Choose a cooking food processor if you regularly prepare recipes involving chopping, mixing and cooking, and if its size and cleaning requirements suit frequent use. If your kitchen is already well equipped for cooking, a multifunction food processor can speed up preparation; a multi-cooker is a better choice when your main priority is largely unattended, programmed cooking.
You regularly prepare sauces, soups, casseroles, vegetables, pasta or desserts, and want to combine preparation and cooking to reduce the need to transfer ingredients between appliances. UFC-Que Choisir highlights that cooking food processors combine several functions, with notable differences in accessories and capacity.
You already have working hobs, an oven or a slow cooker, but chopping, grating, blending or kneading takes time. According to UFC-Que Choisir, a multifunction food processor can meet this need without adding a redundant cooking function.
You mainly want to start a casserole, rice or steaming programme while getting on with something else, without necessarily needing to chop or blend in the same appliance. A multi-cooker is better suited to this priority of programmed cooking.
Start with the recipes you make most often: they will help you identify whether you need preparation functions, integrated cooking or programmed cooking, before choosing a suitable capacity and cleaning routine.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Functions you will actually use | Check the accessories supplied for chopping, blending, whisking, grating or kneading. Also check whether cooking and steaming are integrated, as well as the manual settings available. | I want to reduce transfers between utensils for recipes involving several stages, without leaving the most repetitive tasks to be done elsewhere. |
| Usable capacity | Compare the filling limits stated in the instructions with your usual portions. For soups, pasta, dishes with sauce or steaming, check the limits specific to each recipe. | My meals need to fit in the bowl without splitting the preparation into batches, but I do not want to dedicate a large appliance to occasional use. |
| Cleaning and storage | Check the bowl, lid, blades, seals and accessories separately. Look at how they come apart, whether the stated dishwasher compatibility applies and what information is available about spare parts. | I am looking for an appliance that genuinely makes everyday life easier, without creating lots of awkward parts to clean or store after every meal. |
| Recipes and associated services | Check the terms of access to recipes, their duration, whether they are renewed and the cancellation procedure. Also compare the included functions with appliances already in your kitchen. | I want to be able to cook without relying on digital content and avoid choosing functions that duplicate equipment I already own. |
A cooking food processor may chop, blend, whisk, mix and cook, but grating, slicing or using it as a blender may depend on additional accessories. UFC-Que Choisir specifically distinguishes between accessories supplied with the appliance and those that are not.
Make a list of three to five recipes you prepare regularly, then check for each one which accessories are included, which tasks remain manual and which separate appliances are still needed.
A bowl’s capacity does not always correspond to its usable volume: depending on the recipe, a safety margin is needed to help prevent spillages.
Read the instructions and compare the filling limits with your usual portions, particularly for soups, dishes with sauce, steaming and pasta.
The amount of washing-up is one of the reasons some users give for using their appliance less often, according to a UFC-Que Choisir survey. Cleaning also depends on how easy it is to access the blades, seals and lids.
Check each part to see whether it can go in the dishwasher, whether the blades can be removed, how accessible the seals are and how the accessories can be stored; do not rely solely on a general statement about cleaning.
Recipes may be offered under different access terms, but they are not necessary for using a cooking food processor, UFC-Que Choisir points out.
Before subscribing to a service, check what access is included, its duration, the renewal terms and the cancellation procedure. For contracts that can be entered into online, the DGCCRF states that cancellation must be possible online.
These Joybuy options cover the three approaches outlined here: a multifunction cooking food processor to combine preparation and cooking, a multi-cooker for programmed cooking, and a multifunction food processor to complement an already well-equipped kitchen.
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An all-in-one option for multi-step meals when preparation, cooking and steaming need to take place in the same appliance.
3 L usable bowl, integrated scales, 20 temperature settings, timer, programmes and manual mode. The listed accessories cover chopping, mixing, whisking, kneading and steaming.
Check the terms of access to Wi-Fi recipes and the availability of spare parts before buying. Its stated dimensions are 40 × 26 × 36 cm and it weighs 9.4 kg.
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This food processor combines chopping, grating, mixing, kneading, steaming and slow cooking to reduce transfers between appliances.
3.5 L bowl, integrated scales, 8 programmes, manual mode, 12 speeds, timer and advertised rinsing programme.
The description recommends washing with soapy water after use; check which accessories are dishwasher-safe, the terms relating to Wi-Fi recipes and the availability of spare parts before buying.
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A multi-cooker designed for large portions and largely unattended cooking, without replacing chopping or blending tasks.
Removable 7.6 L stainless steel bowl, 11 modes, two lids and stated power of 1500 W. The bowl is stated to be dishwasher-safe.
When pressure cooking, follow the filling limits and depressurisation procedure. Also check the availability of replacement seals and lids.
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A programmed cooking option for households that want to prepare a variety of dishes with minimal supervision.
5.7 L bowl, pressure cooking, slow cooking, sautéing, steaming, yoghurt and keep-warm modes. The components are stated to be dishwasher-safe.
It does not chop, grate, knead or blend: a separate appliance is still required for these steps. Check the filling limits and the availability of the sealing ring.
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This solution is suitable if your existing cooking appliances meet your needs and you mainly want to speed up preparation.
1.5 L bowl, 1.5 L glass blender, slicing and grating disc, chopping blade, kneading disc and emulsifying disc. Two speeds and a pulse mode are advertised.
It does not heat or cook. Its 1.5 L capacity may mean splitting some family-sized recipes into batches; also check the availability of spare parts.
No. It can handle much of the preparation and include cooking functions, but its actual capabilities depend on the accessories supplied. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between basic and additional accessories, such as a blender, grater or slicer: make an inventory of your regular recipes before assuming that a model replaces an existing appliance.
No. UFC-Que Choisir states that recipes may be offered under different access terms, but they are not essential to the appliance’s operation. If you subscribe to an online service, check its renewal and cancellation terms; the DGCCRF specifies that contracts which can be entered into online must also be cancellable online.
Start with the number of portions and the recipes you prepare most often, then check the usable capacity stated in the instructions. With a multi-cooker, the bowl’s nominal volume is not always fully usable, as a margin is needed to prevent spillages and the maximum quantity may vary depending on the recipe.
Check which parts can actually go in the dishwasher, how the blades, lid and seals are removed, and whether these components are sold separately. In France, when the seller has been informed by the manufacturer of how long spare parts will be available, they must provide this information to the consumer at the time of purchase.
For goods sold by a professional to a private individual, the legal guarantee of conformity is mandatory, according to the French Ministry of the Economy. It covers, in particular, products that do not match the seller’s description, are unsuitable for their normally expected use or have a manufacturing defect; keep your proof of purchase and contact the seller first.