If you mainly want to cook meals with minimal input, consider a multicooker. If you often chop, grate or knead ingredients and already have a way to cook them, a food processor may be a better fit. A cooking food processor makes more sense when your recipes regularly combine preparation and cooking, provided its accessories, capacity, size and cleaning requirements suit your kitchen. For soups and other hot blended dishes, a heated blender may be all you need.
If you mainly make slow-cooked, steamed or pressure-cooked dishes and want to follow guided steps, a multicooker is worth considering. It meets a different need from an appliance designed primarily for chopping ingredients.
You regularly slice, grate, chop, mix or knead ingredients, then cook them using equipment you already own. With a food processor, the tools supplied and the storage space they need matter just as much as the advertised features.
Your recipes often involve several steps, such as chopping, mixing, simmering or blending. A cooking food processor can bring these steps together, but you’ll need to allow space for the appliance and clean its bowl and accessories.
Que Choisir distinguishes between food preparation appliances and those that also cook. Start by thinking about the tasks you actually do regularly, then compare the capacity, accessories and available space for the model you’re considering.
Consider one if : chopping, grating, slicing or kneading takes up most of your preparation time and you already cook another way.
Bear in mind : you’ll still need separate equipment for cooking, and the tasks you can do depend on the accessories supplied.
Consider one if : your priority is to get slow-cooked, steamed or pressure-cooked meals started using the modes available on the model.
Bear in mind : cooking programmes alone won’t replace chopping and kneading tools.
Consider one if : your recipes often combine preparation and cooking, and the included accessories suit the steps involved.
Bear in mind : having more parts to fit, store and clean can make an all-in-one appliance less appealing.
Consider one if : you mainly make soups, purées and other hot blended dishes, as explained by Que Choisir.
Bear in mind : this specialised use doesn’t cover grating, slicing or kneading.
| Feature | What to check before you buy | Who might prioritise it? |
|---|---|---|
| Preparing and cooking in the same appliance | Compare the preparation and cooking functions it actually combines, the accessories included and the bowl’s usable capacity. | When my usual recipes involve several tasks in a row, I want to avoid switching between appliances. Around 31% of consumers could make this their top priority. |
| A variety of chopping and preparation tasks | Check which discs, blades and tools are supplied for the tasks you do regularly, and how they can be stored. | If I regularly grate and slice vegetables or make dough, I look for the right tools first rather than integrated cooking. Around 25% of consumers could prioritise this. |
| Simplifying the cooking process | Look at the available modes, how easy the controls are to read and how you can access guided recipes. | For weekday meals, I prefer cooking that’s easy to start and settings I can understand quickly. Around 25% of consumers could put this need first. |
| Easy to store and clean | Compare the dimensions with the bowl fitted, the space taken up by the accessories and the cleaning instructions for the model you’re considering. | If I have limited worktop space, I don’t want an appliance that’s useful for cooking to become a chore to get out and clean. Around 19% of consumers could prioritise easy storage and cleaning. |
Two versatile appliances don’t necessarily handle the same tasks with the accessories supplied. A feature you rarely use may not make up for the space the appliance takes up every day.
Make a note of the steps involved in meals you cook regularly, then compare this list with the functions and accessories of the specific model you’re interested in.
The bowl, lid, discs and blades also need space, both when you’re using them and when you’re storing them.
Compare the dimensions of the assembled appliance with your worktop and set aside space for its accessories.
A screen or programme can guide you through cooking without providing the accessories needed for grating or kneading.
Check separately which tasks you can do with the parts supplied, which recipes you can access and whether you can use the appliance without a connected service.
Depending on the model, access to certain recipes or services may be subject to separate conditions.
In France, the statutory legal guarantee of conformity for goods sold by a professional is separate from an optional commercial warranty. The DGCCRF notes that the way these warranties are presented in the home-appliance sector can be ambiguous.
Before taking out an extended warranty, read what it adds to your statutory rights, its exclusions and its repair terms.
These brands illustrate different types of appliance. Choose based on the features of each model, rather than the brand alone.
Moulinex’s range includes Cookeo multicookers, Companion cooking food processors and heated blenders.
The Cook Expert combines preparation and cooking tasks, with dedicated bowls and accessories.
With Thermomix, Vorwerk offers a cooking food processor with a range of recipes and accessories.
MultiTalent food processors are designed mainly for preparing ingredients, without integrated cooking.
These Joybuy models offer two approaches to everyday meals: cooking food processors that combine preparation and cooking, and multicookers that focus on cooking modes. Compare the features listed for each appliance with your recipes. These models don’t include food processors without cooking functions or the heated blenders mentioned above.
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Worth a look if you want to combine preparation and cooking in a cooking food processor.
The model name mentions a large bowl, built-in scales and a large touchscreen. Check how many recipes are available, as the information for this model is inconsistent on this point. Also compare its dimensions with the space you have available.
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Consider this if you’re looking for a cooking food processor with guided recipes for your regular cooking.
The product title mentions built-in scales, a touchscreen and 680 recipes. Before buying, check the cleaning instructions for the accessories and how to handle the bowl safely while cooking.
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Worth comparing if cooking is your priority and you usually prepare large quantities.
The product title lists an 8 L capacity, 1,200 W power and 12 pre-set menus. If chopping ingredients is also important to you, check separately which tools you’ll need. Check the dimensions and cleaning instructions before deciding where to put it.
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Consider this if you want several cooking modes in a multicooker rather than chopping tools.
The product title describes a 7-in-1 5.7 L model, with slow cooking, steaming and four customisable pre-sets. Measure the space available before deciding where to keep it.
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Worth a look if your priority is programmable cooking and you have another way to prepare ingredients.
The product title lists 9 menus, two pressure settings, a 24-hour timer and voice control. Before buying, check the dimensions and the language of the instructions and voice-control feature.
No. A cooking food processor can combine preparation and cooking, but its features and accessories vary by model. Compare the tasks involved in your usual recipes with the parts supplied, rather than assuming that ‘all-in-one’ covers everything.
A heated blender may be enough if you mainly make soups and other hot blended dishes. Que Choisir describes it as suitable for soups. If you also need to grate, slice or knead, compare the accessories available with a food processor or cooking food processor instead.
Identify the parts that need washing after each use and check which ones are dishwasher-safe for the exact model. For example, Moulinex’s instructions for the Cookeo Touch apply to its cooking bowl; they don’t automatically apply to accessories for other appliances.
No. According to the French Ministry of the Economy, the statutory legal guarantee of conformity applies to new, second-hand or refurbished goods sold by a professional to a private individual; an optional commercial warranty is separate. Compare the terms of any extended warranty with the rights you already have if goods don’t conform to the contract.