A cooking food processor is worth considering if your meals regularly involve chopping, mixing and cooking in the same appliance. If you already have a way to cook and mainly need to prepare ingredients, a food processor may be a better fit. For soups or timed cooking, it’s worth comparing specialist appliances instead. In every case, check which accessories are included, whether the capacity suits your portions and how much space you’ll need.
If you often make soups, sauces, doughs, slow-cooked dishes or steamed recipes, a cooking food processor can bring several steps together in one appliance. Check that its functions and guidance suit the dishes you actually make.
If you cook in larger quantities, compare the usable capacity of the bowl and steamer basket with your usual portion sizes. The stated capacity and included accessories may vary between versions of the food processor.
If your worktop is already full, or you mainly make soups or dishes that need timed cooking, compare the size and range of tasks covered by a specialist appliance before choosing a cooking food processor.
Worth considering: when your recipes often involve preparation followed by cooking, and you’d like to do both in the same appliance.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to store and clean the appliance and its parts, and its functions depend on the version and included accessories.
Worth considering: if you mainly want to chop, grate or knead and already have a way to cook your dishes.
Bear in mind: preparation and cooking will still be split between several appliances.
Worth considering: if you mainly make soups or fruit purées.
Bear in mind: it won’t replace the chopping or kneading functions of a food processor equipped for those tasks.
Worth considering: if timed cooking is your priority, particularly pressure cooking, steaming or slow cooking, depending on the model.
Bear in mind: you’ll need separate equipment to chop and blend ingredients when required.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and cooking in one appliance | Identify the steps your recipes require and check which accessories are included with the version you’re considering. | If I regularly chop, mix and cook as part of the same recipe, I want to avoid switching appliances at every stage. Around 31% of consumers put having everything in one appliance first. |
| Guided recipes and capacity | Check how you access the recipes and whether the usable capacity of the bowl and steamer basket suits your portions. | If I often cook larger meals, I need guidance that works for me and a suitably sized container. Regular access to guidance or enough capacity comes first for around 31% of consumers. |
| Space and cleaning | Measure the space for the appliance and its accessories; check which parts are dishwasher-safe. | In a kitchen where worktop space is limited, I want to be able to set up and clean the appliance without making every meal more complicated. Space and cleaning are the top priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Specialist use | Compare the tasks covered by a heated blender or multicooker with the dishes you make most often. | If I mainly make soups or dishes that need timed cooking, I first look for an appliance suited to those tasks. Around 15% of consumers prioritise this specific need. |
Grating or slicing may require an accessory that isn’t included with the version you’re considering. Que Choisir also clarifies that its tests of additional accessories cover those supplied with the appliance.
List the steps involved in the recipes you usually make, then check exactly what’s included in the pack for each one.
Some additional accessories are sold separately.
If your meals mainly involve making soup or setting a timed cooking programme, you may not get much use out of the built-in preparation functions.
Think about a few meals you cook often and note which steps genuinely require chopping, kneading, mixing or blending.
The bowl, lid and accessories need space and will need cleaning after use. Que Choisir recommends checking the appliance’s dimensions before choosing a cooking food processor.
Measure the space you’ll use for the appliance and storage, then check the cleaning instructions for the parts of the model you’re considering.
Recipes may be stored on the appliance, available through an app or hosted on a platform, with access conditions varying by model.
Check which recipes are available with the version you’re buying, how long any introductory offer lasts and which functions you can use without a subscription.
The Thermomix TM7 is designed for people who want to prepare and cook with on-screen guidance.
The Companion and Cookeo ranges are designed for different tasks: the former combines preparation and cooking, while the latter focuses on timed cooking.
The Cook Expert range is worth considering if some of your recipes call for additional preparation accessories.
The SoupMaker HR2203/80 is an example of a specialist appliance for soups, fruit purées and smoothies.
These two cooking food processors are aimed at people who want to bring several preparation and cooking steps together. Compare their capacities, guidance and the exact contents of each version with the recipes you usually make.
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Worth considering if your recipes involve chopping or mixing before slow cooking or steaming in the same appliance.
The product description lists a 3 L usable bowl capacity, built-in scales and preparation and steaming accessories. Check how many recipes are preloaded before buying, as the title and description give different figures.
The moving blades need to be handled with care; unplug the appliance before cleaning or removing them.
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Worth a look if you want to follow recipe steps on screen and use the same appliance for both preparation and cooking.
The product description lists a 3.5 L bowl, eight automatic programmes and functions including chopping, mixing, steaming and slow cooking. Check which accessories are included and how to care for the parts in the version you choose.
The blades are sharp and the bowl can get hot; follow the handling instructions and lock the lid in place before use.
No. How you access them depends on the model and the associated service. Vorwerk France advertises an introductory Cookidoo offer for new Thermomix TM7 subscribers, while Moulinex France lists recipes available through an app or directly on certain Companion models. Check what remains available under the terms that apply to you.
No. What’s included depends on the model and version. Check the list of supplied parts for the tasks you plan to do, rather than relying on the list of possible functions alone.
Check which parts you’ll need to remove after making your usual recipes and which can go in the dishwasher. Also check how easy it is to reach the blades, seals and lid: a pre-clean function doesn’t remove the need to follow the care instructions.
A cooking food processor bought from a professional seller in France is covered by the statutory guarantee of conformity. The French Ministry of the Economy states that you have two years to claim under it; any commercial guarantee is in addition and does not replace it.