If your multi-cooker already takes care of the cooking, choose the food preparation functions you’re missing rather than replacing it straight away with a cooking food processor. A cooking food processor is better suited to preparing and cooking in the same appliance, provided its capacity, cleaning requirements and accessories fit your kitchen.
If you use your cooking appliance regularly, a food processor dedicated to preparation can take care of the tasks you’re missing without replacing your cooking appliance. Que Choisir highlights the benefits of a food processor when cooking is already covered by another appliance. Just make sure you have somewhere to store its bowl and accessories.
If you’d like to handle preparation and cooking in one appliance, look at the cooking food processor’s functions, usable bowl capacity, cleaning requirements and ease of use. Combining functions doesn’t mean you can skip checking how much space it will take up.
If guided recipes are an important part of your decision, check what remains available without a subscription and the renewal terms for any linked service. If you want to keep the appliance for a long time, compare the spare-parts commitments and repair arrangements for the specific model, too.
If your kitchen is already equipped, start with the functions you actually use: adding food preparation is a different choice from combining preparation and cooking.
Consider it: if you already have cooking covered and mainly need help with food preparation.
Bear in mind: it doesn’t cook, and you’ll also need somewhere to store its bowl and accessories.
Consider it: if you want to prepare and cook with the same appliance.
Bear in mind: it may duplicate a multi-cooker you still use. Check the size and cleaning requirements of each model.
| Criteria | What to check | What matters to shoppers |
|---|---|---|
| Functions you already have | List the appliances you use and the food preparation tasks you’re missing. Check which accessories are included with the model you’re considering. | My multi-cooker is still useful, so I want to add food preparation without paying again for a cooking function. Around 29% of consumers prioritise avoiding this kind of duplication. |
| Combining preparation and cooking | Compare the cooking functions you need for your meals with the accessories required for each preparation task. | For my regular meals, I’d rather prepare and then cook with one appliance. Around 36% of consumers put having everything in one appliance first. |
| Space, bowl and cleaning | Measure the space with the bowl and lid in place, allow room to store the accessories, and compare usable capacities and cleaning instructions. | In my small kitchen, I want practical storage and a bowl that suits my portions. Space, capacity and cleaning are the main concern for around 21% of consumers. |
| Recipes and long-term use | Check recipe access, the terms of any subscription, and the spare-parts and repair commitments for the exact model. | I plan to use the appliance for a long time and want to know what services and repair options will be available. Around 14% of consumers put these terms first. |
Unused accessories take up cupboard space too, which can undermine the space-saving benefits you’re looking for in a food processor.
Think about what you usually prepare and check which discs, bowls or other parts you’ll need, as well as where you’ll store them.
Set aside a separate space for accessories that won’t fit inside the appliance.
Functions, accessories and capacities vary between models. A cooking food processor may also duplicate the function of a multi-cooker you already use.
Compare its functions and included parts with your current equipment. If an important task is involved, look for a review of the exact model, if one is available.
A recipe interface can make an appliance easier to use, but access to certain recipes or functions depends on the service you choose. Vorwerk says that a Cookidoo subscription renews automatically after twelve months.
Before choosing a connected appliance, check which recipes are available without a subscription and the terms of the service you plan to use.
A stated period of spare-parts availability doesn’t, on its own, tell you whether a particular fault will be covered or under what conditions.
Note the model number and check which parts are covered, any exclusions and the repair terms with the manufacturer.
The features and commitments below apply to the ranges or models mentioned, not to every appliance made by each brand.
The original Cook Expert combines food preparation and cooking functions. Magimix lists a usable capacity of 2.5 L and a weight of 11.14 kg for this model.
The Companion range combines food preparation and cooking. Moulinex says recipes are available through its free app or directly on certain appliances.
The Thermomix TM7 is a connected cooking food processor with a touchscreen and built-in access to Cookidoo recipes. Vorwerk lists the bowl’s maximum capacity as 2.2 L.
These appliances cover two options discussed here: combining preparation and cooking with a cooking food processor, or adding food preparation functions to a kitchen where cooking is already taken care of. Before choosing, compare their size and functions with the appliances you already own.
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Worth considering if you want to combine food preparation and cooking. The product description mentions built-in scales, a large touchscreen and 750 recipes. Check the XL bowl’s usable capacity and allow space for the accessories.
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If you want to prepare and cook with one appliance, this model is listed with built-in scales, a touchscreen and 680 recipes. Check the usable capacity for your portions and the cleaning instructions for the accessories.
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Worth a look if you’re keeping your cooking appliance and need a food processor for preparation. The product description lists a 1.5 L capacity and 600 W power. Measure the space available for the appliance and its parts before deciding whether it will make storage easier.
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If chopping small quantities is the task you’re missing, this mini chopper has a bowl with a stated capacity of 0.7 L. It won’t replace a cooking food processor, so check its dimensions and electrical compatibility before buying.
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Worth considering if a blender and meat mincer would be useful additions to your kitchen. The bowl is listed as 5 L. Check how much room you’ll need to store all the parts, which chopping functions are included and whether it’s electrically compatible with French sockets.
Not for cooking: a food processor handles the preparation tasks its model is designed for. If you’re happy with your multi-cooker, pairing it with a food processor can add to your kitchen equipment without replacing the appliance that already cooks your meals, as Que Choisir explains.
Measure the worktop space, the available height with the bowl and lid in place, and the space needed to store the accessories. Also compare the bowl’s usable capacity with your usual portions: the total capacity alone doesn’t tell you how much you’ll be able to prepare.
No. According to Que Choisir, guided recipes aren’t essential for using one. If they’re part of what appeals to you, check which recipes are included or freely available and what terms apply to a service such as Cookidoo.
Compare the commitments for specific models rather than for brands as a whole. Check how long spare parts are said to remain available, which parts are covered, any exclusions and the repair service terms. Magimix and Moulinex, for example, publish commitments whose scope depends on the model or service you choose.