If you regularly make dishes that need to cook in the appliance, a cooking food processor combines preparation and cooking in one unit. If you already use your hob, oven or multi-cooker for cooking, a standard food processor is better suited to preparation tasks: it won’t cook your food. In a small kitchen, also measure the space you’ll need with the bowl in place and decide where to store the accessories.
Soups, sauces, slow-cooked dishes and steamed food are regulars on your menu. A cooking food processor can combine these steps with some preparation tasks, provided you have room for the appliance and its accessories.
If your hob, oven or multi-cooker meets your cooking needs, a standard food processor can focus on the tasks you do again and again: grating, slicing, chopping, blending or kneading.
Check how many accessories need storing, how recipes can be accessed and which parts need cleaning. These details can matter just as much as the number of advertised functions when you use your appliance every week.
Start with the dishes you actually make, then check how much space the appliance takes up when in use and how much room its accessories need when stored away.
| Criterion | What to check | Consider your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation and cooking | First, identify the preparation tasks you want the appliance to handle, then think about which dishes need to cook in it. A standard food processor prepares ingredients; a cooking food processor also cooks them. A multi-cooker paired with a food processor splits these tasks between two appliances. | I want to cook soups or slow-cooked dishes in the same appliance I use to prepare the ingredients. If I already cook elsewhere, I’d rather choose the preparation functions I need without adding integrated cooking. |
| Available space | Measure the width, depth and height with the bowl and lid in place. Allow space for discs, blades and other accessories too: UFC-Que Choisir recommends checking the appliance’s footprint and whether its accessories will be useful. | My worktop space is limited and my cupboards are already full. Two complementary appliances might suit the dishes I make, but I need to be able to store both. |
| Portions and regular tasks | Where stated, compare the usable capacity with the portions you usually make. If you only repeat one or two preparation tasks, also consider whether separate tools might suit you better than a food processor with a bowl. | I mostly cook small quantities or only use one preparation function, so the bowl size and number of accessories matter more to me than a long list of programmes. |
| Recipes and cleaning | Check the terms for accessing guided recipes, which accessories are included and which parts of the specific model are dishwasher-safe. According to Vorwerk France, Cookidoo access requires an annual subscription, so don’t assume every recipe service works in the same way. | I want to use the functions I’m interested in regularly and clean the appliance without leaving bulky parts on the worktop. |
One base unit can bring several functions together, but bowls, lids and tools still take up space. UFC-Que Choisir recommends checking the appliance’s footprint and whether its accessories will be useful.
Make a list of everything included, decide where each item will go and measure the appliance’s height with its tallest attachment fitted.
A standard food processor doesn’t do the cooking that sets a cooking food processor apart. You’ll still need another way to cook the dishes in question.
Make a note of a few meals you often prepare and separate the preparation tasks from the cooking steps for each one.
Terms vary by service. Vorwerk France says Cookidoo requires an annual subscription, so deciding whether to use recipes from this ecosystem is separate from choosing the appliance.
Check which functions and recipes you’ll use, and what the access terms are once any trial period ends.
Bowl size doesn’t always tell you how much food you can actually prepare. For example, Magimix lists both total and usable capacity for the CS 3200 XL.
Where usable capacity is stated, compare it with the quantities you usually prepare.
These examples cover different types of appliance and things to check. The details apply to the models mentioned, not every product from each brand.
According to Vorwerk France, the Thermomix TM7 combines food preparation and cooking with access to guided recipes.
Moulinex describes the Companion HF840110 as a food preparation and cooking appliance, and offers a recipe app to go with it.
The range mentioned includes the CS 3200 XL food processor, which doesn’t have an integrated cooking function, and the Cook Expert Connect cooking food processor.
The Instant Pot Plus WiFi 5,7 L is a multi-cooker option for anyone who wants to keep food preparation separate from cooking.
These two Robby models are cooking food processors, designed for preparing meals with an appliance that also has a cooking function. Compare their features with the recipes you make and the space you have available. This selection alone doesn’t determine whether a cooking food processor is right for you compared with other options.
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Worth considering if you want one appliance to handle both preparation and cooking. The product title mentions an XL bowl, built-in scales, a large touchscreen and 750 recipes. Check how much space it needs with the bowl in place, where you’ll store the accessories and what the recipe access terms are.
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Compare it with the way you prepare and cook food. The product title mentions a touchscreen and 680 recipes. Before setting aside a place for it, check its dimensions when assembled for use, the usable capacity for your portions, where to store the accessories and which parts need cleaning.
It can handle some preparation tasks, but not cooking in the appliance: that’s what distinguishes a cooking food processor from a standard food processor. Check the functions of the model you’re considering and what cooking appliances you already have.
Measure the available width, depth and height with the bowl and lid in place, then decide where the accessories will go. For example, Magimix gives different dimensions for the base and for setups with the bowl fitted on its Cook Expert Connect, so measuring the base alone may not be enough.
No, the terms vary by service. Moulinex says its app is available with the Companion HF840110, while Vorwerk France requires an annual subscription for Cookidoo. Check what remains available with your chosen model after any trial period.
Look at which accessories are included, which ones you’ll actually need for your recipes, the terms for accessing recipes and which parts need cleaning. For the specific model you’re interested in, also check the availability of spare parts and the after-sales service arrangements.
Take it to a dedicated collection point for electrical and electronic equipment rather than putting it in your household rubbish. The French Ministry for Ecological Transition reminds consumers that this equipment must go through a dedicated collection and treatment scheme. Before replacing an appliance you rarely use, consider whether a new one will meet a need you have regularly.