For regular home cooking, choose based on the task you do most often: a food processor for preparing ingredients without built-in cooking, a cooking food processor if you want to cook in the same appliance too, or a specialist appliance if you mainly make one particular preparation. Before choosing, compare the included functions and accessories with your habits, the space you have available and the cleaning involved.
If you want to prepare and cook a meal in one appliance, look closely at the functions and capacity of the cooking food processor you’re considering. Que Choisir points out that these vary between models.
You often chop, grate, slice or knead, but already have a suitable way to cook your food. A food processor can bring these tasks together without adding a cooking function you don’t need.
If you regularly do just one particular task, compare a specialist appliance with a versatile food processor. Check how much space the appliance and its accessories take up, rather than focusing only on the number of functions.
Start with the preparation that takes up most of your time, then check what you really need the appliance to do for you.
| Need | What to check | Who it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing and cooking in one appliance | The model’s cooking functions and the bowl’s usable capacity for your usual portion sizes. | If I want to prepare and cook home-cooked meals in one go, I want to avoid switching between appliances. Around 42% of consumers prioritise built-in cooking. |
| Versatile food preparation without cooking | The accessories included for your most frequent tasks and the bowl capacity. | If I already have an appliance for cooking, I mainly want to chop, grate, slice or knead more easily. This need for food preparation without built-in cooking is the main priority for around 33% of consumers. |
| Specific tasks and cleaning | The appliance’s dimensions, including the space needed to store its accessories, and cleaning instructions for each part. | When I regularly do just one task, I’d rather avoid accessories that I’d have to store and clean without using. Around 25% of consumers therefore prefer equipment that’s focused on specific tasks and easy to maintain. |
A versatile appliance won’t necessarily be equally suited to all your usual preparations. Que Choisir recommends focusing on practical uses rather than just the list of functions.
Think about what you prepare most often, then check that the appliance has the functions and accessories you need.
According to Que Choisir, guided recipes aren’t essential for using a cooking food processor, but access arrangements vary between appliances and services.
Check which recipes are included, whether a subscription is required, whether you need an internet connection and whether you can cook manually with the model you’re considering.
An appliance you use often also means parts to clean and store. Instructions may differ for the bowl, accessories and motor unit.
Measure the space available, check what’s included in the box and read the cleaning instructions for each part. Que Choisir notes that the motor unit of a food processor must not be immersed in water.
When you buy from a business in France, any commercial guarantee is in addition to the statutory guarantee of conformity; it doesn’t replace it, as the Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control explains.
Check the services, exclusions and terms of any commercial guarantee separately.
These appliances suit three ways of preparing home-cooked meals: combining preparation and cooking, taking care of a range of preparation tasks without built-in cooking, or focusing on small chopping jobs.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you want to prepare ingredients and steam food in the same appliance. The product details list a 3 L usable bowl capacity, along with chopping, grating, blending and kneading functions. Check which recipes are actually supplied with this variant and how you can access them.
Image unavailable
For switching between food preparation, steaming and slow cooking, with a manual mode too. The product details also list built-in scales. Check the terms for recipe access and the cleaning instructions for the parts before choosing this model.
Image unavailable
For a wider range of preparations when you don’t need built-in cooking. The product details mention chopping, grating, slicing, kneading and blending. Check that its dimensions suit your available space.
Image unavailable
Worth considering if you regularly knead or whisk and would also like to use a blender. The title lists a 5 L bowl and a 1.5 L glass blender. Check which accessories are supplied for other food preparation tasks, and bear in mind that the parts are recommended for hand washing.
Image unavailable
For small, frequent preparations, such as chopping herbs or vegetables. Its 600 ml glass bowl is suited to smaller quantities. If you also need to grate or knead, compare the functions of a food processor instead.
Guided recipes aren’t essential for using a cooking food processor, according to Que Choisir. However, access to related content varies by model and service. Check which recipes are included, whether a subscription is required and whether you can cook manually.
Choose an appliance based on the parts you’ll use often, and check the model’s product details for cleaning instructions. For a food processor, Que Choisir specifies that the motor unit must not be immersed in water.
The statutory guarantee of conformity applies for two years, according to the Directorate-General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control. Any commercial guarantee is in addition to your statutory rights, so check its terms separately.
First, look into repair options and, where relevant, any guarantees that apply. ADEME says that when a food processor is no longer being used, it can also be donated, reused or taken to an appropriate collection point.