
- Tefal lists two drawers with capacities of 6,5 L and 4,5 L, as well as a synchronised cooking function for this model.
- These drawers aren’t a substitute for a pot for soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes.
Vorwerk
The Thermomix TM7 is a cooking food processor designed to bring several preparation steps together, with guided cooking offered by the brand.
- Vorwerk lists 24 available modes for the TM7.
- If guided recipes are important to you, check the terms of access and which functions will be useful for the meals you usually prepare.
Appliances for different cooking methods
These multi-cookers, this dual-drawer air fryer and this cooking food processor are suited to different batch-cooking tasks. Start by choosing according to the meals you make. If you plan to use two appliances together, check you have enough room for both.
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Midea 9-in-1 pressure multi-cooker, 8 L
Worth considering if you prepare several portions in one pot and use pressure cooking. The model name lists an 8 L capacity, 1 200 W and 12 preset programmes. Check the manual for the permitted fill level for your recipes before planning quantities.
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Ninja Dual Zone DZ300EU, two drawers, 7,6 L
For cooking two foods with hot air in the same session. This dual-drawer model is listed with a total capacity of 7,6 L and six functions. Check the capacity of each drawer against your recipes, and plan another option for soups and slow-cooked dishes.
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Instant Pot Rio XL, 7,1 L
This multi-cooker could suit households that prefer to organise their cooking around one pot. Its stated capacity is 7,1 L. Check the maximum permitted fill level for your largest recipe rather than assuming you can use the full capacity.
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Instant Pot Classic 5,7 L, Daydream Blue
Another single-pot option if you make several meals throughout the week. Compare its stated 5,7 L capacity with the permitted volume for your recipes, and check which accessories are included with this version.
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Robby Smart cooking food processor with XL bowl and scales
Worth a look if you want to bring food preparation and cooking together. This model is listed with an XL bowl and built-in scales. Check the bowl’s usable capacity and the accessories included for the tasks you do every week.
Frequently asked questions
What capacity do I need to prepare several meals?
Start with the volume of your largest recipe and compare it with the usable capacity for the cooking mode you plan to use. Que Choisir says a 6 L Cookeo pot can only cook up to 4 L. Magimix also gives the Cook Expert XL Connect a total capacity of 4,8 L and a usable capacity of 3,8 L.
Can a dual-drawer air fryer replace a multi-cooker?
Not if your meals regularly include soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes. The two drawers are better suited to cooking foods with hot air at the same time, while a multi-cooker has a pot that can handle other types of dish. Using both can make sense if you often need these cooking methods at once and have enough space.
How can I cut down on cleaning after a cooking session?
Check which removable parts are dishwasher-safe and how many containers your recipes will actually use. Tefal lists the Easy Fry Dual XXL baskets as dishwasher-safe. For any other model, check exactly which parts are covered.
What should I check if I want to be able to get the appliance repaired?
For the exact model, check how long parts are stated to be available, which components can be replaced and what repair options are offered. A period highlighted for a product range doesn’t necessarily cover all the terms that apply to the version you’re buying.