Choose a multifunction cooking food processor if your meals regularly involve preparing ingredients, mixing and cooking in the same appliance. A multicooker is better suited to programmed cooking, provided you keep separate utensils for chopping or blending; a food processor without a cooking function is still a good choice if you already cook on the hob or in the oven. In each case, compare usable capacity, included accessories, available space and cleaning requirements with the meals you usually make.
If you often make soups, sauces, slow-cooked dishes or steamed vegetables, look at preparation and cooking functions together. Usable capacity and included accessories matter just as much as the list of advertised functions.
Programmes or a timer may meet your needs without an integrated food processor. A multicooker could be right for you if you’re happy to chop or blend ingredients using other utensils.
Step-by-step instructions can help you plan meals and get to grips with the appliance. Check the terms for accessing recipes, including whether you need an account, an internet connection or a subscription.
When planning home-cooked meals, start with the tasks you want the appliance to handle: cooking only, preparation and cooking combined, or preparation without cooking. You can then consider the other criteria to find a setup that suits your kitchen.
Worth considering : if chopping, mixing and cooking in one appliance suit the dishes you make regularly.
Bear in mind : what it can do depends on the accessories included with the model you choose, and you’ll need space for it in your kitchen.
Worth considering : if your priority is programmed cooking for slow-cooked dishes, rice or steamed food.
Bear in mind : you’ll need other utensils to chop and blend ingredients if those functions aren’t included.
Worth considering : if you mainly want to grate, slice or blend ingredients before cooking on the hob or in the oven.
Bear in mind : it won’t let you prepare and cook a meal in one appliance.
Worth considering : if kneading and whisking are genuinely part of how you cook, alongside making some cooked dishes.
Bear in mind : additional preparation tasks may require optional accessories.
| Criteria | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and cooking | List the steps involved in your usual dishes, then check the functions and included accessories for each one. | I want to make soup or a slow-cooked dish without using several appliances to prepare the ingredients and cook the meal. Around 33 % of consumers say this versatility is their top priority. |
| Amount per cycle | Compare the usable or filling capacity with your usual portion sizes, and don’t confuse it with the bowl’s total volume. | When I’m cooking for several people or preparing meals in advance, I want to avoid starting another cycle. The amount it can make in one cycle is the top priority for around 27 % of consumers. |
| Recipes and access | Check how to access recipes, any account or connection requirements, and whether you can use the appliance manually. | To cook more regularly, I need ideas and easy-to-follow steps, without relying on anything I hadn’t expected. This is the main need for around 20 % of consumers. |
| Space and cleaning | Measure the space you have in mind and check which parts need washing, as well as how to store the accessories. | If the appliance is difficult to get out or clean after dinner, I may go back to my usual routine. Around 20 % of consumers prioritise simple storage and cleaning above all else. |
The amount you can prepare varies depending on the recipe and accessory used. Magimix, for example, lists a total capacity of 3,5 L and a usable capacity of 2,5 L for the Cook Expert Connect.
Compare the quantities in your meals with the stated usable or filling capacity of the model you’re considering, rather than looking at the total volume alone.
A recipe library may require an account, an internet connection or a subscription. Vorwerk says an internet connection is needed to access Cookidoo and its recipes.
Check the access and renewal terms, as well as which functions you can use manually without guided recipes.
Grating, slicing and some preparation tasks may require an accessory that varies by model or configuration.
Check the full model name and the list of included accessories against the dishes you actually plan to make.
In a 2020 survey of food processor owners, UFC-Que Choisir highlighted washing up and the time needed to use the appliance among the reasons people used it less.
Measure your worktop and storage space, then check which parts need to be removed and washed after the recipes you make most often.
The TM7 combines food preparation, cooking and guided recipes through Cookidoo.
The Companion range combines cooking programmes with a manual mode and, depending on the model, an app.
The Cook Expert range combines cooking and preparation tasks.
The Monsieur Cuisine Smart focuses on programmes and on-screen guided recipes.
The brand’s multicookers are designed primarily for cooking rather than integrated food preparation.
The Cooking Chef is best suited to people who want to combine baking with making some cooked dishes.
These Joybuy models offer two ways to organise your meals: combine preparation and cooking in a cooking food processor, or prioritise cooking with a multicooker. Compare their functions with the steps you actually want them to handle.
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Worth a look if you want to prepare and cook meals in the same appliance. The model name indicates an XL bowl and built-in scales; check the usable capacity, dimensions and included accessories for your recipes.
The advertised number of recipes varies between product descriptions, so check which recipe library you can access before relying on guided cooking.
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Consider this model if you’re interested in preparing and cooking in one appliance, with advertised guided recipes to help you get started. Compare the usable capacity with your usual portion sizes, and check the dimensions and which parts need washing.
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Consider this model if you prioritise cooking larger quantities and already have utensils for preparing ingredients. It’s listed as having a stainless steel inner pot; compare its 7,1 L capacity with the quantities in your recipes, rather than treating it as a guaranteed number of portions.
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Worth considering if you want to programme cooking and use the app control advertised for this model. It has Wi-Fi connectivity and lists a sous vide mode among its functions; check the connection requirements and whether you can use it without the app.
The advertised capacity is 5,7 L. You’ll need separate utensils for chopping or grating ingredients.
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Worth a look if you cook in larger quantities and want cooking programmes rather than integrated food preparation. The model name lists 8 L, 1 200 W and a non-stick pot; check that the dimensions, electrical voltage and cleaning instructions suit your kitchen.
If you also want to chop or grate ingredients in the same appliance, check which functions are included before choosing this multicooker.
It can handle some cooking tasks, but not necessarily ingredient preparation. If your meals involve chopping, grating or blending ingredients in the same appliance before cooking, check that the model you choose has these functions; otherwise, keep separate utensils.
No : UFC-Que Choisir says they aren’t essential for using a cooking food processor. If they help you plan meals, compare how you access them and whether you can cook manually.
Vorwerk describes Cookidoo as a service linked to an account and an internet connection, with a subscription required after the applicable free access period. Check the terms offered with the TM7 when you choose, including renewal and which functions are available without guided recipes.
Check which parts need removing after you’ve made your usual dishes, whether they’re dishwasher-safe and how to store the accessories. UFC-Que Choisir recommends considering how easy the appliance is to clean; an advertised pre-cleaning programme doesn’t remove the need to check which parts still need washing.
Yes. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, when a business sells goods to an individual in France, the statutory guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods, among others. It covers a lack of conformity and should not be confused with a straightforward return because you’ve changed your mind.