If your recipes involve chopping, mixing and cooking, choose a cooking food processor with functions and accessories suited to the dishes you actually make. If you often knead and whisk, a stand mixer with a cooking function may be a better fit. A food processor without a heating function is another option if you’re happy to cook separately. Whichever you choose, check the usable capacity, how much space it takes up and how easy it is to clean.
For soups, sauces and casseroles, a cooking food processor can bring preparation and cooking together in one appliance. Check that the accessories on your chosen version can handle each step in your recipes, then find out how easy the bowl and removable parts are to clean.
If you cook in larger quantities, the bowl’s usable capacity matters more than its stated total capacity. Also allow enough space to set up the appliance and store the accessories you’ll use.
If kneading and whisking are your main tasks, but you’d also like to heat ingredients in the bowl, compare stand mixers with a cooking function against cooking food processors. Check which accessories are included: having an integrated cooking function doesn’t mean that every chopping or blending tool is supplied.
Start with the dishes you make regularly, then compare appliances based on what matters most to you.
| Feature | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing and cooking in the same bowl | Check which steps in your recipes can be done in the appliance and which accessories you’ll need. If you plan to use guided recipes, make sure you can access them. | When I make a soup or sauce in several stages, I want to avoid transferring ingredients between appliances. Around 31% of consumers would prioritise this all-in-one process. |
| Preparing several portions | Compare the usable capacity with the quantities in your recipes, then measure the space you’ll need with the bowl and lid in place. | I regularly cook larger quantities for my family, so I need a suitably sized bowl without making everyday set-up difficult. This would be the main priority for around 23% of consumers. |
| Kneading, whisking and heating | Check which baking accessories are included and what cooking functions the specific model offers. | If doughs and whisked mixtures feature most in my recipes, I’m looking first for an appliance that can heat them too. Around 23% of consumers would prioritise this combination. |
| Preparing food and cooking separately | Make sure you’re happy to use a saucepan, hob or oven, and allow space to store the preparation accessories. | I chop or blend more often than I cook in a food processor, so I’m happy to cook separately. Around 23% of consumers would put this flexibility ahead of integrated cooking. |
A multicooker designed mainly for cooking in its bowl, or a food processor without a heating function, won’t necessarily let you chop, mix and then cook a recipe in the same appliance.
Check the preparation functions and cooking function listed for the specific model you’re considering.
Grating, slicing or whisking may require a specific attachment. Que Choisir takes the availability of suitable accessories into account when assessing these functions.
Match each important task to the accessory it needs, then check what’s included with your chosen version.
Extra accessories also need storage space and may be sold separately.
The bowl in place, the lid opening and the accessories all affect how much room you need to use and store the appliance.
Measure your worktop, the clearance under your cupboards and the space for removable parts before choosing.
In France, the DGCCRF explains that a commercial guarantee is optional and does not replace the legal guarantee of conformity.
If you’re offered an additional guarantee, compare its cover and exclusions with the rights that already apply to your purchase.
These examples show different configurations. The specifications listed apply to the named models or versions, not to every product from each brand.
The Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation, cooking and on-screen guided recipes.
The Companion range includes versions with guided recipes and different equipment.
The Cook Expert XL Connect is designed for households considering the usable capacity and food-preparation functions of a cooking food processor.
The Cooking Chef KCL96.004DG is a stand mixer with a cooking function, designed especially for kneading, whisking and cooking in the bowl.
These two Robby models fit the cooking food processor category, for recipes that combine preparation and cooking. Compare their features with the recipes you make regularly. This selection doesn’t compare stand mixers with a cooking function or appliances that require separate cooking.
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If you want to prepare and then cook a recipe in the same appliance, compare the available steps with those in the dishes you usually make. The product description mentions an XL bowl, built-in scales and a large touchscreen. Check the number of pre-loaded recipes and the bowl material for the version you’re ordering.
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For recipes that involve several preparation steps before cooking, check that the necessary accessories are included. The product description lists built-in scales, a touchscreen and 680 recipes. Also check the care instructions for the removable parts.
Not for every task. According to Que Choisir, integrated cooking is what sets a cooking food processor apart from one without a heating function. If you mainly plan to grate, slice or knead, check the accessories supplied with each appliance before deciding whether cooking separately will suit you.
Measure the space you’ll need with the bowl in place and the lid open, then allow room to store the accessories. For cleaning, check the instructions for the exact version to find out which parts are dishwasher-safe and which need to be cleaned separately.
It depends on the model and its associated service, and guided recipes aren’t essential to how a cooking food processor works. Check which recipes you can access on the appliance without a subscription: Vorwerk links Cookidoo 3.0 to the Thermomix TM7, while Moulinex advertises a free app for the Companion version reviewed.
No. The DGCCRF explains that a commercial guarantee, whether free or paid, is in addition to the legal guarantee of conformity and does not take away the buyer’s rights. If you’re buying an appliance from a professional seller, consider any additional cover on offer separately from your legal rights.