People who cook often in a small space
If you regularly prepare meals at home, consider whether you’ll use the same bowl often enough for both preparation and cooking. Remember to allow space to take out the accessories and clean the appliance, too.
Who are these options suited to?
People who like the idea of guided recipes
If following steps on a screen or in an app helps you decide what to cook, compare the recipes and features you’ll be able to access with each service.
People who already have cooking appliances
If you mainly chop, grate, blend or knead, a food processor can complement your cooking equipment without adding a heating function you’re unlikely to use.
What should you check before choosing?
In a small kitchen, start with the things you actually make. Then check how much room the appliance takes up while you’re using it, and how much space its accessories need when put away.
Cooking food processor
Worth considering if: you often make dishes that involve mixing or chopping before cooking in the same appliance, saving you extra handling.
Bear in mind: the bowl and accessories need to be easy to reach, even when you’re not using the appliance.
Food processor
Worth considering if: you mainly chop, grate, knead or blend, and your existing equipment takes care of cooking.
Bear in mind: without a heating function, you’ll need to transfer your ingredients to another appliance to cook them. The accessories also take up space.
Separate appliances
Worth considering if: you rarely prepare and cook automatically in one bowl, or can’t keep a cooking food processor within easy reach.
Bear in mind: you’ll still need to split the steps between your appliances and transfer ingredients as required by your recipes.
| What to consider | What to check | How you’ll use it |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Measure the appliance with its bowl in place, and allow room to open the lid, handle the appliance and store the accessories. | I want to be able to prepare a meal without moving the appliance or clearing the whole worktop. |
| Features you’ll use | Check the preparation and cooking steps supported by the exact model, and which accessories are needed for each one. | I want to bring together the tasks I do regularly, not add features I’ll only use occasionally. |
| Guided recipes | Check which recipes are available on the screen or in the app, and what you need to do to keep using the service. Que Choisir says recipes aren’t essential for using a cooking food processor. | If I plan to follow recipes step by step, I want to know which ones will remain available for everyday use. |
| Bowl capacity | Where the usable capacity is given, compare it with the quantities you prepare. Don’t confuse it with the total capacity. | A bowl that suits my portions would save me from making several batches, without taking up more space than necessary. |
What should you look out for?
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Assuming one appliance will replace all your others
Preparation and cooking features, as well as accessories, vary by model. A feature being listed doesn’t mean you’ll use it in your usual recipes.
Make a note of the things you prepare most often, then check how the model you’re considering handles each one and which accessories you’ll need.
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Choosing a recipe library without checking how you can access it
Services don’t all work in the same way: Vorwerk describes Cookidoo as a subscription service, while Moulinex and Magimix offer free recipes in their apps.
Check which recipes and guided features you’ll actually use, along with the access terms that apply to the model you’re considering.
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Measuring only the appliance base
The bowl, lid and accessories also take up space when you’re cooking or putting the appliance away.
Measure the depth of your worktop, the clearance beneath your cupboards and the space needed to open the lid and remove the bowl.
A guide to the brands
These features apply to the models and services mentioned, not every product from each brand.
Vorwerk / Thermomix
The Thermomix TM7 combines preparation and cooking modes with the Cookidoo recipe platform.
- Vorwerk lists 24 modes for the TM7 and more than 10,000 recipes on Cookidoo.
- Vorwerk says Cookidoo works on a subscription basis. Check the access terms that will apply to the way you plan to use it.
Moulinex / Companion
The Companion HF840110 is a cooking food processor with automatic programmes; Moulinex also offers the My Moulinex app.
- Moulinex lists a usable capacity of 3 L and 12 automatic programmes for the Companion HF840110.
- Moulinex describes My Moulinex as a free app with step-by-step recipes. Check the accessories and features of the model you’re considering.
Magimix / Cook Expert
The Cook Expert combines a cooking bowl with preparation tasks carried out using its different bowls.
- Magimix lists a usable capacity of 2.5 L for the standard Cook Expert and offers more than 2,700 free recipes in its app.
- Magimix says the Kit Smart Connect is optional. Also consider how much room you’ll need to store the bowls and accessories you plan to use.
Cooking food processors available on Joybuy
These two Robby models are cooking food processors, letting you prepare and cook in one appliance. Compare their features and how much room they’ll take up in your kitchen before choosing.
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Robby Smart cooking food processor with XL bowl, scales and large touchscreen
If you want to prepare and cook in one appliance, check that its features and accessories cover the recipes you usually make. The XL bowl, scales and large touchscreen are listed in the name of this version. Check how many recipes are available, and allow room to handle the bowl.
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Robby cooking food processor with scales, touchscreen and 680 recipes
This version combines built-in scales and a touchscreen with guided recipes, as stated in its name. If you plan to use it every day, check that its preparation and cooking features suit the dishes you usually make, and allow enough room for the bowl and accessories.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need guided recipes to use a cooking food processor?
No. Que Choisir says recipes aren’t essential. However, they may suit you if you like following steps on a screen or in an app. If so, check which recipes are available with the model you’re considering.
What should you check with a recipe service?
Check which recipes and features you’ll be able to access, and the terms of use. Vorwerk describes Cookidoo as a subscription service; Moulinex and Magimix offer free recipes in their apps, while Magimix says its Kit Smart Connect is optional.
Can a cooking food processor replace all my other appliances?
Not automatically: features, bowl capacity and accessories vary between models. Compare the things you usually prepare with the tasks the model you choose can actually handle, especially if you want to combine preparation and cooking.