If you often move from chopping to mixing and cooking to make the same meal, a multifunction cooking food processor can bring these steps together, provided its bowl, accessories and cleaning requirements suit your recipes. A cooking stand mixer is better suited to tasks centred on kneading and whisking. If you’re already happy with your cooking appliances, a food processor may be all you need. None of these options will automatically replace all your appliances.
For soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes that involve several steps, look at the chopping and mixing tools actually supplied with the cooking food processor, as well as its cooking modes. The number of programmes alone doesn’t tell you what you’ll be able to make.
If kneading and whisking feature heavily in your recipes, compare the tools supplied and the quantities you can prepare in the bowl. A cooking stand mixer is worth considering alongside multifunction cooking food processors.
If your hob, oven or another appliance already covers your cooking needs, a food processor can take care of chopping, grating or blending. You’ll then need to transfer the prepared ingredients to your cooking appliance.
Start with the tasks you do most often, then compare the capacity and accessories of each setup with your recipes and the space you have available.
Consider this if: you’d like to prepare and cook soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes using the same appliance.
Bear in mind: chopping functions and the recipes you can make depend on the accessories and ecosystem of the model you choose.
Consider this if: kneading and whisking matter just as much to you as cooking in the bowl.
Bear in mind: grating or slicing may require extra accessories that you’ll need to store.
Consider this if: you mainly want to chop, grate or blend, and already have an appliance for cooking.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to transfer the prepared ingredients to your cooking appliance and clean the containers you’ve used.
| Criterion | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and space | Compare usable capacity with total capacity, then measure the space needed for the appliance, lid and accessories. Magimix lists a total capacity of 3.5 L, but a usable capacity of 2.5 L for the standard Cook Expert. | I want to prepare my usual quantities without having an appliance that takes up too much space in my kitchen. |
| Accessories | Check which tools are included for chopping, grating, slicing, kneading or steaming. UFC-Que Choisir only assesses additional accessories in its testing protocol when they’re supplied. | I need to be able to do the tasks I tackle every week with the tools I’ll actually have available. |
| Recipes and controls | Check which recipes are available for your chosen model, whether there’s a subscription and whether you can cook in manual mode. Vorwerk says Cookidoo renews automatically at the end of each annual subscription period. | Step-by-step guidance would be useful, but I also want to know how to use the appliance without always following a guided recipe. |
| Cleaning | Find out which parts need to be taken apart after your usual recipes and which are listed as dishwasher-safe in the instructions. Also check the model’s pre-cleaning procedure. | After making a thick sauce or dough, I want to be able to clean the bowl and tools using a routine that works for me. |
Grating, slicing or kneading requires the right tool. Not every function listed for a product range can necessarily be carried out with the accessories supplied with every model.
Make a note of the dishes you prepare most often, then check which bowl, tool and programme you’ll need for each one.
Extra accessories also need cupboard space.
Magimix lists the standard Cook Expert bowl as having a total capacity of 3.5 L, with 2.5 L usable. These figures don’t refer to the same amount of food.
Compare the usable capacity with the quantities in your recipes, then check how much room you’ll need for the bowl and lid.
Guided recipes are offered on different terms by different brands. Vorwerk, for example, says Cookidoo renews automatically at the end of each annual subscription period.
Check which recipes are available with the version you’re considering, the renewal terms and whether you can use the appliance in manual mode.
Blades, lids, bowls and discs may need different cleaning steps after use. Check whether each part is dishwasher-safe individually.
Read the dismantling and cleaning instructions for the recipes you’ll make often, especially thicker mixtures.
These product ranges show different ways to bring food preparation, baking and cooking together. Features vary by model and the accessories you choose.
The Companion range is an example of a multifunction cooking food processor designed to take you from preparation to cooking.
The Cook Expert combines a heated bowl with food-preparation bowls, letting you switch between cooking and chopping.
The Cooking Chef range is an example of a cooking stand mixer, combining dough preparation with cooking in the bowl.
Thermomix is part of a guided-cooking ecosystem linked to Cookidoo.
The two cooking food processors combine preparation and cooking; the two food processors are designed to be used with a separate cooking appliance. Compare their accessories and capacities with your recipes before choosing.
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Combines preparation and cooking in one food processor with a touchscreen. Compare the bowl’s usable capacity with your usual portions and check which recipes are available for this version.
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An option for preparing and cooking with recipes listed as available on the appliance. Before choosing it for everyday meals, check the bowl’s usable capacity and the cleaning instructions for the accessories.
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Pair it with your cooking appliance for chopping, slicing or grating. The product name also mentions a blender and grating discs. You’ll need to transfer the ingredients to the appliance you’re using to cook them.
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Worth considering if you already have another appliance for cooking. Compare its 1.1 L bowl with the amount you prepare at a time: you may need to make several batches for your usual recipes.
No. It depends on the functions and accessories of the model, as well as the recipes you want to make. In its testing protocol, UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes between preparations that involve cooking, those that don’t and additional accessories when supplied. List the appliances you hope to use less often, then check each of the relevant tasks one by one.
First compare their usable capacity for the dishes you want to make, rather than just the stated bowl size. For example, Magimix lists the standard Cook Expert as having a total capacity of 3.5 L, but a usable capacity of 2.5 L. Then compare this with the quantities in your recipes.
Not in every ecosystem. Moulinex lists a free recipe app for the Companion XL, while Vorwerk offers Cookidoo as an annual subscription that renews automatically. Check which recipes are available and the terms for the model you’re interested in.
First check which parts of your chosen model are dishwasher-safe and how to take them apart. Moulinex also describes a pre-cleaning procedure for some Companion models, but you’ll still need to follow the washing instructions for the bowl and accessories.