A cooking food processor can bring preparation and cooking together in one appliance if your menus regularly call for both and you have space for it. If you already prepare ingredients by hand, a multi-cooker focuses more on the cooking; if you already have cooking covered, a food processor focuses on preparation. Before choosing, compare the tasks each appliance can actually handle, the accessories included, the usable capacity and how easy it is to clean.
Your choice mainly depends on the steps you repeat when preparing meals, and which ones you’d like an appliance to take care of.
If your menus include soups, sauces, slow-cooked dishes or steamed food, a cooking food processor can bring several steps together. Match its functions to the recipes you make often, rather than choosing based on a long list of settings you’re unlikely to use.
A single appliance can bring some tasks together, but you’ll also need somewhere to store its bowl and accessories. Measure your worktop and storage space before replacing several utensils with a food processor.
If chopping and mixing ingredients are no trouble, a multi-cooker can take care of timed cooking. However, UFC-Que Choisir points out that these appliances generally don’t stir food.
Start with a few dishes you make regularly. They’ll help you work out whether you need help with preparation, cooking or both before you compare specifications.
Worth considering if: your recipes regularly involve chopping or mixing as well as cooking, and you’d like to avoid moving between appliances.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to make space for it and check which accessories are included, as well as which parts need cleaning.
Worth considering if: you already have cooking covered and mainly want to chop, grate, mix or knead.
Bear in mind: cooking will still be done separately, and some preparations depend on the model’s accessories.
Worth considering if: you’re happy to prepare the ingredients and mainly want to programme cooking for family meals.
Bear in mind: according to UFC-Que Choisir, a multi-cooker generally doesn’t stir food.
Worth considering if: your current utensils already cover your menus and you don’t want to give a new food processor a permanent place in your kitchen.
Bear in mind: preparing and cooking with several appliances means keeping separate steps and transferring ingredients between them.
| Priority | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Functions you’ll use | List the steps your recipes require. Distinguish between cooking settings and chopping accessories, and check what’s included in the configuration you’re considering. | I want to know whether I can make my usual meals without regularly having to get another appliance out. |
| Usable capacity | Compare usable capacity, fill limits and the portions specified for each type of recipe. UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 L Cookeo bowl with a 4 L cooking limit. | When cooking several portions, the amount I can actually make matters more to me than the total capacity shown. |
| Regular use | Check how much space it takes up, which parts can be washed and how to access guided recipes, if you plan to use them. | An appliance that’s easy to keep within reach and clean is more likely to become part of my regular cooking routine. |
| Storage and cleaning | Measure the space available for the appliance and its accessories, and check exactly which parts are dishwasher-safe. | I’d rather know how much room the bowl and accessories need before reorganising my kitchen. |
| Model support | Check the parts and repair commitments for the exact model, and distinguish these from a commercial warranty. | If I plan to use the appliance for a long time, I want to understand how to get spare parts or arrange a repair. |
Grating, slicing or using a particular accessory depends on the configuration. UFC-Que Choisir notes that it only tests additional accessories when they’re supplied.
Make a note of the steps your usual meals require, then check the list of included accessories and any tasks you’ll need to do by hand for the exact model.
The bowl or cooking pot’s total capacity doesn’t always match the amount you can use for a recipe. UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 L Cookeo pot with a 4 L cooking limit.
Compare the fill limits and usable capacity with the amounts you actually cook.
An appliance that’s stored far from the worktop or awkward to clean may be less convenient for regular use. A 2020 UFC-Que Choisir survey lists washing up among the reasons given by people they interviewed for using their food processors less often.
Allow space for the appliance and its accessories, then check which parts can go in the dishwasher.
In France, the Ministry of the Economy explains that the statutory guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a trader to a consumer. A separate commercial warranty doesn’t replace it.
Keep the product description and proof of purchase, and read the terms of any commercial warranty separately.
These examples relate to specific ranges and models. A feature advertised for one model shouldn’t be assumed to apply to every appliance from that brand.
The Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation, cooking and guided recipes in a connected appliance.
The Companion and Cookeo ranges meet different needs: the former combines preparation and cooking, while the latter focuses on programmed cooking.
The Cook Expert XL is a cooking food processor worth considering if bowl capacity and food preparation tasks are important to you.
This selection includes two cooking food processors, which combine preparation and cooking, followed by three multi-cookers designed mainly for cooking. Compare them based on which steps in your meal preparation you’d like an appliance to take care of.
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Worth considering if you’d like to combine preparation and cooking, with steps displayed on screen. The title lists an XL bowl and built-in scales. Check which accessories are included, how much storage space they’ll need and how many recipes are provided.
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Worth considering if guided recipes are among the features you’ll use regularly. The title lists built-in scales, a touchscreen and 680 recipes. Check the bowl’s usable capacity and the cleaning instructions for removable parts.
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This option focuses on cooking several portions rather than preparing ingredients. The title lists an 8 L pot, 1200 W power and 12 preset menus. Compare the fill limits with your recipes before deciding whether this capacity is right for you.
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Worth considering if you prepare ingredients separately and are looking for programmed cooking menus. The title lists nine menus and two pressure settings. Check the fill limits, as well as the language of the manual, recipes and voice functions in the configuration on sale.
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This multi-cooker is for households that want help with cooking while preparing ingredients separately. Its stated capacity is 7.1 L. Check the fill limits for the dishes you plan to make before estimating how many portions you’ll be able to cook.
Not automatically: preparation tasks and accessories vary depending on the cooking food processor and its configuration. A food processor focuses on preparation without cooking, while a multi-cooker focuses on cooking and, according to UFC-Que Choisir, generally doesn’t stir food. Compare each step in your recipes with the functions and accessories actually included.
The total volume doesn’t necessarily match the amount you can cook. UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 L Cookeo pot with a 4 L cooking limit. If you’re making meals in several portions, check the fill limits for the specific model and recipes you plan to use.
It depends on the model and package. UFC-Que Choisir only assesses additional accessories when they’re supplied; Moulinex, for example, states that the Cookeo’s Extra Crisp is sold separately. Check the list of items included with the exact model before relying on a particular function.
No. The French Ministry of the Economy explains that the statutory guarantee of conformity is required for new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a trader to a consumer in France. Any commercial warranty is separate: read its terms without confusing it with this statutory protection.