Choose a cooking food processor if you want to prepare ingredients and cook them in the same appliance; a multicooker if your priority is to programme the cooking; or a food processor if your current cooking equipment does the job. Before you choose, weigh up the features you’ll actually use for your meals, the usable capacity, the tasks you’ll still need to do by hand and the space required for the accessories.
You want to programme a meal and then keep an eye on it less, without necessarily asking the appliance to chop the ingredients. According to Que Choisir, the available programmes and the tasks you need to do yourself vary from one multicooker to another.
You want to chop, blend or mix ingredients before cooking them, all with the same appliance. Compare the features and accessories of each cooking food processor, as well as the bowl capacity and the parts you’ll need to clean.
If your hob, oven or cooker meets your needs, a food processor can take care of chopping, grating or kneading. Que Choisir distinguishes this option from appliances that can cook as well.
When you’re short on time to vary your meals, start by deciding which steps you want the appliance to handle. Then use usable capacity and available space to narrow down the options.
Worth considering: if you want to prepare ingredients and cook them in the same appliance.
Bear in mind: the bowl and accessories take up space. Check the model’s usable capacity and which steps you’ll still need to do by hand.
Worth considering: if you prepare the ingredients yourself and mainly want to programme the cooking.
Bear in mind: according to Que Choisir, mixing is not usually automated, so this option won’t replace a food preparation processor.
Worth considering: if your cooking equipment meets your needs and preparing ingredients takes up most of your time.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need another appliance for cooking, and you’ll need somewhere to store the accessories.
| What matters to you | What to check | Consumers concerned |
|---|---|---|
| Programming the cooking | Check for programmes suited to your dishes and find out whether you’ll need to intervene while they’re running. | After a busy day, I want to get dinner cooking without having to keep watch over it. Around 36% of consumers prioritise this hands-off cooking. |
| Preparing and cooking in one appliance | Compare the preparation tasks each model can handle, the accessories supplied and its cooking functions. | For my varied meals, I’d rather not switch between appliances for preparation and cooking. Around 29% of consumers put bringing these steps together first. |
| Choosing quantities to suit your household | Check the usable capacity and the filling limits for your recipes, rather than relying on the bowl or pot’s stated volume alone. | When I’m making several portions, a pot that’s too small means I have to cook in batches. The amount you can make is the main consideration for around 21% of consumers. |
| Adding to your existing kitchen equipment | Check that the chopping or mixing accessories suit the way you cook and that you’ll have somewhere to store them. | I’m happy with the way I cook already; it’s preparing the ingredients that I want to speed up. Around 14% of consumers therefore prioritise a food preparation appliance without built-in cooking functions. |
Filling limits depend on the appliance and what you’re making. Que Choisir notes, for example, that a 6 L Cookeo pot can hold a maximum cooking volume of just 4 L.
Check the instructions for the usable capacity and any limits that apply to the recipes you make regularly.
A cooking programme won’t necessarily chop or mix ingredients for you. According to Que Choisir, multicookers generally don’t mix food.
Before choosing between a multicooker, cooking food processor or two appliances that work well together, check which tasks your usual meals involve.
If you often need to chop, grate or blend, make sure you also have room for a separate food preparation appliance.
Guided recipes can make it easier to follow each step, but Que Choisir says they’re not essential for using a cooking food processor.
Check which features are available without a subscription, along with the trial and renewal terms for any recipe service you’re interested in.
Food preparation functions may involve several bowls, blades or discs. Make sure you can use, clean and store them easily in your kitchen.
Measure the space you have available and check the list of included accessories and dishwasher-safe parts for the model you’re considering.
The Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation, cooking and guided recipes in a bowl with a stated capacity of 2.2 L.
The range offers two distinct options to compare: the Cookeo + CE851A10 for programmed cooking, and the Companion XL HF80DB10 for food preparation combined with cooking.
The Cook Expert and Cook Expert XL are cooking food processors worth considering if you also want to use food preparation accessories.
These appliances offer two ways to save time when preparing meals: combine food preparation and cooking with a cooking food processor, or programme the cooking with a multicooker. Start by choosing the option that best suits your needs, then compare each model’s capacity and features.
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Worth considering if you want to combine food preparation and cooking, with guidance on screen.
The product title mentions an XL bowl, built-in scales and a large touchscreen. Check the guided features included with the version on sale, as the product information gives different recipe counts.
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Worth a look if preparing and cooking in the same appliance better suits your meals than programmed cooking alone.
The product title mentions scales and a touchscreen. To work out how many portions you can make, check this version’s usable capacity and filling limits.
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Worth considering if you prepare ingredients separately and mainly want to programme the cooking.
The product title states that it has a 5.7 L pot, seven functions in one and four customisable presets. When pressure cooking, follow the instructions on filling and releasing steam.
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Worth a look if you want a multicooker with a larger stated capacity than the Classic 5.7 L. Don’t assume you can fill it to the brim for every recipe.
The product title specifies a 7.1 L pot and seven functions in one. Before pressure cooking, check the filling limits and instructions for releasing steam.
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Worth considering if you want to programme cooking and are looking at an appliance with a stated 8 L capacity for your meals.
The product title specifies 12 preset programmes and a power rating of 1,200 W. The pot’s volume alone doesn’t tell you how much you can cook. Follow the filling limits in the instructions, particularly for foods that expand.
No. According to Que Choisir, guided recipes aren’t essential for using a cooking food processor. If they’re a key reason for your choice, check which features are available without a subscription and the trial and renewal terms for the service in question, including Cookidoo for the Thermomix TM7.
No. A pot’s stated capacity isn’t necessarily the same as its maximum cooking capacity. Que Choisir says a 6 L Cookeo pot can cook a maximum of 4 L. Check the instructions for filling limits that apply to your model and recipe.
Not for those tasks if the model doesn’t have the necessary food preparation functions. A multicooker is mainly designed to handle cooking; Que Choisir says these appliances generally don’t mix food. If chopping or blending takes up too much of your time, compare a cooking food processor with a food processor used alongside your existing cooking equipment.