A multifunction cooking food processor is a good choice if you want to prepare and cook soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes in one appliance. Focus on usable capacity, included accessories and cleaning. If you mainly prepare ingredients without cooking them in the bowl, consider a standard multifunction food processor instead. For dough-making and whisking, look at a heated stand mixer. Separate appliances are worth considering if you cook several dishes at the same time.
If soups, sauces and slow-cooked dishes regularly feature on your table, a cooking food processor can combine some of the preparation and cooking in one appliance. Check that its usable capacity suits the quantities you usually cook.
A clear interface and step-by-step recipes can help you organise meal preparation. Compare the available settings and how you can access the recipes, as these vary between brands and models.
If kneading and whisking are central to your recipes, look at heated stand mixers and their accessories. For larger batches, also compare the bowl’s usable capacity, bearing in mind that a large capacity won’t suit every recipe.
UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between cooking food processors and food preparation processors. The key question is whether you also want to cook in the appliance. The four options below suit different cooking habits.
Consider it: if you want to prepare and cook soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes in the same bowl.
Bear in mind: a single bowl can slow you down when preparing several different dishes.
Consider it: if kneading and whisking are your priorities, but you’d also like to heat some preparations.
Bear in mind: other uses will depend in part on the accessories supplied with your chosen model.
Consider it: for chopping, grating or mixing if you prefer to keep cooking with your usual appliances.
Bear in mind: anything that needs cooking will have to be transferred to another container.
Keep them: if you regularly cook several dishes at once and your existing equipment already meets your needs.
Bear in mind: the different steps won’t be combined in a single cooking programme.
| Consideration | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity for meals | Compare the bowl’s usable capacity and the assembled appliance’s dimensions, rather than looking only at its total volume. | When I make several portions of soup or a slow-cooked dish, I want to avoid cooking multiple batches. Around 33% of consumers reportedly prioritise capacity. |
| Recipe guidance | Look at the interface, manual settings and the terms for accessing guided recipes. | If I want to follow a recipe step by step, ease of programming matters more than the number of functions listed. Around 25% of consumers reportedly prioritise this kind of guidance. |
| Combining preparation and cooking | List the tasks you repeat and check the functions and accessories included in the exact bundle. | For soups and sauces, I’d like to avoid transferring food between appliances, while still having enough space on the worktop. Around 25% of consumers reportedly put this all-in-one approach at the top of their list. |
| Cleaning and access to content | Check the cleaning instructions and, if you plan to use connected recipes, the terms for accessing them. | An appliance I have to clean after every meal needs to be easy to look after. I also want to know the terms for using the recipes I’ll rely on. Around 17% of consumers reportedly prioritise these aspects. |
A food processor that can chop, grate or knead won’t necessarily cook soups and slow-cooked dishes. UFC-Que Choisir makes a clear distinction between cooking food processors and those designed for preparation.
Think about your usual recipes and identify which steps you actually want to carry out in the bowl, including cooking.
The total capacity won’t necessarily reflect the volume you can use for your recipe, and some functions require a specific accessory.
Before ordering, check the full model reference against the included accessories, usable capacity and dimensions of the assembled appliance.
You may need an extra accessory or connectivity kit for the way you plan to use it.
A free app and a subscription-based recipe collection don’t offer the same terms of use. It’s worth considering access to recipes separately from the appliance’s cooking functions.
Check which recipes are still available without a subscription, and the renewal terms if you plan to use a connected recipe collection.
Vorwerk states that Cookidoo costs 60 € a year after the free period, with automatic renewal at the end of the 12-month term.
If you buy from a business seller in France, the statutory legal guarantee of conformity is mandatory; an extended commercial warranty has its own terms.
Before taking out an extended warranty, compare its benefits with the statutory guarantee and read its exclusions and claims process.
The Companion range combines food preparation and cooking, with different versions offering different functions and connectivity.
The Cook Expert range combines cooking and food preparation functions. The XL Connect version is designed in particular for larger batches.
The Thermomix TM7 combines cooking modes with guided recipes through Cookidoo.
The Cooking Chef range is aimed at people who prioritise baking and pastry-making, while also wanting to cook some recipes.
These two Robby cooking food processors are options that combine food preparation and cooking. To choose between them, compare their features and recipe access terms with your cooking habits. The other types of appliance mentioned above remain separate alternatives.
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Worth considering if you want to combine food preparation and cooking and would like an XL bowl. This model is listed with built-in scales and a large touchscreen. Before buying, check the usable capacity for your recipes, the terms for accessing connected recipes, and the voltage and plug type.
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Worth considering if you want to prepare and cook using recipes guided on screen. The name of this version mentions built-in scales and 680 recipes. Compare the usable capacity with the portions you make, check the cleaning instructions and confirm the terms for accessing recipes, as well as the voltage and plug type.
Not if you also want to cook in the same appliance. A standard multifunction food processor can handle preparation tasks such as chopping or grating. For soups and slow-cooked dishes made in the bowl, look for a cooking food processor that specifically offers this function.
Compare the usable capacity with the quantity you usually prepare, rather than confusing it with the bowl’s total volume. Moulinex states that the Companion HF840110 has a usable capacity of 3 L, while Magimix gives the Cook Expert XL Connect a usable capacity of 3,8 L. The number of portions you can make also depends on the recipe.
No, the terms vary by service. Moulinex describes My Moulinex as a free app, while Vorwerk states that Cookidoo requires an annual subscription after a free period. Also check your appliance’s compatibility and whether any additional accessories are needed.
The statutory legal guarantee of conformity applies to eligible goods sold by a business to a consumer in France, as the Ministry of the Economy explains. It is separate from an optional commercial warranty. If the appliance doesn’t match its description, contact the seller to discuss the steps you can take.