If you mainly want to chop, grate, slice or blend ingredients before cooking them with your usual appliances, start by comparing food processors—or make use of the ones you already own. If you’d like to bring preparation and cooking together in one appliance, a cooking food processor is a better fit. However, Que Choisir’s guides point out that functions, capacity and accessories vary between models.
You want to chop, grate, slice, blend or knead, then use your hob, oven or another appliance to cook. A food processor is worth considering, depending on the tasks you need it for and the accessories you require.
You’d like to prepare and cook food in the same appliance, perhaps following guided recipes. Check that the model’s programmes and capacity suit the dishes you actually make.
You’re not sure about adding another appliance and its accessories to an already well-equipped kitchen. The space it takes up, how its parts are stored and how they’re cleaned can matter just as much as its list of functions.
The key difference is whether cooking is built in: Que Choisir describes this as what sets a cooking food processor apart from a standard food processor. Before you buy, also consider whether your current appliances already cover the tasks you usually do.
Worth considering: for preparing ingredients when you already cook them elsewhere.
Limitation: you’ll need another appliance to cook your food.
Worth considering: for combining preparation and cooking, particularly for recipes with several steps.
Limitation: built-in cooking doesn’t mean every model includes all the tools or modes you need.
Worth considering: if your blender, chopper or cooking appliance already handles the tasks you do regularly.
Limitation: the steps are still spread across several appliances, with no guided cooking in a single bowl.
| Feature | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation only | The tools supplied for chopping, grating or slicing, and whether the bowl capacity suits the quantities you prepare. | I want to prepare ingredients before cooking them with my usual appliances, without adding a cooking function to my choice. Around 31% of consumers prioritise preparation-only tasks. |
| Built-in cooking | The model’s cooking modes, its usable capacity for your portions and the accessories needed for the recipes you have in mind. | For soup or a dish with several cooking steps, I’d rather combine preparation and cooking in one appliance. This is the top priority for around 31% of consumers. |
| Space and cleaning | The space it takes up, how the accessories are stored and the cleaning instructions for each part. | I cook often, but an appliance that’s difficult to store or clean could make my routine harder. Around 23% of consumers put space and cleaning first when choosing. |
| Recipes and accessories | The recipes available for the specific model, subscription terms and which accessories are included or optional. | If I plan to follow guided recipes or get more use from the appliance, I want to know what will still be available after I buy it. For around 15% of consumers, these terms are their main priority. |
Grating, slicing and other types of preparation depend on having the right accessory. The list of functions alone doesn’t tell you what comes in the box with the model you’ve chosen.
Make a note of the tasks you do most often, then check which tool each one requires, whether it’s included and how much room you’ll need to store it.
According to Que Choisir, cooking is what sets a cooking food processor apart from a standard food processor. If your current appliances already cook food the way you want, this feature may not solve your main problem.
First decide whether you only need to prepare food or want to prepare and cook it in the same appliance. Then compare models that suit your routine.
Access to guided recipes varies between brands and services. A trial period doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll continue to have the same access afterwards.
Check which recipes are available without a subscription, the service’s renewal terms and which accessories you’ll need for the recipes you want to make.
The Thermomix range combines food preparation, cooking and guided recipes through Cookidoo.
The Companion range includes cooking food processors, with recipes available in the Moulinex app.
Cook Expert combines a cooking food processor with a recipe app and additional accessories.
Kenwood food processors and accessories let you build up your food-preparation options, depending on your machine’s compatibility.
These products cover preparation with advertised cooking functions, preparation without cooking and dedicated chopping. Choose based on the tasks you actually need: a chopper doesn’t do the same job as a food processor, and you should confirm the cooking functions for the specific model you’re considering.
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Worth considering if you’d like to combine food preparation, advertised cooking functions and guided recipes in one appliance.
The product name mentions built-in scales, a touchscreen and 680 recipes. Check that the usable capacity suits your portions, and read the cleaning instructions for the accessories and the terms for accessing recipe-related services.
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An option to consider for preparing ingredients when you use another appliance to cook them.
The product name mentions a 1.8 L bowl, a blender and grating discs. Check the exact list of accessories supplied, their cleaning instructions and how much storage space you’ll need.
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Worth comparing if you’re looking for a food-preparation appliance with scales and a touchscreen, but don’t assume the name confirms all its cooking modes.
The product name mentions an XL bowl and built-in scales. If cooking, a particular recipe or a specific accessory is important to you, check the functions and what’s included with this model before buying.
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Worth considering if you mainly need to chop different quantities, rather than grate, slice or cook food.
The product name specifies two glass bowls, with capacities of 2 L and 0.6 L. Don’t put hot or boiling ingredients in the bowls: the product instructions say they’re not heat-resistant. Also follow the stated limit of 30 seconds of continuous operation for this chopper.
A food processor can take care of some preparation tasks, but it can’t replace the built-in cooking function of a cooking food processor. If you already cook with a hob, oven or another appliance, check that the tools supplied cover your usual tasks instead. Que Choisir distinguishes the two categories by their cooking function.
Not always: access depends on the brand, model and service. Vorwerk links Cookidoo to a subscription, while Moulinex and Magimix offer free recipes in their respective apps. Check the terms for the product you’ve chosen and which recipes are available without a subscription.
Check which parts need to be taken apart and read the cleaning instructions for each one, rather than relying on the number of programmes alone. If you’ll use it often, also consider how many accessories you’ll need to handle and put away after preparing food.