Choose based on the meals you make regularly, rather than the number of programmes: an air fryer is ideal for small batches you want to crisp up, a multicooker for one-pot dishes, a mini oven for meals that need an oven-sized space, and a cooking food processor for recipes that also involve chopping or mixing. Then check the portion sizes, the parts you’ll need to clean and the space you have available. If your current equipment already handles these meals without a recurring hassle, adding another appliance may simply duplicate what you have.
If you mainly make roast vegetables, side dishes or foods with a crispy texture, look at the usable space in the basket. Having two separate zones and drawers that are easy to clean may matter more for your meals than the number of programmes.
For soups, saucy dishes or slow-cooked meals, compare the bowl’s usable capacity, the settings you’ll actually use and the parts that need washing. Keep-warm functions are also worth considering if you won’t be serving the meal as soon as it’s cooked.
A cooking food processor is worth considering if chopping, grating, blending, kneading or stirring regularly feature in your meals. If cooking itself is the only thing slowing you down, first check whether its accessories and size meet a genuine need.
Start with the format of your meals: a basket, a bowl and an oven-style space won’t suit the same dishes. Then consider whether you want to save time during cooking or preparation.
Consider it: for small or medium batches you want to crisp up, particularly side dishes.
Bear in mind: a basket that’s too small for your portions may mean cooking in several batches.
Consider it: for moist or slow-cooked dishes made in one bowl.
Bear in mind: a bowl won’t provide the surface area needed for a large dish you want to brown under the grill.
Consider it: if your usual tarts, gratins or other dishes need an oven-sized space.
Bear in mind: you’ll need room for the appliance and must set it up according to the instructions.
Consider it: if chopping, blending or mixing regularly slows down your preparation.
Bear in mind: its accessories take up space and add more parts to clean.
Stick with it: if your hob, pans and oven already let you make your usual meals.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need to manage the preparation and keep an eye on the cooking yourself.
| Factor | What to check before buying | Who is this for? |
|---|---|---|
| Dish format | Compare five meals you make regularly with the cooking space available: a basket, a bowl or an oven-style dish. | If I mainly make dishes that won’t fit in a basket, I want to avoid buying an appliance that means changing my recipes. Around 31% of consumers would put the suitability of the cooking space for their dishes at the heart of their choice. |
| Portions and cooking at the same time | Check the internal dimensions and usable capacity. For a model with two drawers, check the space in each one. | If several portions or two parts of a meal need to be ready at the same time, I want to avoid cooking in successive batches. This is a priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Hands-on preparation | Identify the tasks that take up your time and check the functions and accessories included with the model you’re considering. | If chopping, grating or mixing slows me down more than cooking, I prioritise an appliance suited to these regular tasks. Around 23% of consumers would make hands-on preparation their main concern. |
| Cleaning and space | Count the parts that get dirty when making a typical meal and measure the space for the appliance, including when it’s in use. | I’d rather keep my current set-up than add an appliance that’s difficult to clean or store. For around 15% of consumers, this consideration would come before the others. |
Extra settings are of little use if the dish or quantity you want to cook won’t fit inside the appliance. Tests of combination ovens reported by the French National Consumer Institute and ADEME found no overall advantage over fan ovens: results vary depending on the dish and model.
Make a note of a few weekday meals you cook regularly and check the space each one needs before comparing programmes.
The total volume doesn’t tell you the basket’s surface area, the space in each drawer or a bowl’s usable capacity. You may still need to cook in successive batches.
Compare the internal dimensions and stated usable capacity with the dishes and quantities you usually make.
For some Cookeo models, Moulinex offers air fryer-style cooking with the Extra Crisp accessory. The function therefore depends on the configuration you buy.
Check the exact model number and the accessories included if this function is a key reason for your choice.
Depending on the bundle, you may need to buy a separate accessory for this function, which you’ll also need to store and clean.
In France, the Ministry of the Economy explains that an optional commercial warranty is in addition to statutory guarantees; it doesn’t replace them.
Before taking out an extended warranty, compare the faults covered, exclusions and any additional services offered. Keep your proof of purchase in case you need to make a claim about the appliance.
The Philips air fryer range includes compact models and models with two baskets, giving you options to compare how the cooking zones are arranged and how easy they are to clean.
Cookeo multicookers offer a useful point of comparison for one-pot meals and related cooking functions.
The Cook Expert range is worth considering when meals involve both preparation tasks, such as chopping or blending, and cooking.
These appliances suit three of the needs covered here: preparing and cooking food with a cooking food processor, making batches with hot air or cooking in a bowl. Compare them with the meals you usually make; a mini oven or your existing equipment may still be a better fit for some dishes.
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Worth considering if preparing ingredients as well as cooking them is slowing down your weekday meals.
The product name lists an XL bowl, built-in scales, a large touchscreen and 750 recipes. Check that the bowl, accessories and space required suit the way you cook.
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Consider it if you’d like to cook two parts of a meal in separate drawers.
The stated 9,5 L capacity is the total, so check the usable space in each drawer for your portions. The product title lists six functions; check the cleaning instructions for the exact model.
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Worth considering for one-pot meals, particularly if you’re looking for a pressure cooker.
The product title lists a 7,1 L capacity and a stainless steel inner pot. Compare this capacity with your recipes and follow the instructions for filling the pot and releasing steam.
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Consider it if your meals include hot pot-style cooking or dishes cooked in a bowl divided into two zones.
The product title lists a 6 L capacity, 1 500 W power and a temperature range of 0 to 210 °C. Check how much each zone can hold and read the cleaning instructions before choosing this configuration.
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Worth considering for air-fried batches if a 4 L basket suits the foods you cook.
The product title lists a temperature range of 35 to 200 °C and a 60-minute timer. Check the basket’s internal dimensions and cleaning instructions rather than estimating portions from the stated capacity alone.
An air fryer can replace these appliances only for dishes that fit in its basket and suit this cooking method. For saucy dishes, consider a bowl-style appliance; for gratins or tarts, compare an oven-style appliance’s dimensions with those of the dishes you usually make.
Compare the space you can actually use with your portions, not just the capacity in litres. For an air fryer, check the basket’s surface area and the size of each drawer. For a bowl or cooking food processor, distinguish between the total volume and the usable capacity listed for the specific model.
Before choosing an appliance, count the parts that get dirty when you make your usual recipe. A basket, bowl or some accessories may be listed as dishwasher-safe, but check the instructions for the specific model to confirm this for each part.
If you buy from a professional seller in France, you can invoke the legal guarantee of conformity if the product doesn’t conform to its description. The Ministry of the Economy states that you have two years to request that it be applied. Keep your proof of purchase and contact the seller. This protection is separate from an optional commercial warranty.
You don’t need an extended warranty to benefit from the statutory guarantees that apply in France. The Ministry of the Economy explains that a commercial warranty is additional to these protections. Before deciding whether it’s useful, check which faults are covered, any exclusions and what extra services are included.