If your hob or multi-cooker already takes care of cooking, a food processor is the more direct choice for chopping, grating or blending. Choose a cooking food processor instead if you want to prepare and cook food in the same appliance. Compare the usable capacity, accessories, space required and ease of cleaning. As UFC-Que Choisir explains, the cooking function is what sets these two categories apart.
If you’re happy with your multi-cooker or hob but find that preparing ingredients takes too long, consider a food processor. UFC-Que Choisir presents them as an option when cooking is already taken care of by another appliance.
If you regularly make soups, sauces or slow-cooked dishes, a cooking food processor lets you consider doing both steps in the same appliance. Just check that its cooking modes suit the recipes you make.
Before you choose, check the available space, bowl size and how the accessories will be stored. A versatile appliance can still be impractical if its parts take up space you don’t have.
Start with the tasks you want to spend less time on, then check the appliance’s exact set-up rather than relying on the number of functions advertised.
Worth considering if: preparing ingredients takes up too much of your time, but your current equipment already takes care of cooking.
Bear in mind: you’ll need to transfer the ingredients to a saucepan or another appliance to cook them, and the accessories need storage space.
Worth considering if: you want to prepare and cook your usual recipes in one appliance.
Bear in mind: its modes, bowl and cleaning requirements need to suit the recipes you make. Built-in cooking doesn’t make every model the same.
| Priority | What to check | What you need |
|---|---|---|
| Food preparation | Check which blades and discs are included for chopping, grating, slicing or blending. Make sure it has the accessories you need for the doughs you make. | I’d like to spend less time chopping and mixing ingredients, without replacing a cooking method that already works for me. |
| Built-in cooking | Look for the slow-cooking, steaming or soup modes you need for your recipes. Check that you can adjust the cooking settings as you prefer. | For soups and dishes with sauce, I’d rather prepare and cook everything in the same appliance. |
| Bowl capacity | Compare the usable capacity with the size of your recipes and the number of portions you make. Don’t confuse it with the advertised total capacity. | My usual recipes need to fit in the bowl, without me having to prepare everything in several batches. |
| Space and cleaning | Measure the space you have available, including the height. Check which parts are dishwasher-safe and how the accessories can be stored. | I want to keep the appliance within easy reach and clean the parts I use often. |
If your multi-cooker or hob already covers the recipes you make, another appliance with a heating function may not solve the task that’s slowing you down: preparing the ingredients.
Make a note of the tasks you do most often when cooking, then compare appliances based on those tasks and the cooking you’d genuinely like them to do.
Total capacity and usable capacity can differ. For example, Magimix gives a total capacity of 3,5 L and a usable capacity of 2,5 L for the Cook Expert mentioned in its product information.
Compare the usable capacity of the exact model you’re considering with your usual recipes and the number of portions you prepare.
What you can do with an appliance depends on the configuration you buy. UFC-Que Choisir notes that some tests of accessories are only carried out when they’re supplied with the appliance.
Check the list of blades, discs, bowls and baskets included with the exact model, along with which parts you’ll need to clean after making your usual recipes.
These examples show different configurations. The features listed apply to the models named, not to every appliance from each brand.
The MultiTalent 3 MCM3200W is an example of a food processor designed for preparation, without built-in cooking.
The Companion HF840110 is an example of an appliance that combines preparation and cooking.
The Cook Expert combines a cooking bowl with components designed for food preparation.
The Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation and cooking functions with a recipe interface.
This selection includes cooking food processors for preparing and cooking, a food processor for preparation, and a mini chopper for more targeted tasks. Compare what each one is designed to do before comparing its features.
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Worth considering if you’d like to bring preparation and cooking together in one appliance with a large touchscreen. Check which accessories suit your recipes and what recipes are available for this version.
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This version with a touchscreen may appeal if you’d like to follow recipes while preparing and cooking. Compare the usable capacity, included accessories and terms for accessing new recipes with what you need.
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If you want to prepare ingredients before cooking them in another appliance, this model includes grating discs, among other accessories. Check its dimensions, the exact list of accessories and which parts the cleaning instructions apply to.
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Worth a look if you mainly want to chop small quantities or make sauces, rather than cover every step of a meal. If you need grating, slicing or cooking functions, check what this model can do before you choose.
Not if you need the appliance to cook: according to UFC-Que Choisir, cooking is what sets a cooking food processor apart from a food processor. If your hob or multi-cooker already does the job, choose based on the preparation tasks you still need help with.
First compare the bowl’s usable capacity with the size of your recipes, then check the cooking modes, accessories, overall size and cleaning requirements. For example, Moulinex lists a usable capacity of 3 L for the Companion HF840110, while Magimix gives a usable capacity of 2,5 L for the Cook Expert mentioned.
No: UFC-Que Choisir says they’re not essential. If you’d like step-by-step guidance, check which recipes you can access, whether a subscription is required and what you can do with the appliance without an internet connection before you buy.
If you bought it from a professional seller, you can make a claim under the legal guarantee of conformity against that seller if the product is not as described. The French Ministry of the Economy explains that this mandatory guarantee applies to new, second-hand and refurbished goods. Keep your proof of purchase, and remember that this is separate from any commercial warranty offered by the brand.