A cooking food processor is worth considering if you regularly make dishes that involve chopping, mixing and then cooking, and would like to do all these steps in one appliance. If your current equipment already covers most of the recipes you make, first compare the functions and accessories you actually need, then consider the space available and how easy it is to clean.
If your meals often include soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes, look at the steps a cooking food processor can combine in its bowl. The benefits depend on the recipes you actually make, not the number of functions advertised.
If you already have a blender, food processor or cooking appliance at home, consider whether a new one would duplicate what you own. Make a note of the tasks you would still use each appliance for before replacing one.
If you prepare several portions, compare the bowl’s usable capacity with the quantities in your usual recipes. Also check that the appliance, lid and accessories will fit in your kitchen.
Start with the tasks involved in making your usual meals. It’s the most practical way to decide between a cooking food processor and the appliances you already own.
| Criterion | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing and cooking | Identify the essential steps in your recipes: chopping, mixing, kneading, heating or steaming. Check which are possible with the accessories supplied with the model you’re considering. | I want to prepare and cook a dish in one appliance. If I mainly chop ingredients before cooking them elsewhere, a food processor alongside my cooking appliance may be enough. |
| Recipes and controls | Check which recipes are available on the appliance or through a service, the terms of access and whether there’s a manual mode. Distinguish between the recipes advertised and those that suit your meals. | Guided recipes would help me try a wider range of dishes, but I also want to be able to make my own recipes without always following a programme. |
| Capacity | Compare the usable capacity, not just the total volume. Check it against the quantities you make for soups, sauces and slow-cooked dishes. | When I’m cooking for several people, I’d rather check how much I can make in one batch than rely solely on the advertised number of portions. |
| Space and cleaning | Measure the space needed with the lid and accessories in place. Find out which parts need washing after your usual preparations and which the manufacturer confirms are dishwasher-safe. | The appliance should be easy to reach without cluttering my worktop, and it should be straightforward to clean as often as I cook. |
| Appliances you’ll keep | Compare the functions included with those of your blender, stand mixer or cooking appliance. In particular, check grating, slicing and kneading on the exact model. | I want to reduce duplication, not get rid of an appliance I still use for a task the cooking food processor doesn’t handle in the same way. |
Having a cooking function doesn’t guarantee that the model also covers every chopping or baking task. Que Choisir distinguishes appliances that prepare and cook food from food processors, and takes the supplied accessories into account in its tests.
Make a list of the recipes you regularly cook, then check which accessories are included and which tasks you’ll still do with your other appliances.
An appliance you use often needs a place on your worktop. The bowl, lid and accessories also need to be cleaned in a way that suits the food you prepare. Que Choisir recommends checking how much space it takes up before buying.
Measure the space available and check the cleaning instructions for each part of the model you’re considering.
Access to a recipe library may depend on a separate service: Vorwerk, for example, offers Cookidoo as a subscription. Moulinex also sells Companion accessories separately.
Check which recipes you can access on terms that suit you, and exactly what’s included in the box for the dishes you plan to make.
These figures don’t necessarily refer to the same quantity. For example, Magimix gives the Cook Expert XL Connect a total capacity of 4,8 L and a usable capacity of 3,8 L.
Compare capacities on a like-for-like basis and check them against the quantities you usually cook.
These models illustrate features worth comparing. Their inclusion here doesn’t mean they’re right for every recipe or that they feature in the Joybuy selection below.
The Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation, cooking and guided recipes.
The Companion XL is a cooking food processor worth considering if the quantities you prepare and the accessories available matter to you.
The Cook Expert XL Connect makes it easy to compare bowl volume with usable capacity.
These two Robby cooking food processors bring food preparation and cooking together in one appliance. Compare their stated features and check the details that matter for your recipes before choosing.
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Worth considering if you want to prepare and cook dishes in an XL bowl, with built-in scales and a touchscreen. Check the usable capacity against your portion sizes, as well as the number of guided recipes and the bowl material if these features are important to you.
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Worth a look if you’d like on-screen recipes to guide you through preparation and cooking. To decide whether it suits your meals, check the usable capacity, the accessories included and the cleaning instructions for each part.
Not necessarily. Check the exact model for the tasks your recipes require, particularly grating, slicing, kneading and cooking, as well as the accessories included. Keep specialist appliances for tasks the model you choose can’t handle in a way that suits you.
It depends on the appliance and the service you use. Vorwerk offers Cookidoo as a subscription that gives access to its recipe library. Before choosing a model, check which recipes remain available without the service and whether you can cook in manual mode.
Start with the usable capacity and compare it with the quantities in your recipes. For the Cook Expert XL Connect, for example, Magimix gives a total bowl volume of 4,8 L and a usable capacity of 3,8 L. The total volume alone doesn’t tell you how much you can prepare.