Choose a cooking food processor if you want to prepare and cook in one appliance, provided its bowl, attachments and cleaning requirements suit the meals you usually make. If pressure cooking or specialist chopping is your priority, combining separate appliances may be a better fit, but you’ll need to plan for where to store them and how to clean them.
If you often chop, mix and then cook your weekday meals, a cooking food processor lets you do all of this in one appliance. Check the functions and attachments included with your chosen model, as they vary from one food processor to another.
If you cook in batches or prepare meals in advance, compare the bowl capacity with the recipes you usually make. The total capacity isn’t always the same as the usable capacity, as Magimix explains for its Cook Expert XL Connect.
If you’re mainly looking for a dedicated cooking appliance or help with chopping, a multicooker and a food processor do different jobs. You’ll need space for both appliances and their attachments.
Start with the steps you want an appliance to handle. A food processor helps you prepare ingredients but doesn’t cook them; a multicooker focuses on cooking. You could also keep using the appliances you already own if you’re happy with how they work.
| Factor | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Combining preparation and cooking | Check which tasks the exact model can handle and which attachments are included to do them. | I want to move from chopping and mixing to cooking without switching appliances at every step; around 38% of consumers put this integration first. |
| Portion sizes | Where usable capacity is listed, compare it with the recipes you make rather than looking only at the total capacity. | When I make several portions at once, I want to avoid cooking in multiple batches; capacity is the main priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Space and cleaning | Measure the appliance with its attachments fitted and allow space for accessories; check which parts need washing after the meals you usually make. | In a kitchen where every bit of space matters, I don’t want to move a bulky appliance or wash too many parts after dinner; around 23% of consumers prioritise this. |
| Specialist functions | Decide whether you mainly need pressure cooking, a dedicated chopping function, or both in separate appliances. | I prefer to choose my cooking appliance and food-preparation equipment separately, even if that means transferring ingredients between them; this is a priority for around 16% of consumers. |
These appliances don’t handle the same steps: a food processor such as the Magimix CS4200XL prepares ingredients but doesn’t cook them, while the Moulinex Cookeo Wi-Fi is designed for cooking, including pressure cooking.
Make a note of the tasks you want to hand over to an appliance, then check that the model you’re considering can do each one and has the necessary attachment.
The number of programmes doesn’t tell you how much you can prepare. For the Cook Expert XL Connect, Magimix lists a total capacity of 4.8 L and a usable capacity of 3.8 L.
Where usable capacity is published, compare it with the quantities in your recipes and check which attachments are included.
The fitted bowl and attachments also take up space. Que Choisir recommends considering the appliance’s overall size and how it needs to be cleaned before choosing a cooking food processor.
Measure your worktop and the clearance beneath your cupboards, then check which parts need washing after the meals you make most often.
The Thermomix range combines food preparation, cooking and guided recipes. Vorwerk says the TM7 has a 10-inch touchscreen, integrated Cookidoo and a 2.2 L bowl.
Moulinex offers the Companion cooking food processor and the Cookeo multicooker. The brand lists a 4.5 L bowl for the Companion XL; the Cookeo Wi-Fi 8-in-1 offers pressure cooking, steaming and slow cooking, among other functions.
Magimix offers the Cook Expert XL Connect cooking food processor and food processors such as the CS4200XL. For the Cook Expert XL Connect, the brand lists a total capacity of 4.8 L and a usable capacity of 3.8 L.
Both of these cooking food processors combine food preparation and cooking functions. To choose between them, compare their listed features with the quantities you usually make, the space you have and the parts you’ll need to clean.
Image unavailable
Bring food preparation and cooking together in your weekday routine. The product name lists an XL bowl, built-in scales and a large touchscreen; check that the usable capacity suits your recipes, which parts need cleaning and how many recipes are actually available.
Image unavailable
Prepare ingredients and cook them in one appliance. The product name lists built-in scales, a touchscreen and 680 recipes; check that the usable capacity suits your portion sizes and read the cleaning instructions for the attachments.
Compare the quantities you usually make with the usable capacity, where it’s listed. Published capacities vary by model: Vorwerk lists 2.2 L for the Thermomix TM7, Moulinex lists 4.5 L for the Companion XL, and Magimix gives both the total capacity of 4.8 L and usable capacity of 3.8 L for the Cook Expert XL Connect.
No. Cleaning depends on the bowls and attachments you use. Check the care instructions for each part and whether it’s dishwasher-safe for the model you’re considering; having several functions in one appliance isn’t enough on its own to decide between two options.
No, guided recipes aren’t essential for cooking with this type of appliance. If you want to follow steps on the screen or in an app, check how you can access recipes for your chosen model and which functions require an internet connection.
In France, the statutory guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a trader to a consumer, as the Ministry of the Economy explains. Keep your proof of purchase and contact the seller; this protection is separate from any optional commercial warranty.