Choose a cooking food processor if you often chop, mix and cook in the same appliance. If you mainly knead dough, consider a heated stand mixer instead. And if you prepare ingredients before cooking them on the hob or in the oven, a food processor and separate cooking appliances may suit your routine better. In every case, match the functions to the recipes you actually make, the usable capacity, the space you have available and the parts you’ll need to clean.
You regularly make soups, sauces, slow-cooked dishes or steamed food, and want to move from preparation straight to cooking. A cooking food processor is worth considering if its programmes cover the recipes you usually make. Guided recipes can also help you organise each step.
For family meals or batch cooking, check the usable capacity for your recipe rather than relying solely on the bowl’s stated size. You’ll also need to consider how much space it takes up with the accessories attached.
If you often knead dough for bread or brioche and whisk baking mixtures, compare the tools and capacities of a heated stand mixer. Its cooking functions and included accessories should also suit the recipes you plan to make.
Choose this if: you often move straight from preparing ingredients to cooking soups, sauces, slow-cooked dishes or steamed recipes.
Bear in mind: not every recipe will fit in a single bowl, particularly if you need to cook several things at once.
Choose this if: kneading and whisking are your priorities, with a cooking function for some preparations.
Bear in mind: the model may be heavy and bulky; chopping, blending and steaming capabilities depend on the accessories actually included.
Choose this if: you mainly chop, grate or slice ingredients before cooking them on the hob or in the oven.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to keep your cooking appliances and transfer ingredients from one appliance to another.
To decide, start with the recipes you make most often. The number of advertised functions alone won’t tell you whether the steps, quantities and cleaning will suit your household.
| Criterion | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Combining preparation and cooking | Check which steps in your recipes the appliance can handle, and which accessories you’ll need for steaming or mixing. | For soup or a slow-cooked dish, I want to prepare the ingredients and then cook them without using several appliances; around 37 % of consumers might put this at the top of their list. |
| Capacity and size | Compare the usable capacity with the quantities in your recipes, then measure the space needed with the bowl and accessories in place. | When I’m making several portions, a bowl that’s too small means I have to make the recipe again; capacity could be the top priority for around 27 % of consumers. |
| Kneading and baking | Check the tools included and the dough capacity, as well as the cooking functions that are useful for your recipes. | If I often make bread, brioche or creams, I want an appliance that’s suited to these preparations first and foremost; around 18 % of consumers might prioritise kneading and baking. |
| Preparation with separate cooking | Check which chopping accessories are included and how much space you’ll need to keep your cooking appliances. | I prefer to grate, chop or slice ingredients before cooking dishes across several hobs or in the oven; for around 18 % of consumers, this flexibility could be the main deciding factor. |
A food processor can chop or grate without cooking. Conversely, a cooking function doesn’t mean that all chopping or steaming tools are included.
Write down five recipes you make regularly, then check which steps the appliance can handle, which tools are included and what capacity you’ll need for each one.
Total capacity, usable bowl capacity and the volume of a steamer basket aren’t interchangeable. Magimix states that the Cook Expert XL Connect has a total capacity of 4,8 L, including 3,8 L of usable capacity. Vorwerk lists a 2,2 L bowl and a 6,8 L Varoma separately for the Thermomix TM7.
Compare like-for-like capacities with the quantities in your recipes, then measure the available height with the accessories in place.
The bowl, lid, seals, blades and accessories may all need different care. A rinse programme alone doesn’t tell you whether parts are dishwasher-safe.
Check the model’s instructions to see which parts can be removed, how to wash them and where to store them.
According to the French Ministry of the Economy, France’s statutory guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to a consumer. Any additional commercial guarantee does not replace it.
Keep the product description and proof of purchase, and read the scope and terms of any commercial guarantee before signing up.
The details below relate to the specific models mentioned, not every appliance made by each brand. Always check the model number and what’s included in the pack you’re considering.
According to Vorwerk, the Thermomix TM7 combines cooking with guided recipes through Cookidoo.
Moulinex describes the Companion XL HF80CB10 as a cooking food processor designed, among other things, for preparing larger quantities.
The Cook Expert XL Connect combines preparation and cooking functions, with a bowl designed for larger recipes.
According to Kenwood, the Cooking Chef expérience KCL95.424SI is designed for baking preparations that also need cooking.
These two cooking food processors are worth considering if you’re looking for one appliance to prepare and cook your food. If your recipes mainly involve kneading or several things cooking at once, compare them with the other options described above too.
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Worth considering if you’d like to plan meal preparation and cooking around a cooking food processor.
This model is described as having built-in scales and a large touchscreen. Check the bowl’s usable capacity and the recipes available before choosing it.
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Worth a look if you want to bring preparation and cooking together and have recipes available on the appliance.
The product name mentions a touchscreen. For your portion sizes and cleaning routine, check the bowl’s usable capacity and the instructions for washing its parts.
It may be enough for some recipes that combine preparation and cooking in the appliance, such as soups, slow-cooked dishes or steamed food. Que Choisir includes these types of preparation in its cooking food processor test protocol. For a recipe that needs a frying pan, an oven or several things cooking at once, check each step before relying on a single bowl.
First, compare the usable capacity with the quantities in your recipes, then check how much space the appliance takes up with the accessories in place. For example, Magimix lists a total capacity of 4,8 L and a usable capacity of 3,8 L for the Cook Expert XL Connect. These figures don’t describe the same preparation volume.
Check the instructions for how to remove the bowl, blades and seals, and the approved washing method for each part. If you cook often, also consider how many accessories you’ll need to clean and put away after each meal.
No. As Que Choisir points out, connected recipes aren’t essential for cooking with a cooking food processor. If guided recipes matter to you, check which recipes are available on your chosen model, which functions work without an internet connection and how to renew the service.
No. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, France’s statutory guarantee of conformity covers new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a business to a consumer. Any commercial guarantee is in addition to it, not a replacement. Keep the product description and proof of purchase in case the appliance you receive doesn’t match what was advertised or has a fault.