People who want to prepare and cook with one appliance
You regularly make soups, sauces, doughs or slow-cooked dishes, and want to bring several steps of meal preparation together in one appliance.
Who are these appliances for?
People who already have cooking appliances
You have a hob, an oven or another appliance that works well for cooking food. It’s chopping, grating, slicing or kneading that you’d most like to make easier.
Households who prefer one-pot meals
You’re mainly looking for cooking programmes and guided instructions, rather than an appliance that can chop or knead your ingredients.
Which features should you prioritise?
For everyday meals, start with the step your current appliances don’t cover: food preparation, cooking or both. Then measure the space the appliance needs while in use, as well as the space required to store its accessories.
Cooking food processor
Worth considering: if you often make dishes that require you to prepare ingredients and cook them.
Bear in mind: the bowl and accessories also take up space, even when several functions are combined in one appliance.
Food processor
Worth considering: if you’re happy with your cooking appliances and mainly want to make chopping or mixing easier.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need another appliance to cook the food.
Multicooker
Worth considering: if one-pot cooking matters more to you than food preparation functions.
Bear in mind: chopping, grating and kneading will still need to be done separately.
If you’re looking for a central appliance for a small kitchen, each priority below reflects the need that shoppers put first when choosing.
| Priority | What to check | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Combining food preparation and cooking | Identify the functions you’ll actually use, and check which accessories are included and which are optional. | If I chop or mix ingredients before cooking them for the same meal, I want to avoid having lots of appliances. Around 34% of shoppers would make this dual function a priority. |
| Space taken up and functions already available | Measure the appliance with its bowl and lid, then make room to store its accessories. | I already have cooking covered; I mainly want to make food preparation easier without duplicating what I have on the worktop. This would be a priority for around 25% of shoppers. |
| One-pot cooking | Check the cooking programmes, bowl capacity and type of guidance offered by the model you’re considering. | For my everyday meals, I prefer cooking in one pot to having an appliance that grates or kneads. Around 25% of shoppers would put this need first. |
| Cleaning and recipes | Check which parts are washable, how you can access recipes and the availability of spare parts. | If I use the appliance often, I want it to be easy to clean and to keep accessing the recipes I rely on. This would be a priority for around 16% of shoppers. |
Mistakes to avoid
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Assuming an all-in-one appliance is necessarily compact
The base is only part of the space required. You’ll also need to find room for the bowl, lid, steamer basket and accessories, including under your wall cupboards.
Measure the space in width, depth and height, then decide where to store each accessory.
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Expecting a multicooker to prepare all your ingredients
Models designed primarily for cooking don’t automatically replace a food processor’s chopping, grating or kneading functions.
If these tasks feature regularly in your cooking, compare them separately from the cooking programmes.
Depending on your recipes, you may still need a knife, grater, blender or food processor.
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Assuming all recipes and accessories are included
Recipe access and what’s included vary by model; some platforms require a subscription.
Before choosing, check what’s in the box, which recipes you can access and the terms for any trial or renewal.
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Confusing a brand’s commitment with your statutory rights
Statements about spare parts or a commercial warranty apply to the models and terms specified by the brand. They don’t replace your legal rights when you buy.
Separately check the model-specific commitments, repair arrangements and statutory warranty with the retailer.
Brands to know
Moulinex
The brand offers Companion cooking food processors for food preparation and cooking, as well as Cookeo multicookers designed for guided cooking.
- According to Moulinex, the Companion’s food preparation functions and the Cookeo’s cooking programmes are designed for different uses.
- A Cookeo doesn’t replace a Companion’s chopping functions; check the features and accessories included with the model you choose.
Magimix
The Cook Expert range combines food preparation and cooking, with configurations that vary depending on the version and bowl used.
- Magimix highlights chopping, grating and cooking functions on the Cook Expert Connect.
- To work out how much worktop space you’ll need, check the dimensions for the bowl you plan to use.
Vorwerk
The Thermomix TM7 combines a connected cooking food processor with the Cookidoo recipe library.
- Vorwerk says the TM7 offers guided recipes and parts that can be cleaned in the dishwasher.
- Check which parts are dishwasher-safe, along with the terms for accessing and renewing Cookidoo.
Appliances to suit the way you cook
These models suit two ways of cooking in a small kitchen: combining food preparation and cooking in a cooking food processor, or prioritising one-pot cooking with a multicooker. If you already have a cooking appliance and only want help preparing ingredients, also compare a food processor.
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Robby Smart Multifunction Cooking Robot, XL bowl, built-in scales and large touchscreen
Worth considering if you want to combine food preparation and cooking in one appliance. Before making space for it, check how much room you’ll need for the bowl and accessories, and which recipes are available with the version on offer.
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Robby Multifunction Cooking Robot, built-in scales, touchscreen and 680 recipes
Worth considering if you want a cooking food processor with on-screen guidance. Measure the space you’ll need for the appliance and its accessories, and check the cleaning instructions for each part before you buy.
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Instant Pot Classic Mini 3.8L, 7-in-1 multicooker, Sea Salt White
For meals focused on one-pot cooking rather than chopping ingredients. It has a stated capacity of 3.8L, serving up to 4 portions. Check the external dimensions too, and keep food preparation equipment if your recipes require it.
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Instant Pot Classic 5.7L, 7-in-1 multicooker with 4 custom settings, Daydream Blue
For anyone who prioritises one-pot cooking and wants a stated capacity of 5.7L. Check that the appliance and its lid will fit in your kitchen; preparing ingredients is still separate from cooking.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need guided recipes to use a cooking food processor?
No. UFC-Que Choisir says recipes aren’t essential to using one. If guided cooking matters to you, check which recipes are available on the appliance and the terms for accessing its app.
How can you tell if a food processor will fit in your small kitchen?
Measure the width, depth and height of the space with the bowl and lid in place, then allow room to store the other accessories. Dimensions can vary depending on the bowl fitted, so compare the configuration you’ll actually use.
What should you check if you plan to use the appliance almost every day?
Check the cleaning instructions for the bowl, lid, seals and accessories supplied with the model you’ve chosen. Find out exactly which parts are dishwasher-safe and whether it has a pre-cleaning programme.
Does a commercial warranty replace your statutory warranty in France?
No. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, the legal guarantee of conformity is mandatory for new, second-hand or refurbished goods sold to an individual by a business in France. Any commercial warranty offered by the brand is in addition to this; check its terms separately, along with the process for making a claim through the retailer.