A multifunction cooking food processor is a good choice if you want to chop, mix and cook as part of the same preparation, with fewer transfers between appliances. If you’re happy to cook separately, your food processor may be all you need. If kneading and whisking matter as much as preparing savoury dishes, consider a heated stand mixer instead. In every case, check that the capacity suits your portions, and look at the accessories supplied and how easy the appliance is to clean.
If you often chop, mix and cook one after another to make dinner, a cooking food processor can reduce the number of transfers. You’ll still need to prepare the ingredients and check that its programmes suit the dishes you usually make.
For family meals or batch cooking, compare the usable capacity for your recipes and, if you steam food, the capacity of the relevant accessories too. The bowl’s total volume alone won’t tell you how much you can prepare.
Step-by-step instructions can help you follow a recipe. Before choosing a connected appliance, check the difference between built-in recipes, app access and services that require a subscription. Que Choisir points out that guided recipes aren’t essential for using a cooking food processor.
Consider this if: you want to prepare and then cook soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes with fewer transfers between appliances.
Bear in mind: the bowl, accessories and cleaning requirements need to suit the dishes you actually make.
Consider this if: your current food processor already prepares the ingredients and you’re happy to use a saucepan, oven or another appliance afterwards.
Bear in mind: this approach still involves transferring food and cleaning between preparation and cooking.
Consider this if: kneading, whisking and baking are just as important to you as cooked meals.
Bear in mind: some preparation tasks may require optional accessories, as Kenwood notes for the Cooking Chef.
Once you’ve chosen the type of appliance, use the dishes and portion sizes you make most often to assess its functions and practical considerations.
| What to consider | What to check | What I need |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and cooking | Identify the tasks your recipes require and check whether the appliance heats, slow-cooks or steams. A food processor designed for preparation will require you to cook separately. | I want to be able to chop, mix and then cook my usual dishes without having to transfer food between appliances. |
| Results on the plate | Don’t assume that more programmes mean better results. Look for tests covering the dishes you’re interested in: Que Choisir tests soups, sauced dishes and steaming on cooking food processors, among other things. | My regular recipes matter more to me than a long list of functions I’ll never use. |
| Capacity and space | Check the difference between total volume, maximum fill level and usable capacity. Also check the steamer basket and the appliance’s dimensions. | For several portions or batch cooking, I need enough room in the bowl and on my worktop. |
| Accessories and cleaning | Check which grating or slicing attachments are included and which parts are dishwasher-safe, according to the manual. Also check how easy it is to access the parts that need maintenance. | I’d rather choose based on the tasks I’ll actually do and how much cleaning they involve. |
| Guided recipes | Compare the built-in recipes, app and terms of access to the service. Check how easy the appliance is to use, even if you plan to cook without guidance. | Step-by-step guidance could help me with some dishes; I want to know whether I can also use the appliance without a subscription. |
Manufacturers don’t always use the same measurements: total volume, maximum fill level and usable capacity each answer a different question.
Compare the figure that’s relevant to your portion sizes and the type of dish, particularly for soups and steaming.
Recipes may be built in, available through an app or linked to a subscription. According to Vorwerk’s French customer support, a Cookidoo subscription renews automatically at the end of its 12-month period.
Check the terms of the service associated with the model and consider whether you’ll use the guided recipes regularly.
A list of programmes won’t show you how well the appliance handles your recipes. Que Choisir assesses different cooking methods and preparations separately in its tests of cooking food processors.
Make a note of the dishes you cook regularly, then look for tests covering those specific uses.
Some extra functions may depend on an optional attachment; Kenwood, for example, offers optional accessories for the Cooking Chef.
Check exactly what’s included with the model you’re considering and whether the accessories you need for your recipes are available.
These ranges illustrate different choices in capacity, guided cooking and food preparation. Manufacturers’ specifications don’t take the place of comparative tests.
The Thermomix TM7 combines cooking with guided recipes through Cookidoo.
The Companion XL is aimed at households looking for a cooking food processor with a large bowl.
The Cook Expert XL Connect combines food preparation and cooking in a large bowl.
The Monsieur Cuisine Smart combines cooking and guided recipes in a connected appliance.
The Cooking Chef is a heated stand mixer worth considering if kneading and whisking are part of your regular routine.
These two Robby models fit the multifunction cooking food processor option. If you’re weighing this up against a food processor with separate cooking, first consider how each approach fits the way you cook, then check the specifications of each model.
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Worth considering if you want to bring food preparation and cooking together in one appliance, with built-in scales and a large touchscreen. Before buying, check which modes suit your dishes, whether the capacity is right for your portions, how many recipes are preloaded and whether it’s electrically compatible in France.
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Worth a closer look if you’re after a cooking food processor with built-in scales and a touchscreen. To decide whether it’s right for your recipes, check the usable capacity, included accessories, how easy the parts are to clean and whether it’s electrically compatible in France.
Not necessarily. A food processor can prepare ingredients using its attachments, while a cooking food processor also cooks them. If you’re happy to cook separately, keep your current appliance. If you want to mix and cook in the same bowl, look at the functions of a cooking food processor and consider how they suit the dishes you usually make.
No. Que Choisir says they aren’t essential for using a cooking food processor. If you like step-by-step guidance, check which recipes are built in, how to access others and whether the service requires a subscription.
Start with the quantities you usually prepare and compare the usable capacity for those recipes, rather than looking only at the total volume. For example, Magimix lists a usable capacity of 3.8 L and a total capacity of 4.8 L for the Cook Expert XL Connect, while Lidl lists a maximum fill level of 3 L for the Monsieur Cuisine Smart. These measurements aren’t interchangeable.
Don’t assume so: it depends on the model and the individual part. Check the manual for your chosen model to see which parts are dishwasher-safe, and consider how easy it is to clean the bowl, lid and accessories you’ll use most often.