If you already have another appliance for cooking, choose a food processor for chopping, grating or slicing only if the included attachments suit the dishes you usually make. A compact model may be a good fit if space is limited; a larger bundle is worthwhile mainly if you’ll use its extra parts and have room to store and clean them. If you only need one task done regularly, a specialist appliance is also worth considering.
If your slow cooker, multi-cooker or other appliance already takes care of cooking, a food processor can focus on preparing ingredients. First, check which tasks it can handle with the attachments supplied: it won’t replace an appliance with built-in cooking functions.
If you want to chop, grate or slice in a small kitchen, compare the appliance’s dimensions, bowl capacity and the space needed for its attachments. Storage inside the bowl is only useful if it can hold the parts you’ll actually use.
Grated vegetables, dough, sauces, smoothies and juices don’t necessarily call for the same attachments. Make a list of the things you regularly prepare, then compare it with what’s included with the exact model, rather than relying on its overall advertised number of functions.
Start with the tasks you do regularly, then check what’s included, how much space the appliance will take up and how its parts need to be cleaned.
| Priority | What to check | Think about your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Attachments included | Check which blade, discs and other parts come with the exact model. Separately confirm whether it includes a blender, citrus press or juicer if you plan to use those functions. | I grate and slice ingredients often, so the right discs matter more to me than a long list of functions I’ll never use. |
| Capacity and size | Compare the stated bowl capacity with the portions you prepare, and check the appliance’s dimensions. If you plan to make dough, check the stated capacity for that task rather than relying on the bowl’s overall volume. | My ingredients need to fit in the bowl, but the appliance also needs to fit on my worktop or in a cupboard. |
| Storage and cleaning | Check whether a storage basket, cover or in-bowl storage is included. Read the cleaning instructions for each part: ‘dishwasher-safe’ may come with exceptions. | If I have to get several parts out every time I use it, I want to know where to store them and which ones need washing by hand. |
| One specific task or versatility | Decide whether you need several food preparation functions or mainly one particular task. Then compare the attachments included with a food processor against those supplied with a specialist appliance, without assuming they do the same things. | If I’m chopping small quantities or slicing vegetables, a dedicated appliance may suit my needs. If I regularly grate, slice and mix, I’ll look at the attachments available for a food processor. |
| Parts and aftercare | Check the manufacturer’s commitment to parts availability for the exact model, and find out which attachments are sold separately. A manufacturer’s commitment doesn’t tell you what’s included in the bundle. | If I plan to keep the appliance for a long time, I want to know which parts come in the box and which I might need to buy later. |
An advertised function doesn’t confirm that the required part is in the box. In its testing protocol, Que Choisir explains that additional functions are only tested when the relevant attachments are supplied.
Compare what’s included with the dishes you usually make, and check separately for any discs, blender, dough tool or juicing attachments you’re interested in.
Depending on the model, you may need an additional attachment for some preparations.
Even parts you rarely use take up space. A storage basket inside the bowl, a cover and storage for just a few attachments don’t all meet the same needs.
First, list the tasks you do regularly, then work out where the appliance and the relevant parts will go after each use.
Instructions vary by part and model. For example, Kenwood says that the blender and mill blades for the MultiPro Express FDP65.450WH should not go in the dishwasher.
Check the instructions for the exact model you’re considering, covering the bowl, blades, lids and any attachments you’ll use regularly.
Que Choisir found the Moulinex FP542110, a discontinued model, relatively easy to store and clean. This finding doesn’t describe the attachments or care requirements for other DoubleForce Compact models.
Keep the model number to hand when comparing a review, a product listing and the contents of the bundle on offer.
These model examples show different configurations; a feature of one model doesn’t automatically apply to the whole range.
The MultiTalent range includes food processors without cooking functions, such as the MultiTalent 3 MCM3200W.
DoubleForce Compact configurations vary depending on the model number.
The Mini Plus and CS 3200 XL are two different compact food processor models.
MultiPro models can come with different food preparation attachments.
These options include a food processor for several food preparation tasks and two appliances designed for more specific jobs: chopping or slicing. Choose based on the tasks you actually need, then check what’s included and how to care for the parts on the model you select.
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Worth considering if you want one appliance to handle several food preparation tasks. Check the list of attachments included for chopping, grating, slicing and blending, as well as the cleaning instructions for each part.
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This mini chopper is suited to chopping small quantities, rather than to shoppers looking for several food preparation discs. Check that the bowl is the right size for your portions, and confirm which blending attachments you’ll need for your recipes: the word ‘Blender’ in the title doesn’t, on its own, tell you what’s included.
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Worth a look if slicing fruit or vegetables is your main task and you don’t need the functions of a food processor. Check the blades and settings on the model you choose; the product listing recommends hand-washing and using the hand guard with the blade.
It can handle the preparation tasks covered by its attachments, but it won’t cook food. Que Choisir specifically distinguishes between people who don’t need built-in cooking functions and those who already have an appliance for cooking. If that’s you, check that the included parts cover the tasks you do regularly.
Check the attachments included with the exact model rather than relying on its advertised number of functions. In its tests, Que Choisir only assesses these preparations when the relevant attachment is supplied, such as a blender for smoothies or a suitable juicing attachment.
No: instructions vary by model and by part. For example, Kenwood says the blender and mill blades for the MultiPro Express FDP65.450WH are not dishwasher-safe. Check the instructions for the model you’re considering.
No. A stated availability period is a manufacturer’s commitment for a specific model; it doesn’t tell you which attachments are included or whether they’ll be useful for your recipes. Magimix lists 30 years of spare parts availability for the Mini Plus, but you’ll still need to check separately what comes in the box.