Choose a cooking food processor if you regularly make recipes that involve chopping, mixing and cooking in the same appliance, provided its bowl and accessories suit the portions you prepare. If your main aim is to start cooking with minimal supervision, a multicooker is a more direct fit. If you only need help with preparation, a food processor without a cooking function can complement the hob or oven you already use. Before deciding, compare your usual recipes with the usable capacity, cleaning requirements, available space and access terms for guided recipes.
If your menus include soups, sauces, stews or steamed dishes, a cooking food processor can bring several steps together. Check the usable capacity and the accessories your recipes need, rather than relying on the number of advertised functions alone.
If you cook for several people or prepare meals in advance, check how much the bowl can actually hold and, if you plan to cook on several levels, check the capacity of the steaming accessories too. Usable capacity matters more here than simply having connected features.
If you mainly want to make stews, steamed dishes or pressure-cooked meals without chopping or kneading in the same bowl, look at multicookers. You’ll still need to keep the utensils or appliances required for food preparation.
Choose this if: your recipes regularly call for both food preparation and cooking in the same appliance.
Bear in mind: the quantities and order of the steps need to suit the bowl and accessories supplied with the model.
Choose this if: your main need is to cook stews, steamed dishes or pressure-cooked meals.
Bear in mind: chopping, grating and kneading require other utensils or appliances.
Choose this if: you mainly prepare doughs, chop ingredients and mix, then cook on the hob or in the oven.
Bear in mind: this type of food processor does not cook in its bowl.
Choose this if: you prefer to stick with your usual methods or prepare several things at once.
Bear in mind: you’ll need space for the appliances and will have to coordinate the steps between them.
To compare these options, start with the factor that matters most for the meals you make at home, then check the features of the model you’re considering.
| Criterion | What to check | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing and cooking in one appliance | Think about your usual meals: which chopping, mixing and cooking tasks can the appliance and its included accessories handle? | If I want to go from preparation to cooking in one appliance, both steps need to be part of my regular meals; around 29% of consumers would prioritise having everything in one place. |
| Quantity prepared | Compare your portions with the usable capacity or stated maximum fill level, and check steaming accessories separately. | When I prepare several portions or meals in advance, I want to avoid cooking in multiple batches. Quantity would be the main criterion for around 29% of consumers. |
| Cleaning and space | Measure the space available and check which parts are dishwasher-safe. | If I cook often in a kitchen with limited space, I need to be able to set up and clean the appliance without making every meal more complicated; around 21% of consumers would prioritise this. |
| Recipes and accessories | Check whether recipes are built in, accessed through an app or available through a subscription service, and see which accessories are included. | If I plan to follow guided recipes, I want to know what will remain accessible and which accessories I’ll need for my menus. This would be the main priority for around 21% of consumers. |
The amount you can actually use may be less than the bowl’s total volume. A bowl that looks big enough on the product page could mean making several batches to prepare your portions.
Compare the usable capacity or maximum fill level with your usual recipes. If you use the steaming function, check the capacity of the relevant accessory too.
The cooking programmes on the Cookeo+ featured by Moulinex don’t replace the food preparation functions of a food processor. This matters if you want to bring every step together in one appliance.
Make a note of the tasks your recipes involve before choosing between a multicooker, a cooking food processor and a food processor without a cooking function.
Depending on your recipes, you’ll need to keep or buy the necessary food preparation equipment separately.
Recipes may be built in, accessed through an app or linked to a separate service. A large recipe library doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll suit the meals you make.
Browse the recipes you’d actually use and check the access terms and required accessories. Vorwerk says that Cookidoo requires an annual subscription after the free trial period.
In a 2020 survey of cooking food processor owners, Que Choisir listed washing up, unsuitable recipes and a perception that the appliance was time-consuming to use among the reasons people used theirs less often.
Measure your worktop and storage space, then check the manual to see which parts are dishwasher-safe and what cleaning is required.
The Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation, cooking and guided recipes through Cookidoo. Vorwerk states that this model has a 2.2 L bowl.
The Companion combines food preparation and cooking, while the Cookeo is aimed mainly at people looking for guided cooking programmes.
The Cook Expert range offers an XL bowl option for preparing larger quantities.
According to Lidl, the Monsieur Cuisine Smart combines food preparation and cooking functions with guided recipes.
These two Robby cooking food processors fit the ‘prepare and cook in one appliance’ approach. Compare their configurations with the recipes you actually make. This product selection doesn’t replace considering the other options described above.
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Worth considering if you want to combine food preparation and cooking for everyday meals. The product name lists an XL bowl, built-in scales and a large touchscreen. Check the bowl’s usable capacity against your portion sizes, along with the accessories your recipes need.
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Worth considering if you want a food processor that can prepare and cook, with recipes displayed on its touchscreen. The product name lists built-in scales. Before choosing this model for your portions and menus, check the bowl’s usable capacity, the accessories included and the cleaning instructions for its parts.
Not for every kind of preparation. A cooking food processor adds cooking to some food preparation tasks, but its accessories and functions vary by model. If you already cook on the hob or in the oven and mainly need to knead or chop, first check whether a food processor without a cooking function will handle your recipes.
To work out what portions you can make, check the usable capacity or the stated maximum fill level for the task in question. For its Cook Expert XL bowl, Magimix lists a total capacity of 4.8 L and a usable capacity of 3.8 L. Lidl states that the Monsieur Cuisine Smart has a 4.5 L bowl with a maximum fill level of 3 L.
No. Guided recipes aren’t essential for using a cooking food processor, as Que Choisir points out. If you plan to rely on them every day, check whether the recipes that suit your menus are built in, available free of charge or linked to a subscription.
Check the Cookidoo subscription and renewal terms if you want to keep using the service after any free trial period. Vorwerk describes Cookidoo as an annual subscription, so check the terms that apply when you sign up.
In France, the statutory guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods sold by a professional to a private individual, according to the Ministry of the Economy. It covers defects in conformity that existed when the goods were delivered. Keep your proof of purchase and a copy of the product listing in case you need to contact the retailer.