Choose based on the task your current appliances don’t cover: a food processor prepares ingredients without cooking them, a multicooker focuses on cooking, while a cooking food processor combines preparation and cooking functions. In a small kitchen, also check how much space the appliance and its accessories take up, its usable capacity and which parts need cleaning. Having more functions in one appliance is only useful if you’ll use them.
You often grate, slice, chop or blend, but already have a hob, oven or another way to cook. A food processor meets this preparation need without adding cooking functions, as distinguished by UFC-Que Choisir.
You’d like to move from preparation to cooking with fewer transfers between utensils. When choosing a cooking food processor, compare the tasks its accessories actually handle, the bowl capacity, how easy it is to clean and how much room you’ll need to store everything.
You’re mainly looking for a way to start cooking everyday meals without having to keep an eye on them. A multicooker is worth considering if you prepare ingredients separately: UFC-Que Choisir says these appliances generally don’t stir food.
Start with the steps you want the appliance to handle, then compare its advertised functions with your usual portions, the accessories included and the space you have available, including for storage.
Worth considering if: chopping and blending are your priorities, and you already have a way to cook.
Bear in mind: cooking is still done separately, and the functions depend on the accessories supplied.
Worth considering if: you want to prepare and cook in the same appliance.
Bear in mind: chopping functions, capacity and the parts you’ll need to store vary by model.
Worth considering if: your priority is programming the cooking rather than chopping or blending.
Bear in mind: you’ll generally still need other tools to prepare the ingredients.
| What you need | What to check | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing without cooking | Chopping and blending accessories included; space needed to store the bowl and accessories. | If my hob or oven already takes care of cooking, I mainly want to make grating, slicing or blending easier. Around 37% of consumers put preparation without cooking first. |
| Preparing and cooking | Functions and accessories included; bowl capacity suited to the quantities you prepare. | To go from ingredients to a cooked dish with fewer transfers, I need both steps to be handled by the same appliance. This all-in-one need is a priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Automating cooking | Useful cooking modes; permitted cooking capacity for your recipes. | I can prepare the ingredients separately, but I’d like to start cooking an everyday meal without standing over the appliance. Hands-off cooking comes before preparation functions for around 27% of consumers. |
A bowl marked as 6 L won’t necessarily let you cook 6 L of food. UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 L Cookeo bowl with a maximum cooking capacity of 4 L. The extra space needed also depends on the recipe.
Compare the amount you usually cook with the limits given for the model and the dishes you plan to make.
A multicooker is designed primarily for cooking. UFC-Que Choisir points out that it generally doesn’t stir food, so don’t assume it can chop, grate or blend.
If these tasks matter to you, check the model’s functions or keep a separate food preparation tool.
Bowls, blades and discs can extend a food processor’s uses, but they also take up space when stored separately. Not all of them necessarily come with the model you choose.
Measure your worktop and storage space, then compare the list of included accessories with the tasks you do regularly.
The MultiTalent range is designed for preparing ingredients, without integrated cooking functions.
The Mini Plus is for food preparation only, while the Cook Expert adds cooking functions.
The Cookeo range focuses on guided or programmed cooking, with modes that vary by model.
The Thermomix TM7 combines preparation and cooking functions with guided recipes via Cookidoo.
These cooking food processors are for anyone looking to combine preparation and cooking. The multicookers featured next are mainly for cooking. To choose between them, consider the portions you plan to make and the space available.
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Worth a look if you’re after an appliance for preparing and cooking, with built-in scales and a touchscreen. Check the exact model name and the recipes included before choosing this version.
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Consider this if you want to prepare and cook with an appliance that has built-in scales. Check the instruction manual to see which parts are dishwasher-safe.
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For prioritising cooking over chopping ingredients. The model includes pressure cooking, slow cooking and steaming, among other functions. Check the usable capacity for your recipes and the appliance’s dimensions.
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Worth considering if you’re looking for a multicooker advertised for up to four portions. The 3.8 L capacity refers to the appliance; check the permitted quantity for your recipes and how much space it will take up.
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Compare this model if you cook larger quantities and prioritise cooking programmes. The advertised 8 L capacity doesn’t tell you how much you can cook: check the limits for your recipes and the appliance’s dimensions.
Not if you want to cook in the appliance: a food processor is mainly for preparing ingredients. UFC-Que Choisir distinguishes a cooking food processor by its cooking function, so a food processor is best suited to you if you already have a way to cook.
The bowl’s total volume may be greater than the amount you’re allowed to cook. UFC-Que Choisir gives the example of a 6 L Cookeo bowl with a maximum cooking capacity of 4 L. Check the model’s guidance for your recipes and portions.
No, it depends on the model and the part in question. Check the instruction manual for the bowl, lid and each accessory. Bosch says that accessories for the MCM3200W are dishwasher-safe, while Moulinex specifies this for certain parts of some Cookeo+ models.
Contact the professional seller to exercise your legal guarantee of conformity, provided the relevant conditions are met. The Ministry of the Economy states that you have two years to claim under this guarantee. This legal protection is separate from any commercial warranty.